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Quantifiable predictability in the citation counts of articles is significant in scientometrics and informetrics. Many metrics based on the citation counts can evaluate the scientific impact of research articles and journals. Utilising time series models, an article's citation counts up to the y th year after publication can be predicted by those up to the previous years. However, the typically used models cannot predict the fat tail of the actual citation distributions. Thus, based on cumulative advantage of the citation behaviour, we propose a method to predict the accumulated citation counts, by using a random number sampled from a power-law distribution to modify the results given by a recurrent neural network (RNN), long short-term memory. Extensive experiments on the data set including 17 journals in information science verified the effectiveness of our method by the good fittings on distributions and evolutionary trends of the citation counts of articles. Our method has the potential to be extended to predict other popular assessment measures such as impact factor and h -index for journals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With the popularisation of intelligent power, power devices have different shapes, numbers and specifications. This means that the power data has distributional variability, the model learning process cannot achieve sufficient extraction of data features, which seriously affects the accuracy and performance of anomaly detection. Therefore, this paper proposes a deep learning-based anomaly detection model for power data, which integrates a data alignment enhancement technique based on random sampling and an adaptive feature fusion method leveraging dimension reduction. Aiming at the distribution variability of power data, this paper developed a sliding window-based data adjustment method for this model, which solves the problem of high-dimensional feature noise and low-dimensional missing data. To address the problem of insufficient feature fusion, an adaptive feature fusion method based on feature dimension reduction and dictionary learning is proposed to improve the anomaly data detection accuracy of the model. In order to verify the effectiveness of the proposed method, we conducted effectiveness comparisons through elimination experiments. The experimental results show that compared with the traditional anomaly detection methods, the method proposed in this paper not only has an advantage in model accuracy, but also reduces the amount of parameter calculation of the model in the process of feature matching and improves the detection speed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper investigates the potential of the Gamified Metaverse as a platform for promoting library services. The study compares the effectiveness of a traditional library program with a Metaverse- based library program in terms of knowledge acquisition and library anxiety. The research also examines students' perceptions of implementing gamification within the context of the Gamified Metaverse platform. A mixed-methods approach was adopted, including pre- and post-test analysis, statistical analysis, and qualitative data collection. The results indicate that both the traditional and Metaverse-based library programs effectively increased the participants' knowledge, with no significant difference between the two approaches. However, the Metaverse-based program was found to be less effective in facilitating interaction with librarians and reducing library anxiety. Additionally, students expressed positive perceptions of implementing gamification in the Gamified Metaverse platform, finding it engaging and motivating. These findings contribute to the understanding of the effect of the Metaverse as a tool for promoting library services and enhancing knowledge acquisition. However, it is not as effective in reducing library anxiety, particularly in terms of interaction with librarians and staff. It should be noted that the platform may have limitations such as high costs and potential side effects of virtual reality, making it more suitable as an additional tool for promoting library services, taking into account its feasibility and potential benefits for specific student populations and larger libraries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Biphasic interfaces are complex but fascinating regimes that display a number of properties distinct from those of the bulk. The CO2–H2O interface, in particular, has been the subject of a number of studies on account of its importance for the carbon life cycle as well as carbon capture and sequestration schemes. Despite this attention, there remain a number of open questions on the nature of the CO2–H2O interface, particularly concerning the interfacial tension and phase behavior of CO2 at the interface. In this paper, we seek to address these ambiguities using ab initio-quality simulations. Harnessing the benefits of machine-learned potentials and enhanced statistical sampling methods, we present an ab initio-level description of the CO2–H2O interface. Interfacial tensions are predicted from 1 to 500 bars and found to be in close agreement with experiment at pressures for which experimental data are available. Structural analyses indicate the buildup of an adsorbed, saturated CO2 film forming at a low pressure (20 bars) with properties similar to those of the bulk liquid, but preferential perpendicular alignment with respect to the interface. The CO2 monolayer buildup coincides with a reduced structuring of water molecules close to the interface. This study highlights the predictive nature of machine-learned potentials for complex macroscopic properties of biphasic interfaces, and the mechanistic insight obtained into carbon dioxide aggregation at the water interface is of high relevance for geoscience, climate research, and materials science. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, we consider the problem of numerical investigation of the counting statistics for a class of one-dimensional systems. Importance sampling, the cornerstone technique usually implemented for such problems, critically hinges on selecting an appropriate biased distribution. While an exponential tilt in the observable stands as the conventional choice for various problems, its efficiency in the context of counting statistics may be significantly hindered by the genuine discreteness of the observable. To address this challenge, we propose an alternative strategy, which we call importance sampling with the local tilt. We demonstrate the efficiency of the proposed approach through the analysis of three prototypical examples: a set of independent Gaussian random variables, Dyson gas, and symmetric simple exclusion process with a steplike initial condition. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: This study aimed to determine the validity and reliability of the electronic Compassion Competence Scale (e-CCS). Methods: A cross-sectional, randomized, two-period crossover design was used. Nursing students from four South Korean universities were surveyed between June 2017 and April 2018. The participants were randomly assigned to one of three groups-paper/paper, electronic/electronic, and paper/electronic or electronic/paper-and a test-retest procedure was implemented. The reliability and validity of the e-CCS were evaluated using linear weighted kappa coefficients and intraclass correlation coefficients (ICCs). Internal consistency reliability was verified using linear weighted kappa coefficients and ICCs. Pearson's correlation coefficients between the initial test and retest scores were all statistically significant. Results: The newly developed e-CCS was found to have good reliability and validity. We suggest that future research should increase sample heterogeneity by recruiting diverse age groups, nurses working in different nursing fields, and students from multiple colleges. Conclusion: This electronic instrument will help determine the differences in the level of compassion competence and devise interventions to improve compassion competence in nurses and nursing students. Further studies on enhancing compassion competence among nurses and nursing students may rely on the use of this electronic format. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present paper deals with waste management systems in the context of sustainability in selected municipalities. The author's team aimed to find the key waste groups according to the classification groups that have a major impact on the volume of waste and the cost of the system, thus facilitating management decision-making. In order to optimise the management of the entire waste management system from the perspective of the statutory municipality, it was first necessary to reduce the original list of 53 waste items to a significantly smaller number. With the help of waste management experts, criteria for reducing the number of waste input items were defined, resulting in a reduced statistical sample of 27 items. Each item is quantified by the amount of waste per year and the cost of the system per year. The mathematical apparatus consisted primarily of calculating average values as well as marginal slopes of waste quantity and cost. The interrelationships between waste groups were graphically recorded in perceptual maps. The individual analyses were carried out primarily for a statutory city, with secondary comparisons of the results with smaller towns and small villages. The analytical procedures verified that the catalogue of basic components of mixed municipal waste can be significantly reduced for decision-making in secondary resource management. The amount of waste selected in each group significantly impacts the cost of the whole waste management system. Of the original 15 waste groups, only three groups appear to be the main ones. The municipal waste group even has a decisive influence on both the quantity of waste and the cost of the whole system. Thanks to these findings, from the point of view of both the manager and the management of the statutory city, it is possible to focus on this core group, which contains the 13 original catalogue items. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There has been growing attention to multi-class classification problems, particularly those challenges of imbalanced class distributions. To address these challenges, various strategies, including data-level re-sampling treatment and ensemble methods, have been introduced to bolster the performance of predictive models and Artificial Intelligence (AI) algorithms in scenarios where excessive level of imbalance is present. While most research and algorithm development have been focused on binary classification problems, in health informatics there is an increased interest in the field to address the problem of multi-class classification in imbalanced datasets. Multi-class imbalance problems bring forth more complex challenges, as a delicate approach is required to generate synthetic data and simultaneously maintain the relationship between the multiple classes. The aim of this review paper is to examine over-sampling methods tailored for medical and other datasets with multi-class imbalance. Out of 2,076 peer-reviewed papers identified through searches, 197 eligible papers were chosen and thoroughly reviewed for inclusion, narrowing to 37 studies being selected for in-depth analysis. These studies are categorised into four categories: metric, adaptive, structure-based, and hybrid approaches. The most significant finding is the emerging trend toward hybrid resampling methods that combine the strengths of various techniques to effectively address the problem of imbalanced data. This paper provides an extensive analysis of each selected study, discusses their findings, and outlines directions for future research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: To identify the learning barriers, nursing students encounter throughout distinct stages of simulation‐based education. Design: Qualitative study exploring learning barriers in simulation training. Methods: Data were collected through interviews with 13 fourth‐year nursing students at Dongnam Health University, divided into four groups. These students had prior simulation experience with a variety of medical scenarios, including shortness of breath, chest pain, preterm labor, postoperative pain management, and neonatal care. Interviews were conducted using a semistructured format and lasted approximately one hour per group. We then used content analysis to identify primary and secondary themes. Results: Three main themes and 13 subthemes were identified, highlighting learning challenges across different stages of simulation training: limitations in integrating theoretical foundations during the prebriefing phase, the impact of psychological stress on clinical reasoning abilities during the scenario phase, and constraints in reflective thinking during the debriefing phase. Conclusion: This paper highlights significant learning obstacles across the simulation training process and advocates for targeted educational strategies to overcome these barriers. Specific recommendations include implementing additional measures to enhance student immersion, ensuring psychological safety, and enhancing debriefing sessions to encourage reflective thinking. Implications: This paper emphasizes the need for immersive and realistic training in nursing education. It suggests enhancements in applying theoretical knowledge, managing stress‐induced clinical reasoning, and fostering reflective thinking to better prepare students for clinical realities. It also acknowledges that the sample size may limit generalizability and recommends further studies with larger cohorts. Impact: This study aims to better prepare nursing students for the complexities of clinical practice by emphasizing the development of holistic patient care and adaptive problem‐solving skills. The research implications suggest a potential transformation in nursing education and practice, aiming to improve healthcare outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Family caregivers have a vital role to play in palliative care for chronically ill patients. In Taiwan, caregiver demographics are evolving, with the number of male caregivers increasing. Gender differences influence psychosocial behaviours, thought processes and communication styles. In healthcare, acknowledgement of gender differences facilitates effective delivery of high‐quality care. Aim: The aim of this study is to explore male caregivers' decision‐making process for palliative care for chronically ill family members. Methods: This study employed grounded theory to generate a substantive theory of male caregivers' decision‐making process for palliative care for chronically ill family members. We recruited 22 male participants from three inner‐city teaching hospitals in Taiwan. Findings: Regarding the decision‐making process of palliative care of chronic ill family, where male caregivers do not want their loved ones suffering anymore, the male caregivers' decision‐making process was impacted, first, by caregivers' views on the last stage of life; second, by their wish for good care during the end of life; and third, by their conviction that the patients' wishes should be respected. Furthermore, caregivers' philosophy of life and death is also a supportive ground for decision‐making. This philosophy was influenced by their education in palliative care, financial status and religious beliefs and practices. The core category emerging from this study is encapsulated by a participant's assertion, 'How difficult is it? There are no male and female differences'. Conclusion: We found that palliative care experiences of male caregivers are important for the decision‐making process for palliative care for their chronically ill family members. Caregivers want their loved ones to receive good care as the last step in life, to respect their wishes and no more suffering for the patient. Therefore, health professionals should be familiar with the palliative care process that caregivers go through to offer updated information when needed. Summary statement: What is already known about this topic? Taiwanese philosophy of end‐of‐life care focuses on family values and shares the power of making critical decisions between patients and their relatives.Due to cultural preferences, the dedicated family caregiver often becomes the only channel for honouring the patient's wishes.Male and female caregivers can have different coping mechanisms; males are less likely to seek support and are more stressed by financial burdens. What this paper adds? The patient and the whole family should be considered in the discussion of end‐of‐life care.Male caregivers indicated palliative care should be linked to comfort care, avoidance of suffering and respecting patients' wishes. The implication of this paper: Male caregivers should be well supported, good care for their loved ones and fulfil the patient's wishes and no more suffering.Education in palliative care and religious and financial support should be provided along with palliative care services to both male caregivers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: To assess heart rate variability (HRV) as a measure to assess job stress and sleep quality among nurses in the post‐COVID‐19 period. Background: The COVID‐19 pandemic significantly affected nurses, with heightened job stress and impaired sleep quality impacting their well‐being and effectiveness in patient care. HRV could offer insights for supporting strategies in the pandemic aftermath. Design: A quantitative cross‐sectional study. Methods: This study involved 403 clinical nurses recruited from a teaching hospital in Taiwan. Data on job stress, work frustration, sleep quality and HRV were collected and analysed. Results: Among the nurses surveyed during the COVID‐19 pandemic, 72.7% reported poor sleep quality (PSQI = 9.369). Job stress emerged as a strong predictor of work frustration. High stress levels and poor sleep quality were correlated with significantly decreased HRV, indicating a potential physiological impact of stress on the nurses' health and well‐being. Conclusions: HRV is a valuable and cost‐effective measure for monitoring and managing nurses' well‐being in the post‐COVID‐19 era. Targeted interventions can be implemented to support nurses' overall performance and promote their well‐being by identifying those at high risk of job stress and poor sleep quality. Summary statement: What is already known about this topic? The COVID‐19 pandemic significantly impacted medical care capacity, leading to heightened physical and mental distress among frontline nurses. This has resulted in a marked increase in job stress, presenting a significant challenge to occupational health.The substantial changes in the medical environment caused by the pandemic are likely to induce job stress, which, in turn, can detrimentally affect sleep quality. This aspect is crucial, as sleep quality is a key determinant of nurses' ability to deliver optimal medical care to patients. What this paper adds? Job stress significantly impacts nurses' sleep quality and is a key predictor of work frustration, surpassing the sole influence of work frustration.The study highlights a significant link between high stress levels, reduced sleep quality and decreased heart rate variability in nurses. It further reveals that nurses with moderate COVID‐19‐related anxiety show heightened heart rate variability, indicating sympathetic nervous system activation to maintain alertness in emergency medical situations. The implications of this paper: Moderate anxiety as a positive factor: moderate levels of anxiety among nurses can contribute to maintaining alertness, reducing errors and lowering the risk of contracting COVID‐19.HRV as a monitoring and management measure: heart rate variability is a valuable and cost‐effective measure for monitoring and managing the health of nurses in the post‐COVID‐19 era. By identifying nurses with high work stress and poor sleep quality, targeted interventions can be implemented to support their overall performance and promote their well‐being.Targeted interventions for improved well‐being: the implementation of specific interventions aimed at supporting nurses' overall performance and enhancing their well‐being is crucial in maintaining a high standard of patient care. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: This study aimed to investigate the feasibility of implementing a psychological first aid intervention for psychological distress, resilience capacity, quality and meaning of life among survivors affected by earthquake adversity in Northern Syria. Methods: A quasi‐experimental, pre‐posttest, two‐group research design was utilized. A convenience sample of 95 survivors (46 in the study group and 49 in the control group) was recruited for the psychological First Aid intervention at a 1:1 ratio. The psychological first aid intervention was delivered in 10 sessions, twice weekly, followed by 3‐month follow‐up. Results: A statistically significant improvement in the mean scores of resilience capacity, quality and meaning of life among survivors, along with a significant reduction in psychological distress, was registered among the study group compared with the control group. Conclusion: Our work verified the suitability of implementing psychological first aid following the catastrophic temblors which struck Northern Syria. Given that the psychological first aid intervention is grounded in psychological safety, cognitive reframing, mobilization of social support and installation of hope, the feasibility of its path following public health emergency, traumatic events or even a personal crisis can be favourable. Summary statement: What is already known about this topic? On 6 February 2023, a massive earthquake devastated large portions of war‐torn northwest Syria and southern Turkey, leaving millions in these regions battling to reconstruct their lives.In northwest Syria, strong aftershocks left more than 4500 people dead, injured hundreds more and demolished at least 10 000 structures.Disasters such as earthquakes can have a significant impact on the mental health and well‐being of those affected. Survivors may experience high levels of psychological distress and other negative mental health recovery outcomes.There is a need for psychologically supportive interventions such as the psychological first aid intervention to help survivors cope with the aftermath of such disasters.What this paper adds? A statistically significant improvement in the mean scores of resilience capacity, quality and meaning of life among survivors, along with a significant reduction in psychological distress, was registered among the study group compared to the control group.Our work verified the suitability of implementing the psychological first aid intervention following the catastrophic temblors which struck Northern Syria.The implications of this paper: Being ready for disasters is critical; health care professionals, including nurses, are one of the most frequently requested actors in disaster interventions.Nurses are an indispensable part in ascertaining the psychological repercussions of disasters on survivors, families and communities.Due to their training and professional experience, nurses can take the lead in reducing health‐threatening risks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aims: The purpose of this study was to investigate the status of self‐management behaviour and illness perceptions and to examine illness perceptions in relation to self‐management behaviour in elderly patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Methods: A cross‐sectional study was conducted, and 152 elderly COPD patients were recruited via the convenience sampling method. The COPD Self‐Management Scale and the Revised Illness Perception Questionnaire for COPD patients were used to examine self‐management behaviour and illness perceptions. Pearson correlation analysis, univariate analysis and hierarchical linear regression analysis were used to explore illness perceptions in relation to self‐management behaviour. Results: The mean overall score for self‐management behaviour was 2.90 ± 0.39. Among the subscales of self‐management behaviour, information management had the lowest score of 2.20 ± 0.76. Patients' demographic and clinical characteristics, including educational level, smoking status, type of primary caregiver, home oxygen therapy and COPD duration, were found to be significant determinants of self‐management behaviour. After controlling for these variables, several illness perception subscales, including treatment control, personal control, coherence, timeline cyclical and identity, were significantly correlated with self‐management behaviour. Conclusions: This study confirmed that elderly COPD patients' self‐management behaviour was unsatisfactory and that illness perceptions were significant determinants of self‐management behaviour. The findings may contribute to the development of self‐management interventions for elderly COPD patients. Summary statement: What is already known about this topic? Self‐management behaviour plays an essential role in managing COPD.Illness perceptions are predictors of self‐management behaviours in COPD patients, but little is known about how illness perceptions influence self‐management behaviour in elderly patients with COPD. What this paper adds? Several illness perception subscales, including treatment control, personal control, coherence, timeline cyclical and identity, were significantly correlated with self‐management behaviour.Patients' demographic and clinical characteristics, including educational level, smoking status, type of primary caregiver, home oxygen therapy and COPD duration, were found to be determinant of self‐management behaviour. The implications of this paper: The findings may contribute to developing tailored interventions that help patients establish beneficial illness perceptions to improve their self‐management behaviour. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aims: This study describes the incidence of fatigue in kidney transplant recipients and analyses the relationship between physiological factors, psychological factors, situational factors and fatigue in kidney transplant recipients. Background: Fatigue, as a common symptom after kidney transplantation, is affected by many factors, but the influence of some factors on the fatigue of kidney transplant recipients is still controversial. Design: This cross‐sectional study was designed based on the theory of unpleasant symptoms. Methods: Our survey involved 307 participants attending the kidney transplant outpatient clinic of a tertiary Class A hospital (Changsha, Hunan, China). Data were collected between February and April 2021 using a structured questionnaire and electronic medical records. Data were analysed using IBM SPSS 25.0 (SPSS Inc.) Results: It was found that the incidence of fatigue in kidney transplant recipients was 53.1%. According to the binary logistic regression analysis, sleep quality, hypokalemia, anxiety, depression and education level were independent risk factors for fatigue in kidney transplant recipients. Conclusion: The incidence of fatigue in kidney transplant recipients was high and was influenced by physical, psychological and situational factors. Clinical nurses should assess fatigue levels in a timely and multidimensional manner in clinical practice and provide effective and scientific guidance about fatigue self‐coping and symptom management for kidney transplant recipients. Summary statement: What is already known about this topic? Fatigue is a common symptom of kidney transplant recipients and can impair postoperative recovery, reemployment, quality of life, social activities and physical and mental states, causing the body to be in a state of chronic energy consumption.Owing to the imperceptible physical injury upon kidney transplant recipients, fatigue is often underappreciated or even disregarded. What this paper adds? It was found that the rate of fatigue in kidney transplant recipients was high.The risk factors for fatigue in kidney transplant recipients based on the theory of unpleasant symptoms were analysed in three ways: physiological, psychological and situational. The results showed that sleep quality, duration after transplantation, serum potassium level, anxiety, depression, education level, financial burden and social support were associated with fatigue in kidney transplant recipients. The implications of this paper: Clinical nurses should conduct timely and multidimensional fatigue evaluations of kidney transplant recipients and pay more attention to those with a high level of fatigue.The findings can provide a scientific basis for kidney transplant specialist nurses to conduct targeted interventions and facilitate fatigue management for kidney transplant recipients. They can also help to develop fatigue intervention models based on the displeasure symptom theory to improve fatigue in kidney transplant recipients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: To assess the psychometric properties of the Thai version of Caregiver Contribution to Self‐Care of Chronic Illness Inventory version 2 (CC‐SC‐CII‐v2) among primary caregivers of individuals with any single or multiple chronic illnesses. Background: The instrument encompasses three scales that evaluate Caregiver Contribution to Self‐Care (CC‐SC) Maintenance, Monitoring and Management. Methods: The English version CC‐SC‐CII‐v2 was translated and adapted for Thai context, and a cross‐sectional multicenter study involved 430 caregivers from 16 primary care centres in Thailand. Structural validity, internal consistency reliability and test–retest reliability were examined. Results: The original two‐factor CC‐SC Maintenance scale required a re‐specified model for good fit, while the CC‐SC Monitoring and CC‐SC Management scales fit well. The simultaneous model of three scales demonstrated satisfactory fit. The CC‐SC Maintenance and CC‐SC Management scales both had a composite reliability index of 0.85, with omega coefficients of 0.86 and 0.83, respectively. CC‐SC Monitoring had an alpha coefficient of 0.89. The intraclass correlation coefficients ranging from 0.84 to 0.91, indicating good test–retest reliability. Conclusion: The Thai CC‐SC‐CII‐v2 is a valid and reliable instrument that can provide clinicians and investigators with an evaluation of the contributions of caregivers to the self‐care of patients with chronic illnesses. Summary statement: What is already known about this topic? The Caregiver Contribution to Self‐Care of Chronic Illness Inventory (CC‐SC‐CII) is a theoretical‐based instrument initially created in the Western context.This inventory consists of three separate but interconnected scales for assessing caregiver involvement in patient self‐care maintenance, monitoring and management.Rigorous psychometric assessments conducted in Western contexts have affirmed the validity, reliability and effectiveness of the CC‐SC‐CII. What this paper adds? The introduction of the updated version, CC‐SC‐CII‐v2, likely presents challenges linked to cultural adaptation when applying it within the Thai context.This research constitutes a novel contribution to the field of caregiving studies in Thailand and the broader Asian region.The study offers new insights into the validity and reliability of the CC‐SC‐CII‐v2 within the context of Thai caregiving. The implications of this paper: The CC‐SC‐CII‐v2 proves to be a valid and reliable instrument for evaluating caregiver involvement in the self‐care of patients with chronic illnesses.Its applicability extends to various culture, including Thai context, and it may be considered suitable for application in other Asian backgrounds as well. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: The aim of this study is to investigate the effectiveness of the bladder stimulation technique (BST) to collect urine samples from newborns and its effects on physiological parameters and comfort of the newborn. Design: This was a randomized controlled trial conducted in a NICU. A total of 64 newborns were divided into 2 groups: 32 newborns in the experimental group and 32 newborns in the control group. Methods: Newborns in the experimental group (EG) were subjected to the BST, and in the control group (CG), urine collection was via sterile urine bags, which is routine practice. Procedural success was defined as the collection of urine samples within 3 min of beginning the stimulation technique in the experimental group and of placing the sterile urine bag in the control group. Results: The success rate of the procedure in 3 min was 62.5% in the EG and 28% in the CG (P = 0.006, absolute difference: 35%, 95% confidence interval 27% to 42%, NNT: 3). According to the comparison of the overall mean COMFORTneo scale and pain and distress subscale scores at the 1‐ and 3‐min marks, there was a significant difference between the EG and CG (p < 0.05). The mean scores in the EG were higher than those in the CG. The mean oxygen‐saturation was significantly lower in the EG than in the CG (p < 0.05), and the increase in heart rate was significantly higher in the EG (p = 0.018). Conclusions: BST is a more successful method within 3 min for collecting urine samples from newborns compared to sterile urine bags. However, the newborns' comfort levels minimally decreased at 3 min, and they had moderate pain and distress, while the BST was being implemented. This increase in physiologic parameters was statistically significant but not clinically significant. Summary statement: What is already known about this topic? Urinary tract infection is a commonly diagnosed bacterial infection in young infants with fever. However, the symptoms of this infection are non‐specific, so urine samples are needed to accurately diagnose and exclude it.There are multiple methods available for collecting urine samples, each with its own advantages and disadvantages.The bladder stimulation technique is a noninvasive and efficient method for collecting urine samples. However, few studies have examined the pain and distress effects of this technique, and these studies have reported varying results. What this paper adds? This study found that bladder stimulation techniques were more effective than sterile urine bags in collecting urine samples within 3 min from newborns.The bladder stimulation technique led to decreased saturation and comfort levels, increased heart rate, and increased pain and distress in the newborns during urine sampling; these increases in physiologic parameters were statistically significant but not clinically significant. The implications of this paper: The bladder stimulation technique is an effective noninvasive method for quickly collecting urine samples.Considering the pain and distress‐increasing properties of the technique, it may be recommended before invasive interventions (bladder catheterization and suprapubic aspiration) when urine sample collection with urine bags is not possible; it can be used in cases where urgent urine collection is required. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: The research was conducted to measure the effect of health literacy‐grounded web‐based education program on health literacy, nutrition and exercise behaviours in adolescents. Background: The increasing prevalence of obesity in adolescents is explained by a sedentary lifestyle and unhealthy diet. Health literacy is essential for adolescents to maintain their healthy behaviours. Methods: The research was conducted as a parallel group randomized controlled trial. The study was completed by 114 adolescents (experimental = 42, control = 72). The Personal Information Form, the Health Literacy Scale for School‐Age Children and the Nutrition and Exercise Subscales were used to collect data. A web‐based education program was implemented. Two‐way mixed design ANOVA with Bonferroni test was used to examine the group, time and group * time interaction of the measurements. Results: There was no statistically significant difference between the experimental and control groups regarding health literacy level, nutrition and exercise behaviours pre‐test mean scores (p > 0.05). In the post‐test, the mean scores of health literacy and nutrition behaviours in the experimental group were higher than the control group (p < 0.001). However, there was no significant difference in exercise behaviours (p > 0.05). The power and effect size in mean scores changes for health literacy (99.8%, η2 = 0.039) and nutrition (99.8%, η2 = 0.039) were moderate. Conclusion: The study concluded that health literacy‐grounded web‐based education program increased the health literacy levels of adolescents and improved their nutritional behaviours; however, there was no sufficient change in exercise behaviours. Summary statement: What is already known about the topic? The health literacy level of adolescents is inadequate or limited.Obesity and sedentary lifestyle are more common problems among adolescents.Interventions such as wellness coaching and health education were used to improve nutrition or exercise behaviours. What this paper adds? Health literacy‐grounded web‐based education program helps to increase the health literacy levels of adolescents.Health literacy‐grounded web‐based education program was found effective in improving nutrition behaviours. The implications of this paper: Nurses could implement web‐based education programs to prevent the negative consequences of unhealthy behaviours of adolescents.Nurses could provide opportunities to access health‐related information via web‐based interventions.Nurses could collaborate with school administrators to integrate nutrition and exercise behaviours into comprehensive and coordinated school‐based programs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: This research aimed to determine the impact of problematic mobile phone use on negative mental health outcomes among nursing students in India, highlighting the necessity for targeted interventions and support mechanisms to enhance the overall well‐being and adaptability of future healthcare professionals. Methods: A cross‐sectional survey was conducted in three randomly selected nursing colleges in South India, employing validated and standardized tools such as the Mobile Phone Problematic Use Scale, Patient Health Questionnaire, Insomnia Severity Index Scale, Satisfaction with Life Scale and Rosenberg Self‐Esteem Scale. Results: The study included 402 nursing students with an average age of 20.47 years, revealing a 39% prevalence of severe problematic mobile phone usage. Positive correlations were observed between mobile phone problematic use and age, depression and insomnia. Additionally, strong negative correlations were found between satisfaction with life and self‐esteem. Depression and satisfaction with life served as chain mediators in the impact of self‐esteem on problematic mobile phone use, and both self‐esteem and satisfaction with life negatively predicted problematic mobile phone use. Conclusion: The study highlights a prevalent issue of problematic mobile phone use among nursing students, indicating a pressing need for timely intervention, as it correlates with depression, sleep insomnia, low self‐esteem and life dissatisfaction. Summary statement: What is already known about this topic? Over the last decade, using mobile phones has been prevalent among today's children and young people, coinciding with an increase in poor mental health in this population.Problematic mobile phone use may consist of various issues, including addiction/dependence, financial troubles, risky use (i.e. while driving) and restricted use (i.e. in prohibited places).From an epidemiological standpoint, prevalence rate estimates vary widely and there is little research and understanding regarding the aetiology of problematic and addicted mobile phone usage, particularly its progression. What this paper adds? The prevalence of severe problematic mobile phone use among nursing students is very high and needs immediate attention.There is a negative impact of mobile phone use on the mental health outcomes of nursing students.Positive life satisfaction and self‐esteem are protective variables that negatively predict problematic mobile phone use, while their influence is mediated by a chain reaction involving reduced depression, emphasizing the interconnected psychological dynamics. The implications of this paper: Further research is needed on the influencing factors of problematic mobile phone use and interventions to prevent mobile phone addiction among nursing students.The influence of mobile phone use on the mental health outcomes of nursing students can affect their clinical practice and productive life therefore the appropriate policies should be implemented.Implementation of short and rapid counselling services for the nursing students by the nurse educators should incorporate into the curriculum to achieve a better quality of nurses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aims: This study was conducted to examine the effect of monthly telephone message reminders after training on women's beliefs and practice behaviours regarding breast self‐examination. Methods: This randomized controlled study was conducted with 83 women aged 20–69 years living in Turkey between September 2021 and July 2022. Women were randomly assigned (1:1) to the intervention (n = 41) or control group (n = 42), both groups received online breast self‐examination training, and the intervention group received monthly reminders on their mobile phones for 3 months. Participants completed the Champion's Health Belief Model Scale and breast self‐examination practice evaluation form at baseline and 3 months after intervention. Results: After the intervention, the mean scores of the benefits and self‐efficacy subscales of Champion's Health Belief Model Scales were significantly higher in the intervention group compared to the control group, and the mean score of barriers was lower. The rate of performing breast self‐exam regularly and at the appropriate time was higher in the intervention group. The rate of forgetting to perform breast self‐examination was higher in control group. Conclusion: A monthly reminder message may be recommended to increase women's belief in breast self‐examination and increase regular practice. Summary statement: What is already known about this topic? Breast cancer is common, it is a type of cancer that progresses slowly and can be treated with early diagnosis and regular application of breast self‐examination is one of the effective non‐invasive screening methods for early diagnosis of breast cancer among women.Studies have found that forgetfulness and neglect, lack of awareness about BSE techniques and lack of knowledge are important obstacles to breast self‐examination. What this paper adds? Breast self‐examination training and then a monthly phone message reminder approach was used in women.It has been observed that the monthly telephone reminder message is an intervention that increases the belief in breast self‐examination in women, along with an increase in the rate of regular and timely examination practice and a decrease in the rate of forgetting to do so. The implications of this paper: The importance of regular phone message reminders about breast self‐examination should be included in the in‐service training given to all health professionals, especially midwives and nurses working in the delivery of primary health care services.A central message system could be developed to remind women of breast self‐examination at the national level. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: The present study aimed to examine the effects of a mindfulness‐based stress reduction (MBSR) program and deep relaxation exercises on pregnancy‐related anxiety levels. Materials and Methods: This randomized parallel‐group controlled trial was conducted with 95 pregnant women (MBSR: n = 32, deep relaxation exercises: n = 31, control: n = 32) between 1 August and 15 October 2022 with pregnant women who were registered at the pregnancy outpatient clinics of a hospital in the Southeastern Anatolia Region of Türkiye. CONSORT guidelines were followed in our study. The participants in the MBSR group were given an eight‐session MBSR program, consisting of two sessions per week for 4 weeks, whereas the participants in the deep relaxation exercises group were asked to do exercises at home with deep relaxation videos four times a week for 4 weeks. The participants in the control group received only routine prenatal care. Results: The mean PRAQ‐R2 Fear of Giving Birth subscale scores of the participants in the MBSR and deep relaxation exercises groups after the intervention were lower than that of the participants in the control group. Additionally, the mean total PRAQ‐R2, PRAQ‐R2 Worries about Bearing a Physically or Mentally Handicapped Child subscale and PRAQ‐R2 Concern about One's Own Appearance subscale scores of the participants in the MBSR group were found to be significantly lower than the scores of those in the deep relaxation exercises and control groups (p < 0.001). Conclusion: The MBSR program is an effective method for reducing pregnancy‐related anxiety levels. Additionally, deep relaxation exercises are alternative practices for reducing the fear of giving birth among pregnant women. Trial registration: NCT05447000 Summary statement: What is already known about this topic? Anxiety is common during pregnancy.Alternative methods are becoming important considering the effects of complications of medical treatment on the mother and the fetus from treatments for anxiety in the prenatal period.What this paper adds? The MBSR program is an effective method for reducing pregnancy‐related anxiety levels.Deep relaxation exercises are alternative practices for reducing the fear of giving birth among pregnant women.The implications of this paper: This research provides a solid basis for the use of an MBSR program during midwifery and nursing practices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aims: The aim of this study is to introduce the Copenhagen Multi‐Centre Psychosocial Infertility (COMPI)‐Fertility Problem Stress Scales (COMPI‐FPSS) into China and test its applicability in Chinese infertile population. Background: Infertility‐related stress not only influences patients' psychological well‐being but is also strongly associated with reduced pregnancy rates and poorer assisted conception outcomes, thus warranting focussed attention. Design: The design used in this study is a cross‐sectional survey. Methods: A total of 418 participants were recruited by convenience sampling from March to July 2022. The data were randomly divided into two parts: one for item analysis and exploratory factor analysis and the other for confirmatory factor analysis and reliability test. The critical ratio and homogeneity test were used to verify the differentiation and homogeneity of the COMPI‐FPSS; the construct validity was determined by explanatory and confirmatory factor analyses; Cronbach's α coefficient and Spearman–Brown coefficient were used to assess the reliability; and criterion validity was expressed using correlation coefficients for the Perceived Stress Scale and the Negative Affect Scale as the validity criteria. Results: The revised Chinese version of COMPI‐FPSS has 11 items and 2 dimensions (i.e., personal stress domain and social stress domain). Exploratory factor analysis showed that the cumulative variance contribution rate of the two factors was 68.6%, and confirmatory factor analysis indicated that the model fitted well. The score of the COMPI‐FPSS was significantly and positively associated with perceived stress and negative affect. The Cronbach's α coefficient of the total scale was 0.905, and the Spearman–Brown coefficient was 0.836, explaining excellent reliability. Conclusion: The revised Chinese version of COMPI‐FPSS shows good reliability and validity, and it can be used to evaluate the infertility‐related stress of infertile patients in China. Summary statement: What is already known about this topic? With the number of infertile people on the rise globally, infertility‐related stress needs attention.Copenhagen Multi‐Centre Psychosocial Infertility (COMPI)‐Fertility Problem Stress Scales (COMPI‐FPSS) with its brief and accessible entries is extensively applied abroad.China currently lacks such a tool. What this paper adds? This study translated the COMPI‐FPSS into Chinese and the Chinese version of COMPI‐FPSS contains 11 items and 2 dimensions, including personal stress domain and social stress domain, which has good reliability and validity. The implications of this paper: The Chinese version of COMPI‐FPSS could provide a short and reliable tool for clinical practice and research, which will reduce the burden on researchers and patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: The aim of this study is to determine the experience of primary health care nurses regarding the application of nurse‐led management in patients with acute minor illnesses. Background: Nursing leadership of care for acute minor illnesses is a new challenge faced by nurses in Spain. Design: Qualitative, hermeneutical, interpretive phenomenological approach is used. The Consolidated criteria for reporting qualitative research guidelines were applied. Methods: Twenty primary care nurses participated; three focus group discussions and nine semi‐structured interviews were conducted between November 2019 and October 2020. All the focus group discussions and interviews were recorded, transcribed verbatim and analysed using content analysis. Results: Seven main themes emerged from the focus group discussions and interviews: concept, perception of the other actors, practice, history and social context, competencies, training, and legality. Conclusion: The study shows the diversity and complexity of nurses' experience when applying nurse‐led management in acute minor illnesses. This work has helped to show the gaps perceived by nurses, including the lack of training in the treatment of conditions historically attended by physicians, the lack of definition of the legal framework and the limitations on nurse prescribing. It also highlighted the power of the nursing profession in terms of autonomy, competencies and role expansion. Summary statement: What is already known about this topic? Nurse‐led management of acute minor illnesses is being applied in multiple countries.Nurse‐led management in patients with acute minor illnesses is known to have benefits for both the patient and the system.Nurses' perceptions of applying nurse‐led management in patients with acute minor illnesses are not known but such knowledge would allow the detection of drivers and barriers for this model of care.What this paper adds? The concept of nurse‐led management in patients with acute minor illnesses needs to be clarified to avoid confusion with triage.The topic was perceived as not properly covered in university studies and attended by a lack of ongoing training.Nurses express self‐doubt in their prescribing because they have been able to do so autonomously for only a short time.The implications of this paper: Nurses consider themselves competent to apply nurse‐led management of acute minor illnesses but need more training and knowledge of the legal framework.University curricula need reform and adaptation to the training needs of these new roles. In addition, continuing education will be required.National regulation is needed to enable this practice without dependence on other professionals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Conducting research studies with vulnerable populations on sensitive topics such as adolescent pregnancy can be challenging depending on methodological approaches and ethical issues that may arise before, during, and after data collection. This methodological paper was developed based on experiences and lessons learned from a critical ethnographic study conducted to determine and understand the cultural and personal meaning of unintended adolescent pregnancy in the Rwandan context and to explore the perceived consequences and management of unintended adolescent pregnancy with and for single adolescent mothers. The purpose of this methodological paper is to discuss methodological and ethical challenges encountered while conducting this research, as well as various approaches used to overcome these challenges, and to provide guidance to researchers interested in conducting research about similar or other sensitive topics. Future researchers facing similar challenges should prioritize community engagement strategies, such as building strong relationships with gatekeepers and leaders, to facilitate access to potential participants. Additionally, researchers should engage in continuous ethical reflection and adaptation throughout the study, adjusting strategies if necessary to ensure the well-being and autonomy of participants. As a result of the practical and methodological strategies provided in this reflective paper, researchers could be able to navigate practical, methodological, and ethical challenges effectively while conducting sensitive studies on topics such as adolescent pregnancy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This research paper aimed to identify the level of psychological hardiness, the level of death anxiety, and the level of existential vacuum among the elderly, also the role of the predictive ability of death anxiety and existential vacuum in the psychological hardiness of the elderly at the governorates of Tafilyah and Ma'an in light of the Corona pandemic in Jordan. The descriptive-analytical approach was utilized. sample consists (500) elderly, that were selected by a simple random approach. Then the needed statistical measure was operated to achieve the required results. The results indicated a low level of psychological hardiness, a high level of death anxiety, and an existential vacuum in the elderly. The results show a suitable predictive ability for each of death anxiety and the existential vacuum in reducing psychological hardiness. The research paper recommended the necessity of rehabilitating the elderly in Jordan regarding the mental and psychological aspects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

For the problem of slow search and tortuous paths in the Rapidly Exploring Random Tree (RRT) algorithm, a feedback-biased sampling RRT, called FS-RRT, is proposed based on RRT. Firstly, to improve the sampling efficiency of RRT to shorten the search time, the search area of the random tree is restricted to improve the sampling efficiency. Secondly, to obtain better information about obstacles to shorten the path length, a feedback-biased sampling strategy is used instead of the traditional random sampling, the collision of the expanding node with an obstacle generates feedback information so that the next expanding node avoids expanding within a specific angle range. Thirdly, this paper proposes using the inverse optimization strategy to remove redundancy points from the initial path, making the path shorter and more accurate. Finally, to satisfy the smooth operation of the robot in practice, auxiliary points are used to optimize the cubic Bezier curve to avoid path-crossing obstacles when using the Bezier curve optimization. The experimental results demonstrate that, compared to the traditional RRT algorithm, the proposed FS-RRT algorithm performs favorably against mainstream algorithms regarding running time, number of search iterations, and path length. Moreover, the improved algorithm also performs well in a narrow obstacle environment, and its effectiveness is further confirmed by experimental verification. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

INTRODUCTION: Pilots are frequently exposed to thrombotic risk as a result of immobility from air travel. As hypoxemia is associated with secondary polycythemia, and polycythemia increases the risk of thrombosis, intermittent exposure to high-altitude hypoxic environments could escalate the risk of thrombosis in pilots. Our objectives were to find the prevalence of polycythemia in airplane pilots (primary outcome) and to assess associated risk factors of polycythemia (secondary outcome). METHODS: This study is a cross-sectional descriptive study. Data was collected from paper-based and computerized medical records of airplane pilots who applied for Class 1 Aviation Medical Certificate renewal at the Institute of Aviation Medicine, Royal Thai Air Force, Bangkok, Thailand, in 2018. The data was sampled by a simple random sampling technique. RESULTS: A total of 386 paper-based records were sampled. Of those, 29 (7.5%) of the pilots met polycythemia criteria. Spearman's correlation analysis showed a significant positive correlation between Body Mass Index (BMI) and hemoglobin (correlation coefficient = 0.127) and between BMI and hematocrit (correlation coefficient = 0.105). In multivariate logistic regression of each variable on polycythemia as defined by hemoglobin alone, piloting a non-pressurized aircraft was found to be an independent predictor of polycythemia (odds ratio = 4.3). DISCUSSION: The prevalence of polycythemia in airplane pilots was 7.5%. Operating a non-pressurized aircraft was a significant risk factor of polycythemia, and pilots with higher BMI were more likely to have increased red blood cell parameters. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The data paper is an emerging academic genre that focuses on the description of research data objects. However, there is a lack of empirical knowledge about this rising genre in quantitative science studies, particularly from the perspective of its linguistic features. To fill this gap, this research aims to offer a first quantitative examination of which rhetorical moves—rhetorical units performing a coherent narrative function—are used in data paper abstracts, as well as how these moves are used. To this end, we developed a new classification scheme for rhetorical moves in data paper abstracts by expanding a well‐received system that focuses on English‐language research article abstracts. We used this expanded scheme to classify and analyze rhetorical moves used in two flagship data journals, Scientific Data and Data in Brief. We found that data papers exhibit a combination of introduction, method, results, and discussion‐ and data‐oriented moves and that the usage differences between the journals can be largely explained by journal policies concerning abstract and paper structure. This research offers a novel examination of how the data paper, a data‐oriented knowledge representation, is composed, which greatly contributes to a deeper understanding of research data and its publication in the scholarly communication system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: The primary aim of this study was to investigate the immediate and delayed effects of kinesiotape (KT) on postural control and patient-reported outcome measures under challenging conditions in individuals with anterior cruciate ligament reconstructions. Methods: Thirty-two anterior cruciate ligament-reconstructed patients for whom 6 months had passed since their operation were randomly assigned to either the KT (n = 16, aged 21.8 [5.5] y) or the placebo KT (n = 16, aged 24.0 [5.1] y) groups. Initially, both groups stood barefoot on a force platform while performing postural tasks in 4 randomized conditions (eyes open, eyes closed, cognitive task, and foam). Before the experiment, patients would bring the 4 conditions, which were written on folded papers, one by one, and in this way, the order of conditions for the examiners was determined. The patients' evaluations were conducted immediately and 48 hours after KT application. Postural control measures, with area and displacement of the center of pressure (CoP) in anterior--posterior and medial--lateral directions, and mean total velocity displacement of CoP (MVELO CoP) served as dependent variables. In addition, the International Knee Documentation Committee score was measured pretreatment and 48 hours posttreatment. Results: Significant group-by-time interactions were observed for displacement of COP in medial--lateral direction (P = .002) and MVELO CoP (P = .034). MVELO CoP significantly decreased (mean difference = 0.60, P = .009) immediately after KT application compared with preapplication measures. In the placebo group, a statistically significant decrease in MVELO CoP (mean difference = 0.869, P = .001) was observed at 48 hours post-KT compared with preapplication values. International Knee Documentation Committee scores significantly improved at 48 hours post-KT application in both groups (P < .05). Conclusions: Though observed at different time points, both KT (immediately after the intervention) and placebo KT (48 h after the intervention) were found to improve postural control measures. It appears that the changes in postural control may be more related to proprioceptive enhancement due to KT rather than the specific KT pattern. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The Integrated Palliative Care Outcome Scale (IPOS) validly and reliably measures symptoms and concerns of those receiving palliative care. Aim: To determine the equivalence of the paper version with an electronic version of the IPOS (eIPOS). Design: Multicentre randomised crossover trial (NCT03879668) with a within-subject comparison of the two modes (washout period 30 min). Setting/Participants: Convenience sample of specialist inpatient and palliative home care patients aged over 18 years with cancer and non-cancer conditions was recruited. Scores were compared using intraclass correlation coefficients (ICC), Bland-Altman plots and via a mixed-effects analysis of variance. Results: Fifty patients were randomised to complete paper-electronic (n = 24) and electronic-paper (n = 26) IPOS with median age 69 years (range 24–95), 56% male, 16% non-cancer. The ICCs showed very high concordance for the total score (ICC 0.99, 95% CI 0.98–1.00), lowest ICCs being observed for symptoms 'Appetite loss' and 'Drowsiness' (ICC 0.95, 95% CI 0.92–0.97). Nine of seventeen items had ICCs above 0.98, as did all subscales. No statistically significant mode, order, age, and interaction effects were observed for IPOS total score and subscales, except for 'Communication' (Fmode = 5.9, p = 0.019). Fifty-eight percent preferred the electronic version. In the group 75+ years, 53% preferred the paper version. Only three entries in the free-text main problems differed between the versions. Conclusion: The very high equivalence in scores and free text between the IPOS and the eIPOS demonstrates that eIPOS is feasible and reliable in an older palliative population. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Research on positive affect (PA) and negative affect (NA) is often guided by the rotational variant of the circumplex model of affect (RCMA). According to the RCMA, PA and NA are posited to be orthogonal, with PA ranging from the union of positive valence and high activation (e.g., excited) to the union of negative valence and low activation (e.g., sluggish), and NA ranging from the union of negative valence and high activation (e.g., distressed) to the union of positive valence and low activation (e.g., relaxed). However, many authors incorrectly interpret the RCMA as positing that positively valenced affect (i.e., pleasure) and negatively valenced affect (i.e., displeasure)--rather than PA and NA, as defined in the RCMA--are orthogonal. This "received view" of the RCMA has led to significant confusion in the literature. The present paper articulates the "received view" of the RCMA and characterizes its prevalence in psychological research. A random sample of 140 empirical research articles on affect published in 14 high-impact journals covering a range of psychological subdisciplines were reviewed. Over half of the articles subscribing to the RCMA showed evidence of the "received view," demonstrating that misuse of the terms PA and NA in the context of the RCMA is rampant in the psychological literature. To reduce continued confusion in the literature, we recommend abandoning use of the terms positive affect and negative affect. We further recommend referring to the two dimensions of the RCMA as positive activation and negative activation, and the two poles of the valence dimension as positive valence and negative valence (or pleasure and displeasure). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aiming at the problem that the traditional rapidly exploring random tree (RRT) algorithm only considers the global path of unmanned vehicles in a static environment, which has the limitation of not being able to avoid unknown dynamic obstacles in real time, and that the traditional dynamic window approach (DWA) algorithm is prone to fall into a local optimum during local path planning, this paper proposes a path planning method for unmanned vehicles that integrates improved RRT and DWA algorithms. The RRT algorithm is improved by introducing strategies such as target-biased random sampling, adaptive step size, and adaptive radius node screening, which enhance the efficiency and safety of path planning. The global path key points generated by the improved RRT algorithm are used as the subtarget points of the DWA algorithm, and the DWA algorithm is optimized through the design of an adaptive evaluation function weighting method based on real-time obstacle distances to achieve more reasonable local path planning. Through simulation experiments, the fusion algorithm shows promising results in a variety of typical static and dynamic mixed driving scenarios, can effectively plan a path that meets the driving requirements of an unmanned vehicle, avoids unknown dynamic obstacles, and shows higher path optimization efficiency and driving stability in complex environments, which provides strong support for an unmanned vehicle's path planning in complex environments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Molecular dynamics (MD) is the method of choice for understanding the structure, function, and interactions of molecules. However, MD simulations are limited by the strong metastability of many molecules, which traps them in a single conformation basin for an extended amount of time. Enhanced sampling techniques, such as metadynamics and replica exchange, have been developed to overcome this limitation and accelerate the exploration of complex free energy landscapes. In this paper, we propose Vendi Sampling, a replica-based algorithm for increasing the efficiency and efficacy of the exploration of molecular conformation spaces. In Vendi sampling, replicas are simulated in parallel and coupled via a global statistical measure, the Vendi Score, to enhance diversity. Vendi sampling allows for the recovery of unbiased sampling statistics and dramatically improves sampling efficiency. We demonstrate the effectiveness of Vendi sampling in improving molecular dynamics simulations by showing significant improvements in coverage and mixing between metastable states and convergence of free energy estimates for four common benchmarks, including Alanine Dipeptide and Chignolin. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As the fundamental problem in the computer vision area, image matching has wide applications in pose estimation, 3D reconstruction, image retrieval, etc. Suffering from the influence of external factors, the process of image matching using classical local detectors, e.g., scale-invariant feature transform (SIFT), and the outlier filtering approaches, e.g., Random sample consensus (RANSAC), show high computation speed and pool robustness under changing illumination and viewpoints conditions, while image matching approaches with deep learning strategy (such as HardNet, OANet) display reliable achievements in large-scale datasets with challenging scenes. However, the past learning-based approaches are limited to the distinction and quality of the dataset and the training strategy in the image-matching approaches. As an extension of the previous conference paper, this paper proposes an accurate and robust image matching approach using fewer training data in an end-to-end manner, which could be used to estimate the pose error This research first proposes a novel dataset cleaning and construction strategy to eliminate the noise and improve the training efficiency; Secondly, a novel loss named quadratic hinge triplet loss (QHT) is proposed to gather more effective and stable feature matching; Thirdly, in the outlier filtering process, the stricter OANet and bundle adjustment are applied for judging samples by adding the epipolar distance constraint and triangulation constraint to generate more outstanding matches; Finally, to recall the matching pairs, dynamic guided matching is used and then submit the inliers after the PyRANSAC process. Multiple evaluation metrics are used and reported in the 1st place in the Track1 of CVPR Image-Matching Challenge Workshop. The results show that the proposed method has advanced performance in large-scale and challenging Phototourism benchmark. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We present an automatically generated dataset of 15,755 records that were extracted from 47,357 papers. These records contain water-splitting activity in the presence of certain photocatalysts, along with additional information about the chemical reaction conditions under which this activity was recorded. These conditions include any co-catalysts and additives that were present during water splitting, the length of time for which the photocatalytic experiment was conducted, and the type of light source used, including its wavelength. Despite the text extraction of such a wide range of chemical reaction attributes, the dataset afforded good precision (71.2%) and recall (36.3%). These figures-of-merit were calculated based on a random sample of open-access papers from the corpus. Mining such a complex set of attributes required the development of novel techniques in knowledge extraction and interdependency resolution, leveraging inter- and intra-sentence relations, which are also described in this paper. We present a new version (version 2.2) of the chemistry-aware text-mining toolkit ChemDataExtractor, in which these new techniques are included. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the United States and elsewhere, risk assessment algorithms are being used to help inform criminal justice decision-makers. A common intent is to forecast an offender's "future dangerousness." Such algorithms have been correctly criticized for potential unfairness, and there is an active cottage industry trying to make repairs. In this paper, we use counterfactual reasoning to consider the prospects for improved fairness when members of a disadvantaged class are treated by a risk algorithm as if they are members of an advantaged class. We combine a machine learning classifier trained in a novel manner with an optimal transport adjustment for the relevant joint probability distributions, which together provide a constructive response to claims of bias-in-bias-out. A key distinction is made between fairness claims that are empirically testable and fairness claims that are not. We then use confusion tables and conformal prediction sets to evaluate achieved fairness for estimated risk. Our data are a random sample of 300,000 offenders at their arraignments for a large metropolitan area in the United States during which decisions to release or detain are made. We show that substantial improvement in fairness can be achieved consistently with a Pareto improvement for legally protected classes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper examines the effects of a morphological awareness intervention on the word reading and spelling skills of Grades 4 to 6 children with dyslexia. Sixteen children in eastern Ontario, Canada, received 20 hours of morphologically oriented instruction spread over 6 weeks and eight served as controls, and all received a battery of reading and spelling tests before and after the intervention. Students were taught the nature of morphology and the types of morphemes, how words could be assembled from morphemes or deconstructed into morphemes to make meaning from print and access the correct pronunciation, and how to use morphology in reading and spelling words. Repeated measures analyses of variance and analyses of covariance indicated that the experimental group showed significantly larger gains than the control group on measures of morphological awareness, morphological decoding, morphological analysis, and morphological spelling. There were no significant effects on word reading (fluency and accuracy) or on standardized spelling measures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Screen-based simulation is a cost-effective educational modality that allows nursing students to comfortably acquire new skills as they become accustomed to digital environments. The aim of this study is to evaluate the effectiveness of a screen-based simulation tool in enhancing knowledge and skills related to medication administration and dosage calculation in nursing students. Methods: This multicenter, single-blind, stratified, randomized controlled trial initially enrolled 480 nursing students. The 351 students eligibles were randomly allocated to two groups. Using a screen-based simulation tool (SIMDOSE®), the intervention group was trained in drug administration and dosage calculation through four perfusion clinical cases. The control group underwent the same training content using the paper-and-pencil method. knowledge and skills acquisition, Students' satisfaction, self-confidence and anxiety were analyzed using Jamovi software (version 2.3.18). Results: 4 out of 5 main variables examined were significantly different, specifically in dosage calculation, where the simulation group excelled both in the knowledge post-test (post – pre = 1.00 (20%); p = 0.004) and in the objective structured clinical examination (p = 0.013). The intervention group reported higher levels of satisfaction and self-confidence than the control group (p < 0.001). Their moderate anxiety levels didn't differ significantly (0.161). Conclusion: The SIMDOSE® platform can be used as a supplementary teaching method of dosage calculation for nursing students. Screen-based simulation has benefits that nurse educators should be aware of, such as being a key to more satisfied and confident students. Trial registration: This Moroccan clinical trial was prospectively registered (16/05/2023) in the Pan African Clinical Trial Registry (pactr.samrc.ac.za) with trial registration number PACTR202305505743210. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The social culture, gender stereotypes, and social status of nursing in China impact the professional commitment of male nursing students. Increasing the professional commitment of male nursing students is critical for alleviating the shortage of nurses and addressing the gender gap. The outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic has caused widespread public concern about the nursing profession and may have changed people's perception of the profession, which in turn may have a positive impact on the professional commitment of male nursing students in China. Objective: This research aimed to assess how the COVID-19 pandemic affected the professional commitment of male nursing students in China and to analyze the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on potential factors that might affect their professional commitment. Methods: A descriptive comparative study was conducted. This study involved total 368 male nursing students from five 4-year universities in Henan Province, China. 190 male nursing students were included before the COVID-19 pandemic (October to November 2019) and 178 were included after the COVID-19 pandemic (April to May 2023). The data, such as the sociodemographic characteristics and professional commitment of the two samples, were collected using a paper-and-pencil questionnaire. The research instruments used included the Professional Commitment Scale, the Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support and the General Self-efficacy Scale. The data analysis employed χ2-tests, t-tests and hierarchical regression models. Results: The proportion of Chinese male nursing students who are interested in nursing and do not intend to leave the major has increased after the pandemic (65.17% vs. 29.47%, 61.80% vs. 39.47%, respectively). Male nursing students exhibited greater professional commitment (3.30 ± 0.63) after the pandemic compared to before the pandemic (2.77 ± 0.43). The various factors, such as grade, intend to leave the major, interest in nursing, social support, and general self-efficacy, were linked to professional commitment of male nursing students in China. Conclusions: Male nursing students in China exhibited greater professional commitment after the pandemic. This phenomenon may be attributed to the public's increased recognition of the significance of nursing work during the pandemic, and the social status and image of nursing profession have been improved. Given the changes brought about by the COVID-19, strategies should be considered by nursing decision makers and schools to strengthen the professional commitment of male nursing students and increase the number of male nurses in the post-pandemic era. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In survey statistics, estimating and reducing population variation is crucial. These variations can occur in any sampling design, including stratified random sampling, where stratum weights may increase the variance of estimators. Calibration techniques, which use additional auxiliary information, can help mitigate this issue. This paper examines three calibration-based estimators—calibration variance, calibration ratio, and calibration exponential ratio estimators—within the framework of stratified random sampling. The study generates data from normal, gamma, and exponential distributions to test these estimators. Results demonstrate that the proposed calibration estimators offer more accurate estimates of population variance and outperform existing methods in estimating population variance under stratified random sampling, providing more accurate and reliable estimates. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Deep neural networks are increasingly used in medical imaging for tasks such as pathological classification, but they face challenges due to the scarcity of high-quality, expert-labeled training data. Recent efforts have utilized pre-trained contrastive image-text models like CLIP, adapting them for medical use by fine-tuning the model with chest X-ray images and corresponding reports for zero-shot pathology classification, thus eliminating the need for pathology-specific annotations. However, most studies continue to use the same contrastive learning objectives as in the general domain, overlooking the multi-labeled nature of medical image-report pairs. In this paper, we propose a new fine-tuning strategy that includes positive-pair loss relaxation and random sentence sampling. We aim to improve the performance of zero-shot pathology classification without relying on external knowledge. Our method can be applied to any pre-trained contrastive image-text encoder and easily transferred to out-of-domain datasets without further training, as it does not use external data. Our approach consistently improves overall zero-shot pathology classification across four chest X-ray datasets and three pre-trained models, with an average macro AUROC increase of 4.3%. Additionally, our method outperforms the state-of-the-art and marginally surpasses board-certified radiologists in zero-shot classification for the five competition pathologies in the CheXpert dataset. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: As the number of large-scale outbreaks continues to rise worldwide, clinical trials are increasingly engaging disease-affected peoples within the Minority World (nations with over 80% poverty rates). Yet global health research inadequately addresses potential ethical issues of including impoverished, disease-affected populations and their contextual vulnerabilities in medical research. Objective: This paper presents a mixed-method analysis from our 2022 semi-structured survey capturing the experiences of Liberian Ebola Virus Disease (EVD) survivors serving as study participants in the Partnership for Research on Ebola Virus in Liberia (PREVAIL) clinical trials. Methods: Firstly, we conducted an extensive literature review of the scholarship related to biomedical research and ethical standards protecting study participants to inform our survey method and design. Applying a theoretical framework on vulnerability, we then qualitatively explored the survey responses of 19 EVD survivors' perceptions and experiences taking part in PREVAIL, including their expectations, treatment, delivered benefits, and quality of care. We further quantitatively codified their statements for underlying themes of reported negative experiences against standard ethical regulations in biomedical research, conducting a statistical analysis to inform generalizability. Most of the 19 survivors reported facing extreme ongoing vulnerabilities related to their disease status, including physical impairments, psychosocial stress, and socio-economic inequity. Results: Initially, the survivors tended to experience a sense of hope and pride in volunteering for PREVAIL. One in five participants reported benefiting from PREVAIL's regular medical diagnoses. However, most of their survey responses indicated prevalent negative shared experiences, including continually being confused or misinformed of their study participant rights, roles, and benefits; being burdened by heavy participation transaction costs; and repeated incidents of poor treatment and discrimination by PREVAIL staff after initial recruitment. PREVAIL participant satisfaction ranking is negatively correlated with receiving insufficient financial compensation (r = −0.51), extensive time requirements for each medical visit (−0.40), and being poorly treated by clinical staff (−0.67). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A strong connection between schools and families is vital for student success and well-being. Previous studies on school–family relationships found that open communication between parties may aid in supporting students' needs and ability to attend school. In this paper, authors analyze how leveraging relationships to gain an increased understanding of a family's attendance barriers is more beneficial than relationships built on accountability. From interviews with 38 caregivers, 29 students, and 40 staff members in an urban school district with high rates of chronic absenteeism, authors found that efforts to build relationships with families focused on accountability and caregiver education about their children's attendance and the importance of attending school. Families sometimes perceived these efforts as superficial and ineffective. Authors discuss how school districts and key school personnel, such as social workers, can intentionally use the power of relationships to identify student and family needs and connect them with resources. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In Microwave Radar Coincidence Imaging (MRCI), the imaging region is typically discretized into a fine grid. In other words, it assumes that the equivalent scatterers of the target are precisely located at the centers of these pre-discretized grids. However, this approach usually encounters the off-grid problem, which can significantly degrade the imaging performance. In this paper, to establish a criterion for grid quantization, the performance of the MRCI system related to the grid size and the distribution of imaging points is investigated. First, the discretization of the imaging scene is regarded as a random sampling problem, and the off-grid imaging model for MRCI is established. Then, the probability distribution function (PDF) of the imaging amplitude for a single point target is analyzed, and the mean first-order imaging error (MFE) for multiple point targets is derived based on the Basic Correlation Algorithm (BCA). Finally, the relationship between the grid quantization of the imaging area and the performance of the MRCI system is analyzed, providing a theoretical guidance for enhancing the performance of MRCI. The validity of the analyses is verified through simulation experiments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rapport is generally considered an essential component of successful interviewing, where participants are willing to share and divulge information. The present paper contributes to the research on rapport in qualitative interviewing by exploring ethical tensions that researchers may experience when conducting qualitative interviews with vulnerable participants. The analysis is based on semi-structured interviews with nine researchers from various fields within social sciences who had extensive experience in doing research with diverse vulnerable groups. We identified six ethical tensions related to building rapport with people in vulnerable life situations that cover issues concerning both too little and too much rapport. Findings illustrate that rapport as the 'ideal' for the researcher-participant relationship may need nuancing. The study concludes that researchers undertaking qualitative interviews on sensitive topics need to have a conscious awareness of ethical tensions that may arise when building rapport with their participants [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although there are several indirect methods that can be used to verify reference limits, they have a common weakness in that they assume a low proportion of pathological values. This paper investigates whether a Gaussian decomposition algorithm can identify the non-pathological fraction even if it is not the main subset of mixed data. All investigations are carried out in the R programming environment. The mclust package is used for Gaussian mixture modelling via the expectation maximization (EM) algorithm. For right-skewed distributions, logarithms of the original values are taken to approximate the Gaussian model. We use the Bayesian information criterion (BIC) for evaluation of the results. The reflimR and refineR packages serve as comparison procedures. We generate synthetic data mixtures with known normal distributions to demonstrate the feasibility and reliability of our approach. Application of the algorithm to real data from a Nigerian and a German population produces results, which help to interpret reference intervals of reflimR and refineR that are obviously too wide. In the first example, the mclust analysis of hemoglobin in Nigerian women supports the medical hypothesis that an anemia rate of more than 50 % leads to falsely low reference limits. Our algorithm proposes various scenarios based on the BIC values, one of which suggests reference limits that are close to published data for Nigeria but significantly lower than those established for the Caucasian population. In the second example, the standard statistical analysis of creatine kinase in German patients with predominantly cardiac diseases yields a reference interval that is clearly too wide. With mclust we identify overlapping fractions that explain this false result. Gaussian mixture modelling does not replace standard methods for reference interval estimation but is a valuable adjunct when these methods produce discrepant or implausible results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Few studies have evaluated the effectiveness of family functional care interventions among stroke caregiver dyads. This study aimed to examine the effect of a nurse‐led therapeutic conversation intervention on resilience, family function, self‐efficacy in managing the disease, and quality of life (QoL) in stroke family caregiver dyads. Aims: This study aimed to examine the effect of a nurse‐led therapeutic conversation intervention on resilience, family function, self‐efficacy in managing the disease, and QoL in stroke–family caregiver dyads. Design: This study was a single‐blind (evaluator) randomized controlled trial. The planned execution time was from August 2021 to December 2022, in the rehabilitation ward of a medical university hospital. Methods: A total of 82 dyads were included in this analysis. Dyads randomized to the intervention group received nurse‐led therapeutic conversations intervention one at four weeks after the patient's hospitalization for a stroke. The family caregiver dyads of stroke survivors in the control group received routine care. An effectiveness analysis that included patients' resilience, self‐efficacy, and patient–family caregiver dyads' family function and QoL was conducted at one month. We used the CONSORT Checklist for reporting parallel group randomized trials in this study. Results: The patients in the intervention group showed improvement in resilience and self‐efficacy after one month. Furthermore, the effects on resilience (Cohen's d = 0.49) and self‐efficacy (Cohen's d = 0.46) were significantly higher than in the control group. Family functioning was significantly higher in patient–family caregiver dyads in the intervention group than in the control group (Cohen's d = 0.55; Cohen's d = 0.50). However, no significant difference in QoL was found between patients and caregivers in either group. Conclusions: The intervention was effective in promoting family functioning and can also promote patient resilience and self‐efficacy in disease management. However, the intervention did not have a significant effect on the QoL of patient–family caregiver dyads. Summary statement: What is already known about this topic? Many interventional care treatments ignore the important psychological factors involved in caring for patients with stroke.Family nursing actions through conversations between nurses and patients/families are helpful for families dealing with the challenges and complex experiences of a patient's illness. What this paper adds? The present study demonstrated that a nurse‐led therapeutic conversation intervention could promote family functioning among patients and family caregivers.Nurse‐led therapeutic interventions can also promote patients' resilience and self‐efficacy in managing the disease.However, the therapeutic conversation intervention did not have a significant effect on the quality of life of the patient–family caregiver dyads. Implications of this study It is recommended to corroborate a nurse‐led therapeutic conversation intervention as a strength‐oriented family intervention in stroke rehabilitation practice.Nurses can identify the care requirements of patients and their family caregivers through therapeutic conversations and offer personalized care solutions.Nurse‐led therapeutic conversation interventions can be implemented in patient empowerment strategies, emphasizing its effectiveness in boosting patient resilience and self‐efficacy in disease management. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Accessible Summary: What is known on the subject: The Health of the Nation Outcome Scales (HoNOS) is a widely used clinical measure designed to rate and monitor the outcomes of service users accessing specialist mental healthcare.Since its development (in 1996), numerous research studies have confirmed the HoNOS captures the aspects of care that it purports to (validity), and that clinicians' ratings are consistent both over time, and between different raters (reliability). What the paper adds to existing knowledge: In 2018, the HoNOS was reviewed with updates made to some terminology and other revisions intended to remove ambiguity in the guidance for raters. However, although the new version (HoNOS 2018) was accompanied by a recommendation that its validity and reliability be re‐tested this was not undertaken.To our knowledge, this is the first study to re‐assess the updated tool's reliability by measuring the level of agreement between different raters. Our findings confirm that there is an acceptable level of consistency between student mental health nurses that have been trained to use the (new) HoNOS 2018. What are the implications for practice: The HoNOS is nationally mandated for use by all specialist mental healthcare providers in the UK.Our findings provide some assurance that, with appropriate update training and monitoring of organisational‐level data sets, the original HoNOS glossary can safely be replaced with the HoNOS 2018 to ensure more contemporary routine outcome measurement can occur. Introduction: The Health of the Nation Outcome Scales (HoNOS) is a well‐established clinician rated outcome measure for use in mental health services. Following an international review, an updated version (HoNOS 2018) was published with a recommendation that its psychometric properties be re‐tested prior to widespread implementation. To date, only one such study has been published. Aims: To test the inter‐rater agreement levels for HoNOS 2018. Method: Third‐year student mental health nurses received training to complete the HoNOS 2018. Following this timetabled session, they were each invited to independently rate two, randomly selected, videos of (simulated) patient interviews. The resulting data were then analysed to calculate the tool's internal consistency and inter‐rater agreement levels. Results: The 55 participants provided 106 ratings from four vignettes. Cronbach's alphas and McDonalds omegas confirmed the revised tool's internal consistency was acceptable. Average measure intraclass correlation coefficients for the four patient vignettes indicated excellent reliability. Implications for practice: This study provides initial assurance that the HoNOS 2018 is a reliable clinician rated outcome measure suitable for use in routine clinical practice by relatively inexperienced mental health practitioners with limited training. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Accessible Summary: What is known on the subject?: Mental health nursing is generally viewed as the least attractive career choice among nursing students. What the paper adds to existing knowledge?: Studying in the generic nursing program influence higher desire for a career in mental health nursing.Nursing students who have prior experience working in mental health and have provided care to psychiatric patients are more inclined to express a desire to pursue a career in this field What are the implications for practice?: Nursing students enrolled in the generic program, who have previous work experience in mental health or experience caring for a person with a mental illness, and who have a lower level of stigmatizing attitudes, may constitute the future workforce in mental health nursing. Introduction: Mental health nursing is often perceived as an unattractive career choice among nursing students, and it remains unclear whether the type of nursing program influences this view. Aim: This cross‐sectional study aimed to explore the association between stigmatizing attitudes in nursing students and their desire for a career in mental health nursing, comparing students in generic and accelerated programs. Method: A total of 220 nursing students from generic and accelerated programs in North‐Center Israel participated in this cross‐sectional study, completing a questionnaire on stigmatizing attitudes and their interest in a mental health nursing career. Results: Nursing students displayed a generally low desire for mental health nursing, influenced by factors such as enrollment in the generic program, previous mental health work experience and stigmatizing attitudes. Discussion: Students in the generic program, with lower stigmatizing attitudes and prior mental health experience, exhibited a higher inclination towards mental health nursing. Implications for Practice: Prospective mental health nursing professionals may be identified in the generic program, particularly those with prior mental health experience and lower stigmatizing attitudes. Additional studies are required to confirm and broaden their applicability to other contexts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, we obtain the asymptotic form of the joint distribution of maxima and minima of independent observations, when the sample size is a random variable. We also discuss the asymptotic distribution of the Range. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The study of longest increasing subsequences (LIS) in permutations led to that of Young diagrams via Robinson–Schensted's (RS) correspondence. In a celebrated paper, Vershik and Kerov obtained a limit theorem for such diagrams and found that the LIS of a uniform permutation of size n$$ n $$ behaves as 2n$$ 2\sqrt{n} $$. Independently and much later, Hoppen et al. introduced the theory of permutons as a scaling limit of permutations. In this paper, we extend in some sense the RS correspondence of permutations to the space of permutons. When the "RS‐tableaux" of a permuton are non‐trivial, we show that the RS‐tableaux of random permutations sampled from this permuton exhibit a linear behavior, in the sense that their first rows and columns have lengths of linear order. In particular, the LIS of such permutations behaves as a multiple of n$$ n $$. We also prove some large deviation results for these convergences. Finally, by studying asymptotic properties of Fomin's algorithm for permutations, we show that the RS‐tableaux of a permuton satisfy a partial differential equation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]