Preconception lifestyle modification and reducing several known risk factors may have an influence on the future pregnancy outcome. The aim of the study was to analyse health behaviour and personal values, as well as to assess the relationship of these factors in women without children, in pregnant ones and in women who had already delivered babies. The questionnaire survey included Health Behaviour Inventory (HBI), Personal Value List (PVL) and the sociodemographic data and was conducted in 538 women. These women were divided into 3 groups: women who recently delivered (n = 235), pregnant women (n = 121) and childless women (n = 182). Pregnant women demonstrated a significantly higher level of declared health behaviours and also they rated higher subscales values "positive mental attitude" and "health practices" in comparison to women who recently delivered and to childless women. In all tested groups the highest rated personal value was "a successful family life", while the most appreciated symbol of happiness was "love and friendship". Our results suggest that the system of values and the perception of happiness symbols may influence women's health behaviours. Positioning “health” in the hierarchy of personal values as the most important one may facilitate introduction of healthy behaviours. This in turn could reduce several adverse pregnancy outcomes that are potentially modifiable with changing preconception health attitudes. Our results also identify several unanswered questions and highlights areas where new research is needed.

The greater Wellington region, New Zealand, is highly vulnerable to large earthquakes because it is cut by active faults. Bulk water supply pipelines cross the Wellington Fault at several different locations, and there is considerable concern about severe disruption of the provision of reticulated water supplies to households and businesses in the aftermath of a large earthquake. A number of policy initiatives have been launched encouraging householders to install rainwater tanks to increase post-disaster resilience. However, little attention has been paid to potential health hazards associated with consumption of these supplies. To assess health hazards for householders in emergency situations, six 200-litre emergency water tanks were installed at properties across the Wellington region, with five tanks being allowed to fill with roof-collected rainwater and one tank being filled with municipal tapwater as a control. Such tanks are predominantly set aside for water storage, and once filled, feature limited drawdown and recharge. Sampling from these tanks was carried out fortnightly for one year, and samples analysed for E. coli, pH, conductivity, a range of major and trace elements, and organic compounds, enabling an assessment of the evolution of water chemistry in water storage tanks over time. Key findings were that the overall rate of E.coli detections in the rain-fed tanks was 17.7%, which is low in relation to other studies. We propose that low incidences of E.coli may be due to biocidal effects of high zinc concentrations in tanks, originating from unpainted galvanised steel roof cladding. Lead concentrations were high compared to other studies, with 69% of rain-fed tank samples exceeding the World Health Organisation’s health-based guideline of 0.01 mg/L. Further work is required to determine risks of short-term consumption of this water in emergency situations.

A U.S. government health agency conducted epidemiological studies to evaluate whether exposures to drinking water contaminated with volatile organic compounds at U.S. Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune, North Carolina, were associated with increased health risks to children and adults. These health studies required knowledge of contaminant concentrations in drinking water—at monthly intervals—delivered to family housing, barracks, and other facilities within the study area. Because concentration data were limited or unavailable during much of the period of contamination (1950s–1985), the historical reconstruction process was used to quantify estimates of monthly mean contaminant-specific concentrations. This paper integrates many efforts, reports, and papers into a synthesis of the overall approach to, and results from, a drinking-water historical reconstruction study. Results show that at the Tarawa Terrace water treatment plant (WTP) reconstructed (simulated) tetrachloroethylene (PCE) concentrations reached a maximum monthly average value of 183 micrograms per liter (ug/L) compared to a one-time maximum measured value of 215 ug/L and exceeded the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s current maximum contaminant level (MCL) of 5 ug/L during the period November 1957–February 1987. At the Hadnot Point WTP, reconstructed trichloroethylene (TCE) concentrations reached a maximum monthly average value of 783 ug/L compared to a one-time maximum measured value of 1,400 ug/L during the period August 1953–December 1984. The Hadnot Point WTP also provided contaminated drinking water to the Holcomb Boulevard housing area continuously prior to June 1972, when the Holcomb Boulevard WTP came on line (maximum reconstructed TCE concentration of 32 ug/L) and intermittently during the period June 1972–February 1985 (maximum reconstructed TCE concentration of 66 ug/L). Applying the historical reconstruction process to quantify contaminant-specific monthly drinking-water concentrations is advantageous for epidemiological studies when compared to using the classical exposed versus unexposed approach.

Based on the demographic shift and the related challenges resulting from the growing number of elderly and persons with chronic diseases, the idea of smart home that supports its inhabitants in the daily life, gains importance. The purpose of this paper was to examine in a prototypic Ambient Assisted Living environment if users after interaction with different health-supporting applications intend to use such in the future. Two experimental studies exemplary show possible applications of home-integrated technology that can support, assist and accompany the target group in different contexts, and examine to what extent participants are willing to future use such sophisticated technology at home. The results show that people in general, but especially the old and chronically ill ones are quite fascinated of health-supporting ambient technology and the majority intends to use such ambient assistance in the future (study I). Moreover, serious games for healthcare are shown as a hedonic use of technology in smart homes that have a great potential to retain or improve the physical health, mobility and the overall well-being of the inhabitants (study II). The article provides two examples of ambient technology to leverage the demographic change and presents important user factors for facilitating high user acceptance.

A catastrophic loss of microbial biodiversity on the skin has led to alarming increase in the prevalence of allergies and long-term damage to the skin, which could also have damaging knock on effects to overall health. This study uses 50 human participants, to obtain an average (benchmark) value for the biodiversity of ‘healthy’ western skin, which is crucial in updating our 2017 skin health measuring mechanism to use standardised methodology. Previous work with a larger sample size was unsatisfactory for use as a benchmark due to its use of different and outdated diversity indices. We also investigated the effect of age and sex, two known skin microbiome affecting factors. Although no statistical significance is seen for age- and sex- related changes in diversity, there appear to be changes related to age which elaborates on previous work which used larger, more general age ranges. Our study indicates adults age 28-37 have highest diversity, and age 48-57 the lowest. Crucially, because of this study we are now able to update the skin health measuring mechanism from our 2017 work. This will aid diagnostic assessment of susceptibility to cutaneous conditions or diseases, and treatment. Testing any human subject will be rapidly improved by obtaining future benchmark diversity values for any age, sex, body site and area of residence, to which they can be compared. This improvement means we can also more accurately investigate the ultimate question: What factors in the western world are a main cause of the skin allergy epidemic? This could lead to future restriction of certain synthetic chemicals or products found to be particularly harmful to the skin.

Background: Although cervical cancer (CC) is highly preventable through appropriate screening methods like the Papanicolaou (Pap) test, which enables early detection of malignant and precancerous lesions, access to such screening has not been equitable across social groups. Sex workers and people with records of incarceration are among the most under-screened populations in Ontario. Little is known about the acceptability and feasibility of HPV self-sampling (HPV-SS) as an alternative cervical cancer screening method for these groups. This online, community-based mixed-methods pilot study aimed to address this knowledge gap. Methods Eighty-four under- and never-screened sex workers and ex-prisoners aged 25–69 years and residing in the Greater Toronto Area, were recruited by community peer associates. Participants completed an online survey and viewed short videos about CC and screening with Pap and HPV-SS. Those who opted for HPV-SS conducted the test at one of two collaborating organizations. Results The median age of participants was 36.5 years. Most had limited knowledge about CC and screening. Approximately 13% identified as non-binary, and 5% as two-spirit or trans men, with the majority having completed secondary education. Of participants, 88% chose HPV-SS, and one-third tested positive for high-risk HPV types. The ability to self-sample without judgment from healthcare providers was noted as a key advantage. However, there was a need for training on proper HPV-SS techniques. Conclusion To improve cervical cancer screening among sex workers, increasing awareness through participatory community co-creation of sexual health education is essential. Additionally, offering HPV-SS as a screening option is crucial, given its demonstrated acceptability and feasibility within this population, many of whom lack a primary care provider and face discriminatory attitudes in healthcare settings.

Latent Tuberculosis Infection (LTBI) poses a significant public health challenge, especially in populations with high HIV prevalence and limited healthcare access. Early detection and targeted interventions are essential to prevent the progression of active tuberculosis. This study develops predictive models for LTBI outcomes using logistic regression and machine learning approaches and evaluates strategies to improve LTBI awareness and testing. Data from rural areas in the Eastern Cape, South Africa, were analyzed to identify key demographic, health, and knowledge-related factors influencing LTBI outcomes. Logistic regression was employed to pre-dict LTBI positivity based on factors such as age, education, and HIV status. Machine learning models, including decision trees and random forests, were also applied to compare predictive accuracy. A knowledge diffusion model was used to assess the impact of educational interventions on increasing LTBI awareness and testing rates. Logistic regression achieved an accuracy of 66.67% with high precision (80%) but low recall (33%) for LTBI-positive cases, identifying age, HIV status, and LTBI awareness as significant predictors. The random forest model outperformed logistic regression in accuracy (59.26%) and F1-score (0.63), providing a better balance between precision and recall. Feature importance analysis revealed that age, occupation, and knowledge of LTBI symptoms were the most critical factors across both models. The knowledge diffusion model demonstrated that targeted interventions significantly increased LTBI awareness and testing, particularly in high-risk groups. While logistic regression offers more interpretable results for public health interventions, machine learning models like random forests provide enhanced predictive power by capturing complex relationships between demographics and health factors. These findings highlight the need for targeted educational campaigns and increased LTBI testing in high-risk populations, particularly those with limited awareness of LTBI symptoms.

This study presents a novel statistical framework for evaluating the social and economic impact of delays in the reimbursement of innovative medicines. With the growing importance of timely access to advanced therapies, particularly in managing chronic diseases, we develop a model that quantifies social loss in terms of life years, productivity, productivity cost and overall well-being. The framework integrates several key factors, including years of life lost, years of potential productive life lost, deaths, delays in reimbursement, and cost of labor productivity losses. By providing a comprehensive assessment of the societal costs associated with delayed access, the model offers valuable insights for policymakers seeking to balance healthcare innovation with sustainability. The results emphasize the need for efficient pharmaceutical policies that reduce delays in access to innovative treatments, promote equity in healthcare, and ensure long-term system viability. This approach has broad implications for improving health outcomes and economic productivity, particularly in publicly funded healthcare systems.

Background: Pet ownership is a common wellbeing enhancing practice globally, offering com-panionship and emotional support. However, it also entails financial responsibilities that can pose challenges and have negative wellbeing impacts for both human and animal. Aims/Purpose: This study aimed to explore pet owners' the financial aspects of pet ownership in New Zealand, including the importance of pet insurance, the impact of veterinary costs, and the ethical considerations of owning a pet. Understanding these aspects of pet ownership is crucial for promoting responsible pet ownership and ensuring animal welfare. Study Designs: Data was collected through a nationwide online survey conducted in 2019 as part of the Furry Whānau Wellbeing research project. The survey included questions about the financial aspects of pet ownership, and respondents were asked to indicate their level of agreement with various statements. Findings: The study found that the cost of veterinary care is a significant concern for many pet owners, with 83.9% of respondents agreeing that expense is a factor in the level of healthcare their pets receive. While pet insurance can mitigate financial burdens, only a third of respondents considered it essential due to high costs and exclusions. The study also revealed disparities for rural and low-income households. Conclusions: The financial aspects of pet ownership present a complex challenge, impacting both pet and owner wellbeing. This research highlights the need for comprehensive strategies to promote sustainable and equitable pet ownership, including improving access to affordable vet-erinary care, enhancing financial literacy among pet owners, and providing support systems for those facing economic hardship.

Many measles endemic countries with suboptimal coverage levels still rely on vaccination campaigns to fill immunity gaps and boost control efforts. Depending on local epidemiological patterns, national or targeted campaigns are implemented, following which post-campaign coverage surveys (PCCSs) are conducted to evaluate their performance, particularly in terms of reaching previously unvaccinated children. Due to limited resources, PCCS surveys are designed to be representative at coarse spatial scales, often masking important heterogeneities in coverage that could enhance the identification of areas of poor performance for follow up via routine immunization strategies. Here, we undertake geospatial analyses of the 2021 measles PCCS in Nigeria to map indicators of coverage measuring the individual and combined performance of the campaign and routine immunization (RI) at 1x1 km resolution and the ward and district levels in 13 states. Using additional geospatial data sets, we also produced estimates of numbers of unvaccinated children during the campaign and numbers of measles-containing vaccine (MCV) zero-dose children before and after the campaign at these levels and within health facility catchment areas. Our study revealed that although the campaign reduced the numbers of MCV zero-dose children in all the districts, areas of suboptimal campaign and RI performance with considerable numbers of zero-dose children remained. Our analyses further identified wards and health facility catchment areas with higher numbers of unvaccinated children within these areas. Our outputs provide a robust evidence base to plan and implement follow-up RI strategies and to guide future campaigns at flexible and operationally relevant spatial scales.

Mortality rates are fundamental to understanding the overall health of a population. However, statistics are usually reported using the primary underlying cause of death, overlooking potentially relevant contributing causes listed on death certificates. This paper presents indicators for multiple cause-related mortality in Canada from 2000 – 2022. Deaths from the Canadian Vital Statistics Database (2000 – 2022) were merged with multiple cause files and classified into 136 cause of death groupings. Summary statistics for multiple causes were calculated, including the Standardized Ratio of Multiple to Underlying (SRMU), which is also calculated by neighbourhood income quintile. Age-Standardized Mortality Rates (ASMR) were calculated for the underlying cause of death (ASMRUC) and compared to rates including any mention of each respective cause (ASMRAM). These were then compared to ASMRs based on a contributing-cause weighting scheme (ASMRW). The average number of causes reported on death certificates has increased from 2.79 in 2002 to 3.19 in 2021. Those in the lowest income quintiles have a higher average number of causes (3.31 in 2021) compared to those in the highest income quintile (3.09 in 2021). When employing multiple cause weighting strategies, the rank order of age-standardized mortality rates is significantly elevated for conditions including renal failure, hypertension, pneumonia, septicemia, arterial fibrillation, and artery diseases. Multiple cause-of-death approaches provide further insight into the patterns of mortality and highlight conditions that become leading causes using weighted approaches. This provides evidence to support efforts to address these conditions. There are also differences in multiple causes of death reporting by income quintile which warrants further investigation.

Burnout in healthcare affects the quality of patient care. In 2020, Mayo Clinic implemented Advanced Care at Home (ACH), a new hospital-at-home program. We aimed to assess burnout levels among ACH providers, analyzing data from quarterly surveys. Physicians and nurse practitioners registered in ACH completed a 16-question anonymous survey distributed via email. Ten questions from the original survey used the Maslach Burnout Inventory to measure the three domains associated with burnout: depersonalization, emotional exhaustion, and personal achievement. We conducted a descriptive analysis using frequency distribution and percentages. A total of 27 providers participated, with response rates of 38%, 23%, and 66% in the first, second, and third quarters. Over 75% of the participants responded satisfactorily to nine of the ten questions associated with the risk of burnout. Moreover, 77% of providers felt joyful at work "always or most of the time." Of the 74% of participants who responded to the question about feeling burned out from work, 48% of the participants "strongly” or “somewhat” disagreed, while only 26% "strongly” or “somewhat” agreed. Mayo Clinic's ACH has demonstrated low levels of burnout among providers, positively impacting the well-being of healthcare workers and contributing to a high standard of patient care.

The One Health approach often reaches classrooms through Environmental Education (EE), which aims to guide society's response to current crises (environmental, health, economic, values). However, traditional EE teaching has focused on isolated ecological concepts and standardized solutions, ignoring the multidimensional nature of EE and failing to integrate the interdependence between environmental, animal, and human health. Moreover, teacher training often neglects didactic content knowledge, preventing students from acquiring the systemic vision needed to address eco-social problems and create sustainable solutions aligned with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). This limits teachers’ ability to influence students' concerns and behaviours. In this context, this study aims to reflect on the current state of the issue and propose strategies informed by Science Education research to improve EE teaching, enabling the integration of One Health dimensions through effective didactics to achieve Transformative Environmental Education (TEE). For this purpose, we begin by addressing the limitations identified in recent systematic reviews, shifting the paradigm towards a symbiosis of EE and Science Education through scientific practices. We then present practical examples showcasing successful EE initiatives that foster a deeper understanding of socio-environmental issues, encourage innovative solutions, and nurture engaged citizens from early education onwards. These proposals can support classroom practice and ongoing teacher self-development. Pedagogical strategies include tackling issues that require systemic and critical thinking by developing scientific and epistemic practices while raising awareness of environmental justice. Thus, this study advocates for a new vision of EE, integrating the One Health approach, which could be applied to develop new educational programs, including teacher training. This would lead to a new learning evaluation model and help identify key determinants that trigger pro-environmental behaviours.

Background: Strength assessment is one of the main fields in sports performance, physical rehabilitation, physical activity and health. Purpose: To compare maximal voluntary isometric contractions (MVIC) and paired voluntary isometric contractions (VIC) of knee extensors between an isokinetic dynamometer (BIODEX) and a portable and lightweight device (DINABANG). Methods: From 19 volunteers (age: 28.7±7 y; body mass: 72±10 kg and height: 173±7 cm) we obtained 114 paired MVIC measures and, from the force-time curves of these repetitions, 22507 paired VIC measures of knee extensors. Results: We observed “excellent” repeatability for MVIC (ICC:1.00; p<0.001) between BIODEX (247±79.5 Nm) and DINABANG (247±74.8 Nm), with “trivial” effect (mean difference: 0.12 Nm (0.02%); 95%CI: -0.13 to 0.23 Nm; p=0.606; d=0.048). Bland-Altman plots revealed high accuracy for MVIC (bias: 0.12 Nm) and consistent distribution (precision) inside the limits of agreement (-4.81 to 5.06 Nm) and respective 95%CI. “Excellent” repeatability was also observed for VIC (ICC:1.00; p<0.001) between BIODEX (219±84.1 Nm) and DINABANG (218±84.0 Nm), with “trivial” effect (0.24 Nm (0.11%); 0.08 to 0.11 Nm; p<0.001; d=0.100). Bland-Altman plots revealed high accuracy for VIC (bias: 0.24 Nm) and consistent distribution (precision) inside the limits of agreement (-4.5 to 4.9 Nm) and respective 95%CI. Conclusion: DINABANG is accurate, precise and reliable for torque measurement.

This study investigates the adoption of ecological innovations and management of occupational health hazards among Nigerian paddy rice farmers in response to field contamination and climate risks. Conducted across four major rice-producing states—Ekiti, Kwara, Edo, and Ogun—the research employed a semi-structured questionnaire developed from a comprehensive literature review and validated through peer review. Data were collected from 192 farmers through face-to-face interviews and guided dialogues, focusing on ecological innovations, vulnerability assessments, satisfaction with implemented methods, occupational health hazards, and perceptions of sustainable rice cultivation. Findings reveal that only 29.69% of farmers have adopted new measures to address contamination and climate risks, while 70.31% have not. Work-related injuries, such as cuts and abrasions, affected 28% of farmers, with minimal participation (3.1%) in safety training and support from agricultural or government agencies (1%). Correlation analysis demonstrated weak relationships among variables such as farmers' education, adoption of ecological innovations, satisfaction with results, and use of personal protective equipment (PPE). Importantly, farmers who adopted ecological innovations expressed significantly higher satisfaction (odds ratio = 11.613), as did those with prior exposure to pesticides and chemicals (odds ratio = 4.084) regarding safety practices. The study emphasizes the critical need for increased awareness, training, and support to promote sustainable farming practices and improve occupational health outcomes among paddy rice farmers in Nigeria.

Background: Ovarian, cervical, and endometrial cancers stand as fatal health killers for women's mental and physical health, especially affecting female reproductive systems. Exploiting weakly supervised learning and explainable AI techniques are crucial for fast, accurate, and robust automatic marker detection, efficient prevention, and primary treatment of gynecological tumors. Methods: With respect to the PRIMSA methodology, weakly supervised learning schemes and deep learning-based schemes are investigated in the cross-subject fields of clinical diagnostic imaging and explainable AI technology. Related methods, opening research problems, and challenging subjects are explored in the screening and treatment of gynecological tumors and performing cancer image diagnosis in the latest study. Results: Keynote approaches combining ultrasound medicine, explainable AI, and clinical imaging technology are summarized. In combination with learning-based methods with medical imaging, prospective insights are put forward for refreshed concepts on treatments in the area of gynecological oncology, with a feasible range of applications for their corresponding AI techniques. Conclusions: Explainable AI and deep learning-based approaches are capable of performing accurate classification between benign and malignant tumors, yielding a pathway to care for women's health, improving the survival rate of patients, pacing with disease prediction, and matching the strategic goal of "Healthy China 2030".

The COVID-19 pandemic profoundly impacted older people in residential aged care facilities (RACFs), especially those with dementia. This retrospective cohort study investigates the impact of the pandemic on agitation incidents within this population in 40 Australian RACFs. We compared pre-pandemic data (January-October 2019) with during-pandemic data (same months in 2020 and 2021) from electronic health records (EHRs) using Python to extract information from nursing notes. Various statistical analyses, including descriptive statistics to summarize the data, and a chi-square test to examine any significant association between the COVID-19 pandemic and the prevalence of dementia and agitation in dementia. Dementia prevalence dropped by 1.98% in 2021 compared to 2019, and by 4.09% compared to 2020 (p < 0.05). Overall agitation symptoms decreased by 20.1% from 2019 to 2021 (p < 0.05), but six specific symptoms increased: resisting (28.98%), wandering (11.78%), restlessness (3.19%), complaining (10.1%), arguing (2.36%), and outbursts (1.74%) (p < 0.05). Conversely, pacing decreased by 15.88% and speaking loudly de-creased by 10.9% (p < 0.05). Over half of the care recipients experienced agitation symptoms 2-5 times each year, increasing from 50.56% in 2019 to 58.28% in 2021 (p < 0.05). It is important to exercise caution regarding the accuracy of these findings due to the reduced opportunity for busy care staff to record behavioral changes caused by the isolation of individuals in their rooms during the pandemic.

In recent decades, there has been a rising demand for anti-aging interventions aimed at postponing or potentially reversing indicators of skin aging. The use of collagen-based nutraceutical supplements has gained popularity as they have shown promise in enhancing skin health and reducing signs of aging. The aim of this randomized, placebo-controlled, blinded study was to investigate the effects of 2.5 g COLLinstant® LMW, a novel cosmeceutical containing low molecular weight (≤ 1000 Da) collagen peptides, on skin aging and health. The trial was conducted in 80 healthy women aged 30 years and older. They received a daily oral dose of either the food supplement (n = 40) or placebo (n = 40) for six weeks. Skin assessment was performed based on validated objective methods, such as Visioface 1000D (skin wrinkling), cutometry (elasticity and fatigue) and corneometry (skin hydration) at baseline (T0), and at week 6 (T6). After 6 weeks, participants that received collagen had significant improvements in biometric skin wrinkle parameters from baseline, with a reduction in volume by 46%, in area by 44%, and in depth by 9%, along with a greater increase in skin moisturization (by 34%) than those in the placebo group (p &lt; 0.001). The food supplement did not significantly modify skin firmness or fatigue and had only slight beneficial effects on skin elasticity. The investigational product was well tolerated. The observed effects aligned closely with the subjective assessments reported by study participants. The study provides substantiated evidence supporting the efficacy of low molecular weight collagen peptides in restoring altered skin biometric parameters, as objectively assessed. Thus, regular supplementation with this nutraceutical may contribute to achieving smoother and more radiant skin.

This study aims at highlighting and illustrating innovative actions for achieving and/or improving accurate medical coding within a DRG system. Already grouped DRG cases recorded in the first DRG implementation year in the region of Crete were examined. A sample of 130,000, from a total of 200,000, cases were analyzed and audited, through a process consisting of three stages: i) Digitalization, ii) Auditor training, and iii) Control &amp; consultation. The results indicated that a significant proportion of DRG coding, with a length of stay exceeding one day, were reclassified into different DRG categories. This was not primarily due to errors in the selection of the principal diagnosis, but resulted from coding errors, including omission of secondary diagnoses coding, medical procedures that should have been included and utilization of less specific codes. The findings indicate that medical coding control, consulting services and the adoption of targeted actions can be instrumental for proper implementation of the DRG coding system, and for ensuring transparent allocation of resources within hospitals. Ultimately, this shortens the coding learning curve, from four years typically reported in the international literature, to a more efficient duration of two years, leading to rational and documented clinical and financial management of hospitals.

Background: Complementary and alternative medicines (CAM) are widely used, with pharmacies accounting for a significant share of the distribution market. Despite their popularity, many CAMs lack scientific evidence for effectiveness, and some can cause adverse health effects. Limited research exists on CAM-related adverse events and the effectiveness of CAM labels in conveying crucial information. Methods: This cross-sectional study aimed to investigate CAM utilization, consumer perspectives, and the influence of labels on CAM usage in Melbourne, Australia. Data were collected through an online questionnaire and analysed using descriptive statistics, Pearson's correlation, MANOVA, and regression analyses. Results: The study enrolled 125 current CAM users, primarily recruited from pharmacy and supermarket customers (age: predominantly 31-50; gender: 20.8% male, 79.2% female). Participants' perceptions of effectiveness and safety were positively correlated. Label warnings prompted information-seeking, but consultation with healthcare professionals (HCPs), particularly pharmacists, was infrequent (24%). Adverse reactions were reported by 18.5% of participants, with 8.3% experiencing severe reactions. The analysis revealed relationships between CAM usage and demographics. Ordinal logistic regression showed a significant association between calcium consumption and higher age groups (coefficient = 1.658, p = 0.006), while binary logistic regression identified higher iron consumption among females (coefficient = 2.177, p = 0.007). Conclusions: Label warnings significantly prompted consumers to seek more information about CAMs. However, a limited engagement of HCPs, especially pharmacists, suggests an opportunity for improved consumer education and pharmacist involvement in CAMs-related discussions. The findings highlight demographic influences on CAM usage being essential for developing targeted health interventions and policies. Addressing these aspects may lead to safer CAM practices and informed consumer decision-making.

Background: Our previous study highlighted important healthcare access and utilization concerns among new immigrants. Hence, in this study, we aimed to explore the role of public and patient involvement (PPI) may have in enhancing the accessibility and their contribution to migration health studies. Method: An open and in-depth interactive consecutive virtual discussion was conducted among volunteer asylum seekers and refugees from Eritrea and Syria in Switzerland. The novel PPI establishment had three phases; inception, training phase, and contribution phase. Result: At the beginning, the concept of PPI was apprehensive to grasp, as it was a new approach. After training and consecutive discussions, volunteers were ardent to engage actively. Hence, among the prime findings were the PPI's role and effect in raising awareness, PPI's role in exploring and communicating the healthcare system accessibilities and utilization among their community, the impact of PPI in echoing the healthcare needs of their fellow migrants, and PPI's contribution in enhancing and strengthening migration health researches. Conclusion: The PPI volunteers in the study were keen to raise their community's awareness through their networks, and bridge the research gap between researchers and the public.

For many tick-borne organisms, dogs may be utilized as sentinel hosts to estimate the risk of human infection. The detection of antibodies in these animals indicates the circulation of pathogens in each location for a set period of time. The standard protocol for the surveillance of tick-borne diseases established by the Brazilian National Reference Laboratory for Rickettsiosis at the Ezequiel Dias Foundation (FUNED) includes testing the seropositivity of dogs for Rickettsia spp. and Ehrlichia canis. Dog serum samples were collected during FUNED’s surveillance protocol in a preserved area in Brazil. Despite Anaplasma phagocytophilum being endemic in Brazil, this agent is not included in FUNED’s standard protocol. To determine if A. phagocytophilum should be included in the standard testing protocol, a collaboration with Fuller Laboratories was established and the seropositivity for A. phagocytophilum was tested. The estimated prevalence for singular infections: 25% Rickettsia spp.; 52.3% E. canis; and 70.5% A. phagocytophilum. The estimated prevalence for co-infections: 17% Rickettsia spp. and E. canis; 18.2% Rickettsia spp. and A. phagocytophilum; 39.8% E. canis and A. phagocytophilum; and 13.6% Rickettsia spp., E. canis, and A. phagocytophilum. These results confirmed a significant presence of A. phagocytophilum and establishes a potential threat upon the public health.

Medicinal mushrooms, especially Ganoderma species hold immense promise for production of a wide range of bioactive compounds with various effects. The biochemical potential of indigenous fungal strains, specific to a region, could play a critical role in the continuous search for novel strains with superior activities on a global scale. This research focused on the ethanolic (EtOH) and hot-water (H2O) extracts of fruiting bodies of two wild-growing Ganoderma species: G. pfeifferi and G. resinaceum with an aim to assess its nutritional (total carbohydrate content-TCC), and mineral composition in relation to bioactive properties: antioxidant, antiproliferative and lipid-lowering. Atomic absorption spectrophotometry (AAS) revealed that G. pfeifferi is a promising source of minerals that are essential for numerous physiological functions in the human body like bone health and muscle and nerve function, with calcium (Ca 4.55 ± 0.41 mg/g d.w.) and magnesium (Mg 1.33 ± 0.09 mg/g d.w.), being the most abundant macro element present. Zinc (Zn), manganese (Mn), and chromium (Cr) were particularly notable, with concentrations ranging from 21.49 to 41.70 mg/kg d.w. The EtOH extract of G. pfeifferi demonstrated significantly elevated levels of TCC, essential macromolecules for energy and structural functions in the body, with higher quantities of all three standard carbohydrates detected in this type of extract. Similar to revealed composition the same species, G. pfeifferi stood out as the most prominent antioxidant agent, with H2O extract being stronger than EtOH in ABTS assay (86.85 ± 0.67 mg TE/g d.w.), while EtOH extract displayed the highest anti OH• radical scavenging ability (IC50 = 0.18 ± 0.05 μg/mL) as well as the most notable reducing potential among all. The highest antiproliferative effect against the breast cancer cell line (MCF-7), demonstrated the H2O extracts from G. resinaceum with the most pronounced activity after 24 hours (IC50 = 4.88 ± 0.50 μg/mL) which surpasses that of the standard compound, ellagic acid (IC50 = 33.94 ± 3.69 μg/mL). Administration of both Ganoderma extracts mitigated diabetic lipid disturbances and exhibited potential renal and hepatic protection in vivo on white Wistar rats by preservation of kidney function parameters in G. resinaceum H2O pre-treatment (urea: 6.27 ± 0.64 mmol/L, creatinine: 50.00 ± 6.45 mmol/L) and the reduction of ALT levels (17.83 ± 3.25 U/L) com-pared to diabetic control groups treated with saline (urea: 46.98 ± 6.01 mmol/L, creatinine: 289.25 ± 73.87 mmol/L, and ALT: 60.17 ± 9.64 U/L). These results suggest that pre-treatment with G. resinaceum H2O extracts may have potential antidiabetic properties. In summary, detected microelements are vital for maintaining overall health, supporting metabolic processes, and protecting against various chronic diseases. Further research and dietary assessments could help determine the full potential and applications of two underexplored Ganoderma species native to Serbia in nutrition and health supplements.

This paper presents our approaches for the SMM4H’24 Shared Task 5 on the binary classification of English tweets reporting children’s medical disorders. Our first approach involves fine-tuning a single RoBERTa-large model, while the second approach entails ensembling the results of three fine-tuned BERTweet-large models. We demonstrate that although both approaches exhibit identical performance on validation data, the BERTweet-large ensemble excels on test data. Our best-performing system achieves an F1-score of 0.938 on test data, outperforming the benchmark classifier by 1.18%.

Objective: To employ Latent Class Analysis (LCA) to investigate dietary intake patterns among Sudanese children aged 0 to 2 years and to examine the association of these patterns with sociodemographic factors. Methods: This study leveraged the Sudan Multiple Indicator Cluster Survey (MICS) 2014 data to uncover dietary intake patterns among 7,362 children using latent class analysis (LCA). We investigated class memberships concerning demographic and socioeconomic factors. The model's adequacy was determined using several fit indices, including BIC, AIC, entropy, CAIC, and SABIC, providing a holistic evaluation of the model's accuracy in capturing dietary behaviors. Results: Three latent classes were identified: Class 1 (55%) with an average nutrition composition, Class 2 (28%) with limited nutrition composition, and Class 3 (17%) with good nutrition composition. Significant associations were found between latent class membership and sociodemographic factors, particularly mother's education level and household wealth. The three-class solution provided the best balance between model fit and class distinction. Conclusions: The LCA revealed distinct dietary intake patterns and underscored the influence of sociodemographic factors on child nutrition. The findings suggest that targeted nutritional interventions should be developed according to the specific needs of different latent classes. The study also highlights the utility of LCA as a robust statistical and machine learning tool in public health research, capable of informing tailored interventions and policies for improving child nutrition. Implications: The study emphasizes the importance of maternal education and socio-economic status in shaping dietary behaviors of children in Sudan. It implies the need for policies that address educational disparities, food security, and economic development as part of comprehensive nutritional interventions.

The benthic matrix acts as a key natural archive where the memory of long-term timescale environmental changes is recorded. Some ecological and chemical features of fjord sediments were explored during the AREX cruise carried out in the Svalbard archipelago in summer 2021. The activity rates of the enzymes leucine aminopeptidase (LAP), beta-glucosidase (GLU) and alkaline phosphatase (AP) and community-level physiological profiles (CLPP) were studied with the aim of determining the functional diversity of the benthic microbial community, while bacterial isolates were screened for their susceptibility to antibiotic molecules in order to explore the role of these extreme environments as potential reservoirs of antibiotic resistance. Enzyme activity rates were obtained by fluorogenic substrates, CLPP by Biolog Ecoplates; antibiotic susceptibility assays were performed through the standard disk diffusion method. Spatial trends observed in the functional profiles of the microbial community suggested the variability in the microbial community composition, presumably related to the patchy distribution of organic substrates. Complex Carbon sources, carbohydrates and amino acids were the organic polymers preferentially metabolized by the microbial community. Multiple resistance to ampicillin, clindamycin and gentamycin was detected in all the sampled sediments, excepting in the southern Hornsund area, stressing the role of sediments as a potential reservoir of chemical wastes ascribable to antibiotic residuals. This study provides new insights on the health status of fjord sediments of West Spitsbergen applying a dual ecological and biochemical approach. Microbial communities in the fjord sediments showed globally a good functional diversity, suggesting their versatility to rapidly react to changing conditions.

Background/Objectives: The aim of the project is a longitudinal assessment of body image and mental health in scoliosis females pre-, postoperatively and in a follow-up, and implementation (one group-CBT scoliosis sample, CBTSS) or not (second group-control scoliosis sample, CSS) of CBT interventions. A healthy female sample (HFS) was also selected for comparative purposes. Methods. 36 in total AIS patients participated in the 1st and 2nd study phases, whereas 23 were eligible in the follow-up. Regarding HFS, 18 participants were included in the study. The CBT intervention took place pre- and postoperatively, during the patients' stay in hospital. Participants completed the Spinal Appearance Questionnaire (SAQ), Body Esteem Scale (BES) and Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire-25 (SDQ-25). Body image was also assessed using a virtual reality-based application “Avatar Scoliosis 3D”. Results: The difference between the desired and objective, actual body shape is significant preoperatively both in the CBTSS and CSS at p

The objective was to investigate associations of serum vitamin D concentration with depressive symptoms and assess the impact vitamin D concentration has on the occurrence of depressive symptoms in 20–44-year-old pregnant mothers, postpartum mothers, women (non-pregnant/postpartum women), and men, including a separate subgroup analysis of postpartum breastfeeding and non-breastfeeding mothers. The study populations were selected from 2007-2018 NHANES public data. Subjective interview data and objective laboratory data, including depressive symptoms, serum vitamin D concentration, nutrient intake, and demographic information were utilized. Two diet patterns were created using principal component analysis and a Bayesian multinomial model was fit to predict depression outcomes for each subpopulation. The estimates for the log vitamin D slope parameter were negative for all cohorts; as vitamin D increased, the probability of having no depression increased, while the probability of depression decreased. The pregnant cohort had the steepest vitamin D slope, followed by postpartum, then other women and men. Higher vitamin D concentration had more impact on decreasing depression risk in pregnant and postpartum mothers compared to other women and men. Among postpartum mothers, higher vitamin D concentration had a greater influence on decreasing breastfeeding mothers' depression risk than non-breastfeeding mothers.

As society becomes more reliant on Lithium-ion (Li-ion) batteries, state-of-health (SOH) estimation will need to become more accurate and reliable. Therefore, SOH modelling is in the process of shifting from using simple and continuous charge/discharge profiles, to more dynamic profiles constructed to mimic real operation, when ageing the Li-ion batteries. However, in most cases, when ageing the batteries, the same exact profile is just repeated until the battery reaches its end-of-life. Using data from batteries aged in this fashion to build a model, there is a very real possibility that the model will rely on the built-in repetitiveness of the profile. Therefore, this work will examine the dependence of the performance of a multiple linear regression on the number of charges used to train the model, and their location within the profile used to age the batteries. The investigation shows that it is possible to build models using randomly selected partial charges while still reaching errors as low as 0.5%. Furthermore, it shows that only two randomly sampled partial charges are needed to achieve errors of less than 1%. Lastly, as the number of randomly sampled partial charges used to create the model increases, then the dependence on particular partial charges tends to decrease.

World Health Organization recommends adjusting the salt intake as a part of the nine global targets to reduce premature mortality from non-communicable chronic diseases as priority and most cost-effective intervention. In 2006. the main aim of the Croatian Action on Salt and Health was to decrease salt intake for 16% because of its critical intake and consequences on human health. We have organized educative activities for increasing awareness on salt harmfulness, defined food categories of prime interest, collaborate with industries and determine salt intake (24h urine-sodium excretion). It was determined that the proportion of salt in ready-to-eat baked bread should not exceed 1.4%. In the period 2014 –2022, salt in the semi-white bread was reduced 14%, in bakery 22% and in largest meat industry in Croatia 25%. Awareness of the harmfulness of salt on health increased from 65.3% in 2008 to 96.9% in 2023 and salt intake was reduced 15.9%-1.8 grams/day (22.8% men, 11.7% women). In last 18 years a significant decrease in salt intake was achieved in Croatia, awareness of its harmfulness increased, collaboration with food industry established and regulatory documents launched. However, salt intake is still very high underlying the need for continuation of efforts and even stronger activities.

Burnout represents a concern for all healthcare providers, particularly those specializing in emergency medical care for whom burnout outcomes have been well-documented. What remains unknown is the effect of burnout on redeployed medical specialists during the COVID-19 pandemic from an appointment-centered practice to emergency care directed by public health considerations. This research aims to identify and assess the burnout responses of fourteen medical specialties noted in searched returns of the four most cited articles published since 2020 about non-emergency physicians regarding their burnout brought on by the unanticipated need for them to provide emergency care during the recent pandemic. The hypothesis is that medical specialists accustomed to planning for emergency possibilities in their appointment-centered practice would demonstrate the least burnout regarding COVID-19-related emergencies. Considering coping as a process based on Lazarus's research, comparing and ranking the COVID-19 emergency responses across the various normally appointment-centered medical specialties in their employed coping strategies determines the outcome. With the hypothesis supported, suggested interventions for future pandemics—when these specialists are, again, redeployed to emergency care directed by public health considerations—are those coping strategies identified as most effective in reducing burnout while maintaining the viability of the medical specialty and excellent patient care.

This study aimed to evaluate the early-childhood comorbidities of cerebral palsy (CP) in children with low birth weight (LBW) and assess the impact of maternal bio-psychosocial factors on the risk of CP in preterm infants across varying birth weights. Data for 15,181 prematurely born infants from 2009 to 2013 and 151,810 matched controls from Taiwan's National Health Insurance Research Database were analyzed. Period prevalence of CP, and comorbidities of LBW were verified, and odds ratios (ORs) were calculated. Results confirmed that increasing prematurity and low birth weight (LBW) rates in Taiwan. LBW was associated with higher CP prevalence. Maternal age extremes (&lt;20 and &gt;40 years) were significant risk factors of CP in LBW infants. LBW infants showed higher risks of respiratory, circulatory, and nervous system and psycho-developmental comorbidities compared to controls. Infants with the lowest birth weights had even higher ORs for these comorbidities. However, gastrointestinal and nutritional comorbidities were less prevalent in premature infants. Maternal factors such as family income, number of hospital admissions, and length of hospital stay were significantly correlated with birth weight and subsequent complications. Each additional gestational week significantly reduced the risk of complications in premature infants. Additionally, maternal bio-psychosocial factors were associated with birth weight and related outcomes in premature infants, emphasizing the importance of addressing these factors in prenatal care and interventions.

The accurate state of health (SOH) estimation of lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) during operation is crucial to ensure optimal performance, prolonging battery life and preventing unexpected failure or safety hazards. This work presents a storage and performance optimised deep learning approach to predict the capacity based SOH of LIBs using raw sensor data from partial charging curves under constant current condition. The proposed model is based on a combination of a 1-dimensional convolutional and long-short term memory neural network and processes time, voltage and incremental capacity of partial charging curves as time series. The model is cross-validated on different aging scenarios reaching an overall MAE = 0.418% and RMSE = 0.531%, promising an accurate SOH estimation of LIBs under varying usage and environmental conditions in a real world application.

The most relevant fungal disease of the olive tree in Portugal is anthracnose, which has negative effects on fruit destruction and consequently on the yield and quality of the olive oil. Moreover, the loss of quality caused by olive fruit fly is associated with the presence of fungi in the galleries made by the larvae. The present study focuses on the effect of olive anthracnose and olive fly on the content of bioactive compounds, namely on hydroxytyrosol (HYT) and its derivatives (health claim) in olive oils extracted from 'Galega Vulgar' and 'Cobrançosa' cultivars. The olives, with different damage levels (olive fly and anthracnose disease), were harvested in Castelo Branco (Center of Portugal) in organic rainfed orchards, at four harvest times during 2019, 2020 and 2021 harvest years. The fruits were immediately submitted to olive oil extraction. The results of the quality criteria show that Galega olive oils extracted from olives with a higher anthracnose incidence show no conformity for the Extra Virgin Olive Oil (EVOO) and Virgin Olive Oil (VOO) categories, with high acidity values and negative sensory notes accompanied by the disappearance of oleacein (the main phenolic compound of both monovarietal olive oils). Conversely, no sensory defects were observed in Cobrançosa olive oils extracted from fruit with high anthracnose and olive fly incidence. Moreover, despite a decrease in all the positive attributes associated with the cultivar, namely in oleacein and oleocanthal contents, quality criteria were still in accordance with the EVOO category. The total HYT and tyrosol (TYR) content (&gt; 5 mg/20g) allows the use of the health claim on the label of all the analysed Cobrançosa olive oils.

Background: 3D virtual reality (VR) Motionless Imagery Exercise through Avatar (MIEA) was developed to improve elderly’s psychological (cognitive and emotional) and physical health. This study observed the impact of this program on the cognitive functions and emotional well-being and the electrophysiological changes in older adults. Methods: This study was conducted using a randomized controlled trial design. The participants included 38 adults, 65 to 84 years of age, who were physically mobile and neurologically healthy. Among them, 19 participants were assigned to the experimental group, who underwent exercises using elderly avatars in a VR virtual exercise program. The other 19 participants were assigned to the control group who underwent the VR program. Both groups engaged in the VR intervention for 20 minutes three times a week, over six weeks. Results: The cognitive functions, including attention restraint, working memory, and phonemic fluency, of the experimental group showed significant improvements compared to the control group. Regarding emotional well-being, the experimental group showed greater self-efficacy. The electrophysiological changes revealed similar patterns to exercise-induced reactions in electromyography of the experimental group after intervention. Conclusions: These findings confirm that participation in 3D VR MIEA enhances cognitive functions and physical self-efficacy among the elderly. Therefore, 3D VR MIEA can be utilized in the rehabilitation therapy of patients or elderly with limited physical activity.

Introduction: Postpartum hypertension (PPHT) is hypertension that persists or develops directly after pregnancy. PPHT affects 10% of pregnancies and is the most common cause for re-hospitalization after giving birth. In general, PPHT stems from hypertensive disorders of pregnancy (HDP). The aim of the current interim report of the Basel PPHT registry is to describe the cohort, and to determine feasibility and acceptance of a home-based telemonitoring management strategy (HBTMS) in women with PPHT. Methods: Enrollment in the cohort began in June 2020 during the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic at the University Hospital Basel. Women in the maternity ward were screened for preexisting hypertension, HDP, and de novo postpartum hypertension and after consenting, were enrolled. In this pragmatic non-randomized prospective trial, women in the PPHT cohort could choose, between a HBTMS or usual care which consisted of in-hospital appointments at the hypertension clinic. HBTMS was defined as a smartphone application or a programmed spreadsheet to report blood pressure followed by telephone consultations. Standard of care was hospital-based visits as clinically needed after discharge. All participants were assessed three months after delivery with a standardized clinical visit including a 24-hour blood pressure measurement, blood, biomarker, and urine analysis. Results: 311 participants were enrolled from 06/20-08/23. Mean age was 34±5.3 years. Regarding pregnancy-related medical history: 10 % had preexisting hypertension, 27.3 % gestational hypertension, 53% preeclampsia (PE), 0.3% eclampsia, 6% HELLP (Hemolysis, Elevated Liver enzymes and Low Platelets) and 18.3% had de novo PPHT. More than one diagnosis was possible. Family history of cardiovascular disease was seen in 49.5%, 7.5% had a family history of PE. 23.3% were determined as high risk for PE during pregnancy. The most common type of delivery was C-Section (68.5%), mean hospital stay was 6.3 days (±3.9) and IUGR (intrauterine growth restriction) was seen in 21% of the newborns. 99% of participants chose a home-based management strategy. Conclusion: This first description of the Basel PPHT Cohort showed that a HBTMS is well accepted. This is particularly relevant in the direct postpartum period and even more pertinent when the exposure of hospital visits should be avoided when possible.

Objective: Mechanical bowel preparation is essential for the visualisation of the colon during colonoscopy, and previous studies have identified changes in gut microbiota composition after bowel preparation and colonoscopy. Considering the gut microbiota is increasingly implicated in mood, we aimed to explore the potential impact of this intervention on mood and the microbiota-gut-brain axis. Methods: We conducted a pre-post intervention study, with timepoints of one week before and one month after bowel preparation and colonoscopy, in community-dwelling adults referred for colonoscopy. Our primary outcome was change in average Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale depression sub-scores using generalised estimating equations. We also examined changes in average anxiety, stress, and quality of life scores, and faecal microbiota composition and potential function using 16S rRNA sequencing. We further explored associations between changes in depressive symptoms and the gut microbiota and conducted post-hoc analyses to explore potential effect modifiers. Key Results: 59 participants were included in the analyses. Depressive symptoms decreased one-month post-procedure compared to baseline (adjusted β=−0.64; 95%CI: −1.18, −0.11). Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) appeared to moderate this relationship (1.78; 0.292, 3.26); depressive symptoms increased in those with, and decreased in those without, IBS. Changes in gut microbiome composition included reduced alpha diversity, modest effects on beta-diversity, and increases in genera associated with potential health benefits, one-month post-procedure compared to baseline. Increases in the CLR-transformed abundance of Ruminococcaceae UCG-009 were associated with improvements in depressive symptoms. Conclusions: There is preliminary evidence of a potential mental health effect of bowel preparation and colonoscopy, which may be associated with changes to the gut microbiota. There may also be a differential mental health impact of this procedure for those with and without IBS. Considering the limitations of our study, further research is required to confirm these findings and their clinical relevance.

In Spain, the National Health System, of a public nature, provides care to Spaniards and other residents in Spain. It is a system adapted to the State of Autonomies, decentralized. Each Auton-omous Community has legislative capacity in its organization and management. We studied the agreement of private hospitals by the public system in La Rioja, an Autonomous Community of Spain located in the North of the Iberian Peninsula. Documentary sources from the General archives of La Rioja, the Institute of Riojan Studies, municipal funds (Logroño, Haro, Calahorra), and in-formation from catalogs and censuses of hospitals from the Ministry of Health, National Institute of Statistics, and Institute of Statistics of La Rioja have been reviewed. The hospital model of La Rioja is characterized by a predominance of public beds over private ones, although there is a growing trend in the number of private beds from 2013 onwards, due to the incorporation of two conva-lescent socio-health hospitals. A characteristic element of La Rioja has been the promotion of pub-lic-private collaboration, conceived as a strategic alliance. Regarding agreements, in La Rioja there has been a specialization in the socio-health space, whose formulas have been the management service contract and the concession of work. The development of the Health System in La Rioja, 1986-2019, has been determined by the presence of a mixed public-private hospital system and a progressively lower dependence on specialized hospitals from other Autonomous Communities.

During pregnancy, profound physiological changes occur in the maternal body, including those affecting oral health. Dental stem cells (DSCs) have emerged as promising candidates for regenerative therapies in dentistry. This manuscript delves into the intricate interplay between DSC behavior and maternal oral health during pregnancy. We provide an overview of current knowledge concerning the impact of pregnancy on DSCs, highlighting their potential roles in maintaining oral homeostasis and responding to pathological conditions. Additionally, we identify key research gaps and propose future directions for investigating novel therapeutic strategies leveraging DSCs to improve maternal and fetal oral health outcomes. By elucidating this relationship, we aim to pave the way for innovative approaches in preventive and regenerative dentistry tailored to the unique needs of pregnant women.

Infections with multi-drug-resistant (MDR) pathogens in food-animals threaten public health and food security. However, the epidemiology and factors associated with MDR Escherichia coli on Ugandan farms are not well known. This study investigated the prevalence, resistance patterns and factors associated with MDR E. coli carriage on chicken farms. A total of 158 E. coli strains were isolated from 158 chicken farms. The disc diffusion method for susceptibility testing was performed. Clinical breakpoints were interpreted according to Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute guidelines. MDR was defined as resistance to three or more classes of antimicrobials. MDR E. coli prevalence on chicken farms was 62.7% (95% CI: 55.0 – 70.3). High resistance was observed against ampicillin 79.8% (95% CI: 72.7–85.4), tetracycline 72.8% (95% CI: 65.2–79.2), cotrimoxazole 55.7% (95% CI: 47.8–63.3), and ciprofloxacin 38% (95% CI: 30.7–45.9). Farmers who were males (APR = 0.72, CI: 0.55, 0.93), and attained at least secondary education (APR=0.64, CI: 0.46, 0.88) and administration of recommended antibiotic doses (APR = 0.76, CI: 0.59–0.96) posed a lower risk of MDR E. coli carriage. Farms without footbaths posed a heighten risk (APR=1.48, CI: 1.16–1.88). MDR E. coli were highly prevalent on chicken farms. This study underscores the need for antimicrobial stewardship and improved infection prevention strategies on chicken farms.

Punica granatum L., commonly known as pomegranate, is a typical fruit of Asia, Mediterranean countries, Middle East and USA areas. While in the ancient time pomegranate was considered an ornamental plant, nowadays numerous scientific studies have highlighted its antioxidant and anti-radical activities, up to consider pomegranate as a “superfood”. Pomegranate presents a high content of natural bioactive compounds (NBCs) and its consumption appears to exert numerous healthy beneficial effects, in particular, in several pathological conditions, namely in patients affected by metabolic syndrome, cancer, nephrolithiasis, urinary tract infections and neurodegenerative diseases. Moreover, recent studies pointed out the possible beneficial action of pomegranate on oral health. For these reasons, the utility of pomegranate in internal medicine and in dentistry represents a promising field, as it could permit the development of innovative natural adjuvant therapies, able to empower the standard pharmaceutical therapies.

Social connectedness connection is a core dimension of health and wellness among all populations, yet the experience of moving to, and living in, a new country makes social and community-level influences particularly salient for immigrants. We interviewed 38 Latino immigrants living in a nontraditional migration area to explore the social and community foundations of health and wellness. Illustrated in a model of socioecological connectednesssocial connection, Using hybrid (inductive/deductive) qualitative analysis, we identified seven themesdomains of social connection from the perspective of the interviewed participants: 1) Lens of the individual is a filter for the social world; 2) Immigrant experience colors everything; 3) Interpersonal support enhances quality of life; 4) Community belonging fosters a sense of connectedness; 5) Community capital boosts security; 6) Community navigation promotes integration; and 7) Social acceptance strengthens inclusion. In the healthcare field, we lack conceptual clarity of the distinct connectedness domains that drive positive health outcomes in immigrant populations. Social connection domains generated by participants are consistent with the scientific literature, but this study identifies the specific social factors that immigrants describe as most salient to their own health and wellness. Our community-generated understanding of socioecological connectednesssocial connection can be used by healthcare providers to reduce risks and build on assets that will improve the health of immigrants living in nontraditional migration areas. health. Additionally, our model of socioecological connectednessthese results might serve as a foundation for a quantitative measure that can be used by providers to more accurately and comprehensively assess connectedness social connection of their patients and by researchers to evaluate the effectiveness of community-level interventions for immigrants.

The Sei Dareh Bridge is a cable-stayed bridge located in West Sumatra Province, Indonesia. The bridge, which crosses the Batanghari River, has a main span of 123 meters long and 9 meters wide. Traffic load is transmitted through 24 prestressed cables to a 42.4-meter-high pylon made of concrete. The bridge deck and traffic loads are directly supported by steel box girders as main beams that are reinforced laterally with cross beams IWF 800.300.16.24 and stringers IWF 350.350.12.19. This paper discusses static and dynamic testing on the bridge which aims to assess its feasibility before it is opened to the public. Based on the test, it was concluded that a static load of 73% could not be achieved because the deflection that occurred was beyond the allowable deflection. This is exacerbated by a loud clanging sound on the ST2-X1 prestressed cable when loading to 240 tons or 58% of the targeted load. In addition, this bridge is included in the "lazy bridge" category because it takes 24 hours to return to an undeformed condition after loading. As a recommendation for this bridge, it is necessary to carry out a structural health monitoring system (SHMS) regularly on bridge slabs and cables.

The COVID-19 pandemic has led to a substantial revolution in the incorporation of digital solutions in healthcare. This systematic review investigates the enduring physical and psychological consequences individuals experience up to two years post-recovery. Additionally, it focuses on examining the influence of mHealth interventions on these effects. Significantly, 41.7% of survivors experience lingering symptoms that have not been addressed, while 14.1% encounter difficulties in returning to work. The presence of anxiety, compromised respiratory functioning, and persistent symptoms highlight the immediate requirement for specific therapies. Telehealth, particularly telerehabilitation, presents itself as a possible way to address these difficulties. The study thoroughly examines 10 studies encompassing 749 COVID-19 patients, investigating the efficacy of telerehabilitation therapies in addressing various health markers. Telerehabilitation-based breathing exercises yield substantial enhancements in functional performance, dyspnea, and overall well-being. The results emphasize the potential of telerehabilitation to have a favorable effect on patient outcomes, however more research is needed to strengthen the existing evidence basis as one of the most important limitation is the limited number of trials and the evaluation of varied therapies. The analysis highlights the significance of digital solutions in post-COVID care and calls for ongoing research to improve comprehension and implementation of telehealth interventions in a swiftly changing healthcare environment.

Background and Aims: Late diagnosis of sepsis is associated with adverse consequences and high mortality rate. The aim of this study was to evaluate the diagnostic value of hematologic research parameters, that reflect the cell morphology of blood cells, available on the BC 6800 plus automated analyzer (Mindray) for the early detection of sepsis. Materials and Methods: A complete blood count (CBC) was performed by Mindray BC 6800 Plus Analyzer in 327 patients (223 with a confirmed diagnosis of sepsis following sepsis-3 criteria, 104 without sepsis), admitted at the Intensive Care Unit of the Novara’s Hospital (Italy) and in 56 patients with localized infection. Results: In univariate logistic regression, age, Hb, RDW, MO#, NMR, NeuX, NeuY, NeuZ, LymX, MonX, MonY, MonZ were associated with sepsis (p<0.005). In multivariate analysis, only RDW, NeuX, NeuY, NeuZ, MonX and MonZ were found to be independent predictors of sepsis (p<0.005). Morphological research parameters are confirmed to be predictors of sepsis even when analyzing the group with localized infection. Conclusions: In addition to already established biomarkers and basic CBC parameters, new morphological cell parameters can be a valuable aid in the early diagnosis of sepsis at no additional cost.

Postpartum depression is a significant health issue during the postpartum period and not only affects the woman but also has important repercussions for the newborn. Group support interventions during the postpartum period have proven effective in helping women cope with depression and improving breastfeeding rates. The aim of this study was to assess the effectiveness of a midwife-led breastfeeding support group intervention on breastfeeding rates, postpartum depression and general self-efficacy. This was a multicentric cluster randomized controlled trial with control and intervention groups and was not blinded. It was conducted in Andalusia (southern Spain) from October 2021 to May 2023. A total of 382 women participated in the study. Results showed a significant difference in exclusive breastfeeding rates at 4 months postpartum between the groups (p &lt; 0.001). Additionally, there was a lower mean score on the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale in the intervention group (12.49 ± 3.6 vs 13.39 ± 4.0; p = 0.044). Similarly, higher scores of general self-efficacy were observed among breastfeeding women at 2 and 4 months postpartum (p = 0.002 and p &lt; 0.001, respectively). In conclusion, midwife-led breastfeeding support groups enhanced self-efficacy, prolonged breastfeeding and reduced postpartum depression 4 months after giving birth.

Climate change is a global phenomenon that exerts significant impacts on ecosystems. Estuaries, as critical aquatic habitats, are susceptible to these changes; however, our comprehension of their specific responses to climate change remains limited. Beyond temperature rise and alterations in precipitation patterns, climate change induces indirect effects, influencing a multitude of biotic and abiotic variables within aquatic ecosystems. In this study, we assess seagrass health as an indicator of estuary well-being in three estuaries located in northern to central California, USA. Our investigation focuses on the marine angiosperm Zostera marina (commonly known as eelgrass) and its associated parasite, Labyrinthula zosterae. Z. marina, a temperate marine plant, faces the threat of eelgrass wasting disease (EWD) caused by the protist L. zosterae. Notably, this pathogen demonstrates sensitivity to warming ocean temperatures, underscoring the imperative to comprehend its impacts on host health amidst climate change. Our study assessed EWD prevalence with relation to spatial and temporal patterns, the relationship, if any, between disease prevalence and eelgrass percent cover, the spatial patterns, if any, of eelgrass percent cover, and what climatic variables were most strongly correlated with EWD and eelgrass percent cover.

Studies at the juncture of development economics and public health host considerable responsibility in addressing inequality and related mental health distress. Mental health care in economically marginalized populations requires depicting the linkages between socioeconomic status and psychological distress. In the present work, a sequential mixed-methods design was used to study 190 people in such communities in India. Gender-dependent psychological distress was found according to Kessler Psychological Distress Scale (K-10) with moderate distress in women (M= 26.30, SD= 9.15) and mild distress in men (M= 21.04, SD= 8.35). Regression analysis indicated that gender significantly predicted psychological distress, followed by age, marital status, and education of the head of the family. The Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis of semi-structured interviews to six women who scored the highest on the distress scale unveiled three master themes: (1) Manifestation of Psychological Distress, (2) Contextual Challenges, and (3) Sources of Strength and Resilience. Overall, participants reported lack of resources, community violence, gender discrimination, and widespread substance use as major contributors to the ongoing distress. These findings can pave the way for future studies to expand beyond independent economic indicators and curate clinical interventions for culturally competent mental health care.

Lactic acid bacteria are traditionally applied in a variety of fermented food products and have the capability to produce a wide range of bioactive ingredients during fermentation including vitamins, bacteriocins, bioactive peptides and bioactive compounds. The bioactivity and health benefits associated with these ingredients have gained interest in applications in the functional dairy market and have relevance both as components produced in situ and as functional additives. This review provides a brief description of the regulations regarding the functional food market in the European Union as well as an overview of some of the functional dairy products currently available in the Irish and European markets. A better understanding of the production of these ingredients excreted by lactic acid bacteria can further drive the development and innovation of the continuously growing functional food market.

Despite great interest in how dynamic fluctuations in psychological states such as mood, social safety, energy, present-focused attention, and burnout impact stress, well-being, and health, most studies examining these constructs use retrospective assessments. Here, we discuss how ecological momentary assessments (EMAs) address methodological issues associated with retrospective reports, able to reveal dynamic associations between psychological states at small timescales that are often missed in stress and health research. In addition to helping researchers characterize daily and within-day fluctuations and temporal dynamics between different health-relevant processes, EMAs can elucidate mechanisms through which interventions reduce stress and enhance well-being. EMAs can also be used to identify changes that precede critical health events, which can in turn be used to inform the delivery of ecological momentary interventions (EMIs of just-in-time interventions) that prevent such events from occurring. To enable this work, this narrative review provides examples of scales and single-item questions used in EMA studies, makes concrete recommendations for researchers seeking to employ EMAs in their research, and discusses limitations of EMA methods. In doing so, we aim to encourage the use of these methods in research given that, when used carefully, EMA methods are well-poised to greatly advance our understanding of how intrapersonal dynamics affect stress levels, well-being, and human health.

In these times, consumers mistakenly believe that the terms “expiration date” and “best before” found on packages only convey information about food safety. Consequently, a misunderstanding of these terms contributes to food waste. In this sense, the understanding and behavior of the con-sumer with respect to the two terms were evaluated; in addition, the consumer's perception of the health risks of consuming expired food was analyzed. The research was carried out with the population of the sector of Lurigancho-Chosica, Lima – Peru; sample size was 555 participants. An online survey was sent to consumers over 18 years of age, from different sociodemographic and socioeconomic conditions. In general terms, it was found that 45% (p <0.01) consider that both terms mean the same thing, this result is a problem for food safety. The 67% (p <0.05) and 45% (p <0.05) correctly defined the first and second terms, respectively; however, the behavior is not coherent with the understanding of the terms. In addition, irrational and dangerous behavior toward expired food was evidenced, i.e., they consume expired food - "expiration date", and discard expired food - "best before". Finally, the health risks they perceived from consuming expired foods of both terms were: upset stomach, vomiting, gas, intoxi-cation, and malnutrition; these perceptions are erroneous and unfounded. Sociodemographic and socioeconomic conditions influence the under-standing, behavior, and perception of health risks. Therefore, in general lines, the level of understanding of the terms was low (p<0.01), the be-havior was inappropriate toward expired food (p<0.01), and the percep-tion of the health risk of consuming expired food was incorrect (p<0.01).

Depression and anxiety are the most common mental health disorders worldwide. Internet-Delivered Cogni-tive Behaviour Therapy (ICBT) can reduce barriers to care for broad cross sections of the population. How-ever, People of Diverse Ethnocultural Backgrounds (PDEGs) other than White/Caucasian underutilize mental health services and are underrepresented in clinical trials of psychological interventions. To address this research gap, we adapted an evidence-based ICBT program for PDEGs. The current pilot study explores the effectiveness, satisfaction, and engagement in the adapted ICBT by PDEGs (N=41) when benchmarked against a sample of PDEGs (N=134) drawn from a previous non-adapted version of the ICBT program. Inntent-to-treat analyses showed that the adapted ICBT program is effective in reducing anxiety and de-pression symptoms among PDEGs. Large within-group pre-to-post-treatment Cohen’s effect sizes of d = 1.23, 95% CI [0.68, 1.77] and d = 1.24, 95% CI [0.69, 1.79] were found for depression and anxiety, respectively. Further, 81.8% of the PDEGs who received the adapted ICBT program reported high overall satisfaction, 90.9 % reported increased confidence in managing symptoms, and 70.7% of participants completed the ma-jority of the psychoeducational lessons in the ICBT program. No statistically significant differences in clinical outcomes, engagement, and satisfaction were found between the pilot study and benchmark sample. Future directions for ICBT research with PDEGs are described.

Background: Frail elderly patients are exposed to suffering the consequences of heart diseases that are not managed timely such as receiving anticoagulation to prevent stroke associated to atrial fibrillation (AF). Referral to the cardiological outpatient department can be cumbersome as it often requires repeated visits. The aim of this project was to use AF as a showcase to develop and implement CardioShare, a shared-care model where primary care leads patient management, using an easy-to-use compact Holter monitor device with asynchronous remote support from cardiologists. Methods: This complex intervention has been developed during a feasibility phase, tested in a pragmatic cluster-randomization trial (primary care clinic as clusters) and its implementation potential evaluated with an escalation test. Mixed methods were used to evaluate the impact of the intervention, comprising quantitative observations, semi-structured interviews, and workshops. Results: Between February 2020 and December 2021, 314 patients (30% frail) were included of whom 75% had AF diagnosed/not found within 13 days. More than 80% in both groups avoided referral to cardiologists. Patients felt safe and primary care clinicians satisfied. In the escalation test, 58 primary-care doctors used CardioShare to manage 93 patients over three months with remote support from four hospitals in the Capital Region of Denmark. Conclusions: CardioShare was successfully implemented for AF evaluation in primary care.

Visual impairment and blindness are a growing public health problem, as they reduce the quality of life of millions of people. The management and treatment of these diseases represent a scientific and therapeutic challenge, since the different cellular and molecular actors involved in the pathophysiology are still being identified. The visual system components, particularly the retinal cells, are extremely sensitive to genetic or metabolic alterations, and immune cells activated by insults contribute to biological events that culminate with vision loss and irreversible blindness. Several ocular diseases are linked to retinal cell loss, and diseases such as retinitis pigmentosa, age-related macular degeneration, glaucoma and diabetic retinopathy are characterized by pathophysiological hallmarks that represent possibilities to study and develop novel treatments for retinal cells degeneration. Here, we present a compilation of revisited information on retinal degeneration, including pathophysiologic and molecular features, biochemical hallmarks and possible directions for novel treatments, aiming to assist as a guide for innovative research. The expansion of knowledge of the mechanistic bases of the pathobiology of eye diseases, including information on the complex interactions of genetic predisposition, chronic inflammation, and environmental and aging-related factors will allow the identification of new therapeutic strategies.

In order to realize the performance degradation trend prediction accurately, a prediction method based on multi-domain features and temporal convolutional network (TCN) is proposed. Firstly, construct a high-dimensional feature set in the multi-domain of vibration signals, and use comprehensive evaluation indicators to preliminarily screen performance degradation indexes with good sensitivity and strong trend. Secondly, the kernel principal component analysis (KPCA) method is adopted to eliminate redundant information between multi-domain features, and construct a health index (HI) based on convolutional auto-encoder (CAE) network. Thirdly, a TCN-based performance degradation trend prediction model is constructed, and direct multi-step prediction is used to predict the performance degradation trend of the monitored object. On this basis, the validity of the proposed method is verified using the bearing public data, and it is successfully applied to performance degradation trend prediction of rolling contact fatigue specimen. The results show that the feature set can be reduced from 14 dimensions to 4 dimensions by using KPCA, while 98.33% of the information of the original feature set is retained. Furthermore, the method of constructing HI based on CAE network is effective. The change process of the HI constructed truly reflects the performance degradation process of the rolling contact fatigue specimen. Compared with the two commonly used HI construction methods, auto-encoding (AE) network and gaussian mixture model (GMM), this method has obvious advantages. At the same time, the prediction model based on TCN can accurately predict the performance degradation of the rolling contact fatigue specimen with the root mean square error 0.0146 and the mean absolute error 0.0105, which has better performance and higher prediction accuracy than the prediction model based on the long short-term memory (LSTM) network and the gated recurrent unit (GRU). This method has general significance and may be extended to the performance degradation prediction of other mechanical equipment/parts.

Antibiotic resistance has emerged as one of the major concerns to public human health due to issues in treatment and control of major infectious diseases. From discovery of penicillin in 1940, the antibiotic resistance originated and now developed the microorganisms as resistive strains to the major available antibiotics. Furthermore, studies on this captivating activity of the microbes provide insight into the complexities of microbial physiology and may offer some guidance in preventing the onset and consequent development of antibiotic resistance. Despite of initiatives taken in last few decades to overcome the issues, the trends of antibiotic resistance gained much peak. Antibiotic resistance appears to have emerged as a result of various factors including antibiotics being misused and overused in both the medical field and the agricultural sector. Important factors in the development of antibiotic resistance also include bacterial mutation, unplanned evolution, and horizontal gene transfers. In addition, antibiotics resistance imposed the financial consequences to public health and drug development research. Future advancements related to innovative antibiotics and molecular drug designing become challenge for researchers due to intensive multiple antibiotics resistance among human population. Many researches have been conducted on origin, evolutionary aspect of antibiotic resistance and mechanisms of antibiotics resistance, but its effect on future drug development is little understood. Therefore, the recent review will highlight the role of antibiotic resistance in drug designing and impacts of antibiotic resistance on drug development in future.

Background and Objectives: Elders’ needs are rarely examined beforehand, and thus, although technology-based tools can enhance self-management, acceptability rates are still low. This study aimed to examine and compare self-reported needs, priorities, and preferences of elders with heart failure (HF), diabetes mellitus (DM), and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) toward technology use to enhance self-management. Materials and Methods: A convenience sample of 473 participants over 60s (60.5% females), diagnosed with HF (N=156), DM (N=164), or COPD (N=153) was recruited. They were administered a questionnaire about the usefulness of technology in general and in specific areas of disease management. Results: Most participants (84.7%) admitted that technology is needed for better disease management. This was equally recognized across the three groups both for the overall and specific areas of disease management (in order of priority: ‘Information’, ‘Communication with Physicians &amp; Caregivers’, and ‘Quality of Life &amp; Wellbeing’). Sociodemographic differences were found. Cell phones and PCs were the devices of preference. The four common features prioritized by all three groups were related to ‘information about disease management’ (i.e., monitoring symptoms, reminders for medication intake, management and prevention of complications), whereas the fifth one was related to ‘communication with physicians and caregivers (i.e., in case of abnormal or critical signs). The top disease-specific feature was also monitoring systems (of respiratory rate or blood sugar or blood pressure, oxygen), whereas other disease-specific features followed (i.e., maintaining normal weight for HF patients, adjusting insulin dose for DM patients, and training on breathing exercises for COPD patients). Conclusions: Elders in these three samples seem receptive to technology in disease management. mHealth tools, incorporating both common and disease-specific features and addressing different chronic patients, and being personalized at the same time, could be cost-saving and useful adjuncts in routine clinical care to improve self-management.

Despite marked advancements, life expectancy (LE) growth in Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) has remained stagnant compared to other developed nations. This study aims to investigate the significant correlation between macroeconomic (ME), sociodemographic (SD), and health status-resources (HSR) factors and LE to formulate an explanatory model for Saudi Arabia and the UAE – a previously unexplored area. Utilizing an ecological, retrospective, time-series study design, we delved into secondary data on SD, ME, HSR, and LE of the UAE population spanning three decades (1980-2020). We employed the partial least squares-structural equation modeling for statistical analysis. Our analysis revealed significant direct impacts of HSR on LE for Saudi Arabia (Beta=0.958, p<0.001) and the UAE (Beta=0.716, p<0.001). Furthermore, we discerned a notable indirect influence of ME on LE, mediated through SD and HSR for Saudi Arabia (Beta=0.507, p<0.001) and UAE (Beta=0.509, p<0.001), along with a considerable indirect effect of SD on LE through HSR (Saudi Arabia: Beta=0.529, p<0.001; UAE: Beta=0.711, p<0.001). This study underscores the mediating role of a nexus of ME-SD-HSR factors on LE in Saudi Arabia and the UAE. Consequently, these findings signal an imperative need for holistically policy interventions addressing ME, SD, and HSR factors, aiming to alter health behaviors and improve LE projections for Saudi Arabia and the UAE in the long run.

The objective of the present study is to analyze COVID-19 transmission in specific dampest regions with excess rainfall and recurring fogs. The working hypothesis is that widespread transmission of SARS CoV 2 (leading to COVID-19) and similar viral agents can be explained by specific climate factors having high air humidity. The main case study of the Turkish Black Sea region is investigated. Results reveal that the provinces in region under study have some climate factors and geographical features that foster the accelerated transmission of viral agents, such as SARS-CoV-2, and consequential negative impact on society. In particular, Spearman's Correlation Coefficient shows a statistically significant positive association between the average atmospheric pressure and the spread of the COVID-19 confirmed cases in Samsun province (Spearman’s correlation coefficient rs =0.86, p-value 0.05). A statistically significant positive association between the average precipitation and the spread of COVID-19 confirmed cases in Sinop province (Spearman’s correlation coefficient rs =0.79, p-value 0.05), and finally, a statistically significant negative association between the average sun hour and the spread of the COVID-19 confirmed cases in Samsun province (Spearman’s correlation coefficient rs = 0.89, p-value 0.01). These findings suggest that regions' geographical characteristics, demographic structure, climate and environmental parameters must be considered in the national scale epidemic management plans to design effective anti-pandemic health policies to cope with future waves of the COVID-19 and new airborne diseases and to reduce negative effects on health, social and economic systems.

World Health Organization (WHO) has announced the monkeypox (MPX) epidemic a global public health emergency due to its re-emergence, remarkable increase in the number of MPX cases worldwide, and its potential spread. This paper introduces the symptoms, complications, and features of MPX; its transmission, diagnosis and testing, vaccines and treatment; MPX and sexually transmitted diseases, especially the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV); possible natural hosts or reservoirs of the monkeypox virus (MPXV). A useful tool for MPX and surgical safety recommendations are presented. The challenges in fighting the MPX epidemic, One Health strategy, and future research are discussed.

Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) has had devastating impacts on the global economy and public health. This study aimed to assess the level of COVID-19 vaccine acceptance, hesitancy, and associated factors among staff and students of the Federal University of Health Sciences Otukpo, Benue State, Nigeria. A web-based cross-sectional survey was conducted between November 2021 and April 2022, and data were collected and analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics. Of the 150 completed and analyzed questionnaires, the majority of respondents (80.0%) were between 16 and 45 years old. The study found that 58.4% of participants indicated vaccine hesitancy, with skepticism about the vaccine's fast production/rollout and fear of vaccine side effects being the most common reasons for hesitation. Respondents' age, religion, and category were significant factors influencing vaccine acceptance and hesitancy (P < 0.05). The university community has a high level of awareness of COVID-19 but low vaccine acceptance, resulting in high levels of vaccine hesitancy. The study recommends that policymakers and public health officials should prioritize testing and vaccination for job categories with higher risk of exposure to COVID-19. They should provide accurate information about COVID-19 testing and vaccination and implement workplace-based testing and vaccination programs. These interventions can help to increase COVID-19 testing and vaccination uptake among the university community and mitigate the spread of COVID-19.

Earliest critical context of the pandemic, preceding the first real epidemiological wave of contagion in Bulgaria, was examined in a socio-affective perspective. A retrospective and agnostic analytical approach was adopted. Our goal was to identify traits and trends that explain public health support (PHS) of Bulgarians during the first two months of the declared state of emergency. We investigated a set of variables with a unified method within an international scientific network, named International Collaboration on Social &amp; Moral Psychology of COVID-19 (ICSMP) in April and May 2020. Conspiracy Theories beliefs were a significant predictor of lower PHS. Psychological Well-being was significantly associated with Physical Contact and Anti-Corona Policy Support. Physical Contact was significantly predicted by less Conspiracy Theories beliefs, higher Collective Narcissism, Open-mindedness, higher Trait Self-Control, Moral Identity, Risk Perception, and Psychological Well-Being. Physical Hygiene compliance was predicted by less Conspiracy Theories beliefs, Collective Narcissism, Morality-as-Cooperation, Moral Identity, and Psychological Well-Being. Results revealed two polar trends of support and non-support of public health policies. The contribution of this study is in providing evidence for affective polarization and phenomenology of (non)precarity during the outbreak of the pandemic.

The use of active video games or exergames has been booming recently, as they are motivating and promote exercise and healthy lifestyle habits for their users, and these immersive virtual reality (IVR) exercise programs could be compared to traditional physical exercise programs. A starting point for this would be to explore the physiological responses that can be generated by its use. Therefore, the main objective of this study was to evaluate the response across certain physiological parameters (heart rate, blood pressure and stress) after an IVR exergame exposure in a sample of healthy adults, and secondarily to explore its feasibility and usefulness as a tool to facilitate physical exercise. 37 healthy adults (22-54 years, 54.1% women) participated in the study. They carried out one exergaming session with the HTC Vive ProTM hardware. The primary outcome was evaluated using the concentration of cortisol, heart rate and blood pressure. Secondary outcomes were evaluated with safety using the Simulator Sickness Questionnaire (SSQ); usability evaluated with the System Usability Scale (SUS); personal experiences evaluated with Game Experience Questionnaire (GEQ) and perceived exertion through the Borg perceived effort scale. All participants completed the IVR session without significant adverse effects, and all physiological parameters analysed increased significantly in relation to pre-intervention levels. Perceived exertion corresponded to a moderate to intense exercise (6.30±0.50/10 on the modified Borg scale). All the sample considered the experience as good or very good and would recommend it. These findings support that our IVR session can be compared to a moderate to intense physical activity, as it involved similar perceived exertion with significant increases in heart rate, blood pressure and salivary cortisol levels.

Background Community health workers (CHWs) drawn from the general population are an important human resource in health care systems, preventing non-communicable diseases (NCDs) and contributing to an increase in healthy life expectancy in Japan. Thus, we have developed the COmmunity health workers perceptual and behavioral Competency Scale for preventing Non-communicable diseases (COCS-N) to measure CHWs’ competence in preventing NCDs. The purpose of this study is to examine individual and community factors affecting CHWs’ COCS-N scores. Methods Municipal public health nurses and other public health professionals are responsible for training and supporting CHWs in Japan. Therefore, the existence of CHWs and their willingness to participate in the study were confirmed with the municipalities, who were asked to distribute the self-administered questionnaire to CHWs where consent was obtained (N = 6,480). Variables used included demographic characteristics, COCS-N scores, and individual- and community-related factors. Logistic regression analysis was used to assess associations between variables. Results A total of 3,120 people completed the questionnaire, a valid response rate of 48.1%. The respondents’ mean age was 67.0 years (standard deviation = 9.0), and 88.0% were female. Comparison of the high- and low- competence groups in terms of NCD prevention based on COCS-N scores identified 13 factors associated with significant differences, including years spent working as a CHW (p < 0.001), subjective sense of health (p = 0.005), European Health Literacy Survey Questionnaire (HLS-EU-Q47) scores (p < 0.001), and community commitment scale (CCS) scores (p < 0.001). Logistic regression analysis revealed that HLS-EU-Q47 scores (odds ratio [OR]: 1.02, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.02–1.03) were a significant individual factor, while CCS scores (OR: 1.14, 95% CI: 1.11–1.16) were a significant community factor. Conclusions We found that the COCS-N score was associated with the individual factors overall health literacy (HL), perceptions of HL, and subjective sense of health, and with the community factor CCS scores. These results suggest that strengthening individual factors such as HL and subjective sense of health, and community factors such as sense of community is an effective strategy for increasing CHWs’ competence in preventing NCDs.

Background: Our study aimed to examine how modulating variables such as social support, health anxiety, coping, gender, being separated from home, and lockdown can modify or amplify the effect of perceived stress as a starting variable in the point of view of the output variable, dissociation. Methods: A cross-sectional survey was conducted in online form at two points in time: the beginning and the later stage of the COVID-19 pandemic. Results: We received a total of 1711 responses. Perceived stress moderately correlated with dissociation in both International and Hungarian samples. Health anxiety showed a strong direct and indirect correlation with dissociation. Regarding social support, the support of family significantly decreased the dissociative experiences in the Hungarian sample through mediating the stress and directly as well. In the international sample, the goal-oriented coping strategy had a strong decreasing effect on all dissociation scales in the first measurement, through mediation of perceived stress. As to the Hungarian sample, positive thinking was found to decrease dissociation through decreasing perceived stress. Conclusion: The cause and effect relationship between stress and dissociation may be tinctured by health anxiety, coping and social support, influencing dissociacion directly and indirectly. Social support, mainly support of the family and problem-focused coping strategies seem to alleviate dissociation-provoking effect of stress.

Nanoparticles (NP), Nanoaerosols (NA), ultrafine particles (UFP), and PM0.1 (particles with a diameter ≤ 0.1 µm or 100 nm) are interchangeably used in the field of atmospheric studies. PM0.1 are emitted from both natural and anthropogenic sources. The main emission sources of PM0.1 are combustion processes, including biomass and fossil fuel. Moreover, secondary formation via atmospheric photochemical reactions can also occur depending on meteorological conditions and the suspended pollutant species. Identifying the physical and chemical characteristics and spatial and temporal variations is vital in terms of understanding the effect of NPs on the environment, the global climate, and human health risks. This review article summarizes recent research on PM0.1 in Thailand. The review involves peer-reviewed papers from Scopus and the Web of Science databases, and includes the most recently published articles in the past ten years (2013-2022). UFPs mainly come from the combustion processes such as motor vehicles. The high mass concentration of PM0.1 that occurs during the dry season in which open fires depend on the specific region of Thailand. Particulate pollution from local and cross-border countries also needs to be considered in terms of the concentrations of ambient nanoparticles. The overall conclusions reached will likely have a beneficial long-term impact on achieving a blue sky over Thailand through the development of coherent policies and managing new air pollution challenges and sharing knowledge with a broader audience.

The persistence of diseases that affect construction workforce as a result of activities on construction sites poses a danger to the sustainable development of the industry. This resulted to a huge loss of skilled labour and economic development of the industry and the entire country. The arrival of the fourth industrial revolution (4IR) technologies urges an urgent need to assess the effect of the technology’s biological driver on the construction occupation related diseases. Therefore, this study is aimed at assessing the effect of 4IR on the construction occupation related diseases in Gauteng, South Africa. The study is quantitative in design and questionnaire survey were administered to project and Health and Safety (H&S) managers in Gauteng, South African construction sector using a proportionate simple random sampling technique. For data analysis, the Warp PLS-SEM 8.0 software algorithm was used for the analysis of the collated data. The study found that the effects of the 4IR’s biological driver variables ranges between moderate to high effects for genome sequencing (GENSE) and Neurotechnology (NEURO) respectively. The combined predictive relevance of the two (2) variables predicts 64% of the construction occupation related diseases. This implies that the adoption of the driver would help reduce the causes of construction-related diseases. Hence, implies that continuous deployment of 4IR technologies would ensure that construction occupation related diseases are easily identified and put on alert.

Abstract: Background: To determine the impact of a patient's ethnicity on the seeking preventive dental services at the Community Health Centers (CHCs) in South-Central Texas. Methods: Pri-mary electronic health records (HER) data were collected regarding each patient's medical and dental history, and comprehensive treatment planning. The researchers retrieved EHR from Jan-uary 2016 to 2022. Bivariate analysis was completed to test outcome with predicator and covariates using appropriate statistical tests. A multiple linear regression model was used to understand the association between the predictor and outcome variable while controlling for confounders. Results: The study findings revealed significantly higher dental visits (2.26 ± 2.88) for Hispanic patients. The results from the multiple regression model indicated that non-Hispanic patients had a 8% fewer chance of visiting the CHCs for preventive dental services compared to the Hispanic population (p-value<0.001) when all other variables are held constant. However, the study results were not significant as the effect size was small to conclude the effect of ethnicity on the patients visiting the dental clinic at the CHCs for preventive services. Conclusion: The study concluded that there is no difference in the preventive dental services completed by Hispanics and Non-Hispanics when all other variables are controlled.

The COVID-19 pandemic has caused detrimental impacts on different population groups throughout the world. This study aimed to explore the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic’s mandatory lockdown protocols on activities and mental health conditions of community-dwelling older people in Jakarta, Indonesia. A qualitative design using one-on-one in-depth interviews was employed to collect data from the participants (n=24) who were recruited using the snowball sampling technique. Data analysis was guided by a qualitative data analysis framework. The findings showed that before the COVID-19 outbreak participants engaged in different kinds of regular individual and social activities. However, the COVID-19 outbreak and its mandatory lockdown protocols significantly influenced both their activities and social life, which led to social disconnection and financial difficulties for them. COVID-19 outbreak, mandatory lockdown protocols, and disruption of individual and social activities of the participants also caused mental health challenges to them, including feelings of loneliness, loss, sadness, stress, and anger. The findings suggest that there is a need for intervention programs addressing the socio-economic and mental health impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on older populations to help them cope with these challenges. Future studies involving large-scale older populations to comprehensively understand COVID-19 impacts on them are recommended.

Despite the strong links between sleep, circadian rhythms, and mental health, sleep education has been neglected in mental healthcare provider training programs. The current pilot study examined the potential efficacy and acceptability of a sleep education workshop for trainee psychologists, called the Sleep Psychology Workshop. Eleven students completing their Master of Psychology degrees (90% female, 24.4 ± 1.6 years old) attended the Sleep Psychology Workshop as part of their Health Psychology course, delivered as three, two-hour lectures (total six hours). Trainees’ sleep psychology knowledge quiz scores (% correct) demonstrated significant improvement from pre- (M = 60%, SD = .09) to post-workshop (M = 79%, SD = .08), t (6) = -5.18, p = .002. Trainees also reported increased self-efficacy to use common sleep-related assessment instruments and empirically supported interventions to manage sleep and circadian rhythm disturbances, along with increased confidence to manage insomnia disorder in clinical practice (all p<.02). Trainees also endorsed the workshop as an acceptable sleep education program for trainee psychologists via a post-workshop feedback survey, focus group, and six-month follow-up survey. This pilot study provides preliminary evidence for the Sleep Psychology Workshop as an effective and acceptable sleep education program for trainee psychologists.

Grinding processes’ stochastic nature poses a challenge in predicting the quality of the resulting surfaces. Post-production measurements for form, surface roughness, and circumferential waviness are commonly performed due to infeasibility in measuring all quality parameters during the grinding operation. Therefore, it is challenging to diagnose the root cause of quality deviations in real-time resulting from variations in the machine’s operating condition. This paper introduces a novel approach to predicting the overall quality of the individual parts. The grinder is equipped with sensors to implement condition-based maintenance and is induced with five frequently occurring failure conditions for the experimental test runs. The crucial quality parameters are measured for the produced parts. Fuzzy c-means (FCM) and Hotelling’s T-squared (T2) have been evaluated to generate quality labels from the multi-variate quality data. Benchmarked random forest regression models are trained using fault diagnosis feature set and quality labels. Quality labels from the T2 statistic of quality parameters are preferred over FCM approach for their repeatability. The model, trained from T2 labels achieves more than 94% accuracy when compared to the measured ring disposition. The predicted overall quality using the sensors’ feature set is compared against the threshold to reach a trustworthy maintenance decision.

The non-contact patient monitoring paradigm moves patient care into their homes and enables long-term patient studies. The challenge, however, is to make the system non-intrusive, privacy-preserving, and low-cost. To this end, we describe an open-source edge computing and ambient data capture system, developed using low-cost and readily available hardware. We describe five applications of our ambient data capture system. Namely: (a) Estimating occupancy and human activity phenotyping; (b) Medical equipment alarm classification; (c) Geolocation of humans in a built environment; (d) Ambient light logging; and (e) Ambient temperature and humidity logging. We obtained an accuracy of 94% for estimating occupancy from video. We stress-tested the alarm note classification in the absence and presence of speech and obtained micro averaged F1 scores of 0.98 and 0.93, respectively. The geolocation tracking provided a room-level accuracy of 98.7%. The root mean square error in the temperature sensor validation task was 0.3°C and for the humidity sensor, it was 1% Relative Humidity. The low-cost edge computing system presented here demonstrated the ability to capture and analyze a wide range of activities in a privacy-preserving manner in clinical and home environments and is able to provide key insights into the healthcare practices and patient behaviors.

A recent survey that determined heavy metal concentrations in an abandoned Hg mine in Palawan, Philippines, found the occurrence of Hg with As, Ba, Cd, Co, Cr, Cu, Fe, Hg, Mn, Ni, Pb, Sb, Tl, V, and Zn. While the Hg originated from the mine waste calcines as supported by previous studies, the critical knowledge about the origin of the other heavy metals remains to be unknown. Our study investigated the sources of heavy metal pollution surrounding the abandoned Hg mine; and assessed the soil and sediment quality, ecological risks, and health risks associated with these toxic metals. Multivariate analyses, such as hierarchical cluster analysis (HCA), principal component analysis (PCA), and Pearson correlation analysis, were used to identify the heavy metal sources from the results of a previous paper. Our results showed that Fe, Ni, Cr, Co, and Mn are associated with the ultramafic geology of the study, whereas As, Ba, Cd, Cu, Pb, Sb, Tl, V, and Zn are likely due to historical mining and processing of cinnabar from 1953-1976. The mine waste calcines were used as construction material for the wharf and as land filler for the adjacent communities. The modified contamination factor (mCdeg) showed that the coast of Honda Bay is highly contaminated, while the inland areas, including the rivers, are very- to ultra-highly contaminated. There is a considerable ecological risk associated with the heavy metals, wherein Ni, Hg, Cr, and Mn contribute an average of 46.3 %, 26.3 %, 11.2 %, and 9.3 % to the potential ecological risk index (RI), respectively. The overall mean hazard index (HI) for both adults (1.4) and children (12.1) exceeded 1, implying the probability of non-carcinogenic adverse effects. The mean total cancer risk over a lifetime (LCR) for both adults (1.19×10-3) and children (2.89×10-3) exceeded the tolerable threshold of 10-4, suggesting a potentially high risk for developing cancer mainly by Ni, Co, and Cr exposure.

The 2019 Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19) is a major cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide. Since late November 2021, Omicron variant has emerged as the primary cause of COVID-19 and caused a huge increase in the reported incidence around the world. To date, 32-34 spike mutations have been reported, 15 of which were located in the receptor-binding domain that interacts with the cell surface of the host cells, while the rest were located in the N-terminal domain and around the Furin cleavage site. At present, both the genomic and clinical profiles of this novel variant are being investigated. Here, we aim to discuss the recent reports on the transmissibility and severity of Omicron variant from both the genetic and clinical perspectives. Afterward, we also take the chance to deliver our personal view on the topic.

Individuals from rural areas are increasingly using social media as a means of communication, receiving information, or actively complaining of inequalities and injustices. This study captured 57 days’ worth of Twitter data from June to August 2021 related to rural health using English language keywords. The study utilised social network analysis and natural language processing to analyse the data. It was found that Twitter served as a fruitful platform to raise awareness of problems faced by those living in rural areas. Overall, Twitter was utilised in rural areas to express complaints, to debate, and share information. Twitter could be leveraged as a powerful social listening tool for individuals and organisations who want to gain insight into popular narratives around rural health.

Effectively preventing and controlling zoonotic diseases requires a One Health approach that involves collaboration across sectors responsible for human health, animal health (both domestic and wildlife), and the environment, as well as other partners. Here we describe the Generalizable One Health Framework (GOHF), a five-step framework that provides structure for using a One Health approach in zoonotic disease programs being implemented at the local, sub-national, national, regional, or international level. Part of the framework is a toolkit that compiles existing resources and presents them following a stepwise schematic, allowing users to identify relevant resources as they are required. Coupled with recommendations for implementing a One Health approach for zoonotic disease prevention and control in technical domains including laboratory, surveillance, preparedness and response, this framework can mobilize One Health and thereby enhance and guide capacity building to combat zoonotic disease threats at the human-animal-environment interface.

(1) Background: New sensor technologies in wearables and other consumer health devices open up promising opportunities to collect real-world data. As cardiovascular diseases remain reason number one for disease and mortality worldwide, cardiology offers potent monitoring use-cases with patients in their out-of-hospital daily routine. Therefore, the aim of this systematic review is to investigate the status quo of studies monitoring patients with cardiovascular risks and patients suffering from cardiovascular diseases in a telemedical setting using not only a smartphone-based app, but also consumer health devices such as wearables and other sensor-based devices. (2) Methods: A literature search was conducted across five databases and the results were examined according to the study protocols, technical approaches and qualitative and quantitative parameters measured. (3) Results: Out of 166 articles, 8 studies were included in this systematic review. These cover interventional and observational monitoring approaches in the area of cardiovascular diseases, heart failure and atrial fibrillation using various app, wearable and health device combination. (4) Conclusions: Depending on the researcher’s motivation a fusion of apps, patient reported outcome measures and non-invasive sensors can be orchestrated in a meaningful way adding major contributions to monitoring concepts for both, individual patients and larger cohorts.

Sleep deficiency impacts the quality of life and may have serious health consequences in the long run. Questionnaire-based subjective assessment of sleep deficiency has many limitations. On the other hand, objective assessment of sleep deficiency is challenging. In this study, we propose a polysomnography-based mathematical model for computing baseline sleep deficiency severity score and then investigated the estimation of sleep deficiency severity using features available only from wearable sensor data including heart rate variability and single-channel electroen-cephalography for a dataset of 500 subjects. We used Monte-Carlo Feature Selection (MCFS) and inter-dependency discovery for selecting the best features and removing multi-collinearity. For developing the Regression model we investigated both the frequentist and the Bayesian ap-proaches. An Artificial Neural Network achieved the best performance of RMSE = 5.47 and an R-squared value of 0.67 for sleep deficiency severity estimation. The developed method is com-parable to conventional methods of Functional Outcome of Sleep Questionnaire and Epworth Sleepiness Scale for assessing the impact of sleep apnea on sleep deficiency. Moreover, the results pave the way for reliable and interpretable sleep deficiency severity estimation using a wearable device in Smart Health.

The work presents a Structural Health Monitoring (SHM) electronic system with real-time ac-quisition and processing for the determination of impact location in laminates. The novelty of this work is the quantitative evaluation of impact location errors using the Lamb wave guided mode S0, captured and processed in real-time by up to eight piezoelectric sensors. The differential time of arrival is used to minimize an error function for the position estimation. The impact energy is correlated to the amplitudes of the antisymmetric (A0 ) mode and the electronic design is de-scribed to avoid saturation for signal acquisition. The same electronic is designed to acquire symmetric (S0 ) low level signals by adequate gain, bandwidth and signal to noise ration. Such signals propagate into a 1.4mm thick aluminum laminate at the group velocity of 5150m/s with frequency frequency components above 270kHz and can be discriminated from the A0 mode to calculate accurately the differential arrival time. The results show that the error is not improved better than S0 wavelength in impact localization by using six out of eight sensors connected to the electronic system.

The global burden of antimicrobial resistance is on the rise, resulting in higher morbidity and mortality in our communities. The spread of antimicrobial resistance in the environment and development of resistant microbes is a challenge to the control of antimicrobial resistance. Approaches, such as antimicrobial stewardship programmes, and enhanced surveillance, have been devised to curb its spread. However, particularly in lower- and middle-income countries, the overall extent of antimicrobial resistance, and knowledge on on-going surveillance, stewardship or investigation efforts, re often poorly understood. This study aimed to look at the efforts that have been undertaken to combat antimicrobial resistance in Uganda as a means of establishing an overview of the situation, to help inform future decisions. We conducted a systematic literature review of the PubMed database to assess the efforts that have been done in Uganda to investigate and combat antimicrobial resistance. A search combining keywords associated with antimicrobial resistance were used to look up relevant studies between 1995 and 2020 on surveillance of antimicrobial resistance in Uganda, and susceptibility of microbes to different drugs. The search yielded 430 records, 163 of which met the inclusion criteria for analysis. The studies were categorized according to country and region, the type of antimicrobial resistance, context of the study, study design and outcome of the study. Antibacterial resistance and antimalarial resistance had the most published studies while antiviral and antifungal resistance each were represented by very few studies. Most studies were conducted in humans and hospital settings, with very few in veterinary and One Health contexts. The results from our work can inform public health policy on antimicrobial stewardship as it contributes to understanding the status of antimicrobial resistance surveillance in Uganda, and can also help to guide future research efforts. Notably, a One Health approach needs to be followed with re-spect to surveillance of antimicrobial resistance to better understand the mechanisms of resistance transfer across the human-animal–environment interface, including additional investigation in antiviral and antifungal resistance.

This work examines the effects of two problematic trends in diesel passenger car emissions – increasing NO2/NOx ratio by conversion of NO into NO2 in catalysts and a disparity between the emission limit and the actual emissions in everyday driving – on ambient air quality in Prague. NO2 concentrations were measured by 104 membrane-closed Palmes passive samplers at 65 locations in Prague in March-April and September-October of 2019. NO2 concentrations measured by city stations during those periods were comparable with the 2016-2019. The average measured NO2 concentrations at the selected locations, after correcting for the 18.5% positive bias of samplers co-located with a monitoring station, were 36 µg/m3 (range 16-69 µg/m3, median 35.3 µg/m3), with the EU annual limit of 40 µg/m3 exceeded at 32% of locations. The NO2 concentrations have correlated well (R2=0.76) with the 2019 average daily vehicle counts, corrected for additional emissions due to uphill travel and intersections. In addition to expected “hot-spots” at busy intersections in the city center, new ones were identified, i.e. along a six-lane road V Holešovičkách. Comparison of data from six monitoring stations during March 15-April 30, 2020 travel restrictions with the same period in 2016-2019 revealed an overall reduction of NO2 and even a larger reduction of NO. The spatial analysis of data from passive samplers and time analysis of data during the travel restrictions both demonstrate a consistent positive correlation between traffic intensity and NO2 concentrations along/near the travel path. The slow pace of NO2 reductions in Prague suggests that stricter vehicle NOx emission limits, introduced in the last decade or two, have so far failed to sufficiently reduce the ambient NO2 concentrations, and there is no clear sign of remedy of Dieselgate NOx excess emissions.

Fundamental principles of modern cities and urban planning are challenged during the COVID-19 pandemic, such as the advantages of large city size, high density, mass transport, free use of public space, unrestricted individual mobility in cities. These principles shaped the development of cities and metropolitan areas for more than a century, but currently, there are signs that they have turned from advantage to liability. Cities Public authorities and private organisations responded to the COVID-19 crisis with a variety of policies and business practices. These countermeasures codify a valuable experience and can offer lessons about how cities can tackle another grand challenge, this of climate change. Do the measures taken during the COVID-19 crisis represent a temporal adjustment to the current health crisis? Or do they open new ways towards a new type of urban development more effective in times of environmental and health crises? We address these questions through literature review and three case studies that review policies and practices for the transformation of city ecosystems mostly affected by the COVID-19 pandemic: (a) the central business district, (b) the transport ecosystem, and (c) the tourism-hospitality ecosystem. We assess whether the measures implemented in these ecosystems shape new policy and planning models for higher readiness of cities towards grand challenges. And how, based on this experience, cities should be organized to tackle the grand challenge of environmental sustainability and climate change.

Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias (ADRD) remain a public health challenge in developing counties. We developed a needs-based essential care service package (ECSP) for care planning of persons living with dementia (PLWD) using a cross-sectional survey among PLWD in institutions in six cities in China (n= 1,299). Face-to-face interviews were conducted with caregivers of PLWD by trained staff between 2018 and 2019. Care service needs and utilization by the level of cognitive impairment were summarized. The average age of PLWD was 80.7 years. 76% of participants had severe cognitive impairment. The needs-based ECSP with 30 service items would be sufficient in supporting care services of PLWD in China, of which seven items are core care. The selection plan for ECSP at different levels is designed as “General Care Services + Selective Care Services”, in which service items for low-, mid-and high-level care for PLWD are 7+3, 7+6, and 7+10, respectively. The findings provide the first large-scale data on service needs and utilization of PLWD in mainland China. The ECSP for PLWD advanced in the paper was a practicable and effective quantitative management means. It is deserved to application in a large scale.

The current article examined stoma self-care and health-related quality of life in patients with drainage enterostomy, describe clinical and sociodemographic variables and analyze the relations between all of them. Trained interviewers collected data using a standardized form that queried sociodemographic and clinical variables, collected from the electronic medical record, in addition to the Specific Self-Care for Ostomized Patients Questionnaire (CAESPO) and Stoma Quality of life (S-QoL) from January 2016 to January 2017. This was a multicenter, cross sectional study conducted in four hospitals of the province of Castellon (Spain) where 120 participants were studied. Significant differences were found in Self Care according to sex (p = .043); married participants show higher score (p < .01); also, significant differences according to work activity were observed (p < .01). Regarding the clinical variables, differences were observed according to the autonomy of care, the presence of complications in the stoma, the use of irrigation and the type of effluent (p < .01). We can highlight the importance of the skills related to self-care by ostomized patients has for a good level of quality of life related to health. In this learning process, the figure of the stoma therapist plays a very important role.

The recent outbreak of the novel Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19) has given rise to diverse health issues due to its high transmission rate and limited treatment options. Almost the whole world, at some point of time, was placed in lock-down in an attempt to stop the spread of the virus, with resulting psychological and economic sequela. As countries start to ease lock-down measures and reopen industries, ensuring a healthy workplace for employees has become imperative. Thus, this paper presents a mobile app-based intelligent portable healthcare (pHealth) tool, called iWorkSafe, to assist industries in detecting possible suspects for COVID-19 infection among their employees who may need primary care. Developed mainly for low-end Android devices, the iWorkSafe app hosts a fuzzy neural network model that integrates data of employees' health status from the industry's database, proximity and contact tracing data from the mobile devices, and user-reported COVID-19 self-test data. Using the built-in Bluetooth low energy sensing technology and K Nearest Neighbor and K-means techniques, the app is capable of tracking users’ proximity and trace contact with other employees. Additionally, it uses a logistic regression model to calculate the COVID-19 self-test score and a Bayesian Decision Tree model for checking real-time health condition from intelligent e-health platform for further clinical attention of the employees. Rolled out in an apparel factory on 12 employees as a test case, the pHealth tool generates an alert to maintain social distancing among employees inside the industry. In addition, the app helps employee to estimate risk with possible COVID-19 infection based on the collected data and found that the score is effective in estimating personal health condition of the app user.

Estimating the remaining useful life (RUL) of components is a crucial task to enhance the reliability, safety, productivity, and to reduce maintenance cost. In general, predicting the RUL of a component includes constructing a health indicator ( ) to infer the current condition of the component, and modelling the degradation process, to estimate the future behavior. Although many signal processing and data-driven based methods were proposed to construct the , most of the existing methods are based on manual feature extraction techniques, and need the prior knowledge of experts, or rely on a large amount of failure data. Therefore, in this study, a new data-driven method based on the convolutional autoencoder (CAE) is presented to construct the . For this purpose, the continuous wavelet transform (CWT) technique is used to convert the raw acquired vibrational signals into a two-dimensional image; then, the CAE model is trained by the healthy operation dataset. Finally, the Mahalanobis Distance (MD) between the healthy and failure stages is measured as the . The proposed method is tested on a benchmark bearing dataset and compared with several other traditional construction models. Experimental results indicate that the constructed exhibits a monotonically increasing degradation trend and has a good performance to detect incipient faults.

Few data are available on the health impact of tobacco heating products (THPs) at the population level. We used systems dynamics modelling to estimate effects in the established THP market in Japan. We projected effects of THP use in overall mortality up to 2100 and compare those projections against a baseline scenario based on smoking rates pre-THP launch, i.e., smoking only. The model was informed using data from publicly available sources and the literature, including population size, yearly deaths and smoking prevalence with initialisation year (2004) and, births and migration from 2004 to 2065. Transitions between products were estimated from cross-sectional population surveys in Japan. Potential life-years saved with the introduction of THPs was 13 million by 2100 compared with smoking only. In worst-case scenario, population health gains would be seen with THPs risk 10–50% lower risk than smoking. Assuming equal risk for dual use and smoking, THP risk would need to be at least 10% lower than smoking to achieve a population health benefit by 2100. In credible scenarios, substantial population health gains will follow the introduction of THPs in Japan in a relatively short time frame.

Since the emergence of the quantified self movement, users aim at health behavior change, but only those who are sufficiently motivated and competent with the tools will succeed. Our literature review shows that theoretical models for quantified self exist but they are too abstract to guide the design of effective user support systems. Here, we propose principles linking theory and implementation to arrive at a hierarchical model for an adaptable and personalized self-quantification system for physical activity support. We show that such a modeling approach should include a multi-factors user model (activity, context, personality, motivation), a hierarchy of multiple time scales (week, day, hour), and a multi-criteria decision analysis (user activity preference, user measured activity, external parameters). This theoretical groundwork, which should facilitate the design of more effective solutions, has now to be validated by further empirical research.

Manned missions to Mars and other deep space exploration targets are expected to take place in the next 20 years. These missions will involve prolonged crew exposure to the unique space environment, increasing the risk that astronauts will experience additional physical and psychological health conditions beyond those that would be expected through normal aging on Earth. Thus, there is an acute need to develop therapeutic solutions that can withstand the harsh space environment, while maintaining astronaut health and maximizing crew capabilities to foster successful exploration-class missions. This review covers the nuanced and interdisciplinary challenge that is providing safe and effective pharmaceuticals for future deep space missions. First, the limitations of current pharmaceutical solutions are discussed; the impacts of the space environment on human health and chemical compound stability are covered, along with an evaluation of astronaut medication use on similar missions. Second, potential pharmaceutical solutions and concepts are presented for consideration. Future research should prioritize these and other potential innovations to ensure that our space programs are well equipped to maximize crew safety as astronauts explore deep space objectives.

Due to their unique properties, perfluorinated substances (PFAS) are widely used in multiple industrial and commercial applications, but they are toxic for animals, humans included. This review presents some available data on the PFAS environmental distribution in the world, and in particular in Europe and in Veneto region of Italy, where it has become a serious problem for human health. The consumption of contaminated food and drinking water is considered one of the major source of exposure for humans. Worldwide epidemiological studies report the negative effects that PFAS have on human health, due to environmental pollution, including infertility, steroid hormone perturbation, thyroid, liver and kidney disorders and metabolic disfunctions. In vitro and in vivo researches correlated PFAS exposure to oxidative stress effects (in mammals as well as in other vertebrates of human interest), produced by a PFAS-induced increase of reactive oxygen species formation. The cellular antioxidant defense system is activated by PFAS, but it is only partially able to avoid the oxidative damage to biomolecules.

Background: HIV poses a threat to global health. With effective treatment options available, education and testing strategies are essential in preventing transmission. Text messaging is an effective tool for health promotion and can be used to target higher risk populations. This study reports on the design, delivery and testing of a mobile text messaging SMS intervention for HIV prevention and awareness, aimed at adults in the construction industry and delivered during the COVID-19 pandemic. Method: Participants were recruited at Test@Work workplace health promotion events (21 sites, n=464 employees), including health checks with HIV testing. Message development was based on a participatory design and included a focus group (n=9) and message fidelity testing (n=291) with assessment of intervention uptake, reach, acceptability, and engagement. Barriers to HIV testing were identified and mapped to the COM-B behavioural model. 23 one-way push SMS messages (19 included short web links) were generated and fidelity tested, then sent via automated SMS to two employee cohorts over a 10-week period during the COVID-19 pandemic. Engagement metrics measured were; opt-outs, SMS delivered/read, number of clicks per web link, and four two-way pull messages exploring repeat HIV testing, learning new information, perceived usefulness and behaviour change. Results: 291 people participated (68.3% of eligible attendees). A total of 7,726 messages were sent between March and June 2020, with 91.6% successfully delivered (100% read). 12.4% of participants opted out over 10 weeks. Of delivered messages, links were clicked an average of 14.4%, max 24.1% for HIV related links. The number of clicks on web links declined over time (r= -6.24, p=0.01). Response rate for two-way pull messages was 13.7% of participants. Since the workplace HIV test offer at recruitment, 21.6% reported having taken a further HIV test. Qualitative replies indicated behavioural influence of messaging on exercise, lifestyle behaviours and intention to HIV test. Conclusion: SMS messaging for HIV prevention and awareness is acceptable to adults in the construction industry, has high uptake, low attrition and good engagement with message content, when delivered during a global pandemic. Data collection methods may need refinement for audience and effect of COVID-19 on results is yet to be understood.

Determining disability prevalence is an important area for population statistics, especially among young adolescents. The Washington Group on Disability Statistics is one source of reporting disabilities through functional difficulties. However, young adolescents self-reporting this measure is in its infancy. The purpose of this study was to carry out an intra-rater test-retest reliability study on a modified set of items for self-reporting functional difficulties. Young adolescents (n=74; boys=64%; age m=13.7, SD=1.8) completed a self-reported version of the child functioning module in a supervised classroom. The second administration took place two weeks later. Intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) and Kappa (k) statistics were used to test reliability of the items, and interpretation through Landis &amp; Koch, and Cohen, respectively. The majority of items had substantial or moderate agreement, although there was only fair agreement for self-care (ICC=0.59), concentration (ICC=0.50), and routine (ICC=0.54). Kappa statistics of behaviour were interpreted to be large (k=0.65), and seeing (k=0.49), walking (k=0.49), and speaking (k=0.49) difficulties were moderate. The majority of the items in the self-reported version of the child functioning module can be used in a scale format, although some caution may be required on items of self-care and concentration when used as a dichotomous variable.

The paper presents the most comprehensive and large-scale study to date on how students perceive the impacts of the COVID-19 crisis on various aspects of their lives on a global level. With a sample of 30,383 students from 62 countries, the study reveals that amid the worldwide lockdown and transition to online learning students were most satisfied with the support provided by teaching staff and their universities’ public relations. Still, deficient computer skills and the perception of a higher workload prevented them from perceiving their own improved performance in the new teaching environment. Students were mainly concerned about issues to do with their future professional career and studies, and experienced boredom, anxiety and frustration. The pandemic has led to the adoption of particular hygienic behaviours (e.g. wearing masks, washing hands) and discouraged certain daily practices (e.g. leaving home, shaking hands). Students were also more satisfied with the role played by hospitals and universities during the epidemic compared to the government and banks. The findings also show that students with selected socio-demographic characteristics (male, part-time, first level, applied sciences, lower living standard, from Africa or Asia) were generally more strongly affected by the pandemic since they were significantly less satisfied with their academic work/life. Key factors influencing students' satisfaction with the role of their university are also identified. Policymakers and higher education institutions around the world may benefit from these findings while formulating policy recommendations and strategies to support students during this and any future pandemics.

Since its post-World War II inception, the science of record linkage has grown exponentially and is used across industrial, governmental, and academic agencies. The academic fields that rely on record linkage are diverse, ranging from history to public health to demography. In this paper, we introduce the different types of data linkage and give a historical context to their development. We then introduce the three types of underlying models for probabilistic record linkage: Fellegi-Sunter based methods, machine learning methods, and Bayesian methods. Practical considerations such as data standardization and privacy concerns are then discussed. Finally, recommendations are given for organizations developing or maintaining record linkage programs, with an emphasis on organizations measuring long-term complications of disasters such as 9/11.

The purpose of this study was to present the challenges faced when implementing a diet and exercise intervention for low-income older Hispanics with type 2 diabetes with an observational study of recruitment, attendance, and characteristics of Hispanic adults with type 2 diabetes in a community congregate meal site pre and post administration of a diet and exercise intervention. This report evaluates retentions and diabetes self-management beliefs Hispanic adults ≥60 years with type 2 diabetes (n=17) at baseline, and completion of the six-month intervention in terms of the Health Belief Model. There was limited interest in controlling diabetes with diet and exercise. Major barriers included lack of perceived vulnerability to diabetes complications and a belief that medication alone is sufficient to stabilize blood glucose. Environmental barriers included lack of transportation, access to exercise groups, access grocery stores, and limited ability to pay for healthy foods. A lesson learned from this intervention was that the diet and exercise intervention given was insufficient as a cue to action for this population interventions to engage low-income, older Hispanics with diabetes in diet and exercise need to consider strategies to overcome barriers such as health beliefs, transportation issues, lack of access to nutritious food and group exercise classes.

In recent years, Lassa fever has been announced as an infectious disease in the world, a few imported cases have been accounted for in various pieces of the world and there are developing worries of the possibilities of Lassa fever Virus as an organic weapon. Regardless of its assaulting impact, no substantial arrangement has been created to reduce the hazard of the ailment, about a large portion of 10 years after identifying it. A Review based on the documents from the literature search on PubMed, Scopus, Goggle Scholar and Science direct. Out of these, the final 16 articles that met the criteria were selected. Relevant information on epidemiology, the burden of management and control were obtained. Timely and effective containment of the Lassa fever disease in Lassa village four decades ago could have minimized the devastating effect and threats posed by this illness in the West African sub-region and indeed the entire globe. That was a hard lesson calling for much more proactive measures towards the eradication of the illness at primary, secondary, and tertiary levels of health care. Hence, the paper is aimed at appraising the threats associated with Lassa fever disease; its demands on curtailing the menace of the epidemic, and recommendations on important focal points.

Background: Australia received its first case of coronavirus on 25 January 2020. Since then the demands of COVID-19 has presented unparalleled levels of strain on the public healthcare systems in the country. In this time of crisis, pharmacists and community pharmacy staff have modified work strategies according to the rapidly changing environment. With a delayed dissemination of resources and guidelines, pharmacist and pharmacies are practicing innovative infection control methods across Australia to protect their staff, patients and the community. This article seeks to explore the current activities undertaken by pharmacists in various community pharmacy settings across Australia in relation to the safety of the workplace environments for staff and patients. Information collected can help inform future decisions in pandemic preparation for pharmacies in response to similar health crisis now and in the future. Methods: An online cross-sectional survey study was conducted in Australia during the COVID-19 outbreak from 1^st to 30^th April 2020. The questionnaire addressed community pharmacist’s awareness and response to infection and sanitation control. Results: A total of 137 pharmacists took part in the survey, with almost half (45.26%) belonging to the age group of 25 to 34 years. Community pharmacy formed the bulk (89.05%) of the respondent’s primary place of practice. There was a good uptake of safety measures by pharmacists and their pharmacies to protect staff and patients. However the task of reassigning high health risk staff was not heavily practiced (34.31%). Regular cleaning took place in the pharmacy, but the use of gloves while cleaning was not practiced in 48.18% of respondents. In addition, only 46.72% of respondents reported observing script baskets being cleaned and disinfected. About one-third (37.96%) of pharmacists were aware of the two-step cleaning and disinfecting process, but only 18.98% of pharmacists reported observing or performing this sanitation procedure. More than half of surveyed pharmacists reported having difficulty keeping up with infection control changes and pharmacy practice guidelines during the pandemic. Conclusion: This study demonstrates that the majority of pharmacists are not fully aware of the infection control measures needed in a community pharmacy setting. The influx of coronavirus updates has made it difficult for pharmacists to implement accurate procedures on some aspects of workplace hygiene, which may have led to some gaps in infection control measures. Pharmacists must aim to uphold their public health ambassador role and aim to keep up-to-date with professional guidance to provide the necessary infection control measures to ensure staff, patient and public health safety.

Some of the European countries affected by COVID-19 have not learned from previous experience in China. Italy did not learn from China and Spain did neither learn from China nor from Italy. Confinement in Spain was postponed due to pressure from economic interests and traveling of infected people, especially from Madrid to the beaches in South-East Spain, was allowed. Strict confinement and border closure came late, when the curve of infected people and the death toll already had the worse trend worldwide. Tests to SARS-CoV-2 RNA detection by PCR, were first unavailable and, later, faulty and/or detecting antibodies and not the virus itself. Instead of mobilizing research laboratories for making tests, and instead of making masks and ventilators, mediatic scientists asked for money for controversial clinical trials and for obtaining a vaccine. In this scenario, common sense indicates that ad hoc measures should be taken at the end of confinement in order to minimize pain. The chain of errors should be avoided in the management of next pandemics by designing Good Practice Rules (GPRs). In addition, post-confinement measures should be implemented as soon as possible to be ready for SARS-CoV-2 return next season. In this sense a longitudinal study in the most affected cities (Madrid, Barcelona, Vitoria and Pamplona) should be performed with the primary objective of detecting carriers with no symptoms, to stratify patients according to symptoms, and to early detection of virus reappearance. Also relevant is to sequence as many viruses as possible to detect possible variants; there are still patients that are PCR positive.

The holistic approach of One Health, which sees human, animal, plant, and environmental health as a unit, rather than discrete parts, requires not only interdisciplinary cooperation, but standardized methods for communicating and archiving data, enabling participants to easily share what they have learned and allow others to build upon their findings.Ongoing work by NCBI and the GenomeTrakr project illustrates how open data platforms can help meet the needs of federal and state regulators, public health laboratories, departments of agriculture, and universities. Here we describe how microbial pathogen surveillance can be transformed by having an open access database along with Best Practices for contributors to follow. First, we describe the open pathogen surveillance framework, hosted on the NCBI platform. We cover the current community standards for WGS quality, provide an SOP for assessing your own sequence quality and recommend QC thresholds for all submitters to follow. We then provide an overview of NCBI data submission along with step by step details. And finally, we provide curation guidance and an SOP for keeping your public data current within the database. These Best Practices can be models for other open data projects, thereby advancing the One Health goals of Findable, Accessible, Interoperable and Re-usable (FAIR) data.

The agricultural sector, even though it has been greatly reduced and is in constant transformation, continues to be of strategic importance. Although it does not represent a quantitatively relevant employment sector, the dynamics are interesting because they reflect the structural, economic and social transformations that are affecting the sector in recent years; there is a growing need for external labour that corresponds to a massive recourse of foreigners to work. Innovative approaches are required to explore the capacity of social farming to create a sustainable and inclusive workplace for migrant. The overall methodological approach of the paper seeks to synthesize fieldwork research and qualitative interviewing to validate the Italian inclusive model. To do this, we have selected four experiences of Italian social agriculture in which migrants are included.