Wellness is a multidimensional concept that touches upon the various physical, mental, emotional, spiritual, social and environmental facets of health. Interest towards and importance of wellness have been growing constantly for the past two decades and thus makes it crucial to understand which factors affect public engagement with wellness information for multiple stakeholders. The Instagram account of New York Times (NYT) specifically for sharing wellness content with the handle nyt_well was selected as the object of study. 773 posts from this account between March of 2019 and December of 2022 were collected and analyzed to answer the research question of which factors are most influential to public engagement with wellness content. Two negative binomial regressions were run on features including the type of post, length, word count, sentiment score and topic with number of likes and comments as the dependent variables for each of those regression models. Results indicated that the type of post and its sentiment score were the two most influential determinants of public engagement with p-values smaller than 0.05. While the effects of some of these factors aligned with findings from previous studies conducted on social media content not related to wellness (e.g., marketing), some others affected the two separate public engagement metrics in opposite directions, warranting future studies to investigate further on the cause of this phenomenon.

Background: Work experience is a key factor that influences safety awareness among workers. This study investigated the influence of work experience on the level of awareness on adverse health effects of silica dust exposure among stone quarry workers in Ghana while controlling for theoretically relevant compositional and contextual factors, evaluated the magnitude and order of association between the predictors and the predicted variable. Method: A cross-sectional survey data of 524 randomly selected stone quarry workers were subjected to multivariate statistical analyses. Results: Stone quarry workers who had 6 to10 years and more than 10 years of work experience were 48% (OR = 1.475, P = 0.021) and 82% (OR = 1.816, P = 0.003) respectively more likely to be aware of the adverse health effects of silica dust exposure compared to their counterparts who had 1 to 5 years work experience. Workers who had secondary or higher education were 32% (OR = 1.320, P = 0.036) more likely to be aware of the adverse health effects of silica dust exposure compared to their counterparts who had no education. Conclusion: These findings provide relevant information for managers and policymakers to plan and maximize awareness on silica dust health hazards among silica exposed workers.

In response to the National Institutes of Health (NIH) All of Us Medicine Research Initiative, the Precision Medicine Research (PreMeR) Diversity Consortium was formed by four institutions from the Research Centers in Minority Institutions (RCMI) Translational Research Network (RTRN). This synergistic approach proposed evidence-based, best practices used by experienced researchers to engage, recruit and retain diverse populations in the All of Us initiative. Conceptualization of the proposed approach was aided by social influence theories to better understand how people’s beliefs and opinions should be modified to affect change leading to action [1]. The Social-Ecological Model (SEM), for Health Promotion [2], from Stokols [1] and Community-Based Participatory (CBPR) Models[3],[4] guided proposed engagement, recruitment, and retention strategies contextualized with the individual, interpersonal, organizational, community, and policy spheres of influence. The PreMeR produced a partnership to evaluate and improve the effectiveness of current engagement, recruitment, and retention strategies for minority participation in scientific studies. This approach illustrates the need to incorporate multiple methods of engagement to reach a diverse audience to participate in scientific research. Engagement, recruitment, and retention strategies in community and biomedical research must be viewed as community engaged public health interventions, utilizing the same theoretical principles and approaches.

The literature has addressed the negative impact of poor neonatal conditions (NC) across regions. This has drawn attention to the need to improve NC, particularly in Africa. NC research can make an important contribution. However, there is no study dedicated to this topic in Africa. Through a bibliometric analysis, we arrive at outputs that can inform scientists in planning ongoing or new NC research and those involved in developing and implementing strategies to combat poor NC. Using bibliometrics, the study identified the scientific knowledge on NC between 2000 and 2019, its visibility in the community, the main topics researched, and collaboration patterns.The results show that knowledge on NC has increased between 2000 and 2019, it is concentrated in a few African countries (Egypt, South Africa, Nigeria, Tanzania and Kenya), its visibility is below the world average, in general, maternal mortality is the most researched topic and collaborative activities are frequently, mainly international research collaboration (IRC), being the United States of America (USA) and the United Kingdom (UK) the main partners (they participated in 57% and 28% of all articles with IRC). The collaboration networks are fragile as 43%-67% of all links represent one article in 20 years.Ongoing or new research on NC in Africa should consider the main African players and their partners. There is a need to implement strategies to increase NC knowledge in other African countries, expand and strengthen the collaboration networks and diversify the sources of knowledge.

The process of managing people in an organised way to assist a company in achieving its goals is known as human resources management. an increase in workplace stress, which is detrimental to an employee's health and well-being as well as the performance of the organisation. Certain guiding concepts and precepts are evergreen and can support the development of human resources while ensuring the wellbeing of the individual and the company. In this study, we examine how the methods and practices of yoga might benefit public organisations by lowering employee stress levels and boosting their altruism and greedlessness.

Research into health, particularly social and psychological health, is crucial. Ultimately, an in-depth understanding of social and psychological health will more than promote well-being. Technology research is indispensable, particularly concerning health and the built environment, given the need to create holistic and supportive frameworks for well-being. Moreover, because literature reviews establish the foundation for academic inquiries, they provide valuable overviews for foresight into grey research areas, particularly multi-disciplinary research like health technology and the built environment. Hence, this study aims to discover the existing themes on health, technology, and built-environment nexus subjects while revealing the grey areas and suggesting proactive areas for future research. The objectives drove this aim to: 1. investigate the implications of technology for the social and psychological dimensions of health; 2. uncover the likelihood of a nexus between health, technology, and the built environment; and 3. highlight new research perspectives for the concluding seven years of the SDGs (2024–2030). The review results highlighted ten themes around which a nexus exists between health, technology, and the built environment; they also pointed out new research perspectives for the next seven years (up to 2023).

The healthcare system is intricate and dynamic. For the purpose of organising and planning a system, where allocating funds appropriately is essential and therefore managerial skills play a critical role. A certain portion of each nation's GDP is allotted to the health sectors. Managers and decision-makers in the healthcare systems are using resources effectively, yet the quantity of funding they receive from the government or other stakeholders is insufficient sometimes. A sound understanding of both basic and advanced economics is necessary for the care management, to make cost-effective judgements in public health. Healthcare officials at all levels (regional, state, federal, or international), need to be knowledgeable about public health issues and the related modern economic climates. Business executives and healthcare managers need effective practical knowledge to handle partner-financial allocation (demand-supply chain) and handle economic volatility.

Achieving Universal Health Coverage (UHC) is a strategic objective of the Jordanian Government and has been prioritized in its strategies and plans. However, there are several challenges affecting primary health care in Jordan and the health system in general that prevent Jordan from achieving UHC. This paper highlights the importance of team-based care in the form of Family Health Teams (FHTs) to realize Jordan’s goal of achieving UHC. FHTs are a team-based approach that brings together diverse professionals to provide a comprehensive, efficient, patient-centered primary care system that meets the changing needs of Jordan's population and refugees. However, the implementation of FHT may encounter obstacles, including individual, organizational and institutional, and external barriers. To overcome such obstacles, several actions and processes need to be taken, including political commitment and leadership, implementing good governance and policy frameworks, allocating resources and funding, multisectoral collaboration, and engagement of communities and stakeholders. The successful implementation of FHTs requires participation from government officials, parliamentarians, civil society, and influential community, religious, and business leaders. A strategic policy framework, effective oversight, coalition building, regulation, attention to system design, and accountability are also essential. In conclusion, adopting the FHT approach in Jordan's Primary Health Care system offers a promising path towards achieving UHC, improving healthcare access, quality, and efficiency while addressing the unique challenges faced by the country's healthcare system.

Training researchers and stakeholders is crucial to mitigate the risks associated with toxins and venom. By sharing knowledge on the responsible use of toxins, venoms, chemicals, and data from biosecurity and cyberbiosecurity perspectives, we empower laboratorians to make informed choices. We need to remember that cultivating a culture of sustainable biosafety and biosecurity is vital for one health. This technical note highlights the essence of safeguarding biosecurity and cyberbiosecurity in toxin and venom research laboratories workshop designed and implemented to boost biosecurity.

Pediatric chronic pain is an important public health issue given its notable impact on numerous domains of living. Pediatric chronic pain is also often comorbid with emotional, developmental, or behavioral conditions which can lead to more severe negative outcomes and an even greater reduction in positive outcomes compared to those without comorbidities. Flourishing is a positive outcome that chronic pain status has been shown to impact. We explored flourishing in children aged 6-17 years living with chronic pain as well as those with chronic pain and comorbidities using data from the 2018/2019 National Survey of Child Health. There were significant associa-tions between chronic pain condition status and all demographic variables (sex, age, race/ethnicity, poverty level, parental education, health insurance status). Results of hierarchical logistic regression found that chronic pain condition status significantly predicted flourishing. Children with chronic pain were 2.33 times less likely to flourish, and children with chronic pain plus an emotional, developmental, or behavioral comorbidity were 13 times less likely to flourish than typical peers. Given their significantly lower likelihood of flourishing, there is an urgent need for interventions targeted at children experiencing chronic pain and mental health comor-bidities.

Artificial Intelligence (AI) has become a hopeful tool for helping parents with different parts of raising children by giving them personalized tips, evidence-based methods, and timely solutions. This paper talks about the difficulties and possibilities of using AI to help parents. It also talks about the possible benefits and its impact on child psychology. There are a lot of ways that AI can help parents, from giving personalized advice that fits the needs of each family to intervening quickly when it spots early signs of developmental problems or parenting stress. AI makes it easier for parents to find tools, workshops, and interactive modules that are based on research. This gives parents the knowledge and trust they need to make choices about their child's growth that are based on facts. Also, AI-powered support can connect parents with similar problems, creating a sense of community and making it less embarrassing to ask for help with parenting or mental health. But there are a few problems that need to be carefully dealt with before AI can be used to help parents in a responsible and effective way. Data privacy and security are very important to protect families' safety and well-being. Important things to think about are the ethical use of data, transparency, and educated permission. Also, the accuracy and dependability of AI programs are very important when it comes to giving good advise and suggestions. To make sure everyone gets fair and equal help, efforts must be made to find and get rid of flaws. Also, AI shouldn't replace human sense and experience; it should add to them. When parents rely too much on AI, they might forget how important human contact and mental support are. To accommodate different parenting styles and views, it is important to be sensitive to culture and circumstances. In conclusion, AI-powered parenting support has a lot of promise to help parents be better parents and help children grow and learn. AI can be a useful tool for helping parents if it can solve problems related to data privacy, ethics, reducing bias, and working together with humans. Finding a balance between technology progress and human connection is important if AI is to be used to its fullest potential to give parents more power and help children grow in the best way possible.

The launch of Open AI's chatbot, ChatGPT, has generated a lot of attention and discussion among professionals in several fields. Many concerns and challenges have been brought up by researchers from various fields, particularly in relation to the harm that using these tools for medical diagnosis and treatment recommendations can cause. Additionally, it has been debated if ChatGPT is dependable, efficient, and helpful for clinicians and medical professionals. Therefore, in this study, we assess ChatGPT's effectiveness in providing mental health support, particularly for issues related to anxiety and depression, based on the chatbot's responses and cross-questioning. The findings indicate that there are significant inconsistencies and that ChatGPT's reliability is low in this specific domain. As a result, care must be used when using ChatGPT as a complementary mental health resource.

Endometriosis is a complex chronic condition characteristic of chronic pelvic pain, dysmenorrhea, anxiety and fatigue. This can often lead to multimorbidity which is defined by the presence of two or more long term conditions. Delayed diagnosis of endometriosis is a crucial issue that leads to poor quality of life and clinical management. There are a variety of limitations linked to conducting endometriosis research including lack of dedicated funding. Additionally, accessing existing electronic healthcare records can be challenging due to governance and regulatory restrictions. Missing data issues are another concern that has been commonly identified among real-world studies. Considering these challenges, data science technique could provide a solution by way of using synthetic datasets that could be generated using known characteristics of endometriosis to explore the possibility of predicting multimorbidity. This study aimed to develop an exploratory machine learning model that can predict multimorbidity among women with endometriosis using real-world and synthetic data. A sample size of 1012 was used from two endometriosis specialized centres in the UK. In addition, 1000 synthetic data records per centre were generated using the widely used Synthetic Data Vault’s Gaussian Copula model based on patients’ records’ characteristics. Three standard classification models, Logistic Regression (LR), Support Vector Machine (SVM), and Random Forest (RF), were used for classification. The average accuracies for all three models (LR, SVM and RF), given as “model accuracy-centre1: accuracy-centre2” were found to be: LR 64.26%:69.04%, SVM 67.35%:68.61%, and RF 58.67%:73.76% on real-world data, and LR 69.9%:72.29%, SVM 69.39%:70.13, and RF 68.88%:74.62 on synthetic data, respectively. The findings of this report show machine learning models trained on synthetic data performed better than models trained on real-world data. Our findings suggest synthetic data holds great promise for shows value to conduct clinical epidemiology and clinical trials that could devise better precision treatments and possibly reduce the burden of multimorbidity.

Monkeypox is a zoonotic illness caused by the Orthopoxvirus monkeypox virus (MPXV). Since 1970, outbreaks of MPXV have occurred in several Sub-Saharan African countries. However, from May 2022 to April 2023, recent outbreaks of MPXV occurred in several countries outside of Africa, and these cases quickly spread to over 100 non-endemic countries on all continents. Because of this, in July 2022, World Health Organization declared monkeypox a Public Health Emergency of International. MPXV disproportionately affects men who have sex with men and members of the HIV-infected population. The current strategy for control and pre-exposure prophylaxis or post-exposure prophylaxis for people at high risk is vaccination. In this context, Peru has the fourth-highest number of MPXV cases in Latin America. Because of this, in this review, we describe public health indicators in Peru and reflect on the COVID-19 pandemic so that health authorities can join forces to identify and control MPXV transmission routes.

With the fast development of blockchain technology in latest years, its application in scenarios that require privacy, such as health area, became encouraged and widely discussed. This paper presents an architecture to ensure the privacy of health-related data, which are stored and shared within a blockchain network in a decentralized manner, through the use of encryption with the RSA, ECC and AES algorithms. Evaluation tests were performed to verify the impact of cryptography on the proposed architecture in terms of computational effort, memory usage and execution time. The results demonstrate an impact mainly on the execution time and on the increase in the computational effort for sending data to the blockchain, however, justifiable considering the privacy and security provided with the architecture and encryption.

Sweet potatoes are a crucial crop for Asian and African countries. Its nutritional content and capacity to keep you healthy have increased in recent years. Moreover, sweet potatoes' fibre also keeps your gut happy. Most sweet potato varieties don't bloom. Due to pollination issues, sweet potatoes are also incompatible with each other. Sweet potato blooms are self-sterile, so they don't mix well in breeding programmes. Traditional and modern breeding procedures didn't always work with sweet potatoes, but some did. Using molecular biology methods, some individuals become more resistant to illnesses by eliminating particular genes. The crop's nature and growth should be improved. All of this should be done to acquire new characteristics in sweet potatoes by crossing them. Sweet potatoes are a superb tuberous crop, but they have issues with pollination and adjusting to new breeding procedures. Modern breeding and biotechnology methods can be used to get the most out of this crop. These are "chronological" ways to get the most out of farming.

Biosecurity is a tool used to alleviate the introduction, emergence and spread of diseases caused by infectious agents. It comprises different health-management activities that need to be followed to reduce the passage and dissemination of infectious agents within and among farms, poultry flocks, and humans, as well as within a country, among countries, or the whole globe. In terms of public health measures, biosecurity applies to practices that will reduce contact between poultry and humans and thereby reduce zoonotic disease transmission. Two of the common biosecurity measures are bioexclusion and biocontainment which themselves are further categorized as segregation/isolation, movement control and hygiene/sanitation/disinfection. Isolation is about putting poultry under an exclusively isolated environment where it lives alone without any interference from any source external to the poultry or at least under reduced and controlled interference. Movement/traffic control and sanitation measures are practices to follow the isolation of poultry or preparatory phase as in the case of sanitation of poultry houses before introduction of poultry. These techniques have been effective in controlling poultry diseases like avian influenza, exotic Newcastle, Marek’s disease, and any other diseases. Depending upon the underlying situation either bioexclusion or biocontainment measure will be used to control these infectious diseases of poultry.

The aims of this study were to assess oral health knowledge, attitudes, and practices among orthodontic patients between the ages of 15 and 17 years old compared to adolescents without orthodontic treatment. This cross-sectional study included 392 adolescents drawn from various French teaching hospitals. A closed-ended questionnaire was used to collect data. Adolescents undergoing orthodontic treatment had a higher knowledge of oral health than adolescents without orthodontic treatment. The majority of adolescents for both groups (69%) claimed to brush their teeth twice a day. Regarding complimentary dental material, 81.9% of adolescents without orthodontic treatment never used an interdental brush and 78.8% never used dental floss. For those undergoing orthodontic treatment, 48.5% never used interdental brush. Only 4% of adolescents without and 3% of adolescents with orthodontic treatment never consumed fizzy drinks, 4.9% and 3% never consumed sweets, 4% and 8.4% never ate fast-food. Adolescents without treatment consumed more sodas (p=0.04) and more fast food (p=0.03). Adolescents had insufficient knowledge of oral health. Health education programmes should be implemented to improve adolescents' knowledge and individual oral prophylaxis with interdental brushes.

Background: Menopause symptoms and hormone replacement therapy (HRT) are among the most common reasons patients seek gynecological advice. Although at least half of all women in developed countries will take HRT during their lifetime, the treatment is not without risk and guidance on HRT is mixed. Greater awareness of negative HRT health effects from extended use has piqued interest in ‘safer options’. Menopause reversal with autologous ovarian platelet-rich plasma (OPRP) has brought this restorative approach forward for consideration, but appropriateness and cost-effectiveness require examination. Methods: HRT and OPRP data from USA were projected to compare cumulative 1yr patient costs using stochastic Monte Carlo modeling. Results: Mean±SD cost-to-patient for HRT including initial consult plus pharmacy refills was estimated at about USD 576±246/yr. While OPRP included no pharmacy component, an estimated 4 visits over 1yr for OPRP maintenance entailed ultrasound, phlebotomy/sample processing, surgery equipment, and incubation/laboratory expense, yielding mean±SD cost for OPRP at USD 8,710±4,911/yr (p<0.0001 vs. HRT, by t-test). Upper-bound estimates for annual HRT and OPRP costs were USD 1,341 and USD 22,232, respectively. Conclusions: While HRT and OPRP may have similar efficacy and safety for menopause therapy, they diverge sharply in cost-effectiveness. Most patients would likely find OPRP too complex, invasive, and expensive to be competitive vs. HRT. Although OPRP is an interesting and cautiously useful technique for selected menopause patients reluctant to use HRT, repurposing this infertility treatment for wider use appears inefficient compared to standard HRT currently available.

Work-life after COVID-19 might never be the same again. After an economic crisis due to the pandemic, the Indonesian government is applying large-scale social restriction relaxation to allow companies to reopen. However, just after a few weeks of social relaxation, new clusters from offices are occurring. With many employees infected with COVID 19, concerns arise among employers; when is the best time for employees to get back to work after COVID-19 infection? This paper provides a general guideline to discontinue isolation in people with suspected or confirmed COVID-19 infection in non-healthcare establishments. According to the newest available evidence, commencing back to work should refer to a symptom-based strategy rather than a test-based strategy. In all circumstances, universal health protocol should be practiced at all times to minimize widespread transmission.

It has been shown that assessing the capacity and quality of sports equipment is important to develop a better understanding of sport participation. Different organizations are involved in the provision of sports products and services. In this regard, policymakers need to design a framework to give people more access to sports facilities. It appears that geographical access to such facilities can affect differences in sport participation around the globe. In this study, Shiraz city districts and the Shiraz sports clubs list were collected. The list of sports clubs was matched with Shiraz districts in March 2020. The significance of the relationship between area, the population of each region, per capita construction budget, frequency of clubs, green area, number of parks, population to number of club’s ratio, and area to the number of club’s ratio indicators and the number of sports clubs were analyzed by SPSS version 22 Using the Spearman correlation coefficient test. There were statistically significant relationships between district and population of each region, District and sports club, District and Population to the number of clubs, area and green area, per capita construction budget and the number of parks, per capita construction budget and population of each region (p<0.05 for all). A significant correlation between the districts and the Population to the number of club’s ratio shows that there is no proper distribution of sports facilities in different urban areas. For this reason, in some areas, people may not have adequate access to sports facilities. Also, a significant correlation was observed between total area and green area, per capita construction budget and the number of parks and Per capita construction budget and the population of each region. So, the health level of the people who live in undeveloped districts is endangered and more attention should be paid to them.

Researchers’ attention has been turned on Health expenditure, Carbon emissions, and economic growth as they play a focal role in the current debate on environmental protection and sustainable development. Our paper endeavors to investigate the impact of economic growth and CO2 emissions on Health expenditure for two main countries in Asia (China and India) using a dynamic panel data model estimated employing the Generalized Method of Moments (GMM) for the period 1960–2019. Our empirical results show that there is a significant relationship between health expenditure, CO2 emissions, and economic growth. The empirical evidence indicates a significant positive impact of CO2 emissions on health expenditure whiles economic growth has a negative impact on health expenditure for both countries for the period under study. The population growth rate has transposed effect on India's health spending; on the other hand, its impact on China’s health spending is significantly positive. The strong observable correlation between health expenditure and economic growth is crucial for economic development.

Given the pace of SARS-CoV-2 transmission and its relatively high mortality rate, COVID-19, has the potential to become the most severe pandemic in recent times. This virus’s spread across international borders has triggered different responses in countries around the globe with a spectrum of mild, moderate to severe outcomes. Nigeria, Africa’s most populous country with many densely populated cities, presents a unique situation for the explosive spread of SARS-CoV-2. However, at the point of this writing, the number of reported confirmed infection and mortality is comparatively lower to other countries with dense urban populations. The exact reasons for this are not clear but include societal, political and infrastructural factors that will influence the course of the outbreak in Nigeria. In this perspective, we have described the ongoing COVID-19 outbreak and its associated peculiarities. We identify critical steps that remain to be taken to contain and control the outbreak in Nigeria.

The issue of when and how to return to business following COVID-19 lockdown is occupying the minds of policymakers, C-Suite executives and managers the world over. We are concerned by the extent to which it appears that these decisions are being taken on a wing and a prayer, while being pitched to the public as though they shouldn’t be questioned. In this paper, we compare the likely impact of COVID-19 infections from travellers coming from the main countries that visit Greece, to the revenues they generate for the Greek economy. We find that arrivals from some countries should be excluded but aren't, while arrivals from other countries that are excluded perhaps shouldn't be. We show that a rational choice around limitations on the reopening of tourist markets depends on the demand for travel to Greece. We conclude that the current policy is largely economically rational, with some exceptions, but also speculate that Greece may not be ready to handle the resulting infection load.

The Covid-19 started in China and took over the world, becoming a pandemic. Especially in Latin America, the coronavirus arrived on the continent in mid-February 2020. The South American continent is going through a delicate political, economic and social moment, which is reflected in the fragility of our health systems and science and to reduce the rates of contagion and not overburden health services, including hospitals. Nevertheless, several studies are being carried out in Brazil and worldwide, with the objective sought to understand the characteristics, and even, the cure of people infected by the coronavirus. Therefore, we must consider science-based strategies to combat the pandemic and promote a health system that takes care of the population that needs it.

Neuropsin is a brain-expressed extracellular matrix serine protease that governs synaptic plasticity through activity-induced proteolytic cleavage of synaptic proteins. Its substrates comprise several molecules central to structural synaptic plasticity, and studies in rodents have documented its role in cognition and the behavioral and neurobiological response to stress. Intriguingly, differential usage of KLK8 (neuropsin gene) splice forms in the fetal and adult brain has only been reported in humans, suggesting that neuropsin may serve a specialized role in human neurodevelopment. Through systematic interrogation of large-scale genetic data, we review KLK8 regulation in the context of mental health and provide a summary of clinical and preclinical evidence supporting a role for neuropsin in the pathogenesis of mental illness.

(1) Background: Travel medicine practice has not been a part of practice in the community pharmacies in Japan. However, it’s getting more common for pharmacists to run travel clinic in North America. With ongoing globalization, Japanese pharmacists might be practicing travel medicine in future. This descriptive study is to examine the current knowledge, attitudes, and practices among Japanese community pharmacists. (2) Methods: Invitation to the study was sent to all pharmacies or corporates listed on Nippon Pharmacist Association member list plus one another large size pharmacy chain that was not member of NPhA. Community pharmacists working under those companies received a weblink to the survey. The survey was conducted from June to July 2017 by online questionnaire. (3) Results: The self-declared knowledge level of infectious diseases as well as travel vaccinations was generally low. The frequency of correct answer of the antibiotic resistance in South East Asia was 48.5%. Knowledge level of qunine resistance to Plasmodium falciparum malaria in Ghana and Nicaragua was very low. (4) Conclusions: Japanese community pharmacists are not familiar with travel related infectious diseases and vaccines used in travel medicine. The knowledge on the antibiotic resistance in traveler’s diarrhea and malaria prophylaxis was all low that is consistent with low degree of exposure to travel health questions from patients in daily practice and low percentage of intention to earn travel health certificates.

The current crisis in psychopharmacology has a long history and needs to be addressed with innovative and effective strategies. Here we discuss some of the roots of this crisis and suggest that the therapeutic use of psychedelic drugs represents a promising and integrative treatment with enduring effects for mental health problems.

Harmful algal blooms (HABs) are natural events produced by massive concentration of toxic phytoplankton that can color red, ocher, brown or yellow large extensions of water, its intensity depends on the different species of phytoplankton involved in the proliferation. The spreading of these formations involves an interaction of biological, chemical, meteorological and anthropogenic factors. Several species with potential toxicity have been reported along Mexican coasts, such as Gymnodinium catenatum, Karenia brevis, Pyrodinium bahamense var. compressum. The toxic bloom not only causes an impact during the event, it produces negative effects afterward, such as accumulating deposits of organic matter, alterations of benthic community structure and composition, species presence/absence, and bioaccumulation of toxins in organisms such as bivalve molluscs mainly. Poisoning may occur by consuming contaminated seafood or by direct exposure to aerosols of the toxins, which can provoke diarrhea or even death. Due to the impact of this type of event on the economy, environment and public health, strategies for monitoring, prevention, and systematic mitigation have been implemented for the evaluation of HAB effects. The aim of this review was to determine the state-of-the art of HAB, their reports and effects on the environment and public health in Mexico.

The microbioma is presently one of the hottest areas of scientific and medical research and exerts a marked influence on the host during homeostasis and disease. Fermented foods arise in the human relationship to the microbial environment. Further to the traditionally recognized effects of fermented foods and beverages on the digestive health and well-being there is now strong evidence on their general health benefits, namely the significance on the gut microbiota and brain functionality. We highlight the possibilities in this field, how little is still known, and call for a convergence of interdisciplinary research fields of One Health microbe-nutrition with fermented foods and gut-brain research. A consequence of civilisation, changes in present-day society in diets with more sugar, fat and salt, habits and lifestyle, contributes to the likelihood of an inflammatory microbiome, particularly the global epidemics of obesity and mental health. Although two recent papers claim that probiotics perturb rather than aid in microbiota recovery back to baseline after antibiotic administration in humans, consuming fermented foods has shown to reduce inflammation so improve gut health and the proper function of the body’s immune system.

Lack of physical activity participation for adults with a disability remain a large public health concern. For those with existing, or newly acquired disability, increased sedentary behavior stemming from physical impairments often results in the development of secondary chronic health conditions (e.g., obesity or osteoarthritis) which leads to participation restrictions within major life roles. Without intervention these secondary conditions further increase physical impairment which, in turn, sets these populations up for continuous negative health trajectories over their remaining lifespan. Physical activity can attenuate the development of secondary health conditions and optimize health outcomes within these populations. However, those with disability often do not possess the necessary physical capacity to maintain physically active lifestyles. Therefore, exercise programs specifically designed to increase physical functioning have been identified as a necessary intermediate step to reduce physical limitations prior to adoption of physically active lifestyles. Adoption of exercise program participation remains a difficult task for both the general population and those with disability alike. Based on current rates of physical inactivity, it is clear that traditional health behavior change models do not adequately address the complexity of this issue. This paper highlights some of the limitations within the current health behavior change models as they relate to exercise behavior. Additionally, a novel conceptual framework is presented for the intent of its incorporation within research and health promotion interventions targeting exercise behavior within disability populations.

Aflatoxins are a known cause of primary liver cancer in Mozambique since pre-independence epidemiological studies. However, their impact goes beyond the public health, affecting the country’s economy and raising legal concerns. As a developing country endemic for Aspergillus, the nation has been struggling to keep pace with external trade quality demands, delicate policy making, still dealing with the farmers’ limitations to control the contamination. The contamination shows variations over time, space and the different commodities. Considering the recommendations of the Codex Alimentarius, the major crops will be highly implicated unless there is major intervention from the authorities to control the toxins.

Human genetic studies have long been vastly Eurocentric, raising a key question about the generalizability of these study findings to other populations. Because humans originated in Africa, these populations retain more genetic diversity, and yet individuals of African descent have been tremendously underrepresented in genetic studies. The diversity in Africa affords ample opportunities to improve fine-mapping resolution for associated loci, discover novel genetic associations with phenotypes, build more generalizable genetic risk prediction models, and better understand the genetic architecture of complex traits and diseases subject to varying environmental pressures. Thus, it is both ethically and scientifically imperative that geneticists globally surmount challenges that have limited progress in African genetic studies to date while meaningfully including African investigators, as greater inclusivity and enhanced research capacity affords enormous opportunities to accelerate genomic discoveries that translate more effectively to all populations. We review the advantages and challenges of studying the genetic architecture of complex traits and diseases in Africa. For example, with greater genetic diversity comes greater ancestral heterogeneity; this higher level of understudied diversity can yield novel genetic findings, but some methods that assume homogeneous population structure and work well in European populations may work less well in the presence of greater diversity and heterogeneity in African populations. Consequently, we advocate for methodological development that will accelerate studies important for all populations, especially those currently underrepresented in genetics.

Conservation Agriculture (CA) is capable of improving soil health and ecosystem functions. Soil carbon sequestration is one of the ecosystem processes that is of importance in sustainable land management involving reduction in greenhouse gas emissions and adaptation to climate change. In this study, we wanted to determine, during the first year of the process of establishing a CA cropping system in rain-fed areas in Madhya Pradesh state of India, which soil health indicators show measurable signs of improvement. Four field trials were selected, each comprising two neighboring plots. One plot (15×15 m) was managed conventionally under farmer practice and was tilled before sowing seeds, and in the adjacent plot Conservation Agriculture practices were applied. No mineral fertilizers or pesticides were applied in both treatments. Soil health indicators of soil aggregate stability, soil-atmosphere CO₂ fluxes, water infiltration, soil moisture, potentially mineralizable nitrogen, soil organic content and bulk density were measured. Results demonstrate that soil CO₂ emissions in CA soils decreased and soil aggregates stability improved in the first year. Generally, in CA soils, there were measurable improvements in all soil health indicators but only some of them were statistically significant.

Healthcare workers' stress, burnout, and job dissatisfaction were exacerbated by the Covid-19 pandemic, whose mid-term negative effects are still present. The aim of this study was to investigate in healthcare workers the effect of the dimensions of burnout (Psychophysical exhaustion, Relational deterioration, and Professional inefficacy) on Career satisfaction. These relationships were evaluated by considering the direct and mediated effects of Disillusion. For these purposes, the Link Burnout Questionnaire (LBQ) and the Career Satisfaction Scale (Occupational Stress Indicator - OSI) were administered to 295 healthcare professionals working at three Italian public hospitals in Cagliari, Italy. The analyses were conducted using the Partial Least Square Structural Equation Model (PLS-SEM) method. Findings highlight that healthcare workers were in a condition of work distress, high risk of burnout, and career dissatisfaction. Also recognized was the direct negative effect of burnout dimensions on career satisfaction. Finally, the mediated negative effect of Disillusion in the relationship between burnout and career satisfaction was identified. This study emphasizes the relevance of the dimension of Disillusion, and its “bright side” Fulfilment, in healthcare workers, specifically referring to the disregarded relationship between burnout and career satisfaction.

Background: The COVID-19 outbreak has accelerated the huge difference between medical care and disease prevention in Chinese medical institutions. This study aimed to investigated the relationship between the symbiotic units, environments, models, and effects of the integration of medical and disease prevention. Methods: This cross-sectional study involved 762 employees of public hospitals in 11 cities in Zhejiang Province by random stratified sampling. We analyzed the influence paths of elements in the mechanism of integration of medical and disease prevention and the mediating effect of symbiotic models among symbiotic units, symbiotic environments, and effects for on this integration. Results: The path coefficient of symbiotic unit on the symbiosis model was 0.46 (p&lt;.001), the path coefficient of symbiotic environment on symbiosis model was 0.52 (p&lt;.001). The path coefficient of the symbiotic unit and environment was 0.91 (p&lt;.001). The symbiotic models exhibited a partial mediation effect between symbiotic units and the effect of this integration. Sobel test = 3.27, β = 0.152, and the mediating effect accounted for 34.6%. Conclusions: It is suggested that Health policy-makers and public hospital managers should provide sufficient symbiotic units, establish collaborative symbiotic models, and improve the effects of integration of medical and disease prevention in public hospitals.

(1) Background: The aim of this study was to identify predictors of the unmet health care needs during the financial and recent health crisis in Greece. (2) Methods: Time series analysis was performed for the years 2008 through 2022 using the Eurostat database. The dependent variable was the percentage of people who reported unmet need for medical care. Demographic, socioeconomic and health data as well as health expenditures were used as independent variables. Correlation analysis and simple linear regression models were conducted to analyze the results. (3) Results: Unmet health needs in Greece increased from the start of the crisis until 2016, as a gradual de-escalation of the crisis is observed. However, in 2019 the country recorded the second highest level of unmet needs for medical care before the health crisis. People with limitations in usual activities, those who report bad/very bad health status, unemployed and with low-income increased the likelihood of unmet needs. Health expenditures (public or private) were also significant determinants of unmet healthcare needs. (4) Conclusions: The increased unmet health needs widen inequalities in health and healthcare access. Therefore, health policy should eliminate barriers which restrict the access to health and enhance healthcare services, developing conditions for citizens' well-being.

Continuous glucose monitoring devices allow diabetes condition management. However, when limited data is available, one option is to increase their size by generating synthetic samples. From a homemade wearable prototype was created a real dataset with 18 instances and 53 attributes that capture characteristics of capillary and venous blood glucose, oxygen concentration, pulse rate, skin temperature, and 24 modules and 24 phases related to bio-impedance. The objective of this article is to generate synthetic datasets, and also it investigates the ideal features subset and optimal model for non-invasive diabetes prediction. Gaussian-Copulas (GC), conditional generative adversarial networks (CG), variational autoencoders, and Copula-GAN techniques' were used to generate five synthetic datasets. Experiments show that GC1 and GC2 datasets follow min/max boundaries and are not copies of the original data. Multilayer perceptron regressor outperformed (train and test) with 2.17, 2.51 in MAE; 9.29, 13.59 in MSE; 3.05, 3.69 in RMSE, and 0.95, 0.92 in R2 in GC1, and 2.64, 3.02 in MAE; 11.43, 15.11 in MSE; 3.38, 3.89 in RMSE, and 0.94, 0.92 in R2 in GC2 with eight features. Future work is necessary to explore autoencoder and generative architectures, datasets with diverse characteristics, and the effect of the number of features.

Bacground, the increasing number of elderly is a new challenge for health care systems around the world. The phenomenon of the complex health problems experienced by the elderly encourages families to bring the elderly to a nursing home. The purpose of this study was to describe the condition of the elderly living in nursing homes and their care needs. Methodology, this research design is a literature review, article search using 5 databases, namely Scopus, ProQuest, Pubmed, CINAHL and Scient Direct. Articles reviewed from 2019 to 2021. Protocol and evaluation of literature review using the PRISMA checklist, and the assessment guide using the Joanna Briggs Institute Guideline. Results, the health conditions of the elderly who live in the orphanage are mostly aged 60 years and over, physically experiencing disturbances in their daily activities and dependence. Psychologically experiencing anxiety, depression, loneliness and even mental disorders and socially need family support. The care needs of the elderly in nursing homes include services by competent and culturally sensitive staff and nurses, safe and comfortable nursing home environmental services, privacy needs and social interactions, spiritual needs services, social guidance services, and skills guidance services. Conclusion, based on the literature review, it can be seen that nursing services should be provided in a humanistic and holistic manner, the elderly are clients who have both bio-psycho-socio-cultural and spiritual needs. So that nursing services are aimed at meeting the needs of the elderly in a comprehensive manner.

This review chronicles the indirect transmission method which seems to be overlooked by most people and makes attempts to clearly document the various transmission ways with a hope that such information may strengthen the knowledge base of researchers towards methods of eradicating the pandemic. Current knowledge of transmission and exposure of SARS-CoV-2 has been explained. Various researchers have put forward different ways of exposure and transmission. Literature does not reveal whether the indirect transmission route is the dominant one. However total lockdown could be a veritable means to reduce both direct and indirect transmission routes. In many countries where the indirect transmission has been reduced, the scourge of the virus is less. The work creates awareness on the need to watch out for those routes of transmissions that may not be popular and suggested key knowledge gaps that needs to filled.

Vascular calcification (VC) is associated with increased cardiovascular risks in patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD). Sodium-glucose cotransporter 2 inhibitors, like empagliflozin, can improve cardiovascular and renal outcomes. We assessed the expression of Runt-related transcription factor 2 (Runx2), interleukin (IL)-1β, IL-6, AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK), nuclear factor erythroid-2-related factor (Nrf2), and heme oxygenase 1 (HO-1) in inorganic phosphate–induced VC in mouse VSMCs to investigate the mechanisms underlying empagliflozin’s therapeutic effects. We evaluated biochemical parameters, mean artery pressure (MAP), pulse wave velocity (PWV), transcutaneous glomerular filtration rate (GFR), and histology in an in vivo mouse model with VC induced by an oral high-phosphorus diet following a 5/6 nephrectomy in ApoE−/− mice. Compared to the control group, empagliflozin-treated mice showed significant reductions in blood glucose, MAP, PWV, and calcification, as well as increased calcium and GFR levels. Empagliflozin inhibited osteogenic trans-differentiation by decreasing inflammatory cytokine expression and increasing AMPK, Nrf2, and HO-1 levels. Empagliflozin mitigates high phosphate–induced calcification in mouse VSMCs through the Nrf2/HO-1 anti-inflammatory pathway by activating AMPK. Animal experiments suggested that empagliflozin reduces VC in CKD ApoE−/− mice on a high-phosphate diet.

Migraine and neuropathic pain (NP) are evocative of painful, disabling, chronic conditions which exhibit resembling symptoms and thus considered to share a common etiology. Calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP) has gained credit as a target for migraine management; nevertheless, the efficacy and the applicability of CGRP modifiers warrant search for more effective therapeutic targets for pain management. This scoping review overviews human studies of common pathogenic factors in migraine and NP to explore potential novel therapeutic targets. CGRP causes inflammation in the meninges; monoclonal antibodies and inhibitors target CGRP. Gluta-mate-induced hyperexcitability and subsequent sensitization are closely linked to an alteration of the tryptophan (Trp)-kynurenine (KYN) metabolic system; the Trp-KYN system may serve as a potential target. Microglial overaction is observed in migraine and NP; modifying the microglial activity may be a possible approach. Cytokine-induced inflammation is a leading hypothesis of the pathogenesis of the conditions; alleviating neuroinflammation may complement a pain-relieving armamentarium. Transient receptor potential (TRP) ion channels evoke the release of several substances; TRP ion channels may potentially emerge as new targets. The endocannabinoid system plays a major role in the pain trafficking pathway; modification of the system may open a new path toward discovery of new analgesics. Here we highlight the mechanism of those common pathogenic factors to explore therapeutic targets for innovative pain management in migraine and NP.

Although phylogenetic analysis shows coronaviruses (CoV) share similar genome sequences, CoVs encode different number of proteins (5 to 14), which has implication on viral pathogenicity and infection. Here, we aimed to identify (in-silico) the similarities between different members of coronavirus family. The analysis included 50 coronavirus proteomes, including SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19), to find the variation of the number of protein functional motifs and domain in each coronavirus. For this role, we used the experimentally validated domain (motif) that known to be crucial for viral infection. Although human CoVs are classified within one genus, we found variations among them. SARS-CoV-1, SARS-CoV-2 and MERS-CoV encode different type of domains, which has implications on the molecular interactions triggered by each virus within human cells. Secondly, we used functional motifs to reconstruct the potential molecular pathways or interactions triggered by SARS-CoV-2 proteins within human cell.

Background: Vitamin D is essential for bone health, influencing bone mineral density (BMD) and the prevention of bone-related disorders. Despite its importance, Vitamin D deficiency remains prevalent among young adults, raising concerns about its impact on skeletal health. Objective: This review aims to summarize the current understanding of Vitamin D's role in bone health, focusing on its effects on BMD in young adults, and to identify gaps in the existing literature. Methods: A comprehensive narrative review of recent studies and guidelines was conducted, covering Vitamin D synthesis, its impact on bone health, dietary recommendations, and public health implications. Data were sourced from PubMed, Google Scholar, and relevant clinical guidelines.

This study explores the intriguing relationship between personality traits, self-rated fitness (SRF), and physical activity (PA) variables among German university students (N = 4,244), and sheds light on the impact of personality on adherence to PA guidelines. Employing an online cross-sectional study, the short-form of the Big Five Inventory-2 assessed five domains of personality traits (Extraversion, Negative Emotionality, Agreeableness, Conscientiousness, and Open-Mindedness). PA, including sitting time, was assessed using the International Physical Activity Questionnaire (short-form). SRF and muscle-strengthening activities (MSA) were assessed with one item each. Multiple linear and logistic regression analyses examined associations of individual personality trait domains and all domains combined with SFR, PA variables, and adherence to PA guidelines, controlling for sociodemographic, behavioral, and (mental) health covariates. Most reliably, Extraversion and Conscientiousness revealed positive associations with PA variables, while Negative Emotionality yielded inverse relationships with PA variables. For instance, each unit increase in Extraversion corresponded to additional 17 minutes weekly MSA. Contrary, daily sitting time was unrelated to personality. Of note, high Open-Mindedness was associated with lower odds for adhering to current PA guidelines. The findings have implications for developing targeted interventions that promote a physically active lifestyle and support students' well-being and academic success.

This paper presents PrognosEase; a software that provides an easier way to produce different types of run-to-failure data mimicking real-world conditions to simplify prognosis studies in terms of data collection and improvement in ML degradation modelling process. Different types of degradation types made available to meet different types of applications. Besides, some primary ML tests were performed to ensure that complexity patterns of real systems could be observed in the training/testing predictions attitude. This paper also presents the impacts, limitations and potential improvements of the data generator.

Previous studies have shown that agricultural works bear a disproportionately higher burden of HIV, which is the highest HIV prevalence ever reported in any working population in South Africa. This study aimed to assess HIV knowledge, attitudes and practices of agricultural workers, as a precarious and vulnerable workforce. A cross-sectional study design was employed. A pre-piloted paper-based questionnaire was administered to a consenting sample of agricultural workers. Descriptive and inferential statistics were performed using stata version 16.1 software, 0.05 level was used as a measure of significance. The majority of agricultural workers had adequate knowledge level (72.1%) regarding HIV/AIDS. Knowledge was significantly associated with having some level of education,) secondary education (AOR: 1.46, 95% CI:1.01-2.12), and post-matric qualification (AOR: 3.07, 95% CI: 1.61-5.83). The attitudes level of workers towards HIV was good (88.1%). Attitude was negatively associated with residing in informal settlements (AOR: 0.64, 95% CI 0.43-0.97). Majority of participants exhibited poor prevention practices regarding HIV (60.9%). Half of participants reported low condom usage (50.9%) and multiple sexual partners (50.6%). The portrayed risky sexual behavior establishes agricultural workers as an HIV high-risk population. Strategizing non-conventional approaches to HIV prevention and behavior change communication targeting agricultural workers is recommended.

The emerging concept of planetary health needs to be discussed in a more organized and sustainable way within the global public health and healthcare disciplines. Therefore, planetary health should be considered a cardinal component of the global academic framework for healthcare professionals. The availability of related curricula and courses is crucial to equip health professionals in this relatively new discipline of planetary health. In this review article, we aimed to explore published articles and online databases of courses to summarize the available planetary health education opportunities and discussions for health professionals, to identify the gaps in resource allocation and to suggest future recommendations. We observed a visible re-source inequity in global south with the lack of a universal planetary health module for healthcare professionals. Additionally, there is minimal inclusion of allied health disciplines in this learning process. We, therefore, recommend a dedicated network of motivated healthcare professionals and regional hubs with an agenda to ensure a comprehensive, uniform, and inclusive planetary health education curriculum and practice.

Motorcycles can be considered a new form of smart vehicle when taking into account their small and modern structure and due to the fact that nowadays they are used in the new role of ambu-lance to rapidly reach emergency patients in large cities with traffic congestion. However, there is no study regarding the measuring of access time for motorcycle ambulances in large cities of Thailand. Therefore, this study aims to compare access times to patients between motorcycle ambulances and conventional ambulances, including analysis of the use of AED installed on motorcycle ambulances to contribute to the sustainable development of public health policies. In two hundred and seventy-one operations, it was found that the times from dispatch to vehicle (ambulance and motorlance) being en route and times from the 1669 center (center for com-mand-and-control EMS in Thailand) call receipt to arrival on scene (response time) of motorcycle ambulances was shorter than that of a conventional ambulance and the use of AED on a motor-cycle ambulance can increase the chances of survival for patients with cardiac arrest outside the hospital in public places where AEDs are not available and in all cases where access to an AED was less than eight minutes.

Despite several attempts by governments and non-governmental organizations to eliminate female genital mutilation or cutting, it is puzzling that this traditional procedure is widely practiced today in many parts of sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). Scholarly arguments on the influence of female genital mutilation on sexual behavior up until now remain inconclusive. The current study sought to examine the association between female genital mutilation and early sexual initiation among girls and young women (AGYW) in SSA. Data from Demographic and Health Surveys (DHS) of 12 SSA countries were combined. A total of 30,089 AGYW (15-24 years) who had ever had sex and had complete information on all the variables of interest were considered. The outcome variable for the study was early sexual initiation. The study employed multilevel logistic regression for the data analysis, with reported odds ratio and associated 95% confidence intervals (CIs). The overall prevalence of female genital mutilation among AGYW was 49.9%, with the highest and lowest prevalence in Guinea (95.8%) and Togo (3.3%) respectively. The prevalence of early sexual initiation was 42.4%, with the highest and lowest prevalence in Niger (59.9%) and Burkina Faso (30.6%) respectively. AGYW who had not experienced female genital mutilation were less likely to have early sexual initiation [OR= 0.74, CI= 0.70-0.78], compared to those who had experienced female genital mutilation, after controlling for significant covariates. The likelihood of early sexual initiation was high among AGYW aged 15-19 [OR=2.38, CI=2.26-2.51] but low among AGYW with secondary education [AOR=0.58, CI=0.54-0.63], those who had never married [OR=0.68, CI=0.60-0.78], those in households with richest wealth quintile [OR=0.64, CI=0.57-0.72], those who were exposed to mass media [OR=0.88, CI=0.83-0.93], and those working [OR=0.91, CI=0.87-0.96]. Not undergoing female genital mutilation in the midst of socio-economic factors (e.g., education level, household wealth) could limit AGYW from early sexual debut. These findings underscore the need for effective campaign and programs (e.g., educational programs, entrepreneurial training, micro-finance schemes) against the practice of female genital mutilation. Policy interventions (e.g., “schooling for the girl-child” initiatives) that might delay early sexual initiation among adolescent girls and young women in the midst of identified socio-economic factors should be developed.

This paper presents a critical review of key issues related to the emergence of new networks for the spread of zoonotic diseases amid the mass extinction of species. Zoonotic and infectious diseases account for approximately 70% of new and existing diseases affecting humans and animals. The initial section argues that the term "zoonoses" should not be confined to single-cause events within veterinary medicine. Instead, zoonoses should be viewed as complex, systemic phenomena shaped by interrelated factors, including environmental, sociocultural, and economic elements, influenced by anthropogenic climate change. The second section presents bioethical principles and potential strategies for those engaged in zoonotic disease prevention. The third section uses the slaughter of animals in disaster settings as a case study to illustrate the need for further clarification of normative and interspecies justice conflicts in One Health ethics. This section concludes with an outlook on "zoonoethics." Section four develops the analysis of the interlinked elements that trigger zoonoses and examines antimicrobial resistance (AMR) from an ethical and political standpoint, concluding with policy recommendations for addressing AMR. Section five offers a critical reflection, integrating contributions from zoonoethics, human ecology, and the ecotheological turn. Finally, section six concludes with a call to action and policy recommendations for an inclusive, intercultural, and gender-sensitive One Health approach.

Objectives The aim of the study is to evaluate the effectiveness of extra virgin olive oil (EVO) and fruity oil for the treatment of gingivitis. Materials and Methods. A sample of 75 patients with gingivitis induced by plaque bacteria, over 18 years of age, was divided into three groups: a study group A with extra virgin olive oil, a study group B with fruity oil and a control group C. In the two study groups, Evo oil was administered as a mouthwash in patients with gingival inflammation. The protocol included a daily application of the product for 30 days, with three recalls 15 days apart. Clinical parameters of plaque formation and gingivitis - plaque index (PI), bleeding index (BI) were assessed at each recall and scored on a specific periodontal chart. The control group re-ceived no mouthwash treatment to normal daily oral hygiene procedures, and the same clinical parameters as the study group were evaluated. Data were evaluated using SPSS 27.0 software for Windows (SPSS Inc., Chica-go, IL, USA). Then, the pre- and post-treatment values of the groups were compared using the t-student test, set-ting P < 0.05 as the significance level. Results Comparison with the three groups showed that extra virgin olive oil was an adjuvant in the treatment of gingival inflammation, improving PI and BI. In group A, mean plaque index had a 48% reduction and bleeding index 64% reduction, after 30 days. In group B, the mean plaque index had a 35% reduction and a bleeding index reduction of 43%, after 30 days. Conclusion The collected data showed significant improvements in the formation of bacterial plaque and gingi-vitis. the exact mechanism of such treatment is still to be elucidated. As a result of this, further studies with a different sample of patients to those used and a comparison with other products need to be addressed to verify and demonstrate the antibacterial and anti-inflammatory effect of the components of this natural product.

Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is a global health problem threatening safe, effective healthcare delivery in all countries and settings. The ability of microorganisms to become resistant to the effects of antimicrobials is an inevitable evolutionary process. The misuse and overuse of antimicrobial agents has increased the importance of a global focus on antimicrobial stewardship (AMS). This review provides insight into the current AMS landscape and identifies contemporary actors and initiatives related to AMS projects in eight African countries (Ghana, Kenya, Malawi, Nigeria, Sierra Leone, Tanzania, Uganda, and Zambia), which form a network of countries participating in the Commonwealth Partnerships for Antimicrobial Stewardship (CwPAMS) programme. We focus on common themes across the eight countries, including the current status of AMR, infection prevention and control, AMR implementation strategies, AMS, antimicrobial surveillance, antimicrobial use, antimicrobial consumption surveillance, a one health approach, digital health, pre-service and in-service AMR & AMS training, access to and supply of medicines, and the impact of COVID-19. Recommendations suitable for adaptation are presented, including the development of a national AMS strategy and incorporation of AMS in pharmacists’ and other healthcare professionals' curricula for pre-service and in-service training.

The aim was to evaluate levels of compassion fatigue in nursing professionals working in complex care units of a Brazilian university hospital. A cross-sectional, descriptive, and correlational study was carried out with nursing workers from complex care units of a University Hospital. Data were collected in the second half of 2019, in the pre-pandemic period of COVID-19, using the Brazilian version of the Professional Quality of Life Scale (ProQoL-BR). A total of 146 individuals partici-pated, including 41 (28.1%) nurses, 92 (63.0%) nursing technicians and 13 (8.9%) nursing assis-tants. It was observed that 26.1% presented high level of compassion satisfaction. For 17.5% there was level of burnout and 49.7%, medium level of burnout; and 22.0% with high and 46.1% with medium level of secondary traumatic stress. Twenty-eight (19.2%) professionals had compassion fatigue, of which 16 (57.1%) were nursing technicians. There is a high percentage of professionals with medium and high rates of burnout and secondary traumatic stress, a fact that is reinforced by the presence of compassion fatigue in almost one fifth of the studied individuals. These results highlights how much the health of these workers can be affected by living with traumatic patient experiences.

The negative effect of COVID-19 pandemic has reach world economy due to absence from work for SARS-CoV-2 infection in workers, among other things. However, some economic areas are essential to society and people must continue working outside home, to support economic reactivation; their serological profile could be different from global population. Cross-sectional study. Workers from health, construction, public transportation, public force, bike delivery messengers, independent or informal commerce areas, and residents of Bucaramanga or its metropolitan area were invited to participate. All participants self-completed a virtual survey and a blood test was taken to assess IgG and IgM with ARC COV2 test. Seroprevalence was estimated considering a complex survey design, correcting for finite population effect and adjusting for test performance. 7.045 workers were enrolled; 59.9% were women, most were residents of Bucaramanga and working in health occupations. Global adjusted seroprevalence was 19.5% (IC95% 18.6 - 20.4), being higher for Girón [27.9% (CI95% 24.5 - 31.30]). Workers with multiple contact with people during working hours or using public transportation to go to work had higher frequency of seropositivity for SARS-CoV-2. Seroprevalence among workers living in these four municipalities from the Colombian northeast area is still low.

The pandemic outbreak of COVID-19 had begun in March of 2020 on a global scale. This outbreak has originated numerous questions for society and many challenges for public managers. The disease is worrying because it has a high propagation velocity, high lethality levels, and there is no cure. Some groups are considered more vulnerable due to pre-existing disease conditions, age-range, and living conditions. In Latin American countries, people live in different conditions than those who live in countries located in the North hemisphere, such as climatic conditions, less favorable socioeconomic conditions, different educational levels, inequality, precarious urban infrastructure, etc. These factors generate even more concern and uncertainty about the pandemic than in developed countries. This study aimed, although preliminarily, to identify areas of great socio-spatial vulnerability and susceptibility of infection of people over 60 years old of COVID-19 in Brasília, Brazil. In this research, publicly available data and information about the population characteristics and social aspects were used, all connected directly to the census sectors. With the support of Geographic Information System (GIS), a matrix was used to cross-check the data and, thereby, achieve the objective of identifying the most vulnerable sectors for people aged over 60 years old. The results point out to more than 400 census sectors classified as Extremely Vulnerable in Brasília and it should be the object of special attention for public managers to do specific health care actions.

Objective: The study investigated the benefit of practicing the art of bonsai and the well-being of practitioners. The art promotes relaxation, focus and art therapy that can have personal and emotional value in a self-help setting. When the bonsai tree is used as a healing object, it may improve the ability of the bonsai practitioner to adapt to adverse and stressful life events, such as the present global COVID-19 pandemic. Method: International bonsai artists (n = 255) participated in a study that examined the effect their bonsai had on their mental well-being. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with bonsai artists answering the question: “How has bonsai helped you?”. Results: Most participants acknowledged that being able to take care of their bonsais affected their mood in a positive manner. Discussion: Although the participants did not report overall improved mental health, participants expressed an improvement in their mood when being able to work on a bonsai tree. Conclusion: These findings are significant in that it can be useful in as a preventative and restorative manner in the mental well-being of people who practice the art.

On March 11^th 2020, the World Health Organization (WHO) declared the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus (SARS-CoV2) as a pandemic. Until an effective treatment or a vaccine is developed, the current recommendations are to contain the disease, and control its transmission. It is now clear that the primary mode of SARS-CoV2 transmission is aerosol/droplet spread, and by contacting virus contaminated surfaces acting as fomites (inanimate vectors). Furthermore, recent data indicate that the live virus particles are present in saliva, and, more alarmingly, asymptomatic individuals may transmit the infection. By virtue of the nature of the practice of dentistry where intrinsically, a high volume of aerosols are produced, as well as the close proximity of dentists and patients during treatment, dentists and allied dental staff are considered the highest risk health professional group for acquiring SARS-CoV2 during patient management. Therefore, several organizations and specialty associations have proposed guidelines and recommendations for limiting the transmission of SARS-COV2 from carriers to dentists and vice versa. This paper aims to provide a review of these guidelines, and concludes with a brief look at how the practice of dentistry may be impacted by COVID-19, in the post-pandemic era.

Population based studies have associated poor living conditions with the persistent disparity in the health of Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal Australians. This project assesses the applicability of the Health Community Assessment Tool and its role in improving the environment of a small community in the Midwest of WA. The action research cycles started with the initial reflection on the suitability of the HCAT version 2 for the local community context and whether it was fit-for-purpose. The researcher provided ‘critical companionship’, while the participants of the study were invited to be co-researchers (the Assessors) who critically examined the HCAT and assess the community. The relevant domains to the serviced town (an outer regional community) were pest control and animal management; healthy housing; food supply; community vibrancy, pride and safety; reducing environmental tobacco smoke; and promoting physical activity. The Assessors found the HCAT descriptors mostly aligned with their community context but found some of the items difficult to apply. Based on participant’s suggestions, some of the original scoring scales were reformatted. School attendance and illicit drug use were identified as a key outcome indicator for youth but were missing from the HCAT. The HCAT domains applied helped streamlining core business of agencies in the local community. The face validity of HCAT items were confirmed in this research with minor adjustments to reflect local context. Youth engagement to education is of high community concern and the development of an item would create similar interagency collaborative dialogues.

The adoption of health information technology (HIT) has increased considerably, contributing to better communication between physicians and patients and providing technological bases for learning and institutional improvement. This type of technology brings many challenges; therefore, understanding its adoption and assimilation is important to assess its potential for engendering desirable outcomes in health management. The assimilation of health information systems should be highlighted as their importance in health organisations is now recognised as a key facilitator assisting in providing better health outcomes. Thus, this study aimed to analyse HIT adoption based on models such as Technology, Organisation and Environment (TOE), which analyses at the organisational level, with other models, such as the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM), which analyses at the individual level, and the assimilation of the adopted technologies.

Given the pivotal role played by the microbiome in skin health it is important to understand how its composition varies with age, gender and body site, and regular use of topical products. Four studies have been carried out to determine the effects of long term (4 week) use of different dexpanthenol containing topical products on the skin microbiome of a varied population with cosmetically dry skin. Skin microbiome composition was assessed before and after product usage. No significant changes in microbiome richness or diversity were found for the individual test products, however meta-analysis of the combined dataset did show changes in microbiome composition as a function of subject sex, age and body site. The work presented here demonstrates how the use of carefully formulated topical products on skin, when used in a way which is representative of real life usage conditions, can respect the microbial diversity present on skin across a widely varied study population.

Purpose: The healthcare pressure and emotional tension during the first year of the COVID 19 pandemic have been able to affect the health of healthcare personnel. Physical and psychological symptoms attributed to a work situation and or COVID 19 infection are describ ed in health professionals. Objective: to analyze the prevalence of physical and psychological symptoms directly or indirectly related to COVID 19 (occupational causes, illness or persistent COVID 19) after a 12 month pandemic. Methods: #COVID19PS is a cro ss sectional analytical study using an ad hoc questionnaire distributed through social media to record physical and psychological symptoms related to COVID 19 in health professionals. Variables: age, sex, geographical origin, profession, characteristics of the work environment, physical symptoms, Maslach test ( for health professionals. Univariate and bivariate statistical analysis using t distribution, Chi square, ANOVA using IBM SPSS v20®. Results: N=1.159 ( women, 21.8% men; 44.6% <35 years old, 23.9% between 35 45years); 96.5% Spaniards. Professions: 17.1% medicine, 12.7% nursing, 32% physiotherapy, 24.1% occupational therapy, 14.1% others; 47.5% belonged to direct care for COVID 19 patients. 28.2% had passed the disease and 3.7% had it acti ve. 61.6% had physical symptoms ( neurological, 31.7% musculoskeletal, 29.6% general, 20.9% gastrointestinal, 20.3% skin, 19.2% cardiovascular, 16% respiratory (p= 96.9% had a medium high Burnout index (p= 48.3% with high levels of Emot ional Exhaustion, 62.9% with medium high level of Depersonalization and 74% with medium low levels of Personal Accomplishment. Conclusion: all health professions present high rates of physical and burnout consequences of the first year of COVID 19 pandemic.

The generation of vortices around bridge piers can lead to removal of riverbed materials from around piers, especially during flood events and heavy rainfalls, which can compromise the stability of the bridge and consequently its failure, if not properly detected and mitigated. Bridge failures pose serious threats to the local socio-economic and public safety and can cost lives. As such, real-time monitoring and early warning systems for scour-induced bridge failure can serve as a vital tool to protect the community and civil infrastructure against disastrous events. Vibration-base monitoring of bridge scour is an attractive option due to its low cost and relatively easy installation without the need to block the road and close the bridge to traffic. While limited number of previous studies have shown the capabilities of acceleration-based monitoring techniques in this area of research, they generally lack a rigorous framework for data analysis within and relating those to evaluate scour. This paper is an attempt to provide such framework that would enable a fast and low-cost analysis of vibration data within a physical modelling study on a simplified bridge pier. To achieve this, three experiments were conducted on an ideal single-pier scaled model bridge in a hydraulic flume, where water flows at a velocity near the critical velocity for the sand bed which in turn generates a scour hole around the pier. Then, the vibration data recorded using two mounted wireless accelerometers, were used to conduct an operational modal analysis through which the natural frequencies are extracted. The extracted natural frequencies and measured scour depths are then used to provide a chart that relates these two parameters. The results of this study showed the promising capability of the vibration-based data analysis in finding this relationship, indicating an up to around 30-50% reduction in natural frequencies as a result of around 50% scour ratio (ratio of maximum scour depth to buried depth), and beyond 50% scour ratio the natural frequencies remain constant. While the data presented in this paper are preliminary, they clearly show a promising potential for application in real-time monitoring of bridge stability under the effect of local scour and further works are underway to enrich the experimental data and empower the proposed methodologies at the laboratory scale.

Health and wellness tourism should be particularly valued in the post-pandemic phase, as a stra-tegic product to enhance the population's well-being and quality of life indicators, at social, phys-ical, and environmental dimensions, with different proposals for specialized experiences that complement the destination's offer, positioning regions as health and wellness destinations. Thermal tourism should be encouraged, as a specific product, due to the innovation and diversi-fication observed in the services made available and the benefits recognized at different age levels of tourists and destinations communities. Considering the relevance of thermal springs and thermal tourists for tourism destinations image, positioning, and development, this research aims to identify the specific motivations of tourists to the practice of thermal tourism, to understand how the benefits that thermal tourists search for, and their sociodemographic profile influence the motivations, and how the motivations determine the travel characteristics. This research was de-veloped on the North and Centre of Portugal, for their relevance in the context of thermal springs and related tourism activities. To achieve the research objectives, a questionnaire survey was ap-plied to thermal tourists, through a non-probability by convenience sampling, using bivariate tests, such as Pearson’s chi-squared test, one-way ANOVA, and t-student. The results highlight that most respondents practiced thermal tourism due to leisure and relaxation benefits, such as the escape from daily stress, spend time with family, and being "pampered"; relaxation is the most valued motivation, followed by the search for psychological and physical wellbeing. The research found relations between the benefits expected by thermal tourists, and their travel characteristics such as the composition of the group, the general travel motivation, the thermal destination cho-sen, and the number of nights spent. In thermal tourism, new challenges emerge, demanding the development of strategies, products, and services responding to the needs of specific market segments.

Pollution of urban surface dust with hazardous elements (HEs) is a serious environmental issue due to its toxicity and potential hazardous effects. Surface dust samples were collected from core urban, urban, and suburban gradients in the Urumqi city of the arid NW China, and the concentrations of six HEs, such as arsenic (As), cadmium (Cd), nickel (Ni), lead (Pb), mercury (Hg), and chromium (Cr), were determined. The pollution load index (PLI) and the US EPA health risk assessment model were applied to analyze and compare the pollution levels and potential health risk of HEs in surface dusts in different urbanization gradients. The obtained results indicate that the average concentrations of Hg, Cd, and Ni in surface dust decrease in the order of core urban > urban > suburban, whereas the average concentrations of As, Cr, and Pb decrease in the order of urban > core urban > suburban. The PLI of HEs in surface dust decreased in the order of core urban > urban > suburban. The concentrations of HEs in the core urban and urban gradients are relatively higher than in the suburban gradient. Furthermore, the total non-carcinogenic and carcinogenic risk index of investigated HEs in surface dust decrease in order of urban > core urban > suburban, for both adults and children. In addition, the pollution of surface dust with HEs in all urbanization gradients is more harmful to the children's health than to the adults. Overall, the potential non-carcinogenic and carcinogenic health risks of the investigated HEs, instigated primarily by oral ingestion of surface dust, are found to be within the acceptable range. However, urbanization can effects the accumulation of HEs in surface dust, and Cr is the main non-carcinogenic risk factor, whereas Cd is the main carcinogenic risk factor among the analyzed HEs in surface dust in all urbanization gradients.

Background: COVID-19 crisis has changed the conditions of many throughout the globe. One negative consequence of the on-going pandemic is anxiety brought by uncertainty and the COVID-19 disease. Increased anxiety is a potential risk factor for wellbeing at work. This study investigated psychological, situational, and socio-demographic predictors of COVID-19 anxiety using longitudinal data. Methods: Nationally representative sample of Finnish workers (N = 1308) was collected before and during the COVID-19 crisis. Eighty percent of the participants responded to the follow-up study (N=1044). COVID-19 anxiety was measured with a modified Spielberger State–Trait Anxiety Inventory. Psychological and situational predictors included perceived loneliness, psychological distress, technostress, personality, social support received from work community, and remote working. Also, number of socio-demographic factors were investigated. Results: Perceived loneliness, psychological distress, technostress, and neuroticism were identified as robust psychological predictors of COVID-19 anxiety. Increase in psychological distress and technostress during the COVID-19 crisis predicted higher COVID-19 anxiety. Recent change in work field and decreased social support from work community predicted COVID-19 anxiety. Women and young people experienced higher anxiety. Conclusions: Different factors explain workers’ COVID-19 anxiety. Increased anxiety can disrupt wellbeing at work, emphasizing organizations’ role in maintaining an inclusive and caring work culture and providing technical and psychological support to workers during crisis.

In the past ten years several novel hantaviruses were discovered in shrews, moles and bats, suggesting the dispersal of hantaviruses in many animal taxa other than rodents during their evolution. Interestingly, the co-evolutionary analyses of most recent studies have raised the possibility of non-rodents may have served as the primordial mammalian host and harboured the ancestors of rodent-borne hantaviruses as well. The aim of our study was to investigate the presence of hantaviruses in bat lung tissue homogenates originally collected for taxonomic purposes in Malaysia, 2015. Hantavirus specific nested RT-PCR screening of 116 samples targeting the L segment of the virus have revealed the positivity of two lung tissue homogenates originating from Murina aenea bat species. Nanopore sequencing of hantavirus positive samples resulted in partial genomic data from S, M and L genome segments. The obtained results indicate the first molecular evidence for hantavirus in Murina aenae bat species and also the first discovery of a hantavirus in Murina bat species. Sequence analysis of the PCR amplicon and partial genome segments suggests the identified virus may represent a novel species in Mobatvirus genus within Hantaviridae family. Furthermore, our results provide additional genomic data to help extend our knowledge about the evolution of these viruses.

Despite epidemiological findings of improvements in cardiovascular risk factors with a light-to-moderate intake of alcohol, many misconceptions remain regarding alcohol intake and the risks and benefits of consumption. We sought to examine physician attitudes and recommendations regarding alcohol intake in a cohort of Argentine physicians and to establish their sources of knowledge. An online national survey was distributed through the Argentine Federation of Cardiology (FAC) to cardiologists, internal medicine specialists, general and other subspecialty physicians in Argentina. The survey was completed by 745 physicians, of whom 671 (90%) were cardiologists. In total, 35% of physicians viewed moderate alcohol intake to be beneficial for cardiovascular health, 36% believed only wine offered such benefits, 24% viewed any intake to be harmful, and 5% had other opinions. More than half (57%) self-reported their knowledge to come from academic sources. Regarding knowledge of drinking guidelines, only 41% of physicians were aware of the concept of ‘standard drink’. Physicians were generally not comfortable converting ‘standard drinks’ into other metric units, however men tended to be more comfortable than women (p=0.052). Physicians were not satisfied with their knowledge of drinking guidelines (3.01 ± 2.73, on a 0-10 scale). Physicians were generally comfortable in counselling patients regarding safe-limits of consumption (6.22 ± 3.20, on a 0-10 scale). Argentine physicians were not satisfied with their knowledge of alcohol consumption guidelines or their understanding of the reported metrics. Only one-third of study participants viewed moderate alcohol intake as beneficial for cardiovascular health. This study shows the necessity to optimize the sources of knowledge.

The prevalence of hepatitis B and delta viruses (HBV/HDV) among people who use drugs (PWUD) remains largely unknown. In the context of one Philadelphia-based harm reduction organization (HRO), this study aimed to assess HBV/HDV prevalence and facilitate linkage to care. Participants completed a demographic HBV/HDV risk factor survey and were screened for HBV and reflexively for HDV if positive for HBV surface antigen or isolated core antibody. Fisher’s exact tests and regression were used to understand relationships between risks and HBV blood markers. Of the 498 participants, 126 (25.3%) were susceptible to HBV, 52.6% had been vaccinated against HBV, and 17.9% had recovered from a past infection. Eleven (2.2%) participants tested positive for isolated HBV core antibody, 10 (2.0%) for HBV surface antigen, and one (0.2%) for HDV antibody. History of incarceration was associated with current HBV infection, while transactional sex and experience of homelessness were predictive of previous exposure. This study found high rates of current and past HBV infection, and a 10% HBV/HDV co-infection rate. Despite availability of vaccine, one quarter of participants remained vulnerable to infection. Findings demonstrate the need to improve low-threshold HBV/HDV screening, vaccination, and linkage to care among PWUD. The study also identified gaps in the HBV/HDV care cascade, including lack of point-of-care diagnostics and lack of support for HROs to provide HBV services.

Worldwide epidemiological data indicates insufficient diagnosis of diabetes as an increasing problem of public health. Searching for solutions in this disadvantageous situation, occupational medicine health services seem to open up a unique opportunity to recognize some abnormalities in early steps, especially among the asymptomatic working-age population. 316 workers underwent obligatory prophylactic examinations. In patients with twice assayed FGL ≥ 126 mg/dl (7.0 mmol/l) the additional intervention was implemented, including further diagnostic process and therapy in General Practice (GP), followed by examination by an occupational health specialist within 3 months. The diagnosis of previously unknown diabetes was established among 2.5% of examined workers. All patients referred to the GP due to detected glycaemia impairment visited their doctor and finished the diagnostic process, took up therapy constrained by the occupational health physician to show the effects of intervention within 3 months. Prophylactic medical check-ups allow improved compliance and medical surveillance over glycaemia impairment in patients with prediabetes states, unknown diabetes or uncontrolled clinical course of diabetes. Considering fasting glucose level during mandatory prophylactic examination helps effective prevention of diabetes and its complications and thus give public health system benefits.

This study investigated the relationship between mental health, physical activity, and weight among Saudi female university students. A cross-sectional survey was conducted to assess participants' risky behaviors, psychological health, and health-related habits. Results revealed that a significant number of students had unhealthy eating habits, low levels of physical activity, and were overweight. While there was a slight trend towards lower physical activity and higher weight among individuals with higher depressive symptoms, these relationships were not statistically significant. The study concludes that factors beyond mental health, such as cultural norms and social support, likely play a more significant role in influencing physical activity levels and weight among Saudi university students. Further research is needed to identify these factors and develop targeted interventions to promote healthier lifestyles.

: Background: The aim of this study was to evaluate Phenylketonuria (PKU) patients’ oral health habits and the efficiency of tailored recommendations for PKU patients in Latvia on the correct management of oral hygiene. The-free amino acid formula can negatively impact PKU patient’s oral health as it contains a high amount of complex carbohydrates. Materials and methods: In this study with a one-month interval pre and post implementation of oral hygiene recommendations, two questionnaires regarding oral hygiene habits and knowledge were prepared and provided by trained medical personnel to be filled in for all diagnosed PKU patients in Latvia who were not lost to follow-up. Results: Based on the questionnaires among the PKU patients under 18 years of age, 27% cleaned their teeth once a day. However, 6% of patients did not engage in regular teeth brushing at all. Among PKU patients over and 18 years of age, 26% brushed their teeth only once a day. Additionally, a mere 39% of PKU patients ≥18 years of age and 17% &lt; 18 years of age incorporated flossing into their oral hygiene routine. In total, 45% of PKU patients ≥18 years of age and 44% &lt; 18 years of age visited a dentist once a year, but 40% ≥18 years of age and 39% &lt;18 years of age visited a dentist less often than once per year. After reading the recommendations, a remarkable number of PKU patients &lt; 18 years of age had improved their daily oral hygiene routine, including toothbrushing (25%) and flossing (23%). Conclusion: Given the unique dietary requirements and the implementation of these daily at-home oral health practices, motivation and regular reminders should result in better oral health of PKU patients and cooperation with clinicians.

The quality and safety of fermented milk products, which make up a sizeable portion of human nutrition, are greatly influenced by both the milk itself and the starting cultures employed to ferment it. Lactic acid bacteria (LAB) create a variety of metabolites throughout the fermentation process, altering the organoleptic properties of the substrates. The final product’s nutritional value and digestibility are enhanced by fermentation of the raw materials, which also adds vitamins, vital amino acids, and fatty acids. The quality and safety of fermented milk products, which make up a sizeable portion of human nutrition, are greatly influenced by both the milk itself and the starting cultures employed to ferment it. The inhibition of the growth of pathogenic microbes, which lowers the likelihood of the emergence of foodborne diseases, is another crucial function of LAB. A variety of pathogenic bacteria are frequently present in raw (unpasteurized) milk, and other raw materials; these pathogenic bacteria should be removed during the fermentation process. As a result, a variety of LAB metabolites, such as hydrogen peroxide, organic acids, and bacteriocins, function as bio preservative agents, enhancing food safety and lengthening the shelf life of the finished products.

Background: Mental health difficulties during teenage years e are common and are a risk factor for later mental and physical health problems. Rural young people are at greater risk for mental health difficulties and have less access to services than their urban counterparts. The purpose of this study was to explore young people and their carers’ experiences of mental health support provided by a rural mobile service, and to identify access enablers from the service users’ perspective. Methods: A qualitative descriptive approach was used to analyse twelve interviews with current service users and eight interviews with family members of young people who had accessed the service.Results: Three main themes were identified: (a) Access and flexibility, (b) Clinicians’ qualities and strategies, and (c) Experiences of change. The mobile service was perceived to be effective in producing positive change in mental health, relationships and attainment of life goals. Key enablers to access included the flexibility of the mobile service, the variety of service delivery modes and therapeutic methods offered, the ease of access facilitated by location in schools, and young people’s autonomy in how they chose to utilise the service. Conclusion: This study provides information about what is important to rural young people and their families in mental health service provision. The findings have implications for changing the way services are organized and operated. Healthcare policy and services could support user-led model design that incorporates the access and use enablers and removes the barriers to rural mental health support.

The emergence of COVID -19 pandemic has severely impacted individuals from all walks of life. The rapid spread of the disease to nearly all parts of the country has posed enormous health, economic, environmental and social challenges to the entire human population. In the absence of any effective drugs and vaccines for treatment, social distancing and other preventive measures are the only alternatives. Lockdown is among one of the options suggested by WHO to reduce spread of the virus. India was quick to close its international borders and enforce the world’s largest COVID lockdown on March 22, 2020. The present study attempts to highlight the impact of imposed nationwide lockdown on society and environment alike along with analysis of lifestyle changes. The study was based on an online survey using a structured questionnaire with over 1000 responders across the country. The pandemic situation demands a certain way of shaping the society to reduce virus spread and safeguard oneself. In this study, we analysed the changes that the society has undergone during lockdown to mitigate the spreading of the infection. We also addressed the changes that have become part of our lives during lockdown – hygiene and health consciousness, work from home (WFM), online teaching, digital shopping, changing internet habits and societal changes.

Prescribed fire, intentionally ignited low-intensity fires, and managed wildfires, wildfires that are allowed to burn for land management benefit, could be used as a land management tool to create forests that are resilient to wildland fire. This could lead to fewer large catastrophic wildfires in the future. However, we must consider the public health impacts of the smoke that is emitted from wildland and prescribed fire. The objective of this synthesis is to examine the differences in ambient community-level exposures to particulate matter (PM_2.5) from smoke in the United States from two smoke exposure scenarios – wildfire fire and prescribed fire. A systematic search was conducted to identify scientific papers to be included in this review. Web of Science Core Collection and PubMed for scientific papers, and Google Scholar were used to identify any grey literature or reports to be included in this review. Sixteen studies that examined particulate matter exposure from smoke were identified for this synthesis – nine wildland fire studies and seven prescribed fire studies. PM_2.5 concentrations from wildfire smoke were found to be significantly lower than reported PM_2.5 concentrations from prescribed fire smoke. Wildfire studies focused on assessing air quality impacts to communities that were nearby fires and urban centers that were far from wildfires. However, the prescribed fire studies used air monitoring methods that focused on characterizing exposures and emissions directly from and next to the burns. This review highlights a need for a better understanding of wildfire smoke impact over the landscape. It is essential for properly assessing population exposure to smoke from different fire types.

Hybrid forecasting methods have emerged as a solution surpassing the limitations of both statistical and deep learning approaches. While the first emphasize the significance of variables, they often produce worse forecasting results when compared to newer techniques. In contrast, deep learning models remain enigmatic "black boxes" in terms of interpretability, although achieving better results in forecasting. This article introduces the Comprehensive Cross-Correlation and Lagged Linear Regression Deep Learning (CCLR-DL) framework, designed to harness the best of both approaches, enhancing forecasting accuracy while retaining model interpretability through a feature selection process. CCLR-DL blens cross-correlation analysis, lagged multiple linear regression and granger's causality procedures with deep learning architectures based on LSTM. In a practical demonstration, CCLR-DL was applied to a real database of clinical visits associated to diagnoses in Catalonia, Spain (tracking a population of 6.3 million patients during 10 years). Predicting visits enables the healthcare managers to be ready for future demand shifts. Results demonstrate a consistent and substantial improvement over standalone statistical and deep learning methods when predicting healthcare demand. This hybrid approach not only showcases its efficacy but also offers a promising solution to the challenge of balancing predictive accuracy with model explicability. In this context, this work aims to design and validate a method for feature selection and forecasting of multivariate high dimensional time series datasets not only to improve prediction accuracy but also to model transparency by identifying a subset of variables that improve predictions and G-cause the target variable.

Heat stress on workers wearing PPE(Personal protective equipment) in hot outdoor environments is of rising concern, especially in cases when rest breaks and clothing changes are impractical. Mist fan evaporative cooling could provide low-energy continuous cooling even during work activity. The cooling effect of a misting fan was compared to that of a fan alone, as well as natural convection. A thermal mannequin with heat flux sensors at 8 body locations was exposed to an outdoor misting fan while clothed in typical work clothes and PPE. Work clothes were dry or saturated with water to simulate sweat. The distance from the misting fan ranged from 4m (wetting common) to 7m (wetting unlikely). On average, the misting fan had a cooling effect of 0.31met (18.3W/m²) higher than natural convection when PPE with wet work clothes are worn, and 0.35met (10.63W/m²) higher when dry work clothes with PPE were worn. This equates to reducing thermal metabolic load from light industrial work to walking about in office work, or from standing to reclining. Under international standards for workers in hot environments based on metabolic rate and WBGT(wet bulb globe temperature), such as ISO 7243, this equate to an average of about a 0.35ºC (dry clothes with PPE) to 0.61ºC (wet clothes with PPE) increase in acceptable WBGT.

Introduction: Dental health care workers, particularly dental medicine students (DMS), are at an increased risk of hepatitis B virus (HBV) and hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection. The aim of our study was to assess the level of knowledge on HBV and HCV, estimate needlestick injury (NSI) prevalence and reporting practice in DMS at the University of Zagreb and analyze how enrolment in obligatory and supplemental courses affects knowledge and needlestick injury reporting practice. Materials and methods: The knowledge was assessed by our questionnaires based on Centers for Disease Control general handouts. Additional information was collected to examine the prevalence and reporting practice of NSI. Data was analyzed by descriptive statistical analysis, independent-samples t-tests, proportion analyses and combined factor analyses of categorical and quantitative variables in SPSS and R. Results: In total, 206 students participated. The overall level of HBV and HCV-related knowledge was poor with average scores being 61.90% and 51.35% respectively. Moreover, students enrolled in the first year demonstrated significantly lower levels of knowledge in comparison with their older peers. Of all participants 18.2% sustained a needlestick injury, and majority of them (78.95%) never reported the injury. Conclusion: In conclusion, DMS have low levels of knowledge on important occupational pathogens and poor NSI reporting practice. Moreover, formal education in the current form failed to significantly improve competence of students and theoretical knowledge translates poorly into more conscientious injury reporting practice. We should look for a better way to increase student awareness and level of knowledge on this topic.

Objective: The goal of this study was to analyse the attitudes and perceptions of emergency and mental health nurses through the validation of the SM-GIBED scale in specialised care in Spain on alcoholics and other drug-dependent patients. Design and Setting: This cross-sectional study was developed using the Spanish hospital version of the Seaman-Mannello scale to denominate the SM-GIBED scale. Participants: 170 Emergency and Mental Health Nursing from five Spanish Hospitals. Intervention: Self-administered questionnaire to analiyse the perceptions and attitudes about the drug addict and the alcoholic. Primary and Secondary Outcome Measures: A descriptive and inferential analysis of the study variables was carried out. A psychometric analysis was performed to validate the scale. Results: A total of 170 questionnaires were collected from 257 healthcare workers. Overall, 99.1% of the participants had contact with drug-dependent patients during their professional experience. Nearly 75% had difficulties in treating them. The psychometric analysis of the SM-GIBED scale in the Spanish context obtained values of KMO = 0.655 and Bartlett's test p < 0.000. Cronbach's alpha of 0.738 was obtained from the reliability analysis. A reliability analysis of each of the SM-GIBED questions found no case with an alpha lower than 0.71. In conclusion, positive aspects include an ingratiating attitude and subject-to-subject communication when nurses self-define as empathic and non-paternalistic. Among the negative aspects, there is a lack of communication skills and assertiveness with these patients. This highlights a certain degree of resignation and dissatisfaction when working with drug addicts.

The overall objective of this mixed-method digital-based observational study was to determine the mental health impact among CTU staff working during the COVID-19 pandemic. The Qualtrics Core XM platform was used to deploy the questionnaire where a quantitative analysis was conducted. The qualitative part of the study used the Microsoft Teams digital application to complete the interviews. Various validated mental health assessments were administered: Vancouver Index of Acculturation (VIA), Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS), Insomnia Severity Index (ISI), Pandemic Stress Index (PSI), Burnout Assessment Tool-12 (BAT-12), General Self Efficacy Scale (GSE) and The Everyday Discrimination Scale (EDS). A total of 485 participants took part, of which 73.4% were female and 70.1% of the sample were white British. A high prevalence of anxiety, exhaustion and depression were identified across all participants. A significant mental health impact was identified among the CTU workforce where wellbeing was compromised during the course of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Adequate access to drinking water for hydration and hygiene depends on many factors, such as water quality, accessibility, continuity of supply, and available quantity. We developed the Drinking Water Security Index (DWSI) to assess relative multifactorial drinking water security at different spatial and temporal scales. We apply this new index in Sudan to assess historical and future drinking water security at state, local, and maternity levels. State-level analyses found that the Red Sea and River Nile states are most vulnerable, with the lowest DWSI for both historical and future periods. The 1 km2 pixel level analysis shows large differences in water security within the major states. Analyses at maternity level showed that nearly 18.97 million people are affected by the 10% of maternities with lowest DWSI, a number projected to increase by 60% by 2030. Current and future water security indexes of maternities providing Emergency Obstetric and Newborn Care, were assessed to identify those where urgent action is needed to ensure quality health care in water secure conditions. This work provides useful information for stakeholders in the health and drinking water sectors in Sudan, to improve public health, reduce preventable mortality, and make the population more resilient to projected environmental changes.

Physical inactivity is a well-known risk factor for various non-communicable diseases (NCDs). Sufficient physical activity (PA) is essential for the prevention of NCDs and thus it is imperative to study the current status of PA and its influencing factors among rural residents in China. A population-based survey was conducted in rural areas of Shandong, Shanxi and Yunnan Provinces using a stratified random sampling method. The International Physical Activity Questionnaire Short Form (IPAQ-S) was used to collect the data on PA. A total of 3780 rural residents participated in the survey. The result showed that 22.2% of rural residents were physical inactivity. The proportion of rural residents reporting practice of physical exercise was 54.4%. The most frequently performed physical exercise was walking/brisk walking(78.3%).Binary logistic regression analyses showed that being female, people at age between 15 to 34 years or 60 years old and above, employees of governmental departments/retirees, school students, the unemployed, people with NCDs were risk factors of PA and ethnic minority groups,smoking and alcohol consumption were risk factors of physical exercise. Health promotion programme aiming at increasing people’s PA in rural China is needed and it should focus on the populations groups of the female, people at age 60 years and above ,school students, the unemployed, and people with NCDs.

The study provide insights into the technological characteristics of green practices adoption and the potential benefits they offer in terms of socio-economic development, environmental and public health. The study adopted a cross-sectional research design. A structured questionnaire was developed to collect quantitative data from the participants. The questionnaire include closed-ended questions, Likert scale items, and demographic questions. Both stratified and simple random sampling techniques were employed to select the study participants (government officials, employees, managers, and community members). A total of 321 copies of questionnaires were duly filled and returned. The collected data were analyze using descriptive statistics, such as frequencies, percentages, mean, and standard deviation, were used to summarize the data and provide an overview of the key variables related to green practices adoption. The findings indicate that the manufacturing company in Ogun State, Nigeria, has shown moderate commitment to adopting green practices. While there is room for improvement in certain areas, such as waste-to-energy technologies and green building practices. Additionally, green practices have positively influenced employee well-being and community health, while aligning with the company's commitment to safeguarding the environment and public health.

The prevalence of stunting in young Indonesian children is the highest among Southeast Asian Nations, and is associated with poor growth during the prenatal and early postnatal periods. A maternal mentoring program was developed for Indonesian women to improve birth outcomes. A cluster randomized control trial (CRCT) was conducted in three sub-districts of the Special Re-gion of Yogyakarta, Indonesia. A total of 384 eligible participants were randomly allocated to either intervention (received maternal mentoring program and standard care; n=189) or control (received standard care only; n=195). The maternal mentoring program provided preconception health education; health monitoring; and text message reminders for preconception women. Fetal growth was measured between gestational weeks 27-30 using estimated fetal weight generated from ultrasonographic measurement. Birth weight was measured within 24 hours of birth. A structured questionnaire captured women’s’ demographics, pregnancy readiness, and body mass index (BMI. After adjustment, fetal weight was 14% (95% CI: 5.1-23.0) higher in the intervention group than in the control group, and the average weight-for-length Z-score at birth was 0.16 (95% CI: 004-0.30) higher in the intervention group than in the control group. A maternal mentoring program was associated with improved fetal growth and birth weight in this population.

A human case of dengue virus 2 was detected from a febrile patient living in the Sare yoba, Kolda region (Southern Senegal). Phylogenetic analysis based on the partial sequence of the NS5 gene reveals that the virus belongs to the DENV2 Sylvatic genotype and is closely related to a strain (JF260983/ 98.98% identity) detected in Spain from a tourist who travelled to Guinee Bissau (bordering Kolda region) in 2009. This highlights a potential recent underreported circulation of sylvatic Dengue in the southern part of Senegal and calls for re-enforced integrated surveillance among humans, non-human primates and arboreal mosquitoes throughout a one-health approach.

E-waste is considered the fastest-growing global waste stream and has become an emerging environmental challenge. The widespread usage of digital devices has generated a large amount of e-waste. According to the Ministry of Commerce, India annually generates ~14.5 lakh metric tons of e-waste and recycles only ~5 % of e-waste. Annually, the global production of e-waste has been expected to increase by 4–5 %. Advancements in IT and communication divisions have improved the usage of electronic equipment. Heavy metals such as (Pb), mercury (Hg), arsenic (As), tin (Sn), and organic chemicals such as polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), polybrominated biphenyls (PBBs), polybrominated dibenzo-p-dioxins (PBDDs), polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) are subsequently released from e-wastes and contaminates soil and water sources. These toxic compounds are hazardous to human health and the environment. They are capable of entering various biological systems and causing alterations in respiratory functions of the lungs, DNA damage, impaired functioning of the thyroid, and increased risk of chronic diseases such as cancer and cardiovascular ailments. Such concerns raise the quintessential need to manage e-waste to prevent future hazards. This manuscript critically reviews the sources, health and environmental impact, disposal techniques, recycling, and regulation of e-waste.

The effects of statin use for primary prevention in reducing mortality among older adults in Asian populations are unknown. This study aimed to determine whether use of statins for primary prevention was associated with a decreased risk of all-cause mortality in a Japanese older adult population. A regional, population-based, longitudinal cohort study was conducted using the Shizuoka Kokuho Database (SKDB). Data were compared between the statin-treated group and a non-statin-treated (control) group using the inverse probability of treatment weighting (IPTW) method. In the SKDB cohort aged ≥65 years, new statin use was associated with a decreased risk of all-cause mortality (hazard ratio, 0.40; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.33–0.48) after IPTW adjustment. The risk difference for mortality at 5 years in the statin-treated group (7.9%) compared with that in the control group (92.1%) was 0.05 (95% CI, 0.04–0.06), and the number needed to treat was 21.20 (95% CI, 18.10–24.70). In conclusion, statin use for primary prevention in older adults may reduce the risk of all-cause mortality in the population without atherosclerotic disease. Furthermore, statin use for primary prevention is feasible in patients aged 75 to &lt;85 years and in patients with comorbidities such as diabetes, or dementia.

Australia and New Zealand have the highest incidence of skin cancer. Sport is a fundamental part of Australasian culture, beginning in childhood, often with life-long participation. Participating in outdoor sports can contribute significantly to the lifetime ultraviolet radiation (UVR) dose individuals receive and their risk of developing skin cancer. This systematic scoping review explores the use of sun-protection by outdoor sporting participants in Australasia and considers how sun-protection practices may be better evaluated and improved in the community. A search of electronic databases using the search strategy “sun protection” AND “sport” AND “Australia” yielded 17 studies published in English from January 1992 to August 2021. Study methods included using UV-dosimeters to measure individual UVR-exposure; remote estimates of clothing-adjusted UVR-exposure; direct observation of sun-protection practices; and self-reported sun-exposure and sun-protection. Despite 40-years of ‘Slip Slop Slap’ campaigns in Australia, the use of sun-protection in most outdoor sports is inadequate. The paucity of comparable data limited our analyses, demonstrating a need for standardized, objective evaluation tools. Such tools, if used across a range of sports, should inform the development of workable recommendations that sporting clubs could implement and adopt into policy, thus empowering them to better protect the health of their participants.

Background: The COVID-19 pandemic has changed the way dentistry has been practiced world over , this study sought to assess the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the patterns of attendance for dental treatment in a large hospital in Kuwait compare them to data from the year prior to the pandemic Methods: A total of 176,690 appointment records of 34,250 patients presenting to the AlJahra specialist hospital, Kuwait for dental treatment from April 2019 to March 2021 were analyzed. Types of procedures and the departments to which they presented were analyzed and the patterns of attendance before and during the pandemic were compared; Results: While there was a significant reduction in the number of orthodontic, endodontic and periodontal procedures there was no impact on oral surgery, restorative procedures or pediatric dentistry; Conclusions: There has been a return in the numbers of patients availing dental treatment, however, there has been a definite shift in the use of certain dental procedures .

The purpose of this article was to check the effects on health of various types of physical activities, diet, BMI, smoking and alcohol consumption and their interrelationships with control for age, sex and level of education. The study was based on epidemiological data (9617 participants from 19 to 81 years old for whom we have health indicators over a period of 11 years) together with questionnaires about diet, alcohol, tobacco and the frequency of different types of physical activities. Descriptive statistics and non-parametric correlational analysis of epidemiological data was performed with use of SPSS v.19. Our results indicate the existence of the significant relationship between leading a healthy life style (type of physical activities, limitations of fats consume and weight maintenance). However, the different categories of physical activities were analysed separately and showed slight differences on health indicators impacts. Our findings confirm that leading a healthy life style (all types of physical activities, limitations of fats consume and weight maintenance) is an important issue since it has a significant relationship with physical and mental health indicators, but outdoor physical activities and practicing sport in group have shown slightly higher impact on health.

Disadvantaged circumstances in youth tend to translate into poor health development. Yet, the fact that this is not always the case has been seen as indicative of differential resilience. The current study highlights factors outside the context of the family with the potential to counteract the long-term negative influences of social and material adversity in adolescence on general health status. This study was based on two waves of questionnaire data from the Northern Swedish Cohort. From the wave in 1981 (age 16), indicators of social and material conditions as well as factors related to school, peers, and spare time, were derived. From the wave in 2008 (age 43), information about self-rated health was used. Ordinal logistic regression models (n=908) showed that adversity in youth was associated with poorer self-rated health in midlife among men and women alike, net of health status at baseline. However, having an advantaged situation with regard to school, peers, or spare time appeared to protect against the detrimental influences of disadvantaged circumstances in the family context on subsequent health. This suggests that health-promoting interventions may benefit from focusing on contexts outside the family in their effort to strengthen processes of resilience among disadvantaged youths.

Pakistan is confronted with a formidable challenge of high population growth, compounded by cultural norms prioritizing male offspring, leading to adverse implications for family planning (FP) efforts and demographic trends. Despite efforts to promote contraception, including a national family planning program, Pakistan continues to struggle with low and stagnant contraceptive prevalence rates and high unmet contraceptive needs among married women. The influence of gender composition on modern contraceptive uptake remains underexplored, necessitating research to elucidate its impact on reproductive behavior. This study was based on a secondary analysis of a facility-based cross-sectional survey conducted in six districts of Sindh and Punjab provinces in Pakistan. A subset of 495 married women of reproductive age (MWRA) seeking health services from March to June 2019 was used for this study. Logistic regression analysis was employed to examine the association between the gender composition of children and MWRA’s modern contraceptive uptake, adjusting for covariates such as province, age of women, and health facility type. The analysis revealed a significant association between the gender composition of children and modern contraceptive uptake among MWRA. As the number of daughters increased without sons, the likelihood of contraceptive uptake remained low (Adjusted odds ratio [AOR]: 0.12; 95% CI: 0.04–0.34, p < 0.000), while having at least one son substantially increased the odds of contraceptive use (AOR: 19.91; 95% CI: 8.00–49.50, p < 0.000). Notably, the gender composition of one daughter with two sons emerged as the most preferred gender composition, because the odds of contraceptive uptake were significantly increased. The findings highlight the pervasive influence of gender composition on reproductive decision-making in Pakistan, with a clear preference for sons driving modern contraceptive behavior among MWRA. These results underscore the need for targeted interventions to address gender norms and biases while promoting equitable access to FP services. Engaging men in FP initiatives is crucial for challenging traditional gender norms and fostering informed decision-making regarding contraception. Gender preference influences modern contraceptive uptake among MWRA in Pakistan, with a strong preference for sons driving reproductive behavior. Addressing gender norms and biases while promoting informed choice is essential for enhancing modern contraceptive uptake and achieving sustainable population growth. Targeted interventions, including male engagement strategies, are needed to challenge societal gender norms and empower individuals to make autonomous decisions regarding family planning.

This study explores how young people’s mental health was affected by the COVID-19 pandemic using artwork and semi-structured interviews. This is important to understand so that policy and practice professionals can support those affected, prepare, and respond to future crises, and support young people who are isolated and restricted in other contexts. Co-designed participatory art workshops and interviews were conducted with 16–18-year-olds (N = 21) from the London-based Longitudinal cohort Study of Cognition, Adolescents and Mobile Phones (SCAMP). Artworks and interview transcripts were qualitatively co-analysed with young people. From interviews, six themes were identified: adaptation, restriction, change, challenges, overcoming adversity, and lockdown life. From artwork, four themes were identified; trapped, negative mental wellbeing, positive emotions, and technology. Everyday factors such as home environment, relationships, hobbies, habits, and education or work were key determinants of how challenged and restricted participants felt, and their capacity to overcome this. This implies that young people’s mental health services should collaborate with other sectors to address wider life determinants in a holistic way, and that clearer guidance and support in these areas could mitigate the negative mental health impacts of major environmental changes on young people.

Background: Two types of medicinal systems are available in Korea: Western and oriental. These exist as separate services that independently provide medical care to patients. We determined the utility and benefits of compressive and integrated medical services (CIMS) comprising 12 sessions of acupuncture and healing programs over 6 weeks. Methods: In this two-group parallel single-center randomized controlled assessor-blinded trial, 24 participants were assigned to either the experimental (conventional medical treatment plus CIMS, n = 12) or control (conventional medical treatment, n = 13) group. Spinal nerve root block was performed on the compressed spinal nerve root (identified using magnetic resonance imaging) when no improvement was observed after the initial treatment. The experimental group received 12 cycles of acupuncture and manual therapy for 6 weeks; the control group received conventional medical treatment alone. Results: The average age of participants in the experimental and control groups was 70.73 ± 5.95 and 67.33 ± 8.89 years, respectively. There were no significant differences between the groups in terms of age, body mass index, Leeds Assessment of Neuropathic Symptoms and Signs, sex, and current medical history. We found high compliance for both programs (acupuncture and healing). On exclusion of between-group effects, the visual analog scale (VAS) score improved significantly over time (p = 0.045). Further, comparison of the groups after excluding the effects of visits revealed significantly lower VAS scores in the experimental group than in the control group (p = 0.000). Conclusions: Patients with degenerative lumbar spinal stenosis who mainly complain of radiating pain in the lower leg may benefit from CIMS after spinal nerve root block for ≤3 months after treatment. Our study findings suggest that this treatment improves spinal function and Oswestry Disability Index score. However, CIMS did not improve QoL.

Introduction: COVID-19 vaccines have been the most effective means in curbing the infection, however, vaccine hesitancy has been seen as a threat to global health. Objective: the study aimed to assess the prevalence and predictors of COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy among healthcare workers in infectious disease centers in Ghana. Method: A cross-sectional study and proportionate stratified sampling method was used to recruit participants from various infectious disease centers. Result: data from 170 participants were analyzed, revealing a low prevalence of COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy (11.2%) among healthcare workers. However, only 31.1% of the fully vaccinated participants had taken the booster dose. Factors such as concerns about vaccine safety and side effects from previous doses, indecisiveness, a lack of time to receive the vaccine and lack of access to accurate information, prefered natural immunity were the significant predictors of vaccine hesitancy among healthcare workers. Participants with good perception of the risk posed by COVID-19 was positively correlated with COVID-19 vaccine acceptance. Conclusion: the study suggests that policies should be enacted to ensure health workers are vaccinated against highly contagious infectious diseases to prevent their spread among the general population. Training and health promotion campaigns should also be organized to encourage healthcare workers to accept and patronize the vaccines.

Currently, there are several challenges that Cloud-based health-care Systems, around the world, are facing. The most important issue is to ensure security and privacy or in other words to ensure the confidentiality, integrity and availability of the data. Although the main provisions for data security and privacy were present in the former legal framework for the protection of personal data, the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) introduces new concepts and new requirements. In this paper, we present the main changes and the key challenges of the General Data Protection Regulation, and also at the same time we present how the Cloud-based Security Policy methodology proposed in [1] could be modified in order to be compliant with the GDPR and how Cloud environments can assist developers to build secure and GDPR compliant Cloud-based health Systems. The major concept of this paper is, primarily, to facilitate Cloud Providers in comprehending the framework of the new General Data Protection Regulation and secondly, to identify security measures and security policy rules for the protection of sensitive data in a Cloud-based Health System, following our risk-based Security Policy Methodology that assesses the associated security risks and takes into account different requirements from patients, hospitals, and various other professional and organizational actors.

In the chemical processing industries, sensors for pumps are among the most commonly used machinery. Condition-based maintenance (CBM) and prognosis health management (PHM) determine the most cost-effective time to overhaul pumps. In order to determine the status of the pump, a signal-emitting accelerometer is employed. Stationarity-based feature extraction from amplitude signals is used to process the signal. Utilizing the time-domain function, multiple statistical results were produced. Eight fault codes were classified using support vector machine method. The enormous amount of data points necessitated the use of feature selection. In terms of accuracy, precision, recall, and F1 score, the Chi-square feature selection method exceeds other approaches.

Introduction: Uganda has got the highest prevalence rate of malaria among the risk groups compared to other parts of the world. In addition, Uganda bears a particularly large burden from the disease which is limited by a lack of reliable data, but it is clear that the prevalence of malaria infection, incidence of disease, and mortality among pregnant women all remain very high. According to the Iganga DHIS2 Jan-May report, a higher number of pregnant women received Intermittent Preventive Treatment one (IPT1) and the numbers dropped for IPT2 and IPT3. The district is also referral point of the greater Busoga region and has got several challenges towards malaria control. The study aimed at assessing the uptake of Intermittent Preventive Treatment and the prevalence of malaria among pregnant women in Iganga district so as to generate evidence for scaling up appropriate interventions for IPT uptake among pregnant women. Methods: The research was a retrospective study using secondary data to assess the uptake of IPT and prevalence of malaria for financial year 2019/2020 in nine Public Health Centre IIIs and one Public Health Centre IV. In this study IPT was defined as the administration of a curative dose of an effective antimalarial drug to all pregnant women without testing for presence of malaria parasite and at least three doses as recommended. Secondary data from HMIS was obtained and analyzed to assess the uptake of IPT services and the prevalence of malaria among pregnant women was determined using proportions. Results: The study found that of 6,672 women who received the first dose of IPT-SP, 1671 (25%) of the women received less than 2 doses of IPT and 46% of pregnant women received more than 2 doses of IPT. The study showed that a total of 3,435 pregnant women tested positive for malaria which brings the prevalence to 50%, and being highest among pregnant women aged 20-24 years at 50%. Conclusions: The study showed that the uptake of IPT was relatively low among lower age groups with a relatively high prevalence of malaria among the same age group. This calls for all stakeholders (DHO, MOH, Iganga District, NGOs e.t.c) urgent attention thus to ensure mass sensitization about malaria and IPT importance with IEC and ITN distribution, early diagnosis and treatment, giving incentives to ANC attending mothers, control of the vector.

Background: Excessive sun exposure, together with insufficient protection, is the main risk factor for the onset of Melanoma and Non Melanoma skin cancer, namely the most common cancer in fair-skinned populations across the world, and of several other skin and eye adverse health effects. Epidemiological data show the existence of scant awareness of this risk, and of high rates of sunburn among young people. The main aim of the present study is to examine sun exposure habits and protection behaviour in university students. Methods: We performed a cross-sectional questionnaire-based study to investigate sun exposure and protection practices in a group of education sciences students at a university in southern Spain. This survey provided data for a descriptive and comparative analysis, by groups and gender, of photoprotection and skin self-examination practices. The reliability and validity of the questionnaire have been analysed. Results: The questionnaire was completed by 315 students. Most of them (74.6%) have suffered at least one sunburn in the last year. The use of sunscreen or protective clothing is not frequent, and 89.5% of students do not self-examine their skin. The metric properties of the questionnaire showed high values of reliability and validity. Conclusions: The awareness of solar exposure risk in Spanish university students of Education Sciences is low, self-protection is scant, the potential exposure to dangerous levels of UV radiation is high and most students have suffered one or more sunburns in the last year. Intervention strategies should be introduced in these students to highlight the risks involved and the need of more adequate sun protection practices. Information campaigns should be conducted to address the problem so that, when these students become teachers, they have an adequate knowledge of the risk and of the benefits of a higher attention to this problem, and can translate these competences in health education.