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Scientometrics indicators are used to assess scientists, universities and research institutes for scientific policy-making. The aim of this research was to assess the status of top Iranian medical researchers using scientometric indicators. The study was carried out using scientometric methods. The statistical population included the top 500 Iranian researchers in the field of medicine who were ranked in the Iranian Scientometric Information Database (ISID) based on some scientometric indicators. The data were analyzed using SPSS 22 software and Pearson's correlation coefficient, stepwise regression analysis and Chi-square tests were applied for data analysis. Findings revealed that each researcher had an average h index of 24.04, g index of 40.15, and i10 index of 90.79. There was a positive significant relationship between the number of internationally-collaborated papers and the number of citations received (r = .606, p < .01). The stepwise multiple regression analysis showed that the three variables of paper number, citation counts and mean citation rate determined 72 % of the changes in the h-index. It can be concluded that researchers publishing more papers are more likely to be cited. However, their scientometric indexes are not always better than those of other scientists. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Although the role of airborne plant pollen in causing allergic rhinitis has been established, the association of concentrations of paper mulberry (Broussenetia papyrifera) pollens in the air and incidence of asthma exacerbations has not, despite an observed increase in the number of asthma patients attending physician clinics and hospital Accident and Emergency (A&E) Departments during the paper mulberry pollen season. We aimed to assess the association between paper mulberry pollen concentrations (typically peaking in March each year) and asthma exacerbations in the city of Islamabad. Methods We used three approaches to investigate the correlation of paper mulberry pollen concentration with asthma exacerbations: A retrospective analysis of historical records (2000-2019) of asthma exacerbations of patients from the Allergy and Asthma Institute, Pakistan (n = 284), an analysis of daily nebulisations in patients attending the A&E Department of the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (March 2020 to July 2021), a prospective peak expiratory flow rate (PEFR) diary from participants (n = 40) with or without asthma and with or without paper mulberry sensitisation. We examined associations between pollen data and asthma exacerbations using Pearson correlation. Results We found a strong positive correlation between mean paper mulberry pollen counts and clinical records of asthma exacerbations in patients sensitised to paper mulberry (Pearson correlation coefficient (r) = 0.86; P < 0.001), but not in non-sensitised patients (r = 0.32; P = 0.3). There was a moderate positive correlation between monthly nebulisation counts and pollen counts (r = 0.56; P = 0.03), and a strong negative correlation between percent predicted PEFR and pollen counts in sensitised asthma patients (r = -0.72, P < 0.001). However, these correlations were of low magnitude in the non-sensitised asthma (r = -0.16; P < 0.001) and sensitised non-asthma (r = -0.28; P < 0.001) groups. Conclusions Our three approaches to analysis all showed an association between high paper mulberry pollen concentration in Islamabad and asthma exacerbations. Predicting pollen peaks could enable alerts and mobilise strategies to proactively manage these peaks of asthma exacerbations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: To achieve the highest possible level of health for individuals and societies involved in the crisis, a high level of individual and professional competency is needed in nurses for their active participation in the crisis. The acquisition of professional qualifications by nurses to provide care in the crisis is very important. The present study aimed to determine the effect of disaster and accident response training on the enhancement of professional competence of nurses in response to the crisis. Materials and Methods: This research was a quasi-experimental study with pre-test, post-test design. The statistical population consisted of all nurses working in Shahid Chamran Hospital in Saveh City, Iran, in 2017. In total, 80 nurses were selected through the convenience sampling method and were randomly divided into the intervention and control groups. The intervention group received training through lectures and workshops for 16 hours in 4 days. The samples completed a professional nursing competency assessment questionnaire before and one month after the intervention. The obtained data were analyzed by the Chi-squared test, Fisher's exact-test, Independent samples t-test, and Paired samples t-test in SPSS. Results: The findings revealed no significant difference between the two groups concerning demographic variables. After the intervention, the average improvement of professional competence of nurses in their ability to manage the accident scene increased from 63.3 to 74.07, teamwork skill from 56.7 to 74, individual specific abilities from 61.4 to 70, ethical performance from 67.8 to 76.9, and professional skills from 54 to 60. The Mean±SD pretest score of professional competency of nurses in the intervention and control groups were 163.5±28.6 and 155.73±34, respectively. After the intervention, these scores increased to 185.13±28.8 and 158.48±33.3 in the intervention and the control groups, respectively. The difference was statistically significant in the intervention group (P<0.001). Conclusion: The findings of this study indicated that the competence of nurses to provide care in crises was not at a desirable level. Thus, assessing the competence of nurses and identifying the gaps in their knowledge and skills before attending crises is essential. Also, the incident and disaster education can dramatically increase nurses' professional competence in responding to the crisis. Therefore, we suggest the method used in this study as a feasible, simple, low cost and effective method in this regard. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of the present study was to explore whether Computer-Based Cognitive Training (C-BCT) versus Paper-Pencil Cognitive Training (P-PCT) is more beneficial in improving cognitive and language deficits in Greek patients living with Alzheimer's disease (pwAD). Twenty pwAD were assigned to two groups: (a) the C-BCT group, receiving a computer-based cognitive training program using the RehaCom software, and (b) the P-PCT group, which received cognitive training using paper and pencil. The cognitive training programs lasted 15 weeks and were administered twice a week for approximately one hour per session. The analyses of each group's baseline versus endpoint performance demonstrated that the P-PCT group improved on delayed memory, verbal fluency, attention, processing speed, executive function, general cognitive ability, and activities of daily living. In contrast, the C-BCT group improved on memory (delayed and working), naming, and processing speed. Comparisons between the two groups (C-BCT vs. P-PCT) revealed that both methods had significant effects on patients' cognition, with the P-PCT method transferring the primary cognitive benefits to real-life activities. Our findings indicate that both methods are beneficial in attenuating cognitive and language deficits in pwAD. The need for large-scale neurobehavioral interventions to further clarify this issue, however, remains a priority. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Sterile gauze is one of dispossable medical tools commonly used in healthcare facilities. The sterility of gauze can be affected by several factors including packaging technique. Objective: to determine the sterility of gauze packed in one layer and three layer of parchment paper. Methods: a quasi-experimental design. The sample were 60 gauzes packed in one layer parchment paper and 60 gauze packed in three layers of parchment paper stored in the ER RSND. The sterility of gauze tested were assessed at week 0, 2, and 4. The differences between groups were analyzed using Chi-square test at 95% confidence intervals. Results: There was no significant difference in sterility among gauzes packed in one layer of parchment paper between week 0, 1,4 (p = 0.126). There was no significant difference in sterility among gauzes packed in 3 layers of parchment paper between week 0, 1,4 weeks (p = 0.675). There was a significant difference in sterility between gauze packed in 1 and 3 perchment paper (p = 0.002). Conclusions: There was a significant difference in sterility of gauze packed in 1 parchment paper 1 layer and 3 layers based on growth of microorganisms. The gauze packed in one layer of parchment paper is more sterile than that of in three layers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The colorimetric method is usually used to test the concentration of substances. However, this method has a big error since different people have different sensitivities to colors. In this paper, in order to solve the identification problem of the color and the concentration of the test paper, firstly, we found out that the concentration of substance is correlated with the color reading by using the Pearson's Chi-squared test method. And by the concentration coefficient of Pearson correlation analysis, the concentration of substance and color reading is highly correlated. Secondly, according to the RGB value of the paper image, the color moments of the image are calculated as the characteristics of the image, and the Levenberg–Marquardt (LM) neural network is established to classify the concentration of the substance. The accuracy of the training set model is 94.5%, and the accuracy of the test set model is 87.5%. The model precision is high, and the model has stronger generalization ability. Therefore, according to the RGB value of the test paper image, it is effective to establish the LM neural network model to identify the substance concentration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The role and function of Emergency Medical Service (EMS) in people's health and the need for continuous evaluation of its function, especially delivering services to the patients, are essential. So, the present study was conducted to determine the time indices of prehospital emergency services in Ardabil City, Iran. Materials and Methods: This study was a retrospective cross-sectional study. Out of all calls recorded in EMS centers of Ardabil in the first 6 months of 2020, 327 calls, which resulted in the patient's transfer to a hospital, were randomly selected. Then, the required data, including time indices and demographic information, were extracted from EMS forms filled by a medical emergency technician for each mission. The obtained data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, including mean, standard deviation, and inferential statistics, including 1-way analysis of variance and the Chi-square test in SPSS v. 22. Results: In terms of time indices, the average delay time (1.01 minutes), the response time (7.87 minutes), on-scene time (13.81 minutes), transport time (12.53 minutes), the total run time (transport time, response time, and on-scene time) (35.15 minutes), and the round trip time (52.50) had been recorded. According to the Chi-square test, there was a significant relationship between the total run time (transport time, response time, and on-scene time), transport time, round trip time, and the location of the emergency base. Conclusion: EMS time indices were at the desired level. Updating information systems, ambulances, medical equipment, and holding training courses for personnel working in this system can effectively improve time indicators. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aims: The aim of this study was to determine whether Subjective Interpretation of paper markings is a reliable method for identifying the relative occlusal force content of tooth contacts. Methodology: 295 clinicians selected the "Most Forceful" and "Least Forceful" occlusal contacts in six occlusal-view photographs of articulating paper marks that were later compared against computerized occlusal analysis relative occlusal force measurements of the same tooth contacts. Means and standard deviations were calculated by years in clinical practice and by number of occlusion courses taken. A Chi-square analysis was also performed. Results: The mean correct for 295 participant dentists was 1.53 (±1.234). There were no significant differences found for years in practice (P>0.16) or number of occlusion courses taken (P>0.75). The Chi-square analysis showed a sensitivity of 12.6%, a specificity of 12.4%, a positive predictive value of 12.58%, and a negative predictive value of 12.42%. Chance was calculated at 12.5% correct. Conclusions: Subjective Interpretation is an ineffective clinical method for determining the relative occlusal force content of tooth contacts. The reported low scores obtained from a large group of participant dentists suggest clinicians are unable to reliably differentiate high and low occlusal force from looking at articulating paper marks. This longstanding method of visually observing articulating paper marks for occlusal contact force content should be replaced with a measurement-based, objective method. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: This study aimed to investigate the mechanism and incidence of sports injuries in male handball players of the Iran premier league. Materials and Methods: The study data were collected by an injury report form filled out based on the video analysis. A total of 46 out of 90 videos of matches were analyzed. The statistical population of this study consisted 120 players of ten teams. Concerning this point that data were non-parametric, the Chi-squared test (P<0.05) was used to analyze the gathered data. Results: Mean±SD height, weight, and age of the handball players were 184.3±6.5 cm, 85.2±8.5 kg, 23.4±4.2 years, respectively. A total of 105 injuries were recorded; this rate is equal to 164.5 injuries per 1000 h of competition. Most injuries occurred in lower extremities (39.2%), especially in the knee (21%), (χ2=26.92, P=0.001). The injury rate among back players (54.1%) was higher compared to other players (χ2=26.95, P=0.001). The difference in the type of contact that resulted in injury was statistically significant (χ2=60.40, P=0.001). The main mechanisms of injury in different playing positions were blocking (23.8%), being blocked (21%), and face hitting with hand (18.1%) (χ2=1.05, P=0.001). The rate of injury in the dominant side (70.4%) was significantly higher than the non-dominant side (29.6%), (χ2=8.96, P=0.003). Conclusion: Among handball players of the Iranian premier league, most of the injuries occurred in the knee and ankle regions. Back players suffered more injuries in comparison with other players. Also, blocking was the dominant mechanism of injury. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Early Discharge is one of the most well-known strategies to increase hospital capacity during disasters, which is applicable by recognizing the patients appropriate for early discharge. Therefore, the current study was conducted to estimate a model for predicting hospitalized children appropriate for early discharge during disasters based on the attending physician's opinion. Materials and Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted on 210 pediatric patients hospitalized in the emergency and pediatrics wards of the hospitals covered by Mashhad University of Medical Sciences. A researcher-made questionnaire was used to collect data. Questionnaires were completed at the patient's bedside by a trained questioner. The logistic regression was used to analyze the data. Results: Five variables, such as consciousness level (OR=4.677), dehydration status (2.596), ability to take milk/swallow (OR=1.930), blood oxygen saturation level (OR=1.186), and body temperature (OR=0.530) were determined as predictors for children appropriate for early discharge during disasters. The area under the ROC curve was calculated 0.848, which indicated a good curve fit of the estimated model. Conclusion: The model presented in the current study can help clinical staff identify hospitalized children appropriate for early discharge during disasters. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Due to the importance of industrial accidents in workplaces, the current study aimed at epidemiologically investigating occupational accidents in some industrial sites in Semnan, Iran. Materials and Methods: The current descriptive-analytical study was conducted on all accidents taking place from 2014 to 2016 in some industrial sites in Semnan. The data were extracted from the Department of Labor and Social Affairs of Semnan. SPSS software version 21 was employed to analyze data using Chi-square and logistic regression tests. Results: The mean and standard deviation of workers age in non-fatal and fatal accidents were 30.28±13 and 32±11.21 years, respectively. There was no significant difference in variables such as gender, workers experience, marital status, type of industry (construction, mining, rubber, and agriculture), and educational level between fatal and non-fatal accidents (P>0.05). A significant relationship was observed between insurance coverage status and fatal accidents (P=0.002). The rate of fatal accidents was 8.4 times more in 2015 than 2014 (P=0.006; odds ratio=4.8). Conclusion: The rate of accidents in industrial sites can be significantly reduced by taking advantage of accident prevention programs and training courses. Occupational safety and health program can promote the performance of workers. In this regard, the development and conduction of industrial emergency plans can reduce fatal accident rates. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: When a journal receives a duplicate publication, the ability to identify the submitted work as previously published, and reject it, is an assay to publication ethics best practices. The aim of this study was to evaluate how three different types of journals, namely open access (OA) journals, subscription-based journals, and presumed predatory journals, responded to receiving a previously published manuscript for review.Methods: We performed a quasi-experimental study in which we submitted a previously published article to a random sample of 602 biomedical journals, roughly 200 journals from each journal type sampled: OA journals, subscription-based journals, and presumed predatory journals. Three hundred and three journals received a Word version in manuscript format, while 299 journals received the formatted publisher's PDF version of the published article. We then recorded responses to the submission received after approximately 1 month. Responses were reviewed, extracted, and coded in duplicate. Our primary outcome was the rate of rejection of the two types of submitted articles (PDF vs Word) within our three journal types.Results: We received correspondence back from 308 (51.1%) journals within our study timeline (32 days); (N = 46 predatory journals, N = 127 OA journals, N = 135 subscription-based journals). Of the journals that responded, 153 received the Word version of the paper, while 155 received the PDF version. Four journals (1.3%) accepted our paper, 291 (94.5%) journals rejected the paper, and 13 (4.2%) requested a revision. A chi-square test looking at journal type, and submission type, was significant (χ2 (4) = 23.50, p < 0.001). All four responses to accept our article came from presumed predatory journals, 3 of which received the Word format and 1 that received the PDF format. Less than half of journals that rejected our submissions did so because they identified ethical issues such as plagiarism with the manuscript (133 (45.7%)).Conclusion: Few journals accepted our submitted paper. However, our findings suggest that all three types of journals may not have adequate safeguards in place to recognize and act on plagiarism or duplicate submissions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: To give an overview of the multicenter Prostate Cancer Outcomes (PCO) study, involving paper-based and web-based collection of patient-reported outcome measures (PROM) in patients undergoing local treatment for prostate cancer in certified centers in Germany. The PCO study is part of the larger Movember-funded TrueNTH Global Registry. The article reports on the study's design and provides a brief progress report after the first 2 years of data collection. Methods: Prostate cancer centers (PCCs) certified according to German Cancer Society requirements were invited to participate in collecting patient-reported information on symptoms and function before and at least once (at 12 months) after treatment. The data were matched with disease and treatment information. This report describes progress in patient inclusion, response rate, and variations between centers relative to online/paper use, and also data quality, including recruitment variations relative to treatment in the first participating PCCs. Results: PCC participation increased over time; 44 centers had transferred data for 3094 patients at the time of this report. Patient recruitment varied widely across centers. Recruitment was highest among patients undergoing radical prostatectomy. The completeness of the data was good, except for comorbidity information. Conclusions: The PCO study benefits from a quality improvement system first established over 10 years ago, requiring collection and harmonization of a predefined clinical dataset across centers. Nevertheless, establishing a PROM routine requires substantial effort on the part of providers and constant monitoring in order to achieve high-quality data. The findings reported here may be useful for guiding implementation in similar initiatives. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective. To evaluate the validity, in terms of the patients’ acceptance, preference, feasibility and reliability of an innovative, interactive computerized system for collection of patient-reported outcome (PRO) data on axial SpA against the paper-and-pencil version.Methods. Fifty-five patients with axial SpA completed both the touch screen and the paper-and-pencil set of questionnaires. A computerized touch-screen system, SPEAMonitor, was developed to capture PRO data. Variables recorded included demographic data, patient’s assessment of general health status, BASDAI, BASFI, BASMI and acute-phase reactant levels. In order to assess the patient’s acceptance of, preference for and feasibility of computer-based questionnaires, the participants filled in an additional questionnaire. The time taken to complete both formats was measured. In a further test–retest study, 25 patients were re-evaluated.Results. The agreement between the paper-administered and computer touch-screen format of the BASFI, BASDAI questionnaires and the Ankylosing Spondylitis Disease Activity Scores was excellent. Intraclass correlation coefficients (ICCs) between data ranged from 0.90 to 0.96. Additionally the test–retest study showed a very good agreement between the scores for the two administrations (ICC &geq; 0.90). Age, computer experience and education level had no significant impact on the results. The computerized questionnaires were reported to be easier to use. The mean time spent completing the questionnaires on a touch screen was 5.1 min and on paper 7.9 min.Conclusion. Our newly developed computer-assisted touch-screen questionnaires for PRO in axial SpA were well accepted by patients, with good data quality, reliability and score agreement. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Current research on SLAM can be divided into two parts according to the research scenario: SLAM research in dynamic scenarios and SLAM research in static scenarios. Research is now relatively well established for static environments. However, in dynamic environments, the impact of moving objects leads to inaccurate positioning accuracy and poor robustness of SLAM systems. To address the shortcomings of SLAM systems in dynamic environments, this paper develops a series of solutions to address these problems. First, an attention-based Mask R-CNN network is used to ensure the reliability of dynamic object extraction in dynamic environments. Dynamic feature points are then rejected based on the mask identified by the Mask R-CNN network, and a preliminary estimate of the camera pose is made. Secondly, in order to enhance the picture matching quality and efficiently reject the mismatched points, this paper proposes an image mismatching algorithm incorporating adaptive edge distance with grid motion statistics. Finally, static feature points on dynamic objects are re-added using motion constraints and chi-square tests, and the camera's pose is re-estimated. The SLAM algorithm of this paper was run on the KITTI and TUM-RGBD datasets, respectively, and the results show that the SLAM algorithm of this paper outperforms the ORB-SLAM2 algorithm for sequences containing more dynamic objects in the KITTI dataset. On the TUM-RGBD dataset, the Dyna-SLAM algorithm increased localization accuracy by an average of 71.94% when compared to the ORB-SLAM2 method, while the SLAM algorithm in this study increased localization accuracy by an average of 78.18% when compared to the ORB-SLAM2 algorithm. When compared to the Dyna-SLAM technique, the SLAM algorithm in this work increased average positioning accuracy by 6.24%, proving that it is superior to Dyna-SLAM. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The internet can provide evidence-based patient education to overcome time constraints of busy ambulatory practices. Health informationprescriptions (HIPs) can be effectivelyintegrated into clinic workflow, but compliance to visit health information sites such as Medline Plus is limited.Objective: Compare the efficacy of paper (pHIP)and email (eHIP) links to deliver HIPs; evaluate patient satisfaction with the HIP process and MedlinePlus information; assess reasons for noncompliance to HIPs.Method: Of 948 patients approached at two internal medicine clinics affiliated with an academic medical centre, 592 gave informed consent after meeting the inclusion criteria. In this randomised controlled trial, subjects were randomised to receive pHIP or eHIP for accessing an intermediate website that provided up to five MedlinePlus links for physician-selected HIP conditions. Patients accessing the intermediate website were surveyed by email to assess satisfaction with the health information.Survey non-responders were contacted by telephone to determine the reasons for no response.Results: One hundred and eighty-one patients accessed the website, with significantly more 'filling' eHIP than pHIP (38% vs 23%; P < 0.001). Most(82%) survey respondents found the website information useful, with 77% favouring email for future HIPs delivery. Lack of time, forgot, lost instructions or changed mind were reasons given for not accessing the websites.Conclusions: Delivery of MedlinePlus-based HIPs in clinic is more effective using email prescriptions than paper. Satisfaction with the HIP information was high, but overall response was low and deserves further investigation to improve compliance and related outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Diaries are used in sexual behaviour research to reduce recall bias. Diary collection via mobile phone text messaging (SMS) has not been trialled previously in sexual behaviour research. This randomized controlled trial compared SMS, paper and online diaries on response rate, timeliness, completeness of data and acceptability. The correlation between behaviour reported in all three types of diaries and data collected in a retrospective questionnaire was also determined. Methods Participants were recruited by telephone and randomised into one of three groups. They completed weekly sexual behaviour diaries for 3 months by SMS, online or paper (by post). An online survey was conducted at the end of 3 months to compare retrospective reports to the diaries and assess opinions on the diary collection method. Results 72 participants were enrolled in the study, 24 in each group. Online diaries were more likely to be submitted late than SMS diaries (p<0.001). 3.9% of SMS diaries, 3.1% of paper diaries and 0.5% of online diaries were incomplete (p=0.001). Online data collection was the preferred mode for 51%. 65 participants completed the end point retrospective questionnaire. The correlation between the diary and questionnaire on sexual risk classification was substantial (κ=0.74) regardless of diary mode. Conclusions SMS is a convenient and timely method of collecting brief behavioural data, but online data collection was preferable to most participants and more likely to be complete. Data collected in retrospective sexual behaviour questionnaires were found to agree substantially with data collected through weekly self-reported diaries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To practice evidence-based medicine, clinicians must be competent in information literacy (IL). Few studies acknowledge the critical role that reading strategies play in IL instruction and assessment of health professional students. The purpose of this study was to understand the information-seeking and evaluation behaviors of doctor of veterinary medicine (DVM) students in regard to scientific papers. Methods: The authors studied DVM student behaviors across eight programs in North America using a web-based survey of closed- and open-ended questions about finding and evaluating scientific papers, including a task to read a linked scientific paper and answer questions about it. Results: A total of 226 individuals responded to the survey. The sections of a scientific paper that were most commonly read were the abstract, introduction, and conclusions. Students who reported reading a higher proportion of scientific papers were more likely to feel confident in their abilities to interpret them. A third of respondents answered open-ended questions after the paper reading task. Respondents felt the least amount of confidence with one of the final steps of evidence-based medicine, that of interpreting the significance of the paper to apply it in veterinary medicine. Conclusions: DVM students may lack the skills needed to evaluate scientific literature and need more practice and feedback in evaluating and interpreting scientific papers. Librarians who support DVM students can (1) help DVM students to efficiently evaluate scientific literature, (2) seek training opportunities in alternative modes of teaching and learning IL skills, and (3) partner with veterinary faculty and clinicians to provide students with practice and feedback in information evaluation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the present school-based study, a convenience sample of 477 students in grades 6-9 and second year in high school from a city and a smaller town recorded daily occurrence and intensity of headaches in a standard paper diary during a 3-week period. Total headache activity (headache sum), number of headache days, intensity level and duration for weekly headaches were estimated. Approximately 85% of the adolescents had experienced headache of any intensity level during the 3-week recording period. On the average, they reported 2.5 headache days per week and a mean intensity level for headache episodes of 1.7. Our estimates for headache of any intensity level (1-5) occurring at least once a week was surprisingly high (73.8%). For the highest intensity level across the whole 3-week period, almost identical proportions of mild and moderate headaches were reported by students (22.3-22.5%), while about twice as many (40.7%) had experienced severe headaches. Girls consistently reported more headaches than boys, in particular of the moderate and severe intensity types. Students in the city also reported more frequent and intense headaches than those in the town. Peak headache activity was observed at noon and in the afternoon and in the days from the middle of the week until weekend. The use of prospective recordings in diaries will further advance our knowledge on the prevalence and characteristics of recurrent headaches among children and adolescents in community samples. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background. Over the past decade, chronic kidney disease (CKD) has become an area of intensive clinical and epidemiological research. Despite the clarity provided by the Kidney Disease Outcomes Quality Initiative (KDOQI) guidelines, there appears to be within the CKD research literature significant disagreement on how to define CKD and measure kidney function.Methods. The objectives of this study were to investigate the variety of methods used to define CKD and to measure kidney function in original research papers as well as to investigate whether the quality of the journal had any effect on the quality of the methodology used.This was a descriptive review and not a meta-analysis. Information was extracted from each article including publication details (including the journal's impact factor), definition of CKD, method used to estimate kidney function and quantity of serum creatinine readings used to define CKD.An electronic search of MEDLINE through OVID was completed using the search term CKD. The search was limited to articles in English published in 2009.Studies were included in the review only if they were original research articles including patients with CKD. Articles were excluded if they reported data from a paediatric population, a population solely on dialysis or if there was no full-text access through OVID.Each article was assessed for quality with respect to using KDOQI CKD definition criteria.A description of the pooled data was completed and chi-square tests were used to investigate the relation between article quality and journal quality. Analysis was carried out using SPSS (15.0) and a P-value of <0.05 was considered to indicate statistical significance.Results. The final review included 301 articles. There were a variety of methods used to define CKD in original research articles. Less than 20% (n = 59) of the articles adhered to the established international criteria for defining CKD. The majority of articles (52.1%) did not indicate the quantity of serum creatinine measurements used to define CKD. The impact factor or specialist nature of the scientific journal appears to have no bearing on whether or not published articles use the gold standard KDOQI guidelines for labelling a patient with a diagnosis of CKD.Conclusions. This review of literature found that a variety of definitions are being used in original research articles to define CKD and measure kidney function which calls into question the validity and reliability of such research findings and associated clinical guidelines. International consensus is urgently required to improve validity and generalizability of CKD research findings. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Due to their lack of periodontal ligaments (PLs) and the differences between dental implants and natural teeth, it is necessary to improve and generate a new occlusal scheme to prolong the life of implants and prostheses. The age and the sex of patients must be considered because of their effects on the stomatognathic system's physiology. Operators must manage all the changes to obtain good sensations during mastication and a better occlusal scheme for implanting fixed partial prostheses. Dentists should try to protect this type of prosthesis using adjacent teeth and the PL. This is why new digital systems were created. The combination of T-Scan® (digital software for occlusal analysis) and electromyography (EMG) could allow doctors to find areas where it is necessary to act and to find suitable solutions for the problems generated by using conventional methods of occlusal analysis (such as articulating paper). In this study, a new method for establishing occlusion on fixed partial implant prostheses has been created, combining digital systems with conventional articulating paper. This method consists of asking the patient to bite down with different forces and situations in an attempt to achieve Implant-Protected Occlusion (IPO). The use of digital systems has been shown to be more effective than using only conventional systems. This new method allows a safer mode of occlusion which protects implants and prostheses, saving all the differences between them and natural teeth, and increasing the satisfaction of patients. This method also helps to overcome the changes in the stomatognathic system as age increases, adjusting the occlusion to changes in PLs with age. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BACKGROUND: Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) is a common, heritable neuropsychiatric disorder, hypothetically underpinned by dysfunction of brain cortical-striatal-thalamic-cortical (CSTC) circuits; however, the extent of brain functional abnormalities in individuals with OCD is unclear, and the genetic basis of this disorder is poorly understood. We determined the whole brain functional connectivity patterns in patients with OCD and their healthy first-degree relatives. METHODS: We used resting-state fMRI to measure functional connectivity strength in patients with OCD, their healthy first-degree relatives and healthy controls. Whole brain functional networks were constructed by measuring the temporal correlations of all brain voxel pairs and further analyzed using a graph theory approach. RESULTS: We enrolled 39 patients with OCD, 20 healthy first-degree relatives and 39 healthy controls in our study. Compared with healthy controls, patients with OCD showed increased functional connectivity primarily within the CSTC circuits and decreased functional connectivity in the occipital cortex, temporal cortex and cerebellum. Moreover, patients with OCD and their first-degree relatives exhibited overlapping increased functional connectivity strength in the bilateral caudate nucleus, left orbitofrontal cortex (OFC) and left middle temporal gyrus. LIMITATIONS: Potential confounding factors, such as medication use, heterogeneity in symptom clusters and comorbid disorders, may have impacted our findings. CONCLUSION: Our preliminary results suggest that patients with OCD have abnormal resting-state functional connectivity that is not limited to CSTC circuits and involves abnormalities in additional large-scale brain systems, especially the limbic system. Moreover, resting-state functional connectivity strength abnormalities in the left OFC, bilateral caudate nucleus and left middle temporal gyrus may be neuroimaging endophenotypes for OCD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BACKGROUND: In a genome-wide association study of autism, zinc finger protein 804A (ZNF804A) single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) were found to be nominally associated in verbally deficient individuals with autism. Zinc finger protein 804A copy number variations (CNVs) have also been observed in individuals with autism. In addition, ZNF804A is known to be involved in theory of mind (ToM) tasks, and ToM deficits are deemed responsible for the communication and social challenges faced by individuals with autism. We hypothesized that ZNF804A could be a risk gene for autism. METHODS: We examined the genetic association and CNVs of ZNF804A in 841 families in which 1 or more members had autism. We compared the expression of ZNF804A in the postmortem brains of individuals with autism (n = 8) and controls (n = 13). We also assessed in vitro the effect of ZNF804A silencing on the expression of several genes known to be involved in verbal efficiency and social cognition. RESULTS: We found that rs7603001 was nominally associated with autism (p = 0.018). The association was stronger (p = 0.008) in the families of individuals with autism who were verbally deficient (n = 761 families). We observed ZNF804A CNVs in 7 verbally deficient boys with autism. In ZNF804A knockdown cells, the expression of synaptosomal-associated protein, 25kDa (SNAP25) was reduced compared with controls (p = 0.009). The expression of ZNF804A (p = 0.009) and SNAP25 (p = 0.009) were reduced in the anterior cingulate gyrus (ACG) of individuals with autism. There was a strong positive correlation between the expression of ZNF804A and SNAP25 in the ACG (p < 0.001). LIMITATIONS: Study limitations include our small sample size of postmortem brains. CONCLUSION: Our results suggest that ZNF804A could be a potential candidate gene mediating the intermediate phenotypes associated with verbal traits in individuals with autism. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and Aims: According to the research background and need to print CBCT images in case of emergency, this study has been done to compare the quality and accuracy of the two methods of film and paper printing for CBCT images. Materials and Methods: The study of CBCT images taken from 5 patients was done and the cross-sectional slices on Fotolusio DNP papers and film AGFA were printed. Afterward, the images was exmined by a maxillofacial radiologist. The images' quality were identified and recorded with anatomical, from 1 to 4 on forms. The accuracy was determined by the diagnosis of alveolar canal area and the comparison with the gold standard. Data were analyzed using independent chi-square and Fisher exact tests'. Results: The images quality in anatomical landmarks consisting PDL (P=0.02), lamina dura (P=0.006), the inferior alveolar canal (P=0.01) and the filling (P=0.006) had a significant difference. There was no significant difference. For the lower border of the mandible landmark, there was no difference between the two methods of printing. In comparing the diagnostic accuracy between the two methods (P=1). Conclusion: The results showed that the diagnostic quality in film printing is better than paper printing and the diagnostic accuracy is the same in both methods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: A healthy diet is one of the most important aspects of health. Nowadays, scrutinizing dietary patterns rather than specific nutrients have prime importance. The purpose of this study is to dietary patterns among adults in Gonabad City in 2019. Methods: In this cross-sectional study, 250 individuals aged 18-70 years living in Gonabad were selected by multistage random sampling from urban zones 1, 2, and 3 covered by community health centers. Regular dietary intakes of individuals over the past year were obtained using the food frequency questionnaire, and demographic characteristics were obtained via face-toface interviews. Factor analysis was used to identify dominant dietary patterns. The relationship between dominant dietary patterns and demographic characteristics was assessed employing a Chi-square test. Results: Participants' ages range from 36.40±13.16 years, of whom 44.8% were male, 82.4% were married and 60% were employed. Two healthy and unhealthy dietary patterns were identified. There was a statistically significant relationship between healthy dietary patterns and variables of age (P<0.001), sex (P=0.01), and occupation (P<0.001). Moreover, there was a statistically significant relationship between unhealthy dietary patterns with variables of age (P<0.001), sex (P=0.014), and the number of family members (P=0.035). Demographic characteristics are among the influential factors affecting the type of adult food pattern in Gonabad. It is suggested to consider demographic factors in determining the relationship between dietary patterns and disease. Conclusion: Demographic characteristics are among the influential factors affecting the type of adult food pattern in Gonabad. It is suggested to consider demographic factors in determining the relationship between dietary patterns and disease. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: We aimed to compare among patients with high-type anorectal malformations (ARM): (i) short- and long-term outcomes of laparoscopic-assisted anorectoplasty (LAARP) compared to classic posterior sagittal anorectoplasty (PSARP) and (ii) the results of single-stage versus staged PSARP. Methods: Using a defined search strategy, two independent investigators systematically reviewed the English literature. PRISMA guidelines were followed, and meta-analysis was performed using RevMan5.3. Results: Of 567 abstracts screened, 7 papers have been included (254 pts; 121 PSARP, 133 LAARP) in the first systematic review and meta-analysis. The length of hospitalization was shortened in LAARP versus PSARP (10.9 versus 14.4 days; p < 0.0001). PSARP and LAARP were comparable in terms of early postoperative complications (28.9% versus 24.7%; p = ns) and rectal prolapse (21.6% versus 17.5%; p = ns). At long-term follow-up, the presence of voluntary bowel movements (74.0% versus 83.5%; p = ns) and the incidence of soiling (45.5% versus 47.6%; p = ns) were similar in both PSARP and LAARP. Six papers (297 pts) were included in the second systematic review, with three comparative studies included in the meta-analysis (247 pts; 117 one-stage, 130 staged procedures). No significant difference in terms of presence of voluntary bowel movements after single-stage versus staged procedures (72.6% versus 67.3%; p = ns) has been detected. Conclusions: LAARP seems to be a safe and effective procedure, showing short- and long-term outcomes similar to PSARP. One-stage PSARP could be a safe alternative to the classic three-stage procedure, even for those infants with high-type ARM. Further and larger comparative studies would be needed to corroborate these partial existing data. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Single institutional retrospective analysis of postoperative buccal mucosa cancers treated with ipsilateral radiotherapy Conclusion: Post-operative patients of BM cancers with intermediate risk factors necessitating RT alone treated with IL-RT have low rates of contralateral neck failures. 26 (59%) patients reported financial issue as the main cause of not taking transtuzumab whereas the remaining 18 (41%) patients cited the reason that they were not offered this drug by treating physician probably assuming that patient will not be able to afford this treatment. [Extracted from the article]

BACKGROUND: Research in family medicine is important. The objectives of this study were to explore the contribution of family physicians, their attitudes and practice, and the barriers to research in family medicine in Saudi Arabia. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This study was conducted on Saudi family physicians in 2021. A self-administered questionnaire was sent to family physicians through WhatsApp and email. Information sought included demographic data, scientific profile, number of publications, reasons for conducting research, barriers to the conduct of research, attitudes and skills for the conduct of research, and priority areas of research. Data were analyzed using SPSS version 15. Descriptive statistics included mean and standard deviation for continuous variables and frequencies and percentages for categorical variables. Student's t-test was used to compare the means of two groups of physicians. Chi-square test and logistic regression analysis were performed to determine the association between categorical variables. RESULTS: A total of 313 family physicians filled the questionnaire; majority were male (65%), were married (90%), and worked under the Ministry of Health (73%). The total number of publications since graduation was 1165 papers with an average of 3.8 papers per physician. More than 70% were interested in conducting research, and more than two-thirds considered research important to the advancement of family medicine. One-third of the family physicians were currently involved in conducting research, while 30% were supervising at least one research project. The top five areas of priority were chronic diseases, mental health, health promotion, quality of healthcare, and medical education/training; whereas the top five obstacles to the conduct of research were the lack of time, lack of research environment, lack of financial and technical support, and the absence of skills. CONCLUSION: Saudi family physicians make a good contribution to research. The researchers and research bodies should focus on identifying the priority areas for research in family medicine in the next few years and provide support to achieve some of the objectives of the National Vision of 2030. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: This study aimed to examine personal and professional factors in determining the research activity and research culture among dental teaching faculty members in Hyderabad City, Telangana. Materials and Method: Two dental schools with ongoing dental undergraduate and postgraduate programmes were included in the study. The Research and Development (R&D) Culture Index Questionnaire comprising 16 items was employed for this study. Also, self‑reported research activity undertaken in the past twelve months was recorded. The association of demographic variables and professionally related variables with the perception of R&D culture and participation in research activities was assessed using the Chi‑square test. A P value was set at 0.05. Results: Of the one‑hundred and fifteen faculty members who participated in the study, seventy‑four (64.4%) worked in the government sector and forty‑one (35.6%) in privately funded dental college. The mean age of the study population was 34.11 + 7.13 years. The majority of them presented a paper or poster at the conference (66.1%; 76) followed by publishing paper in peer‑review journal (42.6%; 49) and grant application for research (6.1%; 7), and authoring of a textbook was undertaken by only 2.6% of the study population. Males (61.1%; P = 0.04) and those employed in private dental college (65.8%; P = 0.02) had significantly high levels of overall perception than their respective counterparts. Conclusion: Our study concludes that this study population has a positive perception (50.32 + 6.95) towards research with the majority of them having done a paper or poster publication (66.1%) in the last one year. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: This study was conducted to evaluate a smartphone-based online electronic logbook used to assess the clinical skills of nurse anesthesia students in Iran. Methods: This randomized controlled study was conducted after tool development at Ahvaz Jundishapur University of Medical Sciences in Ahvaz, Iran from January 2022 to December 2022. The online electronic logbook involved in this study was an Android-compatible application used to evaluate the clinical skills of nurse anesthesia students. In the implementation phase, the online electronic logbook was piloted for 3 months in anesthesia training in comparison with a paper logbook. For this purpose, 49 second- and third-year anesthesia nursing students selected using the census method were assigned to intervention (online electronic logbook) and control (paper logbook) groups. The online electronic logbook and paper logbook were compared in terms of student satisfaction and learning outcomes. Results: A total of 39 students participated in the study. The mean satisfaction score of the intervention group was significantly higher than that of the control group (P=0.027). The mean score of learning outcomes was also significantly higher for the intervention than the control group (P=0.028). Conclusion: Smartphone technology can provide a platform for improving the evaluation of the clinical skills of nursing anesthesia students, leading to increased satisfaction and improved learning outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: This study aimed to develop a Brief International Cognitive Assessment for Multiple Sclerosis (BICAMS) tablet application, "iCAMS," and examine equivalency between the original paper-based and the tablet-based assessments. Methods: This study enrolled 100 participants with physician-confirmed multiple sclerosis (MS). Interrater reliability, parallel forms reliability, and concurrent validity were evaluated by incorporating two test administrators in each session: one scoring participant responses with the original paper assessments and the other with iCAMS. Although the participant was exposed to the material only once, responses were recorded on both administration methods. In addition to the standard test procedures, each research assistant used a stopwatch to measure the amount of time required to administer and score each version of BICAMS. Results: Pearson correlation coefficients (r) revealed strong and significant correlations for all three tests. Excellent agreement was observed between iCAMS and paper versions of the BICAMS tests, with all intraclass correlation coefficients exceeding 0.93. The scores from all the cognitive tests were not statistically significantly different, indicating no proportional bias. Including scoring, administration of the iCAMS application saved approximately 10 minutes over the paper version. Conclusions: Preliminary findings suggest that the tablet application iCAMS is a reliable and fast method for administering BICAMS. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The United States is increasingly recognizing period product insecurity, insufficient access to menstrual products and limited private spaces for managing menstruation due to financial constraints, as an issue impacting the well-being and dignity of Americans. One strategy to address period product insecurity has been distributing free period products via period supply banks. The outcomes of period product distribution outside the school setting are absent from the literature. Objectives: This study, a formative evaluation of the free period product distribution efforts of the Alliance for Period Supplies, aims to identify (1) characteristics of individuals receiving products from period supply banks and their experiences of period product insecurity and (2) health and social outcomes experienced by recipients of free period products. Design: Survey data collection occurred at two points: baseline and one-year follow-up. All study participants provided verbal consent. Methods: Between Fall 2018 and Spring 2020, 1863 baseline and 80 follow-up surveys were administered. Participants received free period products for themselves and/or a household member from one of 20 participating Alliance for Period Supplies period supply banks directly or from one of their 64 partner agencies. Results: At baseline, 72.4% of participants had to choose between buying period products and another basic need. One year after accessing a period supply bank, 36.3% of participants reported this experience (p = 0.018). Participants reported at baseline, on average, 7.8 days in the past year of avoiding seeing others, canceling appointments, or skipping work or school because they did not have access to period products. At follow-up, this was reduced to 1.2 days, on average, t (68) = 2.214, p < 0.05. Conclusion: Period supply banks play an essential role in facilitating access to period products and the resulting benefits. Our study highlights the need for sustainable, well-funded policies and interventions to address period product insecurity effectively in society. Plain Language Summary: How people in the United States benefit when they get free period products from a period supply bank Why we did this study: In the United States, many individuals cannot afford to buy period supplies and the other stuff they need to live. Period supply banks want to help by giving them free period products. Researchers do not know if getting free period products is helpful for individuals. What we wanted to learn: The Alliance for Period Supplies is a membership program for period supply banks. We wanted to learn about the individuals who get free period products and whether getting them was helpful. What we did: For a year, starting in Fall 2018, we asked 1863 individuals to fill out paper surveys. A year later, we asked 80 of those same individuals to fill out a second survey. We asked participants to take the survey if they got free period products from a period supply bank for themselves or someone they live with. Individuals only participated in the study if they told us they wanted to. What we learned: Individuals who cannot afford period products must navigate difficult decisions between purchasing products or choosing other basic needs. Providing free products through a period supply bank has lessened the burden on these individuals, reducing the number who had to choose. Individuals unable to afford period products may sometimes opt out of going places they want to go for pleasure or miss important events, like work or school, because they do not have period products. Getting free period products has eased these challenges, letting individuals participate more fully in activities and engagements without worry about period products. Why is this important: Period supply banks are essential places where individuals receive free period products. The period supply banks need more individuals, including our government, to donate period supplies or money to buy them so they can help more individuals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: Achieving improved rates of overall survival remains a significant challenge in advanced-stage ovarian cancer; even if complete debulking is achieved, certain patients report poor results in terms of survival. Therefore, the aim of this paper is to investigate new prognostic markers that could point out which cases could benefit most from debulking surgery and which ones should be rather submitted to neoadjuvant therapies followed by debulking surgery. Background: Despite improving surgical techniques and achieving more often complete debulking procedures, certain patients with advanced-stage ovarian cancer still have a very poor prognosis. The aim of the current paper is to investigate whether inflammatory and nutritional status can predict the long-term outcomes of ovarian cancer patients. Methods: A retrospective analysis of 57 cases diagnosed with advanced-stage ovarian cancer submitted to surgery as first intent therapy was carried out. In all cases, the preoperative status was determined by calculating the CRP/albumin ratio, as well as the Glasgow score, the modified Glasgow score and the prognostic nutritional index. Results: Patients presenting higher values of the CRP/albumin ratio, with a higher Glasgow score, modified Glasgow score and prognostic nutritional index (PNI), were more frequently associated with incomplete debulking surgery, a higher peritoneal carcinomatosis index and poorer overall survival (20 months versus 9 months for the CRP/albumin ratio p = 0.011, 42 versus 27 versus 12 months for the Glasgow score p = 0.042, 50 versus 19 versus 12 months for the modified Glasgow score, p = 0.001, and 54 months versus 21 months, p = 0.011 for the prognostic nutritional index). Conclusions: A strong relationship between the nutritional and inflammatory status in advanced-stage ovarian cancer seems to exist. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Ferroptosis, a newly proposed concept of programmed cell death, has garnered significant attention in research across different diseases in the last decade. Despite thorough citation analyses in neuroscience, there is a scarcity of information on ferroptosis research specifically related to neurodegenerative diseases. Method: The Web of Science Core Collection database retrieved relevant articles and reviews. Data on publications, countries, institutions, authors, journals, citations, and keywords in the included studies were systematically analyzed using Microsoft Excel 2019 and CiteSpace 6.2.R7 software. Result: A comprehensive analysis and visualization of 563 research papers on ferroptosis in neurodegenerative diseases from 2014 to 2023 revealed emerging research hotspots and trends. The number of annual publications in this field of study has displayed a pattern of stabilization in the early years of the decade, followed by a notable increase in the later years and peaking in 2023 with 196 publications. Regarding publication volume and total citations, notable research contributions were observed from countries, institutions, and authors in North America, Western Europe, and China. Current research endeavors primarily focus on understanding the intervention mechanisms of neurodegenerative diseases through the ferroptosis pathway and exploring and identifying potential therapeutic targets. Conclusion: The study highlights key areas of interest and emerging trends in ferroptosis research on neurodegenerative diseases, offering valuable insights for further exploration and potential directions for diagnosing and treating such conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Since 1993, The Knee Society has presented three annual awards recognizing the best research papers presented at the annual meetings. To date, no quantitative evaluation has determined whether the selection process identifies the most meritorious papers based on subsequent citations. In the absence of validation of this process, it is unclear whether the journal readership should view the award-winning papers as those with potentially greater impact for the specialty.Questions/purposes: (1) Are award papers cited both more than nonaward papers published in the same Knee Society proceedings issue of CORR(®) and more than all other knee research papers published in all issues of CORR(®) during any given year? (2) Does the award selection process identify potentially highly influential knee research?Methods: Subsequent citations for each award and nonaward paper published in The Knee Society proceedings issue for 2002 to 2008 were determined using the SCOPUS citation index. The citations for all papers on knee surgery published in CORR(®) during the same years were also determined.Results: Mean citations for an award paper were statistically greater than for a nonaward paper: 86 (SD 95; median 55; 95% confidence interval [CI] of the mean, 44-128) versus 33 (SD 30; median 24; 95% CI of the mean, 28-37; p < 0.001). Mean number of citations for award papers was also higher than for all other knee research papers published in nonproceedings issues of CORR(®): 86 (SD 95; median 55; 95% CI of the mean, 44-128) versus 30 (SD 31; median 20; 95% CI for the mean, 25-35; p < 0.001). Twelve of the 22 (54.6%) award papers were in the top five cited papers from the proceedings issue for the respective year versus 24 of the 190 (12.6%) of the nonaward papers (difference in the percentages is 41.9% and the 95% CI for the risk difference is 20.6%-63.3%; p < 0.001). In 3 of 7 years, an award paper was the most cited knee paper published in CORR(®).Conclusions: The selection process for The Knee Society scientific awards identifies potentially influential papers that are likely to be highly cited in future research articles about the knee.Clinical Relevance: The selection process for Knee Society Award Papers appears to identify papers that are potentially influential in the field of knee surgery and are likely to be highly cited in future published articles. As such, these award papers deserve special attention from the readership. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents a validation of a method to derive the vertical profile of carbon monoxide (CO) from its total column using data assimilation. The main motivation of this study is twofold. First, to deduce both the vertical CO profiles and the assimilated CO fields with good confidence. Second, for chemical species that can be measured only as the total column, this method provides an attractive alternative for estimating their vertical profiles in the troposphere. We choose version 3 (V3) of MOPITT CO total columns to validate the proposed method. MOPITT has the advantage of providing both the vertical profiles and the total columns of CO. Furthermore, this version has been extensively validated by comparison with many independent datasets, and has been used in many scientific studies. The first step of the paper consists in the specification of the observation errors based on the Chi-square (χ2) test. The observations have been binned according to day, night, land and sea (LAND_DAY, LAND_NIGHT and SEA, respectively). The respective optimal observation error values for which the χ2 metric is the closest to 1 are: 7%, 8% and 11% for SEA, LAND_DAY and LAND_NIGHT, respectively. In a second step, the CO total column, with its specified errors, is used within the assimilation system to estimate the vertical profiles. These are validated by comparison with vertical profiles of MOPITT V3 retrievals at global and regional scales. Generally, both datasets show similar patterns and good agreement at both global and regional scales. Nevertheless, the total column analyses (TOTCOL_ANALYSES) slightly overestimate CO concentrations compared to MOPITT observations. In a third step, vertical profiles calculated from TOTCOL_ANALYSES have been compared to those calculated from the assimilation of MOPITT V3 vertical profiles (PROFILE_ANALYSES). Both datasets shows very good agreement, but TOTCOL_ANALYSES tend to slightly overestimate CO concentrations. The mean bias between both datasets is 6% and 8% at the pressure levels 700 and 200 hPa, respectively. In terms of zonal means, the CO distribution is similar for both analyses. The mean bias between these datasets is low and doesn't exceed 12 %. These results confirm that both analyses (total column and vertical profiles) are in very good agreement at global and regional scales. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This systematic review aims to give an overview of the diversity of research areas related to human biometeorology in Brazil. The main focus of this paper addresses research trends, represented by published papers with national and international authorship, main contributions and shortcomings, as well as challenges and prospects of research in this area of study. An extensive literature search was conducted in the Scopus, Web of Science, and Science Direct databases so as to identify relevant publication output up to July 2021 related to the research area. The screening resulted in 96 studies chosen for full-text reading. Overall, results indicated a reduced amount of articles on the subject matter published internationally, with noticeable gaps in research in some regions of the country, such as the Amazon region and in the Brazilian Midwest region. Research gaps in relevant areas have been identified with limited output in the climate dimensions of tourism, vector-borne diseases, mortality and morbidity in urban centers. Such gaps should further encourage researchers to engage in research focused on those areas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Involvement in research activities is complex in pediatric nursing and allied health professionals (AHPs). It is important to understand which individual factors are associated with it to inform policy makers in promoting research. Methods: A cross-sectional observational study was conducted to describe the level of participation in research activities over the last ten years of nurses and AHPs working in a tertiary pediatric hospital. A large sample of nurses and AHPs working in an Italian academic tertiary pediatric hospital completed an online self-report questionnaire between June and December 2018. Three multivariate logistic regression analyses were performed to predict participation in research projects, speaking at conferences, and writing scientific articles. Results: Overall, data from 921 health professionals were analyzed (response rate = 66%), of which about 21% (n = 196) reported participating in a research project, while 33% (n = 297) had attended a scientific conference as a speaker, and 11% (n = 94) had written at least one scientific paper. Having a Master or a Regional Advanced Course, working as an AHP or a ward manager, as well as regularly reading scientific journals and participation in an internal hospital research group or attendance in a specific course about research in the hospital, significantly predicted participation in research projects, speaking at conferences and writing scientific papers. It is important to foster research interest and competencies among health professionals to improve participation in research projects, speaking at conferences, and writing scientific papers. Conclusions: Overall, we found a good level of attendance at conferences as speakers (33%), a moderate level of participation in research (21%), and low levels for writing scientific papers (11%). Our study highlighted the need to support participation in research activities among nurses and AHPs. Policymakers should identify strategies to promote research among nurses and AHPs, such as protected rewarded time for research, specific education, strengthened collaboration with academics, and financial support. Moreover, hospital managers should promote the development of research culture among health professionals, to improve their research competencies and evidence-based practice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background. Colorectal cancer (CRC) is one of the most common cancers in the world, identification of biomarkers for early detection of CRC represents a relevant target. The present study aims to determine serum peptidome patterns for CRC diagnosis. Methods. The present work focused on serum proteomic analysis of 32 health volunteers and 38 CRC by ClinProt Kit combined with mass spectrometry. This approach allowed the construction of a peptide patterns able to differentiate the studied populations. An independent group of serum (including 33 health volunteers, 34 CRC, 16 colorectal adenoma, 36 esophageal carcinoma, and 31 gastric carcinoma samples) was used to verify the diagnostic and differential diagnostic capability of the peptidome patterns blindly. An immunoassaymethod was used to determine serumCEA of CRC and controls. Results. A quick classifier algorithm was used to construct the peptidome patterns for identification of CRC from controls. Two of the identified peaks at m/z 741 and 7772 were used to construct peptidome patterns, achieving an accuracy close to 100% (>CEA, P < 0.05). Furthermore, the peptidome patterns could differentiate validation group with high accuracy. Conclusions. These results suggest that the ClinProt Kit combined with mass spectrometry yields significantly higher accuracy for the diagnosis and differential diagnosis of CRC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Drawing on the framework of Ideological Square Model, this paper carries out a corpus-based analysis of the ways in which group relations and the image of China are re-shaped in the English translation (ET) and the Chinese translation (CT) of Korean news discourse about China with intensifiers as an entry of inquiry. The results show that (1) There is a statistically significant difference regarding faithfulness between the ET and the CT of intensifiers (χ2 = 38.11>3.84, p<0.05), with the ET having more translation shifts. Additionally, the Chi-square test of a 3x3 contingency table (T = 49.77>5.99, P<0.05) indicates that there is a difference between the distribution of translation shifts at the 3 levels between ET and CT. (2) The ET of Korean news about China aligns more closely with van Dijk's ideological square model, while CT violates. It is argued that South Korean media have ideological factors to consider when it comes to Chinese readers accepting CT. (3) There is an alteration of the ideological square model in the target texts. The results indicate that in the translation of a target language, the translation propensity for relevant topics of the target country in which the language is spoken obeys the rules of "Us", the ingroup, but not "them", the outgroup. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Adolescent girls face numerous challenges which hinder their ability to manage menstruation in a healthy and dignified manner. Objectives: To examine the menstrual hygiene practices of adolescent girls schooling in rural Anambra communities. Study design: Cross-sectional descriptive study. Method: Participants were selected using multistage stratified random sampling technique and interviewed using self-administered semi-structured questionnaire. Data were analysed using Statistical Package for Social Sciences version 22.0. Results: Mean age of all, pre-menarche and post-menarche girls were 14.7 ± 1.84, 12.8 ± 1.09 and 15.1 ± 1.73 years, respectively. About 46% of the pre-menarche girls had not received any information on menstruation. Common sources of initial menstruation information were mother (87.3%), school (52.2%) and peers (20.0%). Among the 1091 (85.0% (1091/1283)) post-menarche girls, last menstrual period, last menstrual period duration and cycle length could not be recalled by 53.9%, 34.4% and 39.3%, respectively. Majority (98.3%) who could recall last menstrual period had a cycle length of ⩽30 days and the mean duration of menses was 4.4 ± 0.84 days. Disposable sanitary pad was mostly (60%) cited as recommended product, but cloth/rags (40.6%) or tissue paper (32. 3%) were predominantly used. Majority (88.6%) took their bath ⩾twice/day, 50.9% changed sanitary product ⩽twice/day while 72.5% exhibited poor hand washing. Sanitary products were mostly discarded by burning (45.4%). Fifty-one percent could not change in school predominantly due to lack of functional toilets/changing rooms (84.2%) while 72.5% of those who changed did so in bushes or unused spaces. Challenges faced during menstruation include restriction from holy places (38.9%), waist pain (74.9%), blood stains (36.1%) and lack of money to buy pad (27.0%). Factors significantly associated with using commercial pads were age (p = 0.047), class (p = 0.006), mother's educational status (p < 0.001), social class (p < 0.001), ability to recall last menstrual period date (p = 0.029) or duration (p = 0.001). Conclusion: Menstrual hygiene management was unsatisfactory among studied adolescents. Continuous education of adolescent girls on menstrual hygiene management and advocacy for adequate menstrual hygiene management support are imperative. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Recent reviews have demonstrated an increase in the number of papers on ethnobiology in Latin America. Among factors that have influenced this increase are the biological and cultural diversity of these countries and the general scientific situation in some countries. This study aims to assess the panorama of ethnobiological research in Latin America by analyzing its evolution, trends, and future prospects. Methods To conduct this study, we searched for papers in the Scopus (www.scopus.com) and Web of Science (www.isiknowledge.com) databases. The search was performed using combinations of keywords and the name of each Latin American country. The following countries were included in this study: Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Cuba, Ecuador, Guatemala, Haiti, Honduras, Mexico, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Venezuela, and Uruguay. Results and conclusions According to our inclusion criteria, 679 ethnobiological studies conducted in Latin America were found for the period between 1963 and 2012. Of these studies, 289 (41%) were conducted in Brazil, 153 in Mexico (22%), 61 in Peru (9%), 58 in Argentina (8%), 45 in Bolivia (6%), and 97 (14%) in other Latin American countries. The increased number of publications related to this area of knowledge in recent years demonstrates the remarkable growth of ethnobiology as a science. Ethnobiological research may be stimulated by an increase in the number of scientific events and journals for study dissemination and by the creation of undergraduate courses and graduate programs to train ethnoscientists who will produce high-quality studies, especially in certain countries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Researchers, practitioners, and policymakers call for updated valid evidence to monitor, prevent, and control of alarming trends of health problems. To respond to these needs, health researches provide the vast multidisciplinary scientific fields. We quantify the national trends of health research outputs and its contribution in total science products. Methods: We systematically searched Scopus database with the most coverage in health and biomedicine discipline as the only sources for multidisciplinary citation reports, for all total and health-related publications, from 2000 to 2014. These scientometrics analyses covered the trends of main index of scientific products, citations, and collaborative papers. We also provided information on top institutions, journals, and collaborative research centers in the fields of health researches. Results: In Iran, over a 15-year period, 237,056 scientific papers have been published, of which 81,867 (34.53%) were assigned to health-related fields. Pearson's Chi-square test showed significant time trends between published papers and their citations. Tehran University of Medical Sciences was responsible for 21.87% of knowledge productions share. The second and the third ranks with 11.15% and 7.28% belonged to Azad University and Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, respectively. In total fields, Iran had the most collaborative papers with the USA (4.17%), the UK (2.41%), and Canada (0.02%). In health-related papers, similar patterns of collaboration followed by 4.75%, 2.77%, and 1.93% of papers. Conclusions: Despite the ascending trends in health research outputs, more efforts required for the promotion of collaborative outputs that cause synergy of resources and the use of practical results. These analyses also could be useful for better planning and management of planning and conducting studies in these fields. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

While undisputedly important, and part of any systematic review (SR) by definition, evaluation of the risk of bias within the included studies is one of the most time-consuming parts of performing an SR. In this paper, we describe a case study comprising an extensive analysis of risk of bias (RoB) and reporting quality (RQ) assessment from a previously published review (CRD42021236047). It included both animal and human studies, and the included studies compared baseline diseased subjects with controls, assessed the effects of investigational treatments, or both. We compared RoB and RQ between the different types of included primary studies. We also assessed the "informative value" of each of the separate elements for meta-researchers, based on the notion that variation in reporting may be more interesting for the meta-researcher than consistently high/low or reported/non-reported scores. In general, reporting of experimental details was low. This resulted in frequent unclear risk-of-bias scores. We observed this both for animal and for human studies and both for disease-control comparisons and investigations of experimental treatments. Plots and explorative chi-square tests showed that reporting was slightly better for human studies of investigational treatments than for the other study types. With the evidence reported as is, risk-of-bias assessments for systematic reviews have low informative value other than repeatedly showing that reporting of experimental details needs to improve in all kinds of in vivo research. Particularly for reviews that do not directly inform treatment decisions, it could be efficient to perform a thorough but partial assessment of the quality of the included studies, either of a random subset of the included publications or of a subset of relatively informative elements, comprising, e.g. ethics evaluation, conflicts of interest statements, study limitations, baseline characteristics, and the unit of analysis. This publication suggests several potential procedures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Dietary supplement (DS) use is common and increasing among older adults, though much data available on use frequencies are from surveys and performed cross-sectionally. This paper sought to assess the frequency and pattern of dietary supplement use among older adults over time. Methods: A secondary analysis of data from the AAA LongROAD study, a longitudinal prospective cohort study of older adult drivers, using data from baseline and the first two years of follow up included a total of 2990 drivers aged 65–79 years recruited at five study sites across the US from July 2015 to March 2017. Participants underwent baseline and annual evaluations, which included a "brown bag" medication review. DS were identified and categorized according to type and key components. Prevalence and pattern of DS use over time and relationship to demographics were measured with frequency and Chi squared analyses. Results: 84% of participants took at least one dietary supplement during the 2-year study period, and 55% of participants continually reported use. DS accounted for approximately 30% of the total pharmacologic-pill burden in all years. Participants who were White non-Hispanic, female, 75–79 years of age at baseline, and on more non-supplement medications took significantly more dietary supplements (P < 0.05). Vitamin D, multivitamins, calcium, and omega-3 formulations were the most common supplements, with stable use over time. Use of individual herbal supplements and cannabis products was uncommon (< 1% participants per year). Conclusions: DS use among older adults is common and relatively stable over time and contributes to polypharmacy. In clinical settings, providers should consider the influence of DS formulations on polypharmacy, and the associated cost, risk of medication interactions, and effect on medication compliance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Parenting with a physical disability often brings with it a range of challenges. Occupational therapists are well positioned to support parents to address these challenges, yet occupational therapy research and practice around parenting is relatively scarce. This paper addresses the questions: (1) How should occupational therapists support parenting occupations for people with physical disability? (2) How do parents with physical disability experience occupational therapy? An anonymous survey of 62 parents, primarily mothers, with physical disability about their experiences with parenting challenges and occupational therapy was analysed using both quantitative and qualitative techniques. Parents experienced challenges in engaging in a range of parenting tasks with children over a range of age groups. Parents reported that support was often needed and indicated that occupational therapy could assist them directly with specific parenting goals as well as the more usual biomechanical goals that influence parenting. Yet less than half of participants who received occupational therapy services reported that parenting tasks were addressed, and only one‐fifth reported that their goals had been fully met. The data also indicated that the knowledge, skills, and attitudes of occupational therapists with regard to working with parents with disability can be improved. Findings suggest a need to better incorporate parenting occupations in standard occupational therapy training to increase occupational therapists' comfort and competence in working with clients on parenting issues. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This research paper presents a new test based on a novel approach for identifying clustered graphical passwords within the Passpoints scenario. Clustered graphical passwords are considered a weakness of graphical authentication systems, introduced by users during the registration phase, and thus it is necessary to have methods for the detection and prevention of such weaknesses. Graphical authentication methods serve as a viable alternative to the conventional alphanumeric password-based authentication method, which is susceptible to known weaknesses arising from user-generated passwords of this nature. The test proposed in this study is based on estimating the distributions of the perimeter of the convex hull, based on the hypothesis that the perimeter of the convex hull of a set of five clustered points is smaller than the one formed by random points. This convex hull is computed based on the points that users select as passwords within an image measuring 1920 × 1080 pixels, using the built-in function convhull in Matlab R2018a relying on the Qhull algorithm. The test was formulated by choosing the optimal distribution that fits the data from a total of 54 distributions, evaluated using the Kolmogorov–Smirnov, Anderson–Darling, and Chi-squared tests, thus achieving the highest reliability. Evaluating the effectiveness of the proposed test involves estimating type I and I I errors, for five levels of significance α ∈ { 0.01 , 0.02 , 0.05 , 0.1 , 0.2 } , by simulating datasets of random and clustered graphical passwords with different levels of clustering. In this study, we compare the effectiveness and efficiency of the proposed test with existing tests from the literature that can detect this type of pattern in Passpoints graphical passwords. Our findings indicate that the new test demonstrates a significant improvement in effectiveness compared to previously published tests. Furthermore, the joint application of the two tests also shows improvement. Depending on the significance level determined by the user or system, the enhancement results in a higher detection rate of clustered passwords, ranging from 0.1 % to 8 % compared to the most effective previous methods. This improvement leads to a decrease in the estimated probability of committing a type I I error. In terms of efficiency, the proposed test outperforms several previous tests; however, it falls short of being the most efficient, using computation time measured in seconds as a metric. It can be concluded that the newly developed test demonstrates the highest effectiveness and the second-highest efficiency level compared to the other tests available in the existing literature for the same purpose. The test was designed to be implemented in graphical authentication systems to prevent users from selecting weak graphical passwords, enhance password strength, and improve system security. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: This study examines the perceptions of the Australian public canvassed in 2021 during the COVID‐19 pandemic about their health system compared to four previous surveys (2008, 2010, 2012 and 2018). Methods: In 2021, a nationwide online survey was conducted with a representative sample of Australians (N = 5100) recruited via market research panels. The results were compared to previous nationwide Australian survey samples from 2018 (N = 1024), 2012 (N = 1200), 2010 (N = 1201) and 2008 (N = 1146). The survey included questions consistent with previous polls regarding self‐reported health status and overall opinions of, and confidence in, the Australian health system. Results: There was an increase in the proportion of respondents reporting positive perceptions at each survey between 2008 and 2021, with a significantly higher proportion of respondents expressing a more positive view of the Australian healthcare system in 2021 compared to previous years (χ2(8, N = 9645) = 487.63, p < 0.001). In 2021, over two‐thirds of respondents (n = 3949/5100, 77.4%) reported that following the COVID‐19 pandemic, their confidence in the Australian healthcare system had either remained the same (n = 2433/5100, 47.7%) or increased (n = 1516/5100, 29.7%). Overall, respondents living in regional or remote regions, younger Australians (< 45 years) and women held less positive views in relation to the system. In 2021, the most frequently identified area for urgent improvement was the need for more healthcare workers (n = 1350/3576, 37.8%), an area of concern particularly for Australians residing in regional or remote areas (n = 590/1385, 42.6%). Conclusions: Irrespective of disruptions to the Australian healthcare system caused by the COVID‐19 pandemic, Australians' perceptions of their healthcare system were positive in 2021. However, concerns were raised about inadequate workforce capacity and the cost of healthcare, with differences identified by age groups and geographical location. Patient or Public Contribution: Health consumer representatives from the Consumers Health Forum of Australia contributed to the co‐design, deployment, analysis and interpretation of the results of this survey. J.A. and L.W. from the Consumers Health Forum of Australia contributed to the development of the paper. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background High-risk human papillomavirus (HR-HPV) is a known cause of cervical cancer (CC). Latvia has a high incidence of CC compared with the average incidence in the European Union. This study aims to fill the data gap on the HR-HPV burden in Latvia, providing information on its prevalence and associated factors. Methods The cross-sectional study was conducted from February 2021 to April 2022. Participants 25–70 years old visiting a general practitioner (general population) or those referred to a colposcopy clinic with changes in their cervical cytology (colposcopy population) collected vaginal self-sample and completed a paper-based questionnaire. Samples were analyzed with Cobas 6800 System (Roche) for HPV16, HPV18 and other HR-HPV (HPV31/33/35/39/45/51/52/56/58/59/66/68). Descriptive statistics for categorical variables were performed. The Chi-square test was used to determine for the statistical significance of differences in the proportions of the dependent variable between subgroups of the independent variable. Univariate and multivariate binary logistic regression were used to identify factors associated with positive HR-HPV status. Results were considered statistically significant at P  < 0.05. Results A total of 1274 participants provided a valid sample. The prevalence of any HR-HPV infection was 66.8% in the colposcopy group and 11.0% in the general population. Factors associated with positive HR-HPV status were marital status single/divorced/widowed (vs. married/cohabiting) [adjusted OR (aOR) 2.6; P  = 0.003], higher number of lifetime sex partners [aOR 5.1 (P  < 0.001) and 4.0 (P  = 0.001)] for six or more and three to five partners in the general population; in the colposcopy group, the statistical significance remained only for Latvian ethnicity (vs. other) (aOR 1.8; P  = 0.008) and current smoking (vs. never) (aOR 1.9; P  = 0.01). Conclusion We documented a comparison to European Union HR-HPV infection burden in Latvia. Any HR-HPV positivity was significantly associated with sexual and other health behavior. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]