Search

Background: In previous decades, large-scale research has been carried out on bacterial meningitis. In every field, citation analysis is the most significant contribution. The study's objective was to identify and analyze the 100 articles on bacterial meningitis that received the most citations between 2000 and 2023, highlighting the most significant developments in the field. Objective: The objective of this study was to find out what makes a highly influential article by identifying and analyzing the characteristics of the 100 articles in the field of bacterial meningitis that receive the most citations. The goal of this study was to find and examine the 100 articles on bacterial meningitis that received the most citations. Methodology: We identified the top 100 most-cited papers in the field of bacterial meningitis from 55 journals using the Dimensions AI database. The results of each author's analysis of 100 articles were then compared. We gathered fundamental data such as the journal's title, country of publication, and study type. Descriptive counts or percentages were used to compare the various categories. Results: Between the year 2000 and the year 2023, articles were published. The total number of citations ranged from 115 to 1176, with 42 papers receiving more than 200 citations. In 2008, 14 articles were published, followed by 10 in 2000 and 2007. One thousand one hundred and seventy-six times were given to the most-cited paper, whereas 115 times were given to the least-cited article. "Clinical Features and Prognostic Factors in Adults with Bacterial Meningitis," by Diederik van de Beek, et al. (2004) was the article that received the most citations. 1176 people have cited this article. van de Beek Diederik of the Academic Medical Center in The Netherlands is the author who has written the most articles, was mentioned in 14 of the top 100 articles. Papers were primarily published in Pediatrics (n = 9) publication with 1861 citations. The Netherlands came in second with 18 publications, followed by the United States (n = 46). Conclusion: Our study uses bibliometrics and visualization analysis of the most important articles in this field to show the current state of research in the area of bacterial meningitis, provide a history of research trends, and offer a perspective for future bacterial predicts the growth of meningitis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There is uncertainty whether postoperative application of paper tape (PT) improves scar aesthetics and reduces wound closure complications. This study aimed to review and assess the quality of applicable findings from studies investigating PT’s efficacy. We queried PubMed and SCOPUS using the search terms “((“paper tape”) AND (wound OR closure OR heal* OR complication OR skin OR prevent* OR scar*)).” We excluded articles that were duplicates, basic science, or not clinically relevant. We assessed the level of evidence for each article using the American Society of Plastic Surgeons (ASPS) Rating Levels of Evidence and Grading Recommendations for Therapeutic Studies, ranging from I (highest) to V (lowest). Of 186 publications reviewed, we included eight studies in the literature review. Five of these studies reported statistically significant positive outcomes on scar aesthetics and wound closure associated with using PT. Using the ASPS rating system, we found that two studies were Level I, three studies were Level II, two studies were Level IV, and one study was Level V. Notably, heterogeneity in the study designs limited outcome comparison. The data from the studies included in this literature review support using PT to optimize scar and wound management. The lack of higher levels of evidence, however, suggests the need for additional randomized controlled trials to rigorously evaluate patient outcomes when using PT compared with other forms of adhesive dressings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BACKGROUND: The American College of Surgeons requires continuous process improvement review to maintain trauma center verification. Paper-based systems to monitor and track performance improvement are commonly used but can be inadequate to monitor concurrent ongoing improvement effectively. OBJECTIVE: To describe the implementation of an electronic process to capture and monitor performance improvement in near real time. METHODS: In 2020, a Midwestern U.S. Level I adult trauma center and a Level II pediatric trauma center's trauma programs transitioned from a paper to an electronic file-sharing system for performance improvement. We converted our primary, secondary, and tertiary review documentation into a single electronic performance improvement file stored on the institution's virtual hard drive, accessible to designated staff, allowing continuous real-time updates. RESULTS: The electronic file-sharing and monitoring process reinvigorated the team and enhanced performance improvement efforts, leading to increased efficiency through documentation and effective loop closure. Real-time monitoring allowed the trauma program to identify opportunities for improvement and enact timely action plans, including targeted performance improvement projects, department education, and ongoing training. CONCLUSION: We found that implementing an electronic file-sharing system enhanced the trauma team's ability to monitor and trend performance improvement in real time. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The apps for drawing are present in our children's life. Nevertheless, little is known about the impact of mobile technology on the freehand drawing educational activity. There are few works which are contextualised within short periods of time, with teachers who are not theirs and, in some cases, outside the children's classroom. In this paper, we are focussed on the use of technology on freehand drawing activity. Thus, we have compared the graphics produced by 4- and 5-year-old children with paper&crayon in comparison with those with tablet-finger. Children made the drawings during a planned free-drawing activity, in their ordinary classrooms, with their teachers and during five sessions. Assessment of drawings has evidenced tablet feasibility for making graphics. Nevertheless, with the passing of time, quality of graphics (tablet-finger vs paper&crayons), are nearly matched, demonstrating the low impact level technology has on this activity. In addition, if drawings are analysed specifically according to ages, results have shown that both groups have to develop adaptation strategies of visual perceptual skills and fine motor skills for the touch screen in order to obtain the same quality in the drawings made on both support types. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To comparatively evaluate performances of tablet-based versus paper-based Venous Insufficiency Epidemiologic and Economic Study-Quality of Life/Symptom (VEINES-QOL/Sym) questionnaire. Methods: We prospectively evaluated 78 consecutive patients who completed tablet-based and paper-based VEINES-QOL/Sym questionnaires and compared their scores, completion time, data entry time, and ease of use. We used Student's t-test and Wilcoxon test for quantitative variables, Bland–Altman test and kappa coefficient for agreement between questionnaires and patients, respectively. Spearman's correlation coefficient was used to assess correlations. Results: Most participants (83.3%) found it easier to use the tablet device. Less time was needed to complete the tablet-based (median, 4.75; IQR, 3–7 min) than the paper-based (median, 8.3; IQR, 6.3–11.3 min) questionnaire (p <.001). Better educated patients took less time to complete paper-based (p =.003) and tablet-based (p =.001) questionnaires and considered the latter easier to use (p =.010). Conclusions: The tablet-based VEINES-QOL/Sym proved to be an easy-to-use and time-saving tool. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Research theses can have a significant impact on the development of applied sciences, especially when their results are published. Objective This study aims to determine publication rate of papers extracted from the medical residency and master’s degree theses of Guilan University of Medical Sciences (GUMS) during 2008-2018. Methods This is a descriptive cross-sectional study. The data were collected from the medical residency and master’s degree theses of GUMS from 2008 to 2018. Then, they were searched in international and national databases according to the title, keywords, and names of supervisors, advisors, and students. Results Of 774 theses, 449 (58 %) papers had been extracted and published in journals indexed by ISI/ PubMed (41.2%), Scopus (11.8%), BIOSIS, Chemical Abstract, and Embase (0.44%) and others (46.56%). Most of them (98.66%) were original research. Moreover, in 383(85.3%) of the theses, there was no statistician or data advisor. The median time from defending theses to the publication of a paper from them was two years. Conclusion The publication of papers extracted from the theses of GUMS has increased, and more than 50% of them have been published in journals indexed by ISI, PubMed, and Scopus. However, the factors associated with the publication of papers need to be surveyed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: This study aims to explore the daily stressors experienced by adolescents with Type 1 diabetes (T1D) and the perceived impact of those stressors on their self‐management and psychological well‐being. Design and Methods: We conducted semistructured in‐depth telephone interviews using a qualitative descriptive approach with 20 adolescents aged 14–17 years with T1D and analyzed subsequent data using thematic analysis. Results: Participants who were non‐Hispanic white made up 85% of the sample, 75% identified as female and mean age was 15 years. The study identified two key themes: "the everyday stress of living with diabetes" and "managing stress and supporting psychological well‐being." Participants described heightened mental load, the impact of daily activities, stress associated with public diabetes management, and added stress due to COVID‐19. Primary mitigation techniques included family support, peer support networks, activity engagement, and personal acceptance of their condition. Practice Implications: We found that there is a compound effect that occurs with balancing daily disease management with normative activities of daily living. These data will help guide the design of new interventions and tailoring of existing interventions. Future intervention development may include physical exercise, mindfulness training, and stress reducing techniques. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BACKGROUND: Data about performance measures (PM) in patients with ST segment Elevation Myocardial Infarction (STEMI) in low- and middle-income countries is really scarce. One of the reasons is the lack of appropriate measures for these scenarios where coronary intervention is not the standard treatment. OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to develop a set of PM and quality markers for patients with STEMI in these countries. METHODS: Two investigators systematically reviewed existing guidelines and scientific literature to identify potential PM by referring to documents searched through PubMed from 2010 through 2019, using terms "Myocardial Infarction", "STEMI", "quality indicator", and "performance measure". A modified Delphi technique, involving multidisciplinary panel interview, was used. A 15-member multidisciplinary expert panel individually rated each potential indicator on a scale of 1 (lowest) to 5 (highest) during three rounds. All indicators that received a median score ≥4.5, in final round without significant disagreement were included as PM. RESULTS: Through the consensus-building process, 84 potential indicators were found, of which 10 were proposed as performance measures and 2 as quality metrics, as follows: Pre-Hospital Electrocardiogram; Patients with reperfusion therapy; Pre-hospital Reperfusion; Ischemic time less than 120 minutes; System delay time less than 90 minutes; In-hospital Mortality; Complete in-hospital Treatment; Complete in-hospital Treatment in patients with Heart Failure; 30 day-Re-admissions; 30 day-mortality; Patients with in-hospital stress test performed; and, Patients included in rehabilitation programs. CONCLUSION: This document provides the official set of PM of attention in ST segment Elevation Myocardial Infarction of the Cuban Society of Cardiology and Cuban National Group of Cardiology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The First 1000 Days (the period from conception to a child's second birthday) is an important developmental period. However, little is known about experiences of parents with refugee and migrant backgrounds during this period. A systematic review was conducted according to PRISMA guidelines. Publications were identified through searches of the Embase, PsycINFO, PubMed, and Scopus databases, critically appraised, and synthesised using thematic analysis. A total of 35 papers met inclusion criteria. Depressive symptomatology was consistently higher than global averages, however maternal depression conceptualisations differed across studies. Several papers reported changes in relationship dynamics as a result of having a baby post-migration. Consistent relationships were found between social and health support and wellbeing. Conceptualisations of wellbeing may differ among migrant families. Limited understanding of health services and relationships with health providers may impede help-seeking. Several research gaps were identified, particularly in relation to the wellbeing of fathers, and of parents of children over 12 months old. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The most impactful research on pediatric type 1 diabetes (T1D) remains unknown. Objective: We aimed to evaluate the characteristics and impact of the 100 most-cited articles on pediatric T1D. Materials and Methods: Using a predefined bibliometric strategy, the Scopus database was searched for high-cited papers (HCPs) published from 2001 to 2020. Articles were evaluated for data on the publication year, countries, authors, journals, topics, and types. Social network analysis was performed to visualize the interaction among countries, organizations, and authors using VOSviewer software. Results: The top 100 HCPs received 390 to 4634 citations, averaging 773.5 citations per paper (CPP). The funded HCPs (n = 50) had a higher impact (CPP 791.5). The majority of HCPs (n = 83) were collaborative. Classifying by research type, 65 studies were clinical (n = 65), risk factors (n = 27), epidemiology (n = 26), pathophysiology (n = 16), treatment outcome (n = 13), genetics (n = 12), complications (n = 3), quality of life (n = 2), and prognosis (n = 1). The number of authors involved was 1,101, affiliated with 545 organizations in 27 countries; the USA (n = 64) and the UK (n = 24) were the most productive countries, whereas Australia and the UK were the most impactful. D.M. Nathan and J.M. Lawrence were the most prolific authors, while P. Raskin and J.M. Lachin were the most impactful. Conclusions: High-income countries such as the USA, UK, and Australia contribute significantly to high-impact pediatric T1D research. Funding and collaboration improve the impact of citations in publications. Less researched areas such as treatment outcomes, genetics, complications, quality of life, and prognosis should be the focus of future research on pediatric T1D. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rapid automatized naming (RAN) is a powerful predictor of reading fluency, and many digitized dyslexia screeners include RAN as an essential component. However, the validity of digitized RAN has not been established. Using a sample of 174 second-graders, this study tested (1) the comparability between paper and digitized versions of RAN and (2) the validity of the digitized version. We found that paper and digital versions were highly correlated, and such correlation was consistent across students' reading levels. Further, the digital RAN predicted children's word reading proficiency as well as the paper version. Moreover, the constructs measured by paper and digital versions of RAN were comparable. We conclude that the digitized RAN is a valid alternative to the traditional paper version for this age group. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Following years of sustained pressure on the UK health service, there is recognition amongst health professionals and stakeholders that current models of healthcare are likely to be inadequate going forward. Therefore, a fundamental review of existing social models of healthcare is needed to ascertain current thinking in this area, and whether there is a need to change perspective on current thinking. Method Through a systematic research review, this paper seeks to address how previous literature has conceptualized a social model of healthcare and, how implementation of the models has been evaluated. Analysis and data were extracted from 222 publications and explored the country of origin, methodological approach, and the health and social care contexts which they were set. Results The publications predominantly drawn from the USA, UK, Australia, Canada and Europe identified five themes namely: the lack of a clear and unified definition of a social model of health and wellbeing; the need to understand context; the need for cultural change; improved integration and collaboration towards a holistic and person-centred approach; measuring and evaluating the performance of a social model of health. Conclusion The review identified a need for a clear definition of a social model of health and wellbeing. Furthermore, consideration is needed on how a model integrates with current models and whether it will act as a descriptive framework or, will be developed into an operational model. The review highlights the importance of engagement with users and partner organizations in the co-creation of a model of healthcare. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Homelessness is a traumatic experience, and can have a devastating effect on those experiencing it. People who are homeless often face significant barriers when accessing public services, and have often experienced adverse childhood events, extreme social disadvantage, physical, emotional and sexual abuse, neglect, low self‐esteem, poor physical and mental health, and much lower life expectancy compared to the general population. Rates of problematic substance use are disproportionately high, with many using drugs and alcohol to deal with the stress of living on the street, to keep warm, or to block out memories of previous abuse or trauma. Substance dependency can also create barriers to successful transition to stable housing. Objectives: To understand the effectiveness of different substance use interventions for adults experiencing homelessness. Search Methods: The primary source of studies for was the 4th edition of the Homelessness Effectiveness Studies Evidence and Gaps Maps (EGM). Searches for the EGM were completed in September 2021. Other potential studies were identified through a call for grey evidence, hand‐searching key journals, and unpacking relevant systematic reviews. Selection Criteria: Eligible studies were impact evaluations that involved some comparison group. We included studies that tested the effectiveness of substance use interventions, and measured substance use outcomes, for adults experiencing homelessness in high income countries. Data Collection and Analysis: Descriptive characteristics and statistical information in included studies were coded and checked by at least two members of the review team. Studies selected for the review were assessed for confidence in the findings. Standardised effect sizes were calculated and, if a study did not provide sufficient raw data for the calculation of an effect size, author(s) were contacted to obtain these data. We used random‐effects meta‐analysis and robust‐variance estimation procedures to synthesise effect sizes. If a study included multiple effects, we carried out a critical assessment to determine (even if only theoretically) whether the effects are likely to be dependent. Where dependent effects were identified, we used robust variance estimation to determine whether we can account for these. Where effect sizes were converted from a binary to continuous measure (or vice versa), we undertook a sensitivity analysis by running an additional analysis with these studies omitted. We also assessed the sensitivity of results to inclusion of non‐randomised studies and studies classified as low confidence in findings. All included an assessment of statistical heterogeneity. Finally, we undertook analysis to assess whether publication bias was likely to be a factor in our findings. For those studies that we were unable to include in meta‐analysis, we have provided a narrative synthesis of the study and its findings. Main Results: We included 48 individual papers covering 34 unique studies. The studies covered 15, 255 participants, with all but one of the studies being from the United States and Canada. Most papers were rated as low confidence (n = 25, or 52%). By far the most common reason for studies being rated as low confidence was high rates of attrition and/or differential attrition of study participants, that fell below the What Works Clearinghouse liberal attrition standard. Eleven of the included studies were rated as medium confidence and 12 studies as high confidence. The interventions included in our analysis were more effective in reducing substance use than treatment as usual, with an overall effect size of –0.11 SD (95% confidence interval [CI], −0.27, 0.05). There was substantial heterogeneity across studies, and the results were sensitive to the removal of low confidence studies (−0.21 SD, 95% CI [−0.59, 0.17] − 6 studies, 17 effect sizes), the removal of quasi‐experimental studies (−0.14 SD, 95% CI [−0.30, 0.02] − 14 studies, 41 effect sizes) and the removal of studies where an effect size had been converted from a binary to a continuous outcome (−0.08 SD, 95% CI [−0.31, 0.15] − 10 studies, 31 effect sizes). This suggests that the findings are sensitive to the inclusion of lower quality studies, although unusually the average effect increases when we removed low confidence studies. The average effect for abstinence‐based interventions compared to treatment‐as‐usual (TAU) service provision was –0.28 SD (95% CI, −0.65, 0.09) (6 studies, 15 effect sizes), and for harm reduction interventions compared to a TAU service provision is close to 0 at 0.03 SD (95% CI, −0.08, 0.14) (9 studies, 30 effect sizes). The confidence intervals for both estimates are wide and crossing zero. For both, the comparison groups are primarily abstinence‐based, with the exception of two studies where the comparison group condition was unclear. We found that both Assertative Community Treatment and Intensive Case Management were no better than treatment as usual, with average effect on substance use of 0.03 SD, 95% CI [−0.07, 0.13] and –0.47 SD, 95% CI [−0.72, −0.21] 0.05 SD, 95% CI [−0.28, 0.39] respectively. These findings are consistent with wider research, and it is important to note that we only examined the effect on substance use outcomes (these interventions can be effective in terms of other outcomes). We found that CM interventions can be effective in reducing substance use compared to treatment as usual, with an average effect of –0.47 SD, 95% CI (−0.72, −0.21). All of these results need to be considered in light of the quality of the underlying evidence. There were six further interventions where we undertook narrative synthesis. These syntheses suggest that Group Work, Harm Reduction Psychotherapy, and Therapeutic Communities are effective in reducing substance use, with mixed results found for Motivational Interviewing and Talking Therapies (including Cognitive Behavioural Therapy). The narrative synthesis suggested that Residential Rehabilitation was no better than treatment as usual in terms of reducing substance use for our population of interest. Authors' Conclusions: Although our analysis of harm reduction versus treatment as usual, abstinence versus treatment as usual, and harm reduction versus abstinence suggests that these different approaches make little real difference to the outcomes achieved in comparison to treatment as usual. The findings suggest that some individual interventions are more effective than others. The overall low quality of the primary studies suggests that further primary impact research could be beneficial. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction Clinical debriefing (CD) improves teamwork and patient care. It is implemented across a range of clinical contexts, but delivery and structure are variable. Furthermore, terminology to describe CD is also inconsistent and often ambiguous. This variability and the lack of clear terminology obstructs understanding and normalisation in practice. This review seeks to examine the contextual factors relating to different CD approaches with the aim to differentiate them to align with the needs of different clinical contexts. Methods Articles describing CD were extracted from Medline, CINAHL, ERIC, PubMed, PsychINFO and Academic Search Complete. Empirical studies describing CD that involved two or more professions were eligible for inclusion. Included papers were charted and analysed using the Who-What-When-Where-Why-How model to examine contextual factors which were then used to develop categories of CD. Factors relating to what prompted debriefing and when debriefing occurred were used to differentiate CD approaches. Results Forty- six papers were identified. CD was identified as either prompted or routine, and within these overarching categories debriefing was further differentiated by the timing of the debrief. Prompted CD was either immediate or delayed and routine CD was postoperative or end of shift. Some contextual factors were unique to each category while others were relatively heterogeneous. These categories help clarify the alignment between the context and the intention of CD. Conclusions The proposed categories offer a practical way to examine and discuss CD which may inform decisions about implementation. By differentiating CD according to relevant contextual factors, these categories may reduce confusion which currently hinders discourse and implementation. The findings from this review promote context-specific language and a shift away from conceptions of CD that embody a one-size-fits-all approach. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Publication science is the scholarly study of various aspects of the academic publishing process. Its applications to COVID-19 literature have been limited. Here, we describe COVID-19 submissions to, and resulting articles published by, the journal Public Health Reports (PHR), an important resource for US public health practice. Methods: We reviewed PHR 's COVID-19 submissions and articles published between March 27, 2020, and March 27, 2023. We coded each article for article type, author affiliation, the categories listed in PHR 's call for COVID-19 papers, and the public health emergency preparedness and response capabilities from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Results: During the study period, PHR received 1545 COVID-19 submissions and published 190 of those articles in a collection, COVID-19 Response. The COVID-19 Response collection included 102 research articles, 29 case study/practice articles, and 24 commentaries. The corresponding author of more than half (52.1%; n = 99) of the articles was affiliated with academia. By the categories listed in PHR 's call for COVID-19 papers, 51 articles addressed health disparities, 38 addressed public health surveillance, and 34 addressed COVID-19 vaccination. By the CDC public health emergency preparedness and response capabilities, 87 articles addressed public health surveillance and epidemiologic investigation, 38 addressed community preparedness, and 32 addressed community recovery. The percentage of articles focused on policy/law was higher early in the pandemic (2020-2021) than later (2022-2023) (9.5% vs <3.0%). During the latter period, articles largely focused on vaccination (12.8%) and contact tracing (10.6%). Conclusions: Articles published in PHR 's COVID-19 Response collection covered a broad range of topics and were authored by contributors from diverse organizations. Our characterization of the COVID-19 output of a representative US public health practice journal can help academic publishing better address informational needs of public health responders. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Loneliness can have a negative impact on people's physical and psychological well‐being; building social capital is a potential means of addressing this connection. Community initiatives (e.g. groups, clubs, neighbourhood activities) may be a route that enables people to build social capital to tackle loneliness. Understanding what is known, and where gaps in knowledge exist, is important for advancing research on this topic. Methods: A scoping review was undertaken to explore the question – What community initiatives, with a focus on well‐being, have been evaluated in the United Kingdom that include information about social capital and loneliness? Four databases (Medline, CINAHL, ASSIA and Embase) were searched for relevant research papers. References were screened by two researchers to identify if they met the review's inclusion criteria. Data were summarised as a narrative and in tables. Results: Five papers met the review's inclusion criteria. They all used qualitative methods. Findings suggested that social capital could be developed through creating a sense of trust, group cohesion and reciprocity among participants in the community initiatives. This connection enabled people to experience a sense of belonging and to feel they had a meaningful relationship with others, which appeared to alleviate feelings of loneliness. Conclusion: More research is warranted on the review topic, including studies that have employed quantitative or mixed methods. Clarity around definitions of social capital and loneliness in future research is required. Engagement with community initiatives can provide a formalised route to help people develop connections and counteract limitations in their social networks. However, individuals may be wary about attending community initiatives, needing support and encouragement to do so. Social prescribing link workers are one means of motivating people to access groups, events or organisations that could improve their well‐being. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Food allergy (FA) affects approximately 8% of children and may be immunoglobulin E (IgE)-mediated or non-IgE-mediated. It is recognized clinically that children with both subtypes of FA may present with features of pediatric feeding disorder (PFD); however, there is currently a limited detail of presenting characteristics. Objective: The objective of this study was to synthesize the current evidence regarding the feeding characteristics of children with FA, with a focus on the feeding skills and psychosocial domains of PFD. Method: This study followed the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses Extension for Scoping Reviews guidelines. Papers published between 2001 and 2022 describing feeding characteristics in the feeding skills and psychosocial domains in children with FA/history of FA were included. Papers that focused solely on characteristics from the medical or nutritional domains were excluded. Descriptive information regarding demographics, methodology, allergy profile and history, and the characteristics of PFD observed was extracted using a preconceived data extraction form. Results: Overall, 40 papers contained descriptions of feeding characteristics of children with non-IgE-mediated FA (n = 22) and IgE-mediated FA (n = 11), while four were nonspecific. In the psychosocial domain, food refusal/aversion, anxiety with eating, and poor intake were the most frequently reported, regardless of FA subtype. Less information was reported regarding feeding skills, although slowness in eating, immature diet, and delays in oral sensory-motor skills were described. Conclusions: Children with FA/history of FA may present with a range of characteristics that map across the feeding skill and psychosocial domains of PFD. Systematic research is needed to fully describe the feeding characteristics of children with FA. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rationale: Economic evaluations play an important role in the development and implementation of healthcare innovations. For pharmaceutical products, the methodologies used are laid down in guidelines, whereas for medical technologies the guidelines are not as strenuous. The aim of this review was therefore to analyze what types of methodologies are used in economic evaluations of medical technologies. Methods: We performed a mapping review to identify economic evaluations for medical technologies. We decided to limit our search to one year (2022) and included cost utility and cost effectiveness analyses in which health technologies were evaluated. For each included study we identified the main methodological characteristics. Results: A total of 364 papers were included in the analysis, 268 (74%) contained cost-utility analyses and 91 (25%) cost-effectiveness analyses. A model was used in 236 (64%) analyses, 117 analyses were trial based evaluations. Probabilistic sensitivity analyses and/or bootstrapping was performed in 266 (73%) analyses. Deterministic sensitivity analyses were used in 306 (84%). Time horizon and perspective were underreported in 15–25% of the included studies. Conclusions: This review shows the wide range of methodologies used in economic evaluations as well as the extent and rigor in which these methodologies are used. Many of the included papers did no use or did not sufficiently report the use of appropriate standard methods. This may lead to research waste, a delay in successful implementation of valuable innovations and in the end may delay improvement patient outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Noncommunicable diseases (NCDs) are associated with high and rising burden of morbidity and mortality in sub-Saharan Africa, including Nigeria. Diabetes mellitus (DM) is among the leading causes of NCD-related deaths worldwide and is a foremost public health problem in Nigeria. As part of National policy, Nigeria has committed to implement the World Health Organization (WHO) Package of Essential Non-communicable Disease interventions for primary care. Implementing the intervention requires the availability of essential elements, including guidelines, trained staff, health management information systems (HMIS), equipment, and medications, in primary healthcare centers (PHCs). This study assessed the availability of the DM component of the WHO package, and the readiness of the health workers in these PHCs to implement a DM screening, evaluation, and management program to inform future adoption and implementation. Methods: This cross-sectional formative assessment adapted the WHO Service Availability and Readiness Assessment (SARA) tool to survey 30 PHCs selected by multistage sampling for readiness to deliver DM diagnosis and care in Abuja, Nigeria, between August and October 2021. The SARA tool was adapted to focus on DM services and the availability and readiness indicator scores were calculated based on the proportion of PHCs with available DM care services, minimum staff requirement, diagnostic tests, equipment, medications, and national guidelines/protocols for DM care within the defined SARA domain. Results: All 30 PHCs reported the availability of at least two full-time staff (median [interquartile range] = 5 [4–9]), which were mostly community health extension workers (median [interquartile range]) = 3 [1–4]. At least one staff member was recently trained in DM care in 11 PHCs (36%). The study also reported high availability of paper-based HMIS (100%), and DM screening services using a glucometer (87%), but low availability of DM job aids (27%), treatment (23%), and national guidelines/protocols (0%). Conclusion: This formative assessment of PHCs' readiness to implement a DM screening, evaluation, and management program in Abuja demonstrated readiness to integrate DM care into PHCs regarding equipment, paper-based HMIS, and nonphysician health workers' availability. However, strategies are needed to promote DM health workforce training, provide DM management guidelines, and supply essential DM medications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Despite guidance to minimize restrictive practice within the UK, seclusion and long-term segregation are necessary to maintain the safety of patients and clinicians. There is little evidence to guide the work of occupational therapists with secluded patients. A literature search identified seven papers that met the study inclusion criteria. A deductive approach to thematic analysis was conducted using the 'Model of Human Occupation' as a theoretical framework to identify issues related to occupational need during a period of seclusion. Findings indicate ways in which occupational therapists could engage with patients in seclusion and suggest a need for future research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The development of efficient and reliable online assessments has become increasingly important in the digital era. We developed a 10-min online word reading assessment of global English based on the existing paper-and-pencil version of our English silent word reading test. The test includes two parts, namely, random word recognition and contextual word reading. A total of 889 participants (437 children and 392 adults; 62.7% female) took part in the study. They were from various regions including mainland China, Hong Kong SAR, Macau SAR, Poland, the United States, and the Philippines. Reliability and validity analyses on various demographics samples (by age and country/region of origin) demonstrated that the WordSword Test is highly reliable and valid (e.g., the correlation of this test with other English reading measures were above.80). Education level was positively correlated with test performance, while the correlations between age and test performance were not consistent. Ninety-seven children participants also took the paper-and-pencil version of the WordSword Test. The correlation between performances on the online and paper-and-pencil versions of the test was.879, one year apart. With more children and adults taking the WordSword Test, we ultimately hope to establish norms by area, grade level, and age. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: With potential of deep learning in musculoskeletal image interpretation being explored, this paper focuses on the common site of rotator cuff tears, the supraspinatus. It aims to propose and validate a deep learning model to automatically extract the supraspinatus, verifying its superiority through comparison with several classical image segmentation models. Method: Imaging data were retrospectively collected from 60 patients who underwent inpatient treatment for rotator cuff tears at a hospital between March 2021 and May 2023. A dataset of the supraspinatus from MRI was constructed after collecting, filtering, and manually annotating at the pixel level. This paper proposes a novel A-DAsppUnet network that can automatically extract the supraspinatus after training and optimization. The analysis of model performance is based on three evaluation metrics: precision, intersection over union, and Dice coefficient. Results: The experimental results demonstrate that the precision, intersection over union, and Dice coefficients of the proposed model are 99.20%, 83.38%, and 90.94%, respectively. Furthermore, the proposed model exhibited significant advantages over the compared models. Conclusion: The designed model in this paper accurately extracts the supraspinatus from MRI, and the extraction results are complete and continuous with clear boundaries. The feasibility of using deep learning methods for musculoskeletal extraction and assisting in clinical decision-making was verified. This research holds practical significance and application value in the field of utilizing artificial intelligence for assisting medical decision-making. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this scoping review was to examine the national and international literature on the response of adult Hospital at Home (HAH) services to the global Covid-19 pandemic and explore key themes to emerge and make recommendations for further research. The databases were searched using agreed search terms and Arksey and O'Malley's scoping review framework was utilized and papers were identified and analyzed for common themes. Thirty-one papers were included in the review. Of the papers included, general adult medicine was the largest service group (n = 15) with geriatric services the next largest (n = 12). Most papers were European in origin (n = 19). Key themes to emerge include (1) similar outcomes for HAH patients compared with traditional inpatient care, (2) expansion of capacity for inpatient care due to HAH use, (3) growth of virtual monitoring in HAH setting, (4) reduction in infection transmission in HAH setting, and (5) cost reduction due to HAH utilization. Hospital at home demonstrated good outcomes for both patients with Covid-19 and other conditions during the pandemic. These services also expanded capacity during a global healthcare crisis. Remote monitoring played a major role in the expansion of capacity and the reduction of infection transmission during the pandemic. Although some papers discuss how HAH is more cost effective than traditional hospital, more work is needed around this as many of the patients may not have been as sick as those admitted to traditional hospital during the pandemic. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Per- and polyfiuoroalkyl substances (PFAS) on paper packaging resist water and oil to effectively contain food and beverages. However, previous studies have established correlations between PFAS and several diseases including COVID-19, cancers, and obesity. The goal of this collaborative research between the Philippines and Singapore is to set a baseline for PFAS levels in local packaging with the intended outcome of further increasing awareness on these contaminants in Southeast Asia, providing a starting point for migration experiments and risk assessments on PFAS in commercially-available food contact materials and articles, and initiating policy developments on these substances in the Philippines. In this study, 15 different types of PFAS were analyzed in selected paper packaging used by major quick service restaurants (QSRs) in Metro Manila. Using liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS), PFAS was detected in 100% of the samples with a total PFAS concentration range of 8.20-97.7 ng PFAS/100 cm². The highest amount of PFAS compound measured across all samples was PF-3,7-DMOA (89.8 ng/100 cm²). PFAS compounds regulated in European packaging such as PFHpA, PFOA, PFNA and PFDA were also detected in all samples but at trace levels. Paper wrappers for rice and small burgers were found to have the highest total PFAS of 97.7 ng PFAS/100 cm². This value translates to approximately 65.1 ng F/100 cm² which is way below 10,000 ng F/100 cm², the currently existing limit for PFAS in packaging set by the Danish Ministry of Environment and Food. While each packaging may be deemed safe compared to regulation, the compounded effects brought by use of multiple packaging, and high frequency and long-term exposures require further investigation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper focuses on English teachers' teaching strategies in secondary-level classes to enhance students' deeper learning skills. This paper is the outcome of a qualitative study, a narrative inquiry with three secondary-level English teachers. With the help of in-depth interviews and class observation, the study figured out how the different teaching strategies allow teachers to adopt, integrate and ensure deeper learning skills in existing curricular content. The research primarily collected data through interviews and supplemented it with classroom observations. They subsequently analysed the data under three major themes. The first gives theoretical reasoning; in contrast, the second and third themes widely discuss the practical aspects and examples from actual classroom practices aligning with the researcher's observation track record that revolves around the theme. The study concludes that any strategies the teacher introduces must be reinforced by fostering an autonomous environment for learners, creating a school environment supportive of deeper learning, and ensuring the appropriate assessment of deep learning skills. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: We sought to understand the relative impact of fielding mode on response rate among public health alumni. Methods: As part of the 2021 Career Trends Survey of alumni from the University of Minnesota School of Public Health, we designed a fielding mode experiment to ascertain whether a paper survey, a postcard with a custom survey link ("postcard push-to-web"), a mobile telephone call or text (mobile), or an email invitation would garner the highest response rates. Invitations were randomly assigned from available contact information. Results: Of 8531 alumni invited, 1671 alumni (19.6%) completed the survey. Among the initial fielding modes, the paper survey had the highest response rate (28%), followed by mobile (19%), email (10%), and postcard push-to-web (10%). More robust recent engagement with alumni relations, paper survey invitation or mode switch, and recent graduation were all significantly associated with a higher likelihood of response. Conclusions: Paper and mobile invitations had the highest response rates to our survey among public health alumni. Findings from this fielding mode experiment are relevant to schools and programs of public health seeking to capture similar information among their alumni, especially given current trends in investment in the public health workforce. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Deaths in paediatric intensive care units (PICUs) are not uncommon. End-of-life care in PICUs is generally considered more challenging than other settings since it is framed within a context where care is focused on curative or life-sustaining treatments for children who are seriously ill. This review aimed to identify and synthesise literature related to the essential elements in the provision of end-of-life care in the PICU from the perspectives of both healthcare professionals (HCPs) and families. Methods: A systematic integrative review was conducted by searching EMBASE, CINAHL, MEDLINE, Nursing and Allied Health Database, PsycINFO, Scopus, Web of Science, and Google Scholar databases. Grey literature was searched via Electronic Theses Online Service (EthOS), OpenGrey, Grey literature report. Additionally, hand searches were performed by checking the reference lists of all included papers. Inclusion and exclusion criteria were used to screen retrieved papers by two reviewers independently. The findings were analysed using a constant comparative method. Results: Twenty-one studies met the inclusion criteria. Three elements in end-of-life care provision for children in the PICUs were identified: 1) Assessment of entering the end-of-life stage; 2) Discussion with parents and decision making; 3) End of life care processes, including care provided during the dying phase, care provided at the time of death, and care provided after death. Conclusion: The focus of end-of-life care in PICUs varies depending on HCPs' and families' preferences, at different stages such as during the dying phase, at the time of death, and after the child died. Tailoring end-of-life care to families' beliefs and rituals was acknowledged as important by PICU HCPs. This review also emphasises the importance of HCPs collaborating to provide the optimum end-of-life care in the PICU and involving a palliative care team in end-of-life care. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The current study identified recent trends in socioscientific issues (SSIs) in the field of education. Through descriptive analysis and co-word analysis, selected articles published in journals listed in the Social Science Citation Index and Scopus from 2000 to 2021 were screened. A total of 334 papers were retrieved as research target samples from the Web of Science and Scopus databases after many rounds of searching and filtering. An analysis revealed an overall growing trend of SSI-related publications in the field of education. High-impact journals that published SSI-related research and highly cited articles were also identified. A series of co-word analyses were then conducted to determine co-occurring relationships among the keywords of the sample papers. This study extracted 39 author-defined keywords shared by at least three studies in the target samples. The analytic results indicated that 'argumentation,' 'decision-making,' 'scientific literacy,' and 'knowledge' were frequently used along with SSI as keywords. The co-word networks of the whole corpus of keywords and selected keywords were visualised to refine the common understanding of the educators and obtain the SSI research foci. This paper also offers future research directions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BACKGROUND: Toe function is characterised by the strength and dexterity of toe motion. However, previous studies have mostly focused on the importance of toe strength. OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to investigate the relationships between flexion strength and dexterity of the toes and physical performance. METHODS: Twenty healthy participants were included in this study. The flexion force of each toe was measured using a digital force gauge, and the toe dexterity was evaluated using the marble pick-up and rock-paper-scissors tests. These parameters were statistically analysed in relation to physical performance, including repeated side step and balance ability, which was evaluated using centre of pressure (COP) data during single-leg standing, tiptoe standing, and single-leg drop-jumping. RESULTS: A significant correlation was found between the first toe flexion force and the total trajectory length of the COP during one-leg standing and between the time required for marble pick-up and the rock-paper-scissors score and the COP during single-leg drop-jumping. CONCLUSION: The results underscore the importance of flexion strength and dexterity of the toes in human physical performance and the necessity for the evaluation and improvement of both functions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The objective of this paper is to develop a redesigned commissioning process for social care services that fosters integrated care, encourages collaboration and balances professional expertise with client engagement. Design/methodology/approach: This study employs a two-pronged approach: a case study of a municipality's use of subsidy tables and a literature scoping review on integrated care research. Findings: The paper introduces a new framework for the study of the new "subsidy tables." A well-defined and extensive consultation process involving both social care providers (suppliers), the Service Triad, and client representation adds to the existing research on supplier consultation, and on how to define the outcomes for clients via client engagement. Research limitations/implications: While aspects are clearly relevant to the Netherlands, the design of the commissioning process of social care has international relevance as well: finding definitions, formulating outcomes and incentives, designing a more collaborative instead of competitive process, stakeholder engagement and consultation. Practical implications: Several Dutch municipalities started using the "subsidy tables" method for commissioning integrated social care. This paper offers clear improvements that benefit the commissioners, the social care providers and their clients. Social implications: Improving the commissioning process of integrated social care will lead to better fitting care for people who need social care. Originality/value: This paper is one of the first to do a thorough analysis of the "subsidy tables" method for commissioning integrated social care. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background During the first epidemic wave, COVID-19 surveillance focused on quantifying the magnitude and the escalation of a growing global health crisis. The scientific community first assessed risk through basic indicators, such as the number of cases or rates of new cases and deaths, and later began using other direct impact indicators to conduct more detailed analyses. We aimed at synthesizing the scientific community's contribution to assessing the direct impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on population health through indicators reported in research papers. Methods We conducted a rapid scoping review to identify and describe health indicators included in articles published between January 2020 and June 2021, using one strategy to search PubMed, EMBASE and WHO COVID-19 databases. Sixteen experts from European public health institutions screened papers and retrieved indicator characteristics. We also asked in an online survey how the health indicators were added to and used in policy documents in Europe. Results After reviewing 3891 records, we selected a final sample of 67 articles and 233 indicators. We identified 52 (22.3%) morbidity indicators from 33 articles, 105 severity indicators (45.1%, 27 articles) and 68 mortality indicators (29.2%, 51). Respondents from 22 countries completed 31 questionnaires, and the majority reported morbidity indicators (29, 93.5%), followed by mortality indicators (26, 83.9%). Conclusions The indicators collated here might be useful to assess the impact of future pandemics. Therefore, their measurement should be standardized to allow for comparisons between settings, countries and different populations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

At the beginning of this century, the advent of a second generation of 'quantum technologies' was announced together with its revolutionary potential to change existing information technologies. Despite the rapidly increasing paid to quantum technological development, there has been little attention paid to the specific characteristics or relationships within emerging quantum ecosystems. The aim of this study is to visualize the innovation structures and relationships that are emerging to shape these technological developments. As these structures typically depend on specific regional features, we have specifically focused on the Spanish case, as it is potentially indicative of the differences between European innovation models and other regional patterns. This objective was achieved by researching the funding network of the ecosystem, collected from a systematic review of various official sources and relevant previous literature. The resulting dataset was framed using the Innovation Ecosystem model and broken down through network analysis theory, as well as characterized through descriptive statistics. This framework identified the significant role that projects play in European scientific and technological innovation, which work as hubs to concentrate resources and incentive cooperation between actors. This is relevant because current work on quantum technologies neglects their importance, as their analysis focuses on the quantity of institutions rather than their relations. Moreover, this paper points out the prominence of public funding to drive quantum innovation, largely stemming from the European Commission. This is another key mechanism that is missed by the existing literature. Finally, it also sheds light on the recipients of this funding, who are mostly research centres. These results allow us to conceptualize the Spanish quantum ecosystem and offer the opportunity for comparative studies with other quantum technologies ecosystems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim. This study aimed to investigate how nursing students utilised the "DiagNurse" mobile app to assess patient health conditions during their clinical apprenticeships. Material and methods. This prospective, quasi-experimental post-test study included a convenience sample of 62 undergraduate nursing students. In the course of the work, they utilized paper-based measurement scales (first measurement) and the mobile app (second measurement) to assess patient health conditions during clinical practice. In total, 432 clinical condition assessments were performed on patients in the first measurement and 432 in the second measurement. Following the clinical assessment, two types of post-tests were employed to ascertain the usability of the mobile app: quantitative testing using the System Usability Scale and qualitative testing. Results. The mean SUS score was 80.2 (SD 15.67). The majority of the students agreed that the utilisation of the mobile app to assess a patient's health condition is faster (M=3.21) and more convenient (M=3.16) than the use of paper-based scales and questionnaires. On a 0–10 scale, the study participants rated it as "highly recommended" (M=8.03) for fellow nursing students or practicing nurses. Conclusions. Although the "DiagNurse" mobile app was considered a suitable tool for learning clinical patient assessment, the students also proposed some improvements to the app's design. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Digital health technologies (DHTs) at the intersection of health, medical informatics, and business aim to enhance patient care through personalised digital approaches. Ensuring the efficacy and reliability of these innovations demands rigorous clinical validation. A PubMed literature review (January 2006 to July 2023) identified 1250 papers, highlighting growing academic interest. A focused narrative review (January 2018 to July 2023) delved into challenges, highlighting issues such as diverse regulatory landscapes, adoption issues in complex healthcare systems, and a plethora of evaluation frameworks lacking pragmatic guidance. Existing frameworks often omit crucial criteria, neglect empirical evidence, and clinical effectiveness is rarely included as a criterion for DHT quality. The paper underscores the urgency of addressing challenges in accreditation, adoption, business models, and integration to safeguard the quality, efficacy, and safety of DHTs. A pivotal illustration of collaborative efforts to address these challenges is exemplified by the Digital Health Validation Center, dedicated to generating clinical evidence of innovative healthcare technologies and facilitating seamless technology transfer. In conclusion, it is necessary to harmonise evaluation approaches and frameworks, improve regulatory clarity, and commit to collaboration to integrate rigorous clinical validation and empirical evidence throughout the DHT life cycle. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper aims to determine the impact of knowledge creation and sharing on use by librarians in federal universities in Nigeria. The study adopted the survey method of the correlation type, where 518 librarians were surveyed through a close-ended questionnaire, descriptive statistics, Pearson Product Moment Correlation coefficient and multiple regression were used to test the hypotheses. Findings indicate that significant relationships exist between knowledge creation and knowledge sharing (r=0.52), knowledge sharing and knowledge use (r=0.63) and knowledge creation and knowledge use (r=0.52), respectively. Knowledge created and shared by the librarians is used for better work performance. The paper adds value to the existing body of knowledge by proposing the need to understand the importance of knowledge creation and sharing as facilitators of knowledge use by librarians. This will, in turn, enhance service delivery to library patrons, thereby improving library patronage. This paper is limited to knowledge creation and sharing and its impact on knowledge use. Types of knowledge created and channels through which knowledge is shared are outside the focus of this article. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Liver disease is an increasing cause of morbidity and mortality in the United Kingdom and can be challenging to live with in the advanced stages. There has been little research exploring the healthcare experiences of UK individuals with decompensated disease when the liver cannot carry out its functions properly. A PhD research project was developed with people who have liver disease to explore care experiences in decompensated advanced liver disease. Public involvement (PI) is an essential aspect of meaningful health research, and this paper reports on the progression of our PI approach in this ongoing study. Objective: To embed PI throughout the research project to ensure that the study is meaningful to individuals with liver disease and the people who support them. Methods: The research adopts a Constructivist Grounded Theory methodology to develop a theory of care experience. Various PI approaches were considered in developing the PI strategy for this qualitative study. Initially, Embedded consultation was the preferred model, which has evolved to include aspects of collaboration and coproduction. A PI group was set up to oversee the project through the national public engagement website VOICE, and reflections on PI from three members of the group are included in this paper to illuminate the PI process. Results: Six individuals with liver disease and three carers from across the United Kingdom are part of an ongoing PI group. Their role includes commenting on the findings of the systematic literature review for this project and contributing to decisions about recruitment, data collection and data analysis. Additionally, they had a direct impact on changing the focus of the research. The PI group will continue involvement until the completion of the project. Conclusion: Successfully embedding PI into doctoral research, as demonstrated in this project, requires commitment, planning and dedication to reciprocal working for the benefit of PI contributors as well as the research. This approach could be adopted by other postgraduate researchers. Patient or Public Contribution: This project is overseen by the PI group, whose contribution is described throughout, including reflections from three PI group members. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Lifetime Health Cover (LHC) was introduced in mid-2000 to increase participation in private health insurance that includes hospital cover (PHI-HC) and improve the risk profile of PHI-HC participants. It initially achieved both objectives, but since 2001 the PHI-HC population has aged faster than the general population. The aim of this study was to determine if the excess ageing of the PHI-HC risk pool has been due to passive age-based adverse selection, an inherent risk of LHC. This study has potential implications for the retention of LHC. Methods: A descriptive population-level analysis of publicly available administrative datasets was performed. Data relating to PHI-HC were obtained from the Australian Prudential Regulatory Authority. National population data were obtained from the Australian Bureau of Statistics. Trends in demography, PHI-HC participation rates and LHC loading payments were analysed. Results: By 2021, age-based adverse selection had returned to the pre-LHC level. Based on the available data, this was due to passive age-based adverse selection not active age-based adverse selection. Specifically, it reflected the combination of an avoidable unintended consequence of the introduction of LHC (the over-representation, in 2001, of individuals aged 45–59) and one of LHC's intended effects (incentivisation of insured individuals to retain PHI-HC). Conclusions: This study supports the retention of LHC. Nonetheless, it highlights the risk of passive age-based adverse selection created by incentivising insured individuals to retain PHI-HC in the presence of distortions in the age distribution of the PHI-HC risk pool. Early targeted interventions are required when such distortions arise. What is known about the topic? Since the introduction of Lifetime Health Cover (LHC) in mid-2000, the participation rate for private health insurance that includes hospital cover (PHI-HC) has remained relatively stable, but the PHI-HC population has aged faster than the general population. What does this paper add? This paper makes a novel distinction between 'active' and 'passive' age-based adverse selection to explain LHC's role in the excess ageing of the PHI-HC risk pool. What are the implications for practitioners? Governments need to be vigilant for the emergence of distortions in the age distribution of the PHI-HC risk pool and respond with targeted interventions to normalise the age distribution, or risk problematic passive age-based adverse selection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Most patient-reported outcome (PROs) used in thrombosis research and clinical practice are delivered using technology like online questionnaires. However, only few have undergone formal electronic adaptation from paper to digital versions, threatening the validity and reliability of the PROs. The present study aimed to perform an electronic adaption and cross-cultural translation of two PROs measuring health-related quality of life in a Danish cohort of patients with venous thrombosis (VTE), specifically the VEINES-QoL/Sym questionnaire and the PEmb-QoL questionnaire. Methods: The electronic adaption and cross-cultural translation processes followed the international guidelines recommended by ISPOR. The migration of the questionnaires from paper to electronic versions was conducted in the Research Electronic Data Capture (REDCap). Following approval of the electronically adapted and translated versions, a pretest of the questionnaires was performed by cognitive interviewing patients with VTE recruited from a hospital setting. Results: Nine men and ten women between the age of 19 and 73 years participated in cognitive interviews. The questionnaires were successfully adapted from paper to electronic versions, and during the migration process only a few modifications to the content and format were made. Most comments were related to technicalities, e.g. touch functions and checkboxes. The cross-cultural translation of both questionnaires was satisfactory, as only minor rephrasing was required. Conclusions: The original and Danish version of VEINES-QoL/Sym and PEmb-QoL were successfully adapted into electronic versions and are ready to share for REDCap users. Furthermore, the Danish versions of the two questionnaires have shown satisfactory face validity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: To explore and summarise published literature with regards to secondments to clinical research and to identify the gaps in research to inform further work. Design: Systematic scoping review. Method: A scoping review was undertaken in accordance with the Patterns, Advances, Gaps, Evidence and Research framework. Databases searched included CINAHL, PubMed, Medline and Embase. Inclusion/exclusion criteria were applied by two independent reviewers. Two reviewers independently retrieved full‐text studies for inclusion and applied the framework as a tool for synthesising Patterns, Advances, Gaps, Evidence and Research recommendations. Results: Six papers and one abstract published between 2003 and 2018 were included. All secondees (n = 34) were released from NHS posts, with secondments (where specified) ranging in duration from 0.25 to 2 years and for 40%–100% of their working hours. All seven papers reported benefits for personal and professional development, predominantly in the form of personal reflections. Few described involvement with research delivery teams. Conclusion: Published initiatives vary in nature and lack standardised reporting and measurement of impact. Further research is required to identify benefits at a departmental or organisational level, the facilitators for setting up secondments and the application of knowledge gained from secondment opportunities. Implications for the Profession: Undertaking a research secondment is reported to offer professional and personal benefit for clinical staff. Research secondments are one way in which a research culture can practically be embedded within clinical settings. Impact: This scoping review identified a lack of published empirical research seeking to understand research secondments as a tool to enhance research and evidence engagement. Although there is a suggestion that secondments could positively impact staff retention, there is limited evidence about the benefit for the organisation or for patient care. These findings have implications for staff, managers and their organisations. Reporting Method: The PRISMA‐ScR guidelines were used to guide reporting. No Patient or Public Contribution: This was not relevant to the research design. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper examined the relationships between the Hausa and labur (Jaaku) derivation and compound processes. It compared these two languages by showing the similarities and differences in their derivation and compound formation. Although the languages (i.e Hausa and Labur) are from different language phylum, the paper identified some areas of similarities and differences in their derivation and compound processes. Therefore, the paper enumerated and compared some of the derivation and compound processes of forming words in the Hausa and Labur languages. A sample of descriptive approach was employed in analyzing the data obtained. Therefore, the analytical comparative model of Nida (1949) and linguistic analysis of Carl (1996) cited in Rubba (2004) were adopted. It is believed that the paper contributed to the current trend in the field of language comparison. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper develops the notion of metonymy scenarios by exploring the social and cognitive dimensions of various creative uses of metonymy in a collection of digital banners created for the Global Climate Strike movement. The paper argues that the banners exploit existing metonymic relationships to activate dominant anthropocentric discourses in society, and to subvert them via processes of recontextualisation and reappropriation, in order to challenge system conventions and normative attitudes regarding climate change. The literature to date has not adequately considered metonymy as a dynamic and scenario-activating cognitive operation, nor has it thoroughly investigated the relationship between metonymy and irony. However, the data analysed here show that several creative uses of metonymy, including twice-true metonymy, metonymy in combination with metaphor, and the juxtaposition of different metonymies are markers of what this paper posits as metonymic mininarratives or scenarios. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to provide a literature review on what is known about unpaid family carers who are at risk of or have experienced abuse from the people they provide care for and relevant policy/legal and practice responses for affected family carers. Design/methodology/approach: A literature search was carried out to locate literature relating to unpaid family carers who are at risk of or have experienced abuse from the people they provide care for. This also incorporated grey literature, including policy guidance and law, to determine the existing knowledge base, gaps in practice and areas that might require further research. Findings: The findings suggest that although carer harm is serious, it is under-researched. In addition, the unique needs of unpaid family carers who are at risk of or have experienced abuse, violence and harm from the people they provide care for are subsumed in safeguarding policy/law processes and practice under the auspices of the protection of "adults at risk" rather than the protection of "carers at risk". Research limitations/implications: It is important that those who support unpaid family carers who are at risk of abuse and harm know about their unique safeguarding needs and concerns to offer appropriate support. It is also apparent that policy and law need to address the gap in provision relating to the unique safeguarding concerns involving the abuse of unpaid family carers by the people they provide care for. This paper is based on this literature review and not on other types of research. Originality/value: The paper provides insights into what is known about the abuse of unpaid family carers by the people they provide care for, and the policy/legal and practice responses to affected unpaid family carers. It contributes to the body of knowledge on carer abuse and safeguarding carers from abuse and harm. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Croatian & Comparative Public Administration is the property of Institut za Javnu Upravu and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Background: The gold standard treatment for periprosthetic joint infections is the two-stage revision that includes the spacer placement before definitive reimplantation. The management of PJI affects patients' joint function and, subsequently, their mental health. Even though significant advances have been achieved, little to no attention has been paid to the psychological implications. So, based on standardized patient-reported outcome measures (PROMs), this study aimed to clarify the effect of spacer treatment of infected hip and knee arthroplasties on patients' mental health. Methods: We performed research on the literature on PJIs in the English language using the MEDLINE database with the search strings "spacer" OR "spacers" AND "hip" OR "knee" AND "SF-12" OR "SF-36" OR "EQ-5" OR "mental" OR "depression" OR "anxiety." The reference lists of selected articles were also hand-searched for any additional articles. Results: A total of 973 published papers were extracted, and 9 papers were finally included. A total of 384 patients who underwent spacer placement for PJI were identified. Of these 384 patients, 54% were female. The mean age ranged from 62 to 78.2 years. Of the11 papers identified for this review, 4 analyzed only hip spacers, including 119 patients; 4 only knee spacers, evaluating 153 patients; while a single study included 112 patients for both joints. Conclusions: Patients with the spacer are living in a state of mental upset, albeit better than the preoperative state. Clinical improvement with the review is not assured. The alteration of mental state turns out not to be transient for all the patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Low fertility willingness has become a major practical reality in China. From the perspective of family gender equality, this paper analyzes the impact of division of housework on women's fertility willingness by using the data of China Family Panel Studies (CFPS). The results of propensity score matching method and instrumental variable method show that husbands' participation in housework can effectively improve wives' fertility willingness. Mechanism analysis shows that husbands' active participation in housework can effectively reduce wives' work–family conflict, increase wives' satisfaction with husbands' housework contribution, and help improve wives' happiness and fertility willingness. Further discussion on whether families have had children or not shows that women who have had children are more sensitive to their husbands' participation in housework. This study provides empirical evidence for the applicability of family gender equality theory in China and the factors affecting women's fertility willingness. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: To summarise, interpret and synthesize research findings on patients' and nurses' experiences of caring in nursing across clinical practices. Background: Caring is a universal element of nursing; however, economic restrictions often negatively impact health services, and time shortages and limited numbers of staff may characterize care encounters. It is unclear how these contextual conditions affect patients' and nurses' experiences of caring. Design and Methods: This integrative literature review covers papers published between 2000 and 2022. Four databases—PubMed, PsycINFO (via Ovid), MEDLINE (via Ovid) and CINAHL (via EBSCO)—were systematically searched for eligible papers in May 2022. The included studies were critically appraised. Content analysis was performed to interpret and synthesize the findings. In accordance with the EQUATOR guidelines, the PRISMA 2020 and PRISMA‐S checklists were used. An Integrative review methodology guided the process. Findings: In total, 33 studies were included in the review. Three themes captured the experiences of caring in nursing: (1) the complexity of the nursing care context, (2) the professionalism of the nurse, and (3) the trusting patient–nurse relationship. Conclusion: The experience of caring in nursing depended on nurses' competence and discretion in the personal encounter framed by the nursing context. The caring relationship was based on reciprocity, but it remains asymmetrical, as the nurse had the power and responsibility to empower the patient. Barriers, such as increased demands for efficiency and resource scarcity, may hinder the experience of caring in nursing. Implications for the profession and patient care: By promoting an ongoing discussion of caring in nursing, nurse management can systematically support nurses in reflecting on their practice in diverse and complex clinical contexts. Patient or public contribution: No patient or public contribution was made due to the study design. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: Unwarranted clinical variations in radical prostatectomy (RP) procedures are frequently reported, yet less attention is given to the variations in associated costs. This issue can further widen disparities in access to care and provoke questions about the overall value of the procedure. The present paper aimed to delve into the disparities in hospital, medical provider and out-of-pocket costs for RP procedures in Australia, discussing plausible causes and potential policy opportunities. Methods: A retrospective cohort study using Medibank Private claims data for RP procedures conducted in Australian hospitals between 1 January 2015 and 31 December 2020 was undertaken. Results: Considerable variations in both medical provider and out-of-pocket costs were observed across the country, with variations evident between different states or territories. Particularly striking were the discrepancies in the costs charged by medical providers, with a notable contrast between the 10th and 90th percentiles revealing a substantial difference of A$9925. Hospitals in Australia exhibited relatively comparable charges for RP procedures. Conclusions: Initiatives such as enhancing transparency regarding individual medical provider costs and implementing fee regulations with healthcare providers may be useful in curbing the variations in RP procedure costs. What is known about the topic? Unwarranted clinical variations in radical prostatectomy procedures are well documented in the literature; however, variations in cost are less widely reported. What does this paper add? This paper aims to highlight the cost variations in radical prostatectomy procedures in Australia, discussing their plausible causes, implications and proposing potential policy opportunities. What are the implications for practitioners? Excessive fees imposed by medical providers may contribute to inequalities in healthcare access. Enhancing transparency of individual medical provider costs and implementing fee regulations may be useful in controlling unwarranted variations in procedure costs. This article belongs to the Special Issue: Value-based Healthcare. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The modern world is changing rapidly. A new knowledge-based economy pushes companies and countries to pay attention not only to the products but also to the intellectual capital. This paper uses a bibliometric study to map the conceptual approach of the Relationship between intellectual capital and Industry 4.0 for 1980 - 2022. For this study, we used the Web of Science as a main database for data collection. During the period 1980 - 2022, we filtered 24 671 records for our final sample. Collected data were analysed with descriptive statistics, co-occurrence analysis, co-authorship and citation analyses. VOSviewer was used for further visualisation of results. As these linkages are not well understood yet, this paper has added value to developing these relationships from a bibliographic point of view. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: Aim of the study was to perform a systemic review and meta-analysis of the current case-control studies based on the assessment of the left ventricular (LV) systolic function with standard and advanced echocardiographic methods. Materials and methods: Objectives of the study, methods of statisticalanalysis, literature search strategy, inclusion andexclusion criteria, and outcome measurementswere defined according to Cochrane Collaborationsteps, 13 including recommendations for metaanalysisof observational studies in epidemiology (MOOSE). Results: A total of 850 papers were collected. Of those, eight papers (10 groups) including 174,442 SLE patients and 45,608,723 controls with heart failure (HF), 20 papers including 1,121 SLE patients and 1,010 controls with an evaluated LV ejection fraction (LVEF), and eight studies (nine groups) including 462 SLE patients and 356 controls with a measured LV global longitudinal strain (LVGLS) met the predefined inclusion criteria. HF rate in SLE patients was 2.39% (4,176 of 174,442 patients with HF), and SLE patients showed a 3.4 times higher risk for HF compared to controls. SLE patients had a lower LVEF compared to controls. LVGLS was more impaired in SLE patients compared to controls, irrespective of two-dimensional or three-dimensional speckle tracking echocardiography. Conclusion: Heart failure rate in SLE patients is high, and SLE patients showed a 3.4 times higher risk in patients with SLE compared to controls. LV systolic function, as measured by LVEF and LVGLS, is significantly affected in SLE patients, and LVGLS potentially represents a new tool for the early assessment of LV function. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]