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The changes in pro-environmental behaviour, whether people become more environmentally friendly or not, have been analysed very scarcely. Therefore, the aim of this paper was to analyse the changes in pro-environmental behaviour and its determinants in Lithuania as a transition European Union country comparing years 2011 and 2020. Applying Chi-Square and t test statistics, the results showed a significant increase in performance of pro-environmental behaviour in 2020. Waste sorting and purchase of environmentally friendly goods increased the most, meanwhile water and energy saving behaviour increased the least. Applying the value-belief-norm theory and leaner regression analysis, we analysed whether the same determinants influenced pro-environmental behaviour in 2011 and 2020. The results revealed that the impact of determinants differed. In 2020, the main factor of pro-environmental behaviour was the perception of environmental problems but not self-transcendence values dimension. Furthermore, self-enhancement values and awareness of behavioural consequences negatively influenced pro-environmental behaviour in 2020. Analysing the changes in these factors, an insignificant difference was observed in self-enhancement values. The changes in other factors were significant, particularly the changes in the level of environmental responsibility was the biggest. Therefore, implementation of environmental education and information programmes and various environmentally friendly public initiatives positively contributed to the enhancement of environmental awareness and pro-environmental behaviour. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper incorporates the adaptive neurofuzzy inference system (ANFIS) technique to model the yield of bio-oil. The estimation of this parameter was performed according to pyrolysis conditions and biomass compositions of feedstock. For this purpose, this paper innovates two optimization methods including a genetic algorithm (GA) and particle swarm optimization (PSO). Primary data were gathered from previous studies and included 244 data of biodiesel oils. The findings showed a coefficient determination ( R 2 ) of 0.937 and RMSE of 2.1053 for the GA-ANFIS model, and a coefficient determination ( R 2 ) of 0.968 and RMSE of 1.4443 for PSO-ANFIS. This study indicates the capability of the PSO-ANFIS algorithm in the estimation of the bio-oil yield. According to the performed analysis, this model shows a higher ability than the previously presented models in predicting the target values and can be a suitable alternative to time-consuming and difficult experimental tests. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although it is one of the world's most successful industries, the automotive industry was one of the biggest losers of the economic crisis of 2008. The crisis caused negative effects throughout the automobile supply chain, but research about this period has been focused on car dealerships. The objective of this paper is to provide insight gained from comprehensive research conducted in the Hungarian car trade market through in-depth interviews with car dealership owners and a wide questionnaire survey with the managers of car dealerships. The paper focuses on crisis management measures of the post-crisis period. Statistical methods were applied in the analysis of the questionnaire, such as cross-tabulation analysis, chi-squared tests, cluster analysis, variance analysis, and Tukey-type HSD. The study explores the factors and tools for surviving the crisis. Research results confirm that focusing on sales, customer service, and quality are the key factors for keeping and increasing competitiveness and market position.. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, the key factors that affect the extent of GDPR implementation in enterprises are analysed. Since 2018, all organizations operating in the European Union or processing personal data of EU citizens have had to incorporate a new regulation in their work. After three years of experience, possible key factors that significantly affect the cost of the entire project have been theoretically identified. However, a research gap remains whether the factors thus defined actually have a real impact on the implementation within organizations. Therefore, this study focuses on an empirical investigation of those characteristics using quantitative approach combining Chi-squared tests and the Classification and Regression Tree method. Based on a survey of organizations in the Czech Republic, this paper outlines that the size of the organization, the typology of personal data processed and the way GDPR is implemented determine the scope of the implementation project within organizations. On the other hand, there is no clear evidence that there is significant role in whether it is a public or private organization. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article discusses the papers published within the issue including one about efficient joint secret key encryption-channel coding cryptosystem, one on multi-chi-square tests and another on data outsourcing.

Introduction: The COVID-19 pandemic has affected and is still deeply affecting all aspects of public life. World governments have been forced to enact restrictive measures to stem the contagion which have led to a decrease in the movement of people within national territory and to a redirection of health care resources with a suspension of non-urgent procedures. In Italy, a lockdown was imposed from March 9th to May 3rd, 2020. As a result, a significant reduction in the overall operative volume of orthopedic trauma was expected, but it was not possible to predict a similar trend regarding fragility fractures of the proximal femur in the elderly. Methods: The aim of this paper was to examine the impact of COVID-19 on the operating volume for trauma surgeries and to determine how the pandemic affected the management of fragility hip fractures (FHFs) in non-COVID patients at a single Institution. Results: The first result was a statistically significant reduction in the overall operative volume of orthopedic trauma during the period of the first lockdown and an increase in the mean age of patients undergoing surgery, as expected. As regard to the second aim, the incidence of FHFs remained almost unchanged during the periods analysed. The population examined were superimposable in terms of demographics, comorbidities, type of fracture, peri-operative complications, percentage of operations performed within 48 hours from hospitalization and 1-year outcome. Discussion: Our results are in line with those already present in the Literature. Conclusions: Our study revealed a significant impact of the restrictive anti-contagion measures on the overall orthopedic surgical volume, but, at the same time, we could affirm that the pandemic did not affect the management of FHFs in non-COVID patients, and their results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Understanding healthcare professionals' perceptions towards a computerised decision support system (CDSS) may provide a platform for the determinants of the successful adoption and implementation of CDSS. This cross-sectional study examined healthcare professionals' perceptions, barriers, and facilitators to adopting a CDSS for antibiotic prescribing in Jordanian hospitals. This study was conducted among healthcare professionals in Jordan's two tertiary and teaching hospitals over four weeks (June–July 2021). Data were collected in a paper-based format from senior and junior prescribers and non-prescribers (n = 254) who agreed to complete a questionnaire. The majority (n = 184, 72.4%) were aware that electronic prescribing and electronic health record systems could be used specifically to facilitate antibiotic use and prescribing. The essential facilitator made CDSS available in a portable format (n = 224, 88.2%). While insufficient training to use CDSS was the most significant barrier (n = 175, 68.9%). The female providers showed significantly lower awareness (p = 0.006), and the nurses showed significantly higher awareness (p = 0.041) about using electronic prescribing and electronic health record systems. This study examined healthcare professionals' perceptions of adopting CDSS in antimicrobial stewardship (AMS) and shed light on the perceived barriers and facilitators to adopting CDSS in AMS, reducing antibiotic resistance, and improving patient safety. Furthermore, results would provide a framework for other hospital settings concerned with implementing CDSS in AMS and inform policy decision-makers to react by implementing the CDSS system in Jordan and globally. Future studies should concentrate on establishing policies and guidelines and a framework to examine the adoption of the CDSS for AMS. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents the laparogastroscopy procedure, a mini-invasive, palliative method as an alternative to gastrostomy to be recommended by gastroenterologists. Laparogastroscopic stenting with endoluminal transtumoral drilling solves the problem of oral nutrition in patients with unresectable esophageal cancer, avoiding percutaneous feeding. The results of this technique are presented in a retrospective analysis of a study group of 63 patients with advanced esophageal carcinoma admitted between January 2015 and December 2020 at Department of General Surgery of Emergency County Hospital Sibiu, Romania, in terms of post-operative morbidity and mortality. The type of stents used were Pezzer prostheses (48.6%), silicone prostheses (31.9%), and self-expanding metal stents (6.9%). Eight patients (12.7%) had fistulas (at admission to the clinic), which were successfully sealed. Post-operative dysphagia was absent in most patients and minimal in 16.6% of patients, so all patients could initiate oral feeding, improving their nutritional status. The average length of hospitalization for all patients was 9.22 ± 5.05 days. The most frequent local complications were restenosis (9.5%), stent displacement (7.9%), and bleeding (4.8%). The mean survival time was 10.75 ± 15.72 months. Laparogastroscopic stenting could be a valuable alternative in palliative esophageal cancer surgery, improving the quality of life and nutritional status in patients unsuitable for endoscopic stenting. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: Lymphedema affecting the breast can develop after breast cancer treatment. Currently breast lymphedema isn't well recognised nor techniques to measure lymphedema affecting the breast as well studied. This paper explores the validity and reliability of measures which can be used to determine the presence of breast lymphedema. Women with and without breast lymphedema were included in this study to enable comparisons to be made. Improving the assessment of breast lymphedema will advance clinical practice and enable the outcome of treatment to be reported. Ultrasound and tissue dielectric constant were found to be able to reliably distinguish between edema and non edematous breast tissue. In addition certain patient characteristics and breast caner treatments were found to associated with the development of breast lymphedema. Lymphedema can develop after treatment for breast cancer (BCRL). Lymphedema of the breast is not well studied. Currently, the main techniques used to diagnose and monitor the effectiveness of treatment are subjective clinician assessment and patient reports. Eighty-nine women who had undergone breast cancer treatment were recruited with and without breast lymphedema. Blinded clinical assessment determined the presence or absence of breast lymphedema. Measurement of skin thickness by ultrasound scanning, local tissue water by tissue dielectric constant (TDC) and tissue indentation by tonometry was recorded. Breast cancer treatment and demographic details were documented. Descriptive statistics were undertaken to compare sample characteristics, including the Chi-squared test, Odds Ratio (OR) and Relative Risks (RR) calculated. Increased body mass index (BMI), larger bra size, increased number of positive lymph nodes, axillary surgery, chemotherapy and increased Nottingham Prognostic Index (NPI) were all associated with breast lymphedema (p < 0.05). Ultrasound and TDC measurements were significantly higher in the lymphedema group (p < 0.05). Receiver Operator Characteristic (ROC) curves demonstrated that ultrasound and TDC measurements could distinguish between edematous and non-edematous breasts. Threshold levels were produced, which demonstrated good levels of sensitivity and specificity. These findings have the potential to improve the diagnosis of breast lymphedema. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Cancer survivors are a diverse group with varying needs that are patient-, disease-, and/or treatment-specific. Cancer survivors have reported supplementing conventional anti-cancer treatment with Traditional and Complementary Medicine (T&CM). Although female cancer survivors are reported to have more severe anticancer adverse effects, little is known about the association between anticancer treatment and T&CM use among Norwegian cancer survivors. The aims of this study are therefore to investigate (1) associations between cancer diagnosis characteristics and T&CM utilization and (2) associations between anticancer treatment and T&CM utilization among cancer survivors in the seventh survey of the Tromsø study. Methods: Data was collected from the seventh survey of the Tromsø Study conducted in 2015-16 among all inhabitants of Tromsø municipality aged 40 and above (response rate 65%), where inhabitants received online and paper form questionnaires. Data from the data linkage to the Cancer Registry of Norway for cancer diagnosis characteristics was also used. The final study sample was made up of 1307 participants with a cancer diagnosis. Categorical variables were compared using Pearson's Chi-square test or Fisher's exact test while independent sample t-test was used to compare continuous variables. Results: The use of T&CM the preceding 12 months was reported by 31.2% of the participants with natural remedies as the most reported modality of T&CM (18.2%, n = 238), followed by self-help practices of meditation, yoga, qigong, or tai chi, which was reported by 8.7% (n = 114). Users of T&CM were significantly younger (p =.001) and more likely to be female (p <.001) than the non-users, with higher use of T&CM among female survivors with poor self-reported health and being 1–5 years post-diagnosis. Lower use of T&CM was found among female survivors who received a combination of surgery with hormone therapy and those who received a combination of surgery with hormone therapy and radiotherapy. Similar usage was seen in male survivors, but not at a significant level. For both male and female survivors, T&CM was most frequently used by those with only one cancer diagnosis (p =.046). Conclusion: Our results indicate that the profile of the Norwegian cancer survivor who uses T&M is slightly changing compared to previous findings. Additionally, compared to male survivors, more clinical factors are associated with use of T&CM among female cancer survivors. These results should serve as a reminder to conventional health care providers to discuss the use of T&CM with patients across the entire cancer survivorship continuum to promote safe use, especially among female survivors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: In the Finnish policy on older people preventive activities, which maintain functional capacity and independent living, are emphasized. The Turku Senior Health Clinic, aimed at maintaining independent coping of all home-dwelling 75-year-old citizens in the city of Turku, was founded in the beginning of 2020. The aim of this paper is to describe design and protocol of the Turku Senior Health Clinic Study (TSHeC) and provide results of the non-response analysis. Methods: The non-response analysis used data from 1296 participants (71% of those eligible) and 164 non-participants of the study. Sociodemographic, health status, psychosocial and physical functional ability indicators were included in the analysis. Participants and non-participants were also compared in respect to their neighborhood socioeconomic disadvantage. Differences between participants and non-participants were tested using the Chi squared or Fisher´s exact test for categorical variables and t-test for continuous variable. Results: The proportions of women (43% vs. 61%) and of those with only satisfying, poor or very poor self-rated financial status (38% vs. 49%) were significantly lower in non-participants than in participants. Comparison of the non-participants and participants in respect to their neighborhood socioeconomic disadvantage showed no differences. The prevalence of hypertension (66% vs. 54%), chronic lung disease (20% vs. 11%), and kidney failure (6% vs. 3%) were higher among non-participants compared to participants. Feelings of loneliness were less frequent among non-participants (14%) compared to participants (32%). The proportions of those using assistive mobility devices (18% vs. 8%) as well as those having previous falls (12% vs. 5%) were higher in non-participants than in participants. Conclusions: The participation rate of TSHeC was high. No neighborhood differences in participation were found. Health status and physical functioning of non-participants seemed to be slightly worse than those of the participants, and more women than men participated. These differences may weaken the generalizability of the findings of the study. The differences have to be taken into account when recommendation for the content and implementation of preventive nurse-managed health clinic in primary health care in Finland is going to be given. Trial registration: ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT05634239; registration date; 1st of December 2022. Retrospectively registered. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Despite progress made in recent decades, gender bias is still present in scientific publication authorship. The underrepresentation of women and overrepresentation of men has already been reported in the medical fields but little is known in the fields of exercise sciences and rehabilitation. This study examines trends in authorship by gender in this field in the last 5 years. All randomized controlled trials published in indexed journals from April 2017 to March 2022 through the widely inclusive Medline dataset using the MeSH term “exercise therapy” were collected, and the gender of the first and last authors was identified through names, pronouns and photographs. Year of publication, country of affiliation of the first author, and ranking of the journal were also collected. A chi-squared test for trends and logistic regression models were performed to analyze the odds of a woman being a first or last author. The analysis was performed on a total of 5259 articles. Overall, 47% had a woman as the first author and 33% had a woman as the last author, with a similar trend over five years. The trend in women’s authorship varied by geographical area, with the higher representation of women authors in Oceania (first: 53.1%; last: 38.8%), North-Central America (first: 45.3%; last: 37.2%), and Europe (first: 47.2%; last: 33.3%). The logistic regression models (p < 0.001) indicated that women have lower odds of being authors in prominent authorship positions in higher-ranked journals. In conclusion, over the last five years, in the field of exercise and rehabilitation research, women and men are almost equally represented as first authors, in contrast with other medical areas. However, gender bias, unfavoring women, still exists, especially in the last authorship position, regardless of geographical area and journal ranking. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Task-oriented approaches are recommended for children with developmental coordination disorder (DCD) to address deficits in motor performance and reduce activity limitations. Although this approach is used in several settings, the efficacy of these approaches in children with in dual-diagnosis of specific learning disabilities (SLD) and DCD is less widely known. This study aims to determine the effect of a group-based intervention based on neuromotor task training (NTT) principles on the motor performance of children aged 6–10 years with SLD/DCD. Methods: A pre-post-test controlled study design was conducted in children with a primary diagnosis of specific learning disabilities (SLD). DCD status was confirmed based on clinical assessment. Children scoring ≤16th percentile on the Motor Assessment Battery for Children 2nd Edition (MABC-2), who also presented with a functional motor problem, according to the MABC checklist were considered as having DCD. Children were allocated to the NTT intervention group based on teachers' perceived notion of need and received two 45–60 min training sessions per week for nine weeks. Children allocated to the usual care (UC) group, received their planned occupational therapy and physical education. The MABC-2 was used to assess changes in motor performance. Outcome and Results: Our numbers confirm that it is crucial to identify the presence of motor coordination difficulties in children who have been diagnosed with SLD. A task-oriented training program based on NTT principles, presented in small groups, has a positive effect on the motor performance in learners with neurodevelopmental disorders and this effect was larger than in the usual care group. Conclusion and Implications: Although using a small group format in children with multiple neurodevelopmental disorders may be challenging for the therapists, it may be a way of delivering services to children in schools for special education. What this paper adds: Children with DCD plus LSD show improvement in their motor skills by performing group-based NTT in the school environment. Group-based NTT shows a significant improvement in the TSS score of the MABC-2 compared to usual care. Children with DCD plus SLD show equal effect sizes after NTT intervention as DCD without SLD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Stroke remains a major leading cause of morbidity and death globally. For ischemic stroke, the most frequent type of stroke, there are numerous risk models and risk assessments offered. Further research into potential risk factors or triggers is being sought to improve stroke risk models. Schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, and alcohol use disorder are all common causes of serious mental illnesses in the general population. Due to the tangled relationship between stroke and many chronic illnesses, lifestyle factors, and diet that may be present in a patient with a mental disease, the relationship between mental diseases and stroke requires further validation. Consequently, the purpose of this study is to assess the potential influence of bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, and alcohol use disorder on stroke patients as compared to non-stroke participants, after controlling for demographic, physical, and medical conditions. We aimed, as a secondary objective, to evaluate the impact of these pre-existing disorders on stroke severity levels. Methods: This research is a case-control survey study involving 113 Lebanese patients with a clinical diagnosis of ischemic stroke and 451 gender-matched volunteers without clinical signs of stroke as controls recruited from several hospitals in Lebanon (April 2020–April 2021). Based on the participant's consent, data was collected by filling out an anonymous paper-based questionnaire. Results: All of the odds ratios (ORs) generated by our regression model were greater than 1, indicating that the factors studied were associated with an increased risk of ischemic stroke. As such having schizophrenia (adjusted OR [aOR]: 6.162, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.136–33.423), bipolar disorder (aOR: 4.653, 95% CI: 1.214–17.834), alcohol use disorder (aOR: 3.918, 95% CI: 1.584–9.689), atrial fibrillation (aOR: 2.415, 95% CI: 1.235–4.721), diabetes (aOR: 1.865, 95% CI: 1.117–3.115), heart diseases (aOR: 9.890, 95% CI: 5.099–19.184), and asthma-COPD (aOR: 1.971, 95% CI: 1.190–3.263) were all involved with a high risk of developing an ischemic stroke. Moreover, obesity (aOR: 1.732, 95% CI: 1.049–2.861) and vigorous physical activity (aOR: 4.614, 95% CI: 2.669–7.978) were also linked to an increased risk of stroke. Moreover, our multinomial regression model revealed that the odds of moderate to severe/severe stroke were significantly higher in people with pre-stroke alcohol use disorder (aOR: 1.719, 95% CI: 1.385–2.133), bipolar disorder (aOR: 1.656, 95% CI: 1.281–2.141), and schizophrenia (aOR: 6.884, 95% CI: 3.294–11.492) compared to people who had never had a stroke. Conclusion: The findings in our study suggest that individuals with schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, and alcohol use disorder may be at a higher risk for ischemic stroke and exhibit more severe symptoms. We believe that the first step toward creating beneficial preventative and treatment interventions is determining individuals with schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, or alcohol use disorder, assessing their risk of ischemic stroke, developing more integrated treatments, and closely monitoring the long-term outcome in the event of an ischemic stroke. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: Papillary thyroid cancer is not an aggressive cancer, even when metastasis are present; therefore, treatment has been downgraded in recent years. However rare, mortality exists and finding the factors associated with mortality is essential and has not yet been fully accomplished; the answer probably lies in molecular factors. This study aimed to find MicroRNAs related to death in metastatic patients and found that patients who died due to progression of PTC had higher expression levels of miR-101-3p, miR-17-5p, and miR-191-5p compared with those of patients with stable metastatic disease. These findings are new in the literature and may open new doors in differentiating the patients who need more aggressive treatment from those who do not. Papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC) is the most common neoplasm of the endocrine system and has an excellent long-term prognosis, with low rates of distant metastatic disease. Although infrequent, there are cases of deaths directly related to PTC, especially in patients with metastatic disease, and the factors that could be associated with this unfavorable outcome remain a major challenge in clinical practice. Recently, research into genetic factors associated with PTC has gained ground, especially mutations in the TERT promoter and BRAF gene. However, the role of microRNAs remains poorly studied, especially in those patients who have an unfavorable outcome at follow-up. This paper aims to evaluate molecular markers related to the different pathological processes of PTC, as well as the histological characteristics of the neoplasm, and to compare this profile with prognosis and death from the disease using an analysis of patients treated for metastatic disease in a single tertiary cancer center. Evaluation of microRNA expression in paraffin-embedded tumor specimens was carried out by quantitative PCR using the TaqMan® Low Density Array (TLDA) system. Metastatic patients who died from progression of PTC had higher expressions of miR-101-3p, miR-17-5p, and miR-191-5p when compared to patients with stable metastatic disease. These findings are of great importance but should be considered as preliminary because of the small sample. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aims: To measure the effectiveness of educational programmes for nurses regarding knowledge and practice of advanced resuscitation for newborn infants. Design: This is a quasi‐experimental study in (Sudan, White Nile state), to evaluate the effectiveness of designed guidelines regarding advanced neonatal resuscitation for midwives during the period November 2020–January 2021. Methods: Data were collected using two tools: semi‐structured questionnaire and checklist. The number of the respondents to the questionnaire is 75 nurses. Statistical analyses were conducted using SPSS (version 22). Data were expressed as percentages. The results show that the level of knowledge is improved significantly after training programme interventions, with safe practice reaching (98.70%) compared with a pre‐test percentage of (11.5%). This indicates a steep rise in safe practice after the simulation section, a sharp decrease in unsafe practice after the practical section, followed by subsequent decrease in neonatal mortality rate. This paper has been guided by (STROBE, cohort study) checklist. Results: The study concluded that the majority of nurses and midwives have some knowledge regarding advanced neonatal resuscitation but still, there is a practice gap because of a shortage of facilities and lack of training, However, training programmes do add value on knowledge and practice for nurses and eventually decrease neonatal mortality rate. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The hospitalization and the unfamiliar experiences of patients in interventional radiology procedures cause a moderate to high levels of anxiety. This study was aimed to evaluate the anxiolytic effect of Cananga odorata essential oil (COE) aromatherapy in unexperienced patients hospitalized for interventional neuroradiology (INR) procedures. Forty-four patients admitted for their first INR procedure were randomly divided into COE and placebo control groups. COE or distilled water was dropped onto 2 pieces of mulberry paper and attached to the participant's gown at the shoulder level overnight. The main outcomes were observed from the morning salivary cortisol levels and salivary alpha-amylase activity after intervention. The Thai version of Spielberger State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI) and the vital signs (blood pressure and heart rate) were also assessed before and after COE intervention as the secondary outcome. The demographic and baseline data of both groups did not show any significant difference. After intervention, COE group had a significantly lower salivary alpha-amylase activity than placebo control group. The post-intervention scores of Trait (STAI-T) and State (STAI-S) anxiety were significantly less than those of baseline in both groups. Interestingly, the COE group had a greater percentage reduction on STAI-T after intervention than placebo control group. No significant difference was observed in other outcomes. In addition, the salivary alpha-amylase activity was weak but showed significant correlation with STAI anxiety scores. This study indicates that COE aromatherapy reduces the saliva alpha amylase activity and STAI-T anxiety in unexperienced patients hospitalized for INR procedures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Despite the abundance of literature highlighting poor sleep quality among medical students and its detrimental impact on their mental well-being and academic performance, no study has been conducted to investigate the sleep quality of undergraduate medical students in Rwanda to date. Therefore, this study sought to determine the magnitude of sleep quality of undergraduate medical students in Rwanda and to compare the scores of seven components of sleep quality across classes. This cross-sectional study was conducted among 290 undergraduate medical students aged 18–35 years (mean = 24, SD = 2.9) randomly recruited countrywide from 1st November 2021 to 1st March 2022. The questionnaire was self-administered with 2 sections: characteristics of medical students, and Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI). The Pearson Chi-square test was used to test whether the categories of seven components of sleep quality differ between classes, then ANOVA followed by the post hoc test was used to test if the seven components and global score of Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index differ between classes. The results revealed that the global PSQI mean score was 7.73 (SD = 2.83), with fifth-year medical students reporting the highest PSQI mean score (M = 8.44, SD = 2.77), followed by first-year (M = 8.15, SD = 3.31). One-way ANOVA showed that the global PSQI score (F = 2.76, p = 0.028), subjective sleep quality (F = 3.35, p = 0.011), habitual sleep efficiency (F = 10.20, p < 0.001), and daytime dysfunction (F = 3.60, p = 0.007) were significantly different across classes. Notably, the post hoc test revealed significant scores differences in the global PSQI score between class II and V (p = 0.026), in subjective sleep quality between class I and II (p = 0.043), and between class I and IV (p = 0.016); habitual sleep efficiency between class V and all other classes (p < 0.001); and daytime dysfunction between class III and IV (p = 0.023). This paper concludes by arguing that poor sleep quality is highly prevalent among medical students in Rwanda, with final and first-year students reporting the poorest sleep quality. There were significant differences across classes in the global PSQI, subjective sleep quality, habitual sleep efficiency, and daytime dysfunction. Intervention approaches such as sleep education, behavioral changes, and relaxing techniques are recommended to address contributing factors and ultimately maximize the academic goals of Rwandan medical students. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Science: Future of Lithuania / Mokslas: Lietuvos Ateitis is the property of Vilnius Gediminas Technical University 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.)

Approximately 280 million people around the world suffer from depression, and the rates are higher among women than men. For women living in informal settlements in lower – and middle-income countries (LMICs) the prevalence and associated burden of depressive symptoms may be particularly high. The purpose of this paper was to explore factors associated with possible major depressive disorder (MDD) in a probability sample of women living in Mathare informal settlement in Nairobi, Kenya and to identify potential points for intervention and/or support. Quantitative surveys were conducted with 552 women aged 18–75. Possible MDD was measured using the Patient Health Questionnaire and regressed on individual, household/familial-, and community/interpersonal-level factors. Findings highlight the potential importance of factors such as physical health, economic stress, access to water and sanitation, household and family dynamics, and neighbourhood/village differences in possible MDD among women living in informal settlements. We identify potential points for research, intervention and policy including: providing appropriate tangible assistance or interventions to reduce economic stress/strain; expanding access to water and sanitation and, in doing so, reducing potential burdens to physical health; providing and expanding healthcare to include mental healthcare; and investigating family dynamics and bolstering support for families, particularly for those experiencing conflict. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of TEME: Casopis za Društvene Nauke is the property of TEME: Casopis za Drustvene Nauke 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.)

The hospitalization and the unfamiliar experiences of patients in interventional radiology procedures cause a moderate to high levels of anxiety. This study was aimed to evaluate the anxiolytic effect of Cananga odorata essential oil (COE) aromatherapy in unexperienced patients hospitalized for interventional neuroradiology (INR) procedures. Forty-four patients admitted for their first INR procedure were randomly divided into COE and placebo control groups. COE or distilled water was dropped onto 2 pieces of mulberry paper and attached to the participant's gown at the shoulder level overnight. The main outcomes were observed from the morning salivary cortisol levels and salivary alpha-amylase activity after intervention. The Thai version of Spielberger State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI) and the vital signs (blood pressure and heart rate) were also assessed before and after COE intervention as the secondary outcome. The demographic and baseline data of both groups did not show any significant difference. After intervention, COE group had a significantly lower salivary alpha-amylase activity than placebo control group. The post-intervention scores of Trait (STAI-T) and State (STAI-S) anxiety were significantly less than those of baseline in both groups. Interestingly, the COE group had a greater percentage reduction on STAI-T after intervention than placebo control group. No significant difference was observed in other outcomes. In addition, the salivary alpha-amylase activity was weak but showed significant correlation with STAI anxiety scores. This study indicates that COE aromatherapy reduces the saliva alpha amylase activity and STAI-T anxiety in unexperienced patients hospitalized for INR procedures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Our research was aimed to explore the opportunities Szeged's largest park, the Erzsébet Liget's offers in the area of sport recreation, in addition, the composition, the sports habits, and the contentment of the park's adult visitors who came from nearby and also from more distant places. We hypothesized that the characteristics of access to the park and the characteristics of park use depend on the proximity of the user's residence. At the same time, their socio-demographic features and contentment are unrelated. Method: Our primary data were gained using random paper-based questionnaires (N=108). Those people were asked who was doing some physical exercise at various sports scenes in the park. Pearson's Chi-square test was used to explore the relationship between different categorical variables. Results: The proximity of the park and the users' place of residence was strongly related to the travel time and the chosen mode of transport. At the same time, it did not show any significant relation to the features of park use for sports. These features, primarily due to the elderly visitors, only impacted the frequency of park visits with an aim other than sport. Also, no significant difference was found concerning the park's proximity, contentment with the services, and socio-demographic variables, although some tendencies were identified. Conclusion: The park's proximity did not have an impact of significance concerning the composition and the contentment of park visitors and their use of the sports facilities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Self-rated physical health (SRPH) and self-rated mental health (SRMH) are both linked to excess morbidity and premature mortality and can vary across rural and urban contexts. This can be particularly problematic for rural residents who have less access to important health care infrastructure. In this paper, we assess the prevalence of and rural-urban disparities at the intersection of SRPH and SRMH, specifically self-rated physical/mental multimorbidity (SRPMM) overall and across rural-urban contexts. Methods: Using a cross-sectional demographically representative national dataset of over 4000 working age adults in the U.S., we expose rural-urban differences in the prevalence of SRPMM and explore individual-level factors that may explain this disparity. Results: Approximately 15 percent of working age adults reported SRPMM, but rural adults were at higher risk than their urban counterparts. However, this disadvantage disappeared for remote rural working-age adults and was attenuated for metro-adjacent rural working-age adults when we controlled for the fact that rural adults had lower household incomes. Conclusion: Findings reveal a higher risk of SRPMM among rural adults, in part because of lower incomes among this group. This work acts as the foundation for facilitating research on and addressing rural-urban disparities in SRPMM. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Sealing ability is one of the most important features of endodontic sealers. The main goal of the present study was to compare sealing ability of mineral trioxide aggregate (MTA)-propylene glycol (PG) with two commonly used resin-based and MTA-based sealers. Materials and Methods: In This in vitro study Seventy extracted single-root teeth were used. Canal preparation was carried out using hand and RaCe rotary files. Ten teeth were used as control. The root canals in positive and negative control groups were left empty. Remaining 60 teeth were randomly divided into following four groups (n = 15): In Group 1, the canals were dried using paper cones and obturated using MTA-PG sealer. In Group 2, saline was removed from canal using a syring, but paper cones were not used. Obturation was done using MTA-PG sealer. In Groups 3 and 4, the canals were dried using paper cones and obturated with AH26 and MTA Fillapex, respectively. Two-chamber method was used to evaluate bacterial leakage using Enterococcus faecalis (ATCC 29212). Turbidity of the lower chambers was checked every day during 90 days. Chi-square, Kaplan–Meier analysis, and logrank tests were used to compare groups regarding leaked samples at the end of the study. The level of significance was set at 0.05. Results: There was no significant difference among groups regarding rate of leakage throughout the study. However, at the end of the study, the groups were statistically different regarding leaked samples (P = 0.034). MTA Fillapex and MTA-PG in dry canal showed the most and least leaked samples at the end of the study, respectively (P < 0.05). Conclusion: MTA mixed with PG has superior sealing ability than MTA Fillapex. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents an optimization analysis of a queuing system for a particular post office as a tool to increase system reliability. The consideration of system reliability in terms of queuing system failures is very relevant. One way to increase reliability is to analyse the system and its parameters in order to identify its most critical flaws. We used the chi-squared goodness-of-fit test based on the validation of a null hypothesis over an alternative hypothesis. The purpose of the test was to verify the correspondence of the measured data with a theoretical probability distribution. Measurements of relevant data were performed on the specific post office that represented the subject of our research. This approach proved to be a powerful tool in system analysis and optimization. The results of such an analysis can serve as the basis for the modelling of queuing systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Research article (RA) abstracts play a pivotal role in settling the fate of the academic papers. Despite the abundance of research on investigating the generic structure of this academic genre, the variations in its move patterns between the two venues within a single area of research seem to have remained untouched. The current study attempted to explore the constituent moves and move patterns of RA abstracts published in a local (Iranian Journal of English for Academic Purposes) and an international (The Journal of English for Academic Purposes) journal in the field of applied linguistics. Drawing on Hyland's (2000) five-move model, the RA abstracts were analyzed. The results indicated that the abstracts published in the two journals included the conventional moves. Furthermore, the most frequent moves were the purpose, method, and product in the two corpora. Moreover, although the results of the chi-square test pointed to no significant difference in terms of the frequency of the moves in the abstracts, the analysis divulged variations in the move patterns across the two sets of articles. The findings carry pedagogical implications for the academic writing course designers, materials developers, and instructors to enhance the novice researchers' familiarity with the writing conventions to facilitate their accommodation by the scientific communities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Every Organization Needs Well Skilled And Trained Employees To Perform The Activities Effectively And Efficiently. Human Resources Are Considered To Be The Most Essential Asset Of An Organization. Companies Hence Decide To Invest In These Assets For Further Enhancement Of Performance. Training And Development Is Systematic Process In Improving The Excellence Of Employees. This Paper Aims To Assess The Effectiveness Of The Training And Development Practices On Employee Performance And Productivity In An Auto-Component Industry (Manufacturing Sector) Based In Chennai. Data Collection Was Done Using Questionnaire Method, Taking A Sample Of 131 Through Simple Random Sampling. Analysis Such As Correlation, Regression, One-Way Anova, Chi-Square Test And Friedman Test Was Done Using Spss. Training And Development Is One Of The Major Factors Of Enlightening The Employee Performance In An Organization. The Necessity Of The Paper Is To Find Out The Impact Of Training And Development On Employee Performance And Productivity. The Study Found Out That Employees Are Motivated Through Training. Alsoemployees Awareness About Training And Development Programmesresults Into Higher Performance. It Was Also Found That A Strong Relationship Exists Between Training And Development And Employee's Productivity And Performance. Hence, The Study Concluded Up With Positive Effect On Training And Development, With All The Responses Collected When Comparing Effects Of Before And After Training Most Of The Responses Are Better Than Earlier. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Taking into account the fact that the trade balance with fruits, in the case of Romania, presents an accentuated deficit, which worsens from one year to another. The main solution for this sector is the association of fruit growers, but their association is poorly developed. The main purpose of this study is to identify the reasons behind the fact that fruit growers are poorly organized and there is a small percentage of those who are part of an associative form, in order to identify solutions. The questionnaire method was used in this paper, in which 388 fruit growers responded. Also, the statistical interpretation was performed by analyzing the Pearson and Cramer indicators, but also the non-parametric Chi-square test. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To analyze the factors affecting road accidents involving hazardous materials, the Bayesian network (BN) model was used to fit the accident data. However, considering the possible overfitting phenomenon of the BN model, the model was optimised by combining Pearson's chi-squared test and Granger causality test (PG) methods. First, the data of hazardous materials accidents were preprocessed, and the index system of factors affecting hazardous materials road transport was constructed from five dimensions of "people, vehicles, hazmat, roads, and environment"; second, Pearson's chi-squared test and the Granger causality test were used to screen the factors affecting hazardous materials road transport accidents and to determine the causal relationship between the factors; finally, the BN model was constructed with accident severity and accident processing time as target nodes, and the results were analyzed and validated. The results show that the overall relative error rate of the model is less than 10% and can be used to explore the risk factors of hazardous materials transport accidents; weather, visibility, lighting, intersection type, road condition, road type, driver condition, vehicle type, etc. are all important factors affecting the severity of hazardous materials transport accidents. The study can serve as a reference for the safety supervision and management of hazardous materials transport enterprises and industrial management departments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

INTRODUCTION Health warnings on cigarette sticks are emerging as a tool to control tobacco consumption; hence, understanding how they are perceived is valuable in determining their effectiveness. Our study aimed to evaluate the perception of health-related messages and warnings on individual cigarette sticks. It also aimed to evaluate the perceptions of the effectiveness of cigarette packaging warnings and the acceptance level for the inclusion of health warnings on cigarette sticks. METHODS This cross-sectional survey was conducted on 285 individuals in Al- Madinah, Saudi Arabia. The survey was distributed online using a non-probability convenience sampling technique. The chi-squared test and logistic regression analysis were used to determine the association of sociodemographic characteristics and smoking-related variables with participants' perceptions of health warnings on cigarette sticks and packaging. The responses were also assessed qualitatively using conceptual content analysis. RESULTS In all, 18.6% of participants perceived that the package warnings were either 'quite effective' or 'very effective' in prompting smokers to quit. For health warnings on cigarette sticks, 28.1% of participants perceived that the theme of statistics on mortality was either 'quite effective' or 'very effective' in prompting smokers to quit, compared to 35.0 % for the theme of social and financial consequences. Respondents who had secondary education and lower were almost two times more likely to support the inclusion of health warnings than those who had a university education and higher (OR=1.9; 95% CI: 1.02-3.7, p=0.042). Most of the comments were positive for the inclusion of health warnings on cigarette sticks. CONCLUSIONS Most participants perceived that package warnings were ineffective, but warnings on cigarette sticks were effective methods of dissuasion of cigarette use. Smokers were almost twice as likely to perceive as effective supportive messages to quit than non-smokers. The majority of participants 'agreed' or 'strongly agreed' to the inclusion of health warnings on cigarette sticks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

INTRODUCTION Heated tobacco products (HTPs) and e-cigarettes (ECs) have gained traction as alternatives for harm reduction, especially in Japan. In particular, the use of HTPs is rapidly gaining popularity among young adults in Japan, with a prevalence of 10.9% in 2020. Despite uncertainties regarding the health effects of HTPs and ECs, concerns regarding nicotine and carcinogens persist. Although physicians play a vital role in smoking cessation, they lack awareness and concerns regarding HTPs. This study aimed to assess the prevalence, knowledge, and concerns regarding HTPs and ECs among young Japanese physicians. METHODS A cross-sectional online survey was conducted in 2021 with 529 young Japanese physicians aged 24-39 years. Parameters assessed included awareness, smoking status, knowledge of HTPs and ECs, and concerns related to HTPs. Statistical analyses were conducted to assess prevalence, knowledge, and concerns by smoking status using the chi-squared test and logistic regression. RESULTS Most participants were aware of HTPs (89.0%) and ECs (71.3%). Young male physicians preferred HTPs, while females favored ECs. Primary sources of information included newspapers and stories (56.8%), and TV (37.4%). Nonsmokers (89.0%) demonstrated limited knowledge of these products. Concerns were highest and lowest among non-smokers and HTP users, respectively, with safety concerns being the most prevalent. CONCLUSIONS Young physicians exhibited lower smoking rates than the general population, but HTP use was prominent among young male physicians. Concerns varied based on smoking status, indicating the need to address these issues among healthcare professionals. Despite high awareness, knowledge gaps, particularly among non-smokers, highlight the importance of public health and educational campaigns to disseminate knowledge among physicians, regardless of medical specialty. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

INTRODUCTION Tobacco products are well-known as a major risk factor for systemic and oral diseases. Dentists may play an important role in the prevention and progression of oral problems related to smoking. The aim of this study was to evaluate the level of awareness about the poor oral health effects of tobacco products and the role of dentists in smoking cessation among dental patients. METHODS A survey containing 40 questions was prepared, and patients seeking dental treatment between June and October 2019 at the School of Dentistry, Ege University, were asked to participate. The survey included demographic variables in the first part, habits of using tobacco products in the second part, relations between smoking and oral health, and the possible role of dentists in smoking cessation in the last part. Data were tested statistically by Mann Whitney U and chi-squared tests. RESULTS A total of 501 patients participated in the survey; more than half of the participants were non-smokers (63.7%). Cigarettes (95.06%), hookah (7.69%), e-cigarettes (2.75%), and cigars (1.65%) were the most frequently consumed tobacco products. The biggest obstacle to quitting smoking was 'having smoker friends'. The rate of non-smokers (41.4%) agreeing that smoking is related to periodontal diseases was more than that of smokers (32.4%) (p<0.05). The most known side effect of tobacco products was halitosis (81.6%). Half of the respondents (46.7%) did not know about dentists' role in helping them quit smoking. The rate of participants previously recommended by a dentist to quit smoking was only 36%. CONCLUSIONS The aesthetic and social consequences of using tobacco products are well known, but smokers are substantially less aware than non-smokers of the relationship between tobacco products and oral diseases. The present findings suggest that dentists should inform their patients about the detrimental effects of tobacco products and play an active role in advising them to quit. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Infertility affects millions of people of reproductive age worldwide. Thyroid hormones and prolactin (PRL) affect reproduction and pregnancy; therefore, these two hormones influence fertility. This systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to summarise the strength of the correlation between serum PRL and thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH) in infertile women and to explore selected factors influencing the correlation. We conducted a systematic search of online databases (PubMed, Scopus, ScienceDirect, SAGE and Google Scholar) from inception until March 2021 and a manual search of the bibliographies of the included studies to identify relevant publications. The original research paper describing the correlation between PRL and TSH in reproductive-age women with infertility (primary and secondary) was included. The risk of bias was assessed using the Joanna Briggs Institute Critical Appraisal Checklist for Analytical Cross-Sectional Studies. A random effect model was used to estimate the pooled correlations of PRL and TSH, followed by an assessment of heterogeneity and a sensitivity analysis. From a total of 822 relevant articles identified, 11 were eligible and included in this systematic review and meta-analysis. The random effect pooled correlation estimates between PRL and TSH was 0.431 (95% CI: 0.251, 0.582), with substantial heterogeneity between the included studies (I² = 80%, τ ² = 0.067, P < 0.001). No significant publication bias was observed. Study region, types of infertility, sample size and year of the study did not influence the correlation estimates. Our results highlighted a significant positive moderate correlation between serum PRL and serum TSH in infertile women. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper aims to compare the seasonal and diurnal feeding behaviour of cows and calves at Neudamm Farm in central Namibia. Seasonal bite rates of cows, diurnal bites of cows and calves, and diet composition and preference were assessed and compared. Ten cows and ten calves were followed and observed from a distance, in the morning and in the afternoon. The observations were done on the same cows during the wet and dry seasons while calves were only observed during the wet season. The number of bites taken by each animal within a continuous period of 5 minutes was recorded. Herbaceous plant inventory was done in the foraging area using a step-point method. Each herbaceous plant intercepted was assessed for evidence of grazing and its life form was recorded. Bite rates were compared between morning and afternoon, and between seasons using a two-sample t-test. Preference for life forms and species were tested using a Chi-Square test. The morning bite rate of 38 bites/minute of cows during the wet season was significantly higher than that of the morning dry season of 34.9 bites/minute. This is attributed to the high abundance of nutritious forage resources during the wet season when animals did not have to do much searching compared to the dry season. Afternoon bite rates of cows did not significantly differ between seasons. Morning bite rates were significantly lower in the mornings than in the afternoons in winter. This was because cold morning temperatures slowed down animal feeding rates but increased with the progression of the day. Bite rates of calves did not significantly differ between morning and afternoon during the wet season because they were still learning to forage while being dependent on the mothers for milk. Cattle preferred Schmidtia pappophoroides, Eragrostis trichophora, Heteropogon contortus and Eragrostis nindensis due to their palatability and high grazing value. Nidorella resedifolia, despite being very abundant, was avoided because it contains a toxic alkaloid. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mountain products have been introduced in the EU supplemented with governing regulations to mainstream the products originating from mountain areas with adequate market facilities and use as a differentiating tool compared with conventional products. Since its formalisation and adoption of relevant laws in the national context in Romania, the adoption of the optional quality term Mountain Label among the producers has been astonishing. Considering the good market in Romania for quality and locally sourced products, mountain labels and their use among the producers were regarded as having a better impact on the economic and market status. The research intended to pursue an answer in the same direction to see if producers were able to fully exploit the EU optional quality term Mountain Label scheme at the national level in Romania or if there was dissatisfaction among the producers with the rules of utilizing the label. A general producer survey with questionnaires was planned, organized, and implemented on the three mountain massifs surrounding Brașov city to elicit the necessary findings. Due to continuous support from the relevant authorities in the registration of the label, the producers were interested in enlisting themselves in the quality scheme; however, poor marketing and promotional assistance were some of the problems identified as general problems that caused the producers to be disappointed in the labelling scheme. Although most of the producers had a good idea of the benefits associated with the label, only 50% of them were engaged in some way in highlighting the mountain label in their promotional activities. Different statistical tests like the U-test, correlation analysis, and chi-square tests were used in conjunction with the different findings visualisations to derive insightful findings. The findings of the research can be beneficial to comprehend existing scenarios of mountain labels and producers' perceptions of mountain labels post-registration, propose different systematic reformations for better efficiency of operations of mountain labels, and realize its initial objectives. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Textile Industry / Tekstilna Industrija is the property of Union of Textile Engineers & Technicians of Serbia 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.)

This paper presents an approach of progressive levels of inferential reasoning on the Chi-square statistic, going from informal to formal reasoning. The proposal is based on epistemic criteria retrieved from a historical-epistemological study of such statistic and the contributions of statistics education literature on inferential reasoning. In this regard, some theoretical and methodological notions from the onto-semiotic approach were used to identify meanings attributed to the Chi-square statistic throughout its evolution and development. The mathematical characteristics of those meanings are closely linked to the indicators of the levels proposed. The nature of the four levels on the Chi-square statistic allowed us to develop an initial approach to levels of inferential reasoning, which could be applied to other statistics such as z, student's t and F. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Revista Académica Internacional de Educación Física is the property of Asociacion Cientifica Internacional de Educacion Fisica 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.)

The main objective of this paper was to determine whether digital procurement positively affected the economic resilience of firms in the manufacturing industry during the COVID-19 pandemic. Hence, qualitative research was conducted in Czech industrial enterprises by means of a questionnaire survey in 2021. Based on the research question, 3 hypotheses were formed, which focused on the impact that investing in digital procurement had on the economic resilience of enterprises in selected industries. The parametric two sample one-factor ANOVA and Pearson's Chi-squared test were used to test the hypotheses. The findings rejected the association between investment in digital procurement and the economic performance of the firm during the pandemic. They also failed to confirm the association between digital purchasing and economic resilience of businesses during the pandemic. Another important result was also that digitization of purchasing did not have a greater impact on the economic resilience of firms in the manufacturing industry compared to firms in the construction and agriculture sectors. The research results can be practically implemented in determining the expected benefits of digitizing procurement. The research implications are limited by the fact that it only investigates companies from the manufacturing industry in the Czech Republic and focuses exclusively on the period of the COVID-19 pandemic. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Revista de la Facultad de Medicina Humana is the property of Instituto de Investigaciones en Ciencias Biomedicas de la Universidad Ricardo Palma 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: Certified training courses in all-terrain vehicle (ATV) operation are recommended, but little has been published regarding how they affect riding behaviors. Our objectives were to determine adolescents' ATV riding exposures, crashes and injuries, and the association of completing certified ATV training on riding behaviors. Methods: Respondents completed an anonymous paper survey at 30 school districts approximately one year after participating in the Safety Tips for ATV Riders (STARs) program. Survey data were compiled using Qualtrics™. Frequency, chi-square, Fisher's exact test, and logistic regression analyses were performed using SAS, V.9.4. Results: 4,891 students completed the survey from Fall 2012–Fall 2019. Respondents were 10–18 years old, and similar numbers of participants were male and female. Fifty-nine percent lived in town, 18% on a farm, and 22% in the country but not on farm. Forty-two percent reported their families owned an ATV. Seventy-seven percent had ridden an ATV, 40% of whom reported riding at least weekly. The vast majority (94%) used ATVs for recreation and 49% used them for work purposes. In the previous year, 22% of riders reported having been in a crash, with 7% of crash victims requiring medical attention for injuries. Greater crash likelihood was seen in males, recreational riders, more frequent riders, competitive racers and those who had ridden with passengers or on roads. Only 8% of riders had completed certified ATV safety training (note, STARs is not a certification program). Those whose families owned ATVs, more frequent riders, and public park users had greater likelihoods of course completion. Relative to their peers, respondents who completed a certification course had higher proportions that always/almost always wore helmets (39% vs. 20%, p < 0.0001) and lower proportions that never/almost never wore helmets (29% vs 58%, p < 0.0001), had ridden with passengers (63% vs. 96%, p < 0.0001), and had driven on public roads (41% vs 50%, p = 0.0065). Conclusions: ATV safety training certification among Iowa adolescents in the study was infrequent but those that received training reported higher helmet use, less riding with passengers, and less driving on public roads. These data suggest completing safety training certification may promote safer riding behaviors among youth. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The term racial trauma is used to describe the cumulative distressing and traumatizing effects of racism in all of its forms, and it closely resembles the construct of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). This investigation aims to increase our understanding of racial trauma by comparing the characteristics of those with a clinically-relevant diagnosis of racial trauma to those without, based on the findings of a clinical semi-structured interview and symptom checklist for assessing racial trauma, the University of Connecticut Racial Ethnic Stress and Trauma Survey (UnRESTS), administered to a diverse group of adults (N = 97). This paper extends prior work on racial trauma by examining the correlations between racial trauma and validated self-report measures of discriminatory distress, controlling for racialization. We examine the correlation between a clinically-relevant diagnosis of racial trauma and racial/ethnic identity. We also compare racism-related PTSD symptoms in those with and without racial trauma to inform clinical assessment. Finally, we examine the factor structure of racial trauma symptoms using the 24 items from the UnRESTS PTSD symptom checklist and compare these to current DSM-5 models. The structure of racial trauma symptoms differed from the DSM-5 4-factor model, as do other PTSD models in the research literature. Clinical and research implications are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Postpartum depression (PPD) is a serious complication commonly seen in postnatal women. In this paper, an investigation was conducted to see if obstetric anesthesia clinic childbirth course combined with labor epidural analgesia (LEA) was associated with a decreased risk of PPD. Methods: Six hundred fifty-five nulliparous women were enrolled in this prospective cohort study. The parturients were divided into 4 groups, with Group C being the control group, Group AC received the obstetric anesthesia clinic childbirth course only, Group LEA received LEA only, and Group AC + LEA received both the obstetric anesthesia clinic childbirth course and LEA. Maternal and neonatal variables in the perinatal period were recorded. PPD at 6 weeks was assessed using the Chinese version of the Edinburgh Postpartum Depression Scale (EPDS), where a score ≥ 10 is the threshold for PPD. Multivariate logistic regression analysis was performed to assess the association between obstetric anesthesia clinic childbirth course combined with LEA and postpartum depression. Results: A total of 124 maternities had EPDS ≥10 points, the incidence of PPD was 18.9%。The incidence of PPD and EPDS scores were significantly lower in Group AC + LEA than in Group C (12.1% vs 26.8%, P < 0.05; 6 (5, 7) vs 7 (5, 11), P < 0.05). Received an anesthesia clinic childbirth course combined with LEA was associated with a decreased risk of PPD (OR 0.273, 95% CI, 0.100–0.743, P = 0.013). Multivariate logistic regression analysis identified 5 other independent factors for PPD, including maternal SAS score in the delivery room, W-DEQ score in the delivery room, living in a confinement center, EPDS score at 1st week postpartum and perinatal care satisfaction. Conclusions: Received an obstetrics anesthesia clinic childbirth course combined with LEA for nulliparous women with a single term cephalic pregnancy was associated with a decreased risk of PPD at 6 weeks. Trial registration: Chinese Clinical Trial Registry, ChiCTR2000039163. Registered on 20/10/2020. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A test of independence is commonly used to determine differences (or associations) between samples in a nominal level measurement. Fisher's exact test and Chi-square test are two of the most widely applied tests of independence used in the data analyses in different areas such as information technologies, biostatistics, psychology and health sciences. In some cases, contingency tables with null entries (also called random zeros) arise, particularly if the number of samples is small, and the variables analyzed are multilevel. This situation becomes a problem because if one or more entries in a contingency table are zero or have small values, then the tests of independence produce unreliable results. In this paper, we propose a method to address that issue. The method merges one or more levels of the variables analyzed to create contingency tables with only one degree of freedom, avoiding applying a test of independence on contingency tables with random zeros. The source code (Python) of the method is publicly available for use. The results obtained using our method give a complete panorama of the associations between the variables of a data set. To show the effectiveness of our approach to find dependencies between variables, we use four data sets publicly available on the Internet. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Due to possible various physiological errors in sensory testing, regardless of knowledge and experience, it is necessary to control the results and assessors. This paper aims the possibility of some statistical tools based on laboratory control charts to monitor assessors in wine sensory analyses done in the certification procedure. The data of control charts and reliable results were processed, and individually the results of "100 points" and "Yes/No" methods. The possibility of checking the consistency and concordance of the assessors using wine faults descriptors is also presented. It has been observed that the Chi-square test and some graphical statistics, such as scatter with correlation analysis, can be a good tool in assessors monitoring. The results of sensory analyses affect the wine declaring, and therefore, continued development of technical conditions and tools in the monitoring of assessor's performance is expected to reduce subjectivity and potential errors [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Testing multivariate normality is an ever-lasting interest in the goodness-of-fit area since the classical Pearson's chi-squared test. Among the numerous approaches in the construction of tests for multivariate normality, normal characterization is one of the common approaches, which can be divided into the necessary and sufficient characterization and necessary-only characterization. We construct a test for multivariate normality by combining the necessary-only characterization and the idea of statistical representative points in this paper. The main idea is to transform a high-dimensional sample into a one-dimensional one through the necessary normal characterization and then employ the representative-point-based Pearson's chi-squared test. A limited Monte Carlo study shows a considerable power improvement of the representative-point-based chi-square test over the traditional one. An illustrative example is given to show the supplemental function of the new test when used together with existing ones in the literature. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: Recently, nivolumab, pembrolizumab, both immune-checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) and the combination of dabrafenib plus trametinib (D + T) were registered as adjuvant melanoma treatments, to prevent recurrence. The aim of this paper was to retrospectively review the benefits and risks of these treatments in clinical practice, by extracting data from electronic health records with a text-mining tool. In a population of 122 patients, 55 used nivolumab, 48 used pembrolizumab and 20 used D + T, and we found that the ICIs were better tolerated than D + T. However, the frequent adverse events of D + T are reversible and include pyrexia and fatigue. ICIs show immune-related chronic adverse events, and chronic thyroid-related adverse events occurred frequently. The efficacy results, including the recurrence-free survival, are promising; however, the follow-up was too short for conclusions. This study furthermore showed that the application of text-mining is a valuable method to collect data for the evaluation of adjuvant melanoma treatments. Introduction: Nivolumab (N), pembrolizumab (P), and dabrafenib plus trametinib (D + T) have been registered as adjuvant treatments for resected stage III and IV melanoma since 2018. Electronic health records (EHRs) are a real-world data source that can be used to review treatments in clinical practice. In this study, we applied EHR text-mining software to evaluate the real-world tolerability, safety, and efficacy of adjuvant melanoma treatments. Methods: Adult melanoma patients receiving adjuvant treatment between January 2019 and October 2021 at the Leiden University Medical Center, the Netherlands, were included. CTcue text-mining software (v3.1.0, CTcue B.V., Amsterdam, The Netherlands) was used to construct rule-based queries and perform context analysis for patient inclusion and data collection from structured and unstructured EHR data. Results: In total, 122 patients were included: 54 patients treated with nivolumab, 48 with pembrolizumab, and 20 with D + T. Significantly more patients discontinued treatment due to toxicity on D + T (N: 16%, P: 6%, D + T: 40%), and X2 (6, n = 122) = 14.6 and p = 0.024. Immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) mainly showed immune-related treatment-limiting adverse events (AEs), and chronic thyroid-related AE occurred frequently (hyperthyroidism: N: 15%, P: 13%, hypothyroidism: N: 20%, P: 19%). Treatment-limiting toxicity from D + T was primarily a combination of reversible AEs, including pyrexia and fatigue. The 1-year recurrence-free survival was 70.3% after nivolumab, 72.4% after pembrolizumab, and 83.0% after D + T. Conclusions: Text-mining EHR is a valuable method to collect real-world data to evaluate adjuvant melanoma treatments. ICIs were better tolerated than D + T, in line with RCT results. For BRAF+ patients, physicians must weigh the higher risk of reversible treatment-limiting AEs of D + T against the risk of long-term immune-related AEs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Physiotherapy Canada is the property of University of Toronto Press 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.)

The Eetscore FFQ was developed to score the Dutch Healthy Diet index 2015 (DHD2015-index) representing the Dutch food-based dietary guidelines of 2015. This paper describes the development of the Eetscore FFQ, a short screener assessing diet quality, examines associations between diet quality and participants' characteristics, and evaluates the relative validity and reproducibility of the Eetscore FFQ in a cross-sectional study with Dutch adults. The study sample consisted of 751 participants, aged 19–91 years, recruited from the EetMeetWeet research panel. The mean DHD2015-index score based on the Eetscore FFQ of the total sample was 111 (sd 17·5) out of a maximum score of 160 points and was significantly higher in women than in men, positively associated with age and education level, and inversely associated with BMI. The Kendall's tau-b coefficient of the DHD2015-index between the Eetscore FFQ and the full-length FFQ (on average 1·7-month interval, n 565) was 0·51 (95 % CI 0·47, 0·55), indicating an acceptable ranking ability. The intraclass correlation coefficient between DHD2015-index scores derived from two repeated Eetscore FFQ (on average 3·8-month interval, n 343) was 0·91 (95 % CI 0·89, 0·93) suggesting a very good reproducibility. In conclusion, the Eetscore FFQ was considered acceptable in ranking participants according to their diet quality compared with the full-length FFQ and showed good to excellent reproducibility. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]