Blueberries are rich in a variety of functional substances and have high nutritional and health values, but they are not resistant to decline during fresh storage. Here, the effects of six Bacillus species on storage quality of, and antioxidant levels in, the southern highbush blueberry ‘O'Neal’ fruit were investigated. Bacillus treatments reduced the fruit decay rate, slowed fruit quality decline, inhibited malondialdehyde accumulation, and increased superoxide dismutase and peroxidase activity levels. Bacillus altitudinis Y-14 had the best effect overall. Further, the effects of 1-methylcyclopropene (1-MCP), B. altitudinis Y-14, and 1-MCP+B. altitudinis Y-14 treatments on the storage quality and antioxidant of rabbiteye blueberry ‘Brightwell’ fruit were investigated, and each treatment effectively reduced the decay rate and weight loss of fruit. When stored for 25 days, the decay rate of the 1-MCP+B. altitudinis Y-14 group was only 8.33%, significantly lower than that of the control. The three treatments delayed the fruit quality decline, inhibited malondialdehyde accumulation, and increased superoxide dismutase and peroxidase activity levels. The 1-MCP+B. altitudinis Y-14 treatment had the best effect. Thus, the combined 1-MCP and B. altitudinis Y-14 treatment may be an effective way to improve the storage quality and extend the storage period of blueberries.

Energy from biogas is one of the most promising renewable energy sources. Significant, for technical, economic, and environmental reasons, is the construction of agricultural microgas plants next to households specialising in cattle rearing. The availability of free substrate makes it possible not only to produce one's electricity and heat but also to produce a more environmentally and human-friendly manure. The operation of biogas plants is, unfortunately, associated with technical problems. This paper presents the results of a study of the quality of electricity generated in an agricultural biogas plant built at a farm specialising in dairy cows, where the owner reported a problem with the voltage in the power supply network. Therefore, selected power quality parameters occurring at the connection point of the biogas plant were analysed in detail. As the authors' research showed, in the case in question, the agricultural biogas plant was connected via a cable with too small a conductor cross-section, which resulted in significant voltage exceedances, making it impossible to switch on the second of the biogas plant's generators. Replacement of the feed-in cable has enabled both generators to run, but significant fluctuations in the feed-in voltage values were still noticeable. Analysis of the subsequent measurements revealed the need for changes in the design of the digester itself. The proposal for change is to replace the two current digester mixers (each rated at 9 kW) with more mixers of lower power. The new mixers would operate in an alternating system, where only one would always be activated.

Introduction: Agricultural practices significantly influence soil microbial populations and physicochemical properties, which are crucial for crop growth and quality. This study aims to investigate the impact of different agrochemical applications on soil microbial dynamics, soil physicochemical properties, as well as yield and proximate properties of maize. Methods: Carefully gathered topsoil samples at depths ranging from 1 to 15 cm, were transported to Jimma University to cultivate maize. Over a period of up to 120 days, soil and maize samples were collected at specified days to analyze various parameters, including soil pH, microbial populations, as well as nutrient content both in soil and plants. The collected data was statistically analyzed using one-way ANOVA, with a significance level of p < 0.05. Results: The soil bacterial and fungal populations were measured on days 5, 10, 20, 40, 80, and 120. The highest total mesophilic bacterial count (TMBC) was measured in the pots containing compost (G) and the lowest in pots that received macronutrient fertilizers and glyphosates (B) (i.e. 91.8 x 105 and 13.13 x 105 cfu/g of soil, respectively). The highest total mesophilic fungal count (TMFC) was observed in pots containing glyphosates and compost (F) (i.e. 67.25 x 104 cfu/g soil) and again the lowest in pot treated with macronutrient fertilizers and glyphosate (B) (i.e. 3.23 x 104 cfu/g soil). Moreover, the pots treated with macronutrient fertilizers and glyphosate (B), macronutrient fertilizers (A), and micronutrient fertilizers (C) exhibited the lowest levels of Fe and Zn. Furthermore, the pots receiving macronutrient fertilizer combined with glyphosate (B), as well as those receiving macronutrient fertilizers (A) alone had the lowest concentrations of Mn and Cu micronutrients. Finally, in maize the lowest protein, fats, and carbohydrates (g/100g) were found in the pots treated with macronutrient fertilizer combined with glyphosate (B, 2.21 ± 0.2), micronutrient fertilizer (C, 8.57 ± 0.25), and glyphosates only (D, 57.34 ± 0.1). Maize treated with compost (G) showed the highest levels of Fe, Cu, and Zn, while macronutrient fertilizer combined with glyphosate (B) resulted in the lowest content of these micronutrients. Additionally, maize receiving micronutrient fertilizer (C) had the highest concentration of Mn, whereas those treated with glyphosates (D) had the lowest. Conclusions: Significant variations in soil’s mesophilic bacterial and fungal populations, micronutrient levels, and nutritional composition were observed, indicating treatment-related changes. Generally, treatment with micromineral fertilizer combined with glyphosate (B) seemed to deplete the soil while compost treatment improved. Compost-treated soils exhibited the highest mesophilic bacterial and fungal count, as well as Fe and Zn micronutrient concentrations. The use of agrochemicals also had a negative effect on maize yield quality. The fluctuations in the soil parameters underscore the multifaceted effects of agrochemical treatments.

Many farms are replacing the lighting with light emitting diode (LED) bulbs because of the technological modernization. We aimed to investigate the effects of incandescent light (IL) and LED lighting on Cobb500 broiler chickens for six weeks. Production parameters (body weight, feed consumption, feed conversion ratio), calculated slaughter values (yield%, relative breast%, thigh%) and breast meat quality parameters (pH at 45 min and 24 h postmortem, color, drip loss, kitchen equipment losses, shear force, meat composition) were recorded. Non-stop recordings were used to analyze the behavior of the birds in several periods of the rearing. LED group was significantly better in body weigh parameter between week 1-5 and feed conversion ratio between week 2-3. The most significant difference in behavior was observed in the middle of the rearing period. The chickens in the LED group spent more eating time, drinking time, interacting, and resting less. There was no difference in the meat quality parameters, only shear force was significantly lower in the LED group (1781.95±0.33 g/s vs. 2098.82±0.42 g/s). Based on our results, LED lighting can bring positive changes in animal production efficiency, behavior, and important characteristics for meat consumers.

The aim of the research carried out between 2021 and 2023 was to analyse the influence of competitiveness between Festuca arundinacea Schreb. and Trifolium pratense L., cultivated in simple mixtures, on the quality of the fodder obtained, under the conditions of the northern Romanian forest steppe. In the experiment organized at the Ezăreni Student Research and Practice Station of Iasi University for Life Sciences, two factors were studied, namely the cultivation system used, with five graduations: a1 - Festuca arundinacea Schreb. (100 % - control); a2 - Festuca arundinacea Schreb. (75 %) and Trifolium pratense L. (25 %); a3 - Festuca arundinacea Schreb. (50 %) and Trifolium pratense L. (50 %); a4 - Festuca arundinacea Schreb. (25 %) and Trifolium pratense L. (75 %); a5 - Trifolium pratense L. (100 %) and mineral fertilization with 5 graduations, respectively: b1 - unfertilized (control), b2 - N50P50; b3 - N75P75; b4 - N100P100; b5 - N150P150. The obtained results showed that the process of interspecific competitiveness was greatly influenced by the percentage of participation in the sowing norm of the species in the mixture, the biological peculiarities of the species under study, as well as the climatic conditions specific to each agricultural year.

Researchers are exploring solutions to meet the growing demand for protein due to the expected increase in global population by 2050. Interest in alternative protein sources like insects has risen, driven by concerns about environmental impact and the need for sustainable food production. This study aimed to develop and evaluate the physicochemical properties of soy protein-based burger enriched with insect protein from Alphitobius diaperinus. Three formulations were developed: a control (B0), and burgers with 5% (B5) and 10% (B10) insect protein - Whole Buffalo Powder (WBP). Results showed that adding insect protein decreased the burger analogue's pH. There was observed a clear trend of increasing total lipids and SFA, and decreasing MUFA and PUFA, as the WBP concentration increases from 0% to 10%. No significant differences with increasing WBP concentration in the protein content of the burger analogue, as well as the cooking yield, were noted. The WBP addition had a notable effect on the color change, especially decrease in brightness (L*). It was shown that as the WBP concentration increased, there were no significant differences in the texture profile of the burger analogues. The formulation with 5% WBP concentration was the most acceptable in sensory analysis.

Study Objectives: To (1) investigate the prevalence of sleep disorder symptoms in caregivers of children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and (2) the relationships between caregiver sleep problems and their health-related quality of life and family quality of life. Methods: Descriptive cross-sectional study of caregivers (N=62) of children ages 6 to 11 years old diagnosed with ASD receiving care at a regional autism research and resource center. Measurements and Results: Participants completed the Sleep Habits Questionnaire (SHQ), the Medical Outcomes Study (MOS) SF-12, and the Beach Center Family Quality of Life Scale (FQOL). Caregivers with longer sleep duration reported better mental health and better family quality of life. Caregivers who reported insomnia symptoms, non-restorative sleep, and insufficient sleep were more likely to report poorer mental health than caregivers who did not report these sleep disorder symptoms. Caregivers with obstructive sleep apnea and restless legs syndrome experienced worse physical quality of life. Conclusions: The physical and mental health of the primary caregiver is essential to the support of the child with ASD and to the functioning of the family. The study findings point to the importance of future research and interventions to enhance sleep health in order to improve quality of life for caregivers of children with ASD.

The last decade has seen a significant growth in low-cost air quality monitoring systems (LCAQMS) adoption, mostly driven by the spatial density limitations of traditional regulatory grade networks which restrict their effectiveness in several settings. The EU's regulatory framework advise for deploying one air quality monitoring unit per roughly 170,000 people or 15 square kilometers which is insufficient for capturing high spatio-temporal variance in complex urban scenarios. Often these settings are characterized by distributed emissions in small roads subjected to intense cars traffic, house heating driven emissions and frequently subjected to canyon effects. The Air Heritage project in Portici, funded by the EU's Urban Innovative Actions (UIA) program, addressed these challenges by integrating low-cost sensors with traditional monitoring systems and engaging the community in pervasive measurement strategies. The project highlights the importance of individualized sensor calibration and frequent recalibrations to maintain accuracy. It also showcases the benefits of citizen science approaches, IoT infrastructures, AI components, and geostatistical sensor fusion algorithms for mobile and opportunistic air quality measurements. This paper reports on the lessons learned and experiences from the Air Heritage project, aiming to guide future implementations in similar contexts. By sharing these insights along with the gathered datalake, we aim to inform stakeholders, including researchers, public authorities, and citizens, about effective strategies for deploying and utilizing LCAQMS to enhance air quality monitoring and public awareness.

Among the many neglected underutilized species, tuberous Andean root crops like the ahipas (Pachyrhizus ahipa) constitute a promising alternative for increasing diversity in nutrient sources and food security at a regional level. In this study, we present the content of some functional compounds in tuberous roots from several ahipa accessions and the progenies of the interspecific hybrid X207 (P. ahipa × P. tuberosus). A significant objective was to determine protein and free amino acids in the roots to evaluate their food quality as protein supply. The interspecific hybrids have been found to possess the root quality to provide the crop with a higher dry matter content. The high dry matter content of the P. tuberosus Chuin materials is retained in the root quality of the hybrids. Food functional components like carbohydrates, organic acids, and proteins were determined in several ahipa accessions and a stable (non-segregating) progeny of the interspecific hybrid, X207. The X207 roots showed a significantly higher dry matter content and a lower content in soluble sugars, but no significant differences were found in starch content or organic acids compared to the ahipa accessions. About the root mineral contents, Fe and Mn concentrations in X207 were significantly raised compared to the average of ahipa accessions. Among the ahipa and the hybrid, no prominent differences in protein content or protein amino acids were found, being both partially defective in providing sufficient daily intake of some essential amino acids. Root weight, a central component of root yield, was significantly higher in X207, but thorough field studies are required to substantiate the hybrid’s superior yield performance..

As the world's population ages and the resulting health problems become more serious, medical and health policies in developed countries are focused on how to prevent and treat the diseases of the aging population and how to maintain their quality of life. Typical age-related diseases include deafness, cataracts, osteoarthritis, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, diabetes mellitus, and dementia. Although the mechanisms by which these diseases develop differ, they are all caused by the accumulation of molecular and cellular damage over time. In addition, age-related diseases can cause a decline in physical and mental functions and the ability to perform activities of daily living, as well as the loss of roles in society and a sense of fulfillment in life. Therefore, there is a need for treatment and measures to accurately grasp and maintain their quality of life.

Background Main treatment modality for spinal meningiomas (SM) is gross total resection (GTR). However, optimal timing of surgery, especially in cases with absent or mild neurological symptoms remains unclear. The aim of this study is to assess the impact of early-stage resection on neurological outcome, quality of life (QoL) and quality of care. The primary objective was a favorable neurological outcome (McCormick scale 1); Methods: We retrospectively analyzed data from patients operated on SM between 2011 and 2021. Patients with mild neurological symptoms preoperatively (McCormick scale 1 and 2) were compared to those with more severe neurological symptoms (McCormick scale 3-5). Disabilities and QoL were assessed according to validated questionnaires (SF36, ODI, NDI). Results: Age, spinal cord edema, thoracic localization, and spinal canal occupancy ratio were associated with more severe neurological symptoms (all p<.05). Patients presented with mild symptoms were associated with favorable neurological outcome (OR: 14.778 (95%CI 3.918-55.746, p<.001), which is associated with shorter hospitalization, better QoL and less disabilities (p<.05). Quality of care was comparable in both cohorts; Conclusions: Early surgical intervention of SM, before the development of severe neurological deficits, should be considered as it is associated with a favorable neurological outcome and quality of life.

Asthma, like other chronic diseases, affects children prone to transitions of various aspects of their lives. The purpose of this thesis is to investigate the level quality of life of children with bronchial asthma and to what extent the disease affects them their everyday life. The literature search was conducted a review of the articles was done in Greek and English, through electronic databases PubMed, Google Scholar and Scopus. The terms and conditions their combinations used for the search were: “kids”, “children”, "pediatric asthma", "quality of life (QOL)", "health", "adolescents". The search was limited to the last five years (2015 – 2020) and finally 12 were selected articles. The most important areas negatively affected by quality of life of children with asthma are physical activity, their emotional state, school performance and sleep quality when it is connected to other factors. Important role in quality of life of these children has asthma management, disease severity and other environmental factors. Medical and nursing staff need to guide them asthmatic children and their families to have a good everyday life. Having the necessary knowledge needed for the quality-of-life health professionals should include in their medical nursing caring methods of achieving and maintaining a lifestyle that is no different than that of healthy children.

Low pasture biomass production and fodder scarcity are among the major challenges affecting productivity of dairy cattle farms in Sri Lanka. As a potential solution to this, two Napier hybrid cultivars CO-5 and Sampoorna were recently introduced and a field experiment was conducted to evaluate their growth, dry matter production and nutritional composition during May to September 2020. Plant measurements and samples were collected at five harvest intervals (4, 6, 8, 10 and 12 weeks after planting), with the plant samples subjected to biomass and nutritional assessments. The number of tillers and leaf length differed (P=0.01) between the two cultivars at 4 weeks harvesting interval (HI) whilst number of leaves differed at 12 HI respectively. Dry matter yield increased (P=0.16) almost linearly whilst crude protein declined exponentially with CO-5 greater than Sampoorna (P=0.057; 9.3% vs 8.7%), with increasing harvesting intervals respectively. In-vitro Organic Matter Digestibility and In-vitro Metabolizable Energy contents were similar across weeks 4, 6 and 8 but then decreased. This study demonstrates that higher dry matter yields (12.54 t/ha) can be obtained by harvesting both cultivars at 12 HI, but from a nutritional perspective harvesting at 6 HI during Yala season of the year would be optimum for farmers.

Background/Objectives: To examine the relationship between quality of life and oral health in adolescents and young adults in the area of the city of Zagreb. Methods: 250 examinees, in the area of the city of Zagreb, between the ages of 14 and 25 participated in this research. All examinees were examined by a doctor of oral medicine with a probe and mirror in a dental unit and their DMFT status has been determined. All examinees filled out a specially crafted questionnaire about their socioeconomic status (SES) as well as a questionnaire about the influence of their life quality on dental health (OHIP-14). Results: Caries is the most common dental issue among adolescents (2.23±2.58) and restoration (54%) is the most common treatment performed by dentist. Endodontic treatment and tooth extraction are more common among people with a lower socioeconomic status (24.1%) and their DMFT scores are worse (8.09±5.56). Prophylaxis is equally distributed based on socioeconomic status and gender. Male patients have more carious teeth (2.75±3.07) than female patients (1.85 ±2.08), while the female patients show poorer scores on the OHIP-14 (10.97±8.77) scale in comparison to men (8.81±8.11). Age positively correlates with both OHIP-14 and DMFT scales. Conclusion: DMFT scores of adolescents and young adults in the area of the city of Zagreb are very poor. OHIP-14 scores are also worse. It could be concluded that young people in the area of the city of Zagreb have a poorer DMFT status and poorer life quality in regards to their oral health. Considering that DMFT and OHIP-14 scores get higher with age, the importance of oral health should be emphasized more among this population. The acquired results showcase the importance and need of implementing preventative measures for adolescents.

Mustard, a widely used condiment, is derived from mustard seeds and partially defatted mustard flour. Varieties of mustard are primarily distinguished by the ratios of mustard seeds and spices used in their production. This study assessed the microbiological safety of mustard products from the Mustard and Ketchup Factory in Poland, produced between 2019-2021, in compliance with Polish and EU regulations. Three mustard types were analyzed: gourmet, creamy, and spicy, crafted from 'Borowska' white mustard and 'Małopolska' Sarepta mustard seeds. The preparation included powdered mustard seeds, water, sugar, and vinegar. Samples of mustards (20 g each) were tested in triplicate for Salmonella, spore-forming anaerobic bacteria, coliform bacteria, Staphylococcus aureus, mold, and yeast. Additionally, water and spices used in production were analyzed for total coliforms, Escherichia coli, Enterococcus, Salmonella, aerobic mesophilic microorganisms, anaerobic spore-forming bacteria, and mold. Results indicated that spices and water met all microbiological criteria. Mustard samples tested negative for Salmonella and anaerobic spore-forming bacteria, with coliforms, Staphylococcus aureus, mold, and yeast counts within acceptable limits, ensuring compliance with food safety and hygiene standards. This research underscores the importance of ongoing monitoring and strict microbiological standards to maintain food safety. Future studies should develop advanced microbial detection methods and implement robust quality control measures to reduce contamination risks in mustard and other food products.

Adults’ with Intellectual Disabilities (ID) experiences on occupational participation were explored through the prism of Occupational Justice model (MOJ) aiming to shape and develop an occupation-centered model of Quality of Life (QoL). In this qualitative study participated thirteen adults with ID (N=13). A semi-structured interview based on MOJ was constructed and administered to explore perspectives on QoL, as well as injustices regarding occupational participation. The interviews were processed with QSR NVivo8 following content analysis research methodology. An Occupational – Quality of Life (O-QoL) model with an everyday occupations core component has been formed. This model includes three core O-QoL domains: (i) social well-being, (ii) emotional – physical well-being and (iii) material adequacy. Main indicators of O-QoL were the recreational occupations and social activities, while socio-environmental factors such as occupational deprivation have been identified as aggravating. In addition, specific occupations such as leisure activities, physical exercise / sports, art, video games and vocational training could also be beneficial for O-QoL. Moreover, the importance of promoting and supporting the rights of people with ID for employment, independent living and sexual expression was highlighted. The O-QoL could be a valuable conceptual framework in the field of ID, however further research for developing specialized assessment tools and Occupational Therapy interventions to promote O-QoL is needed.

The quality of life (QOL) is an important indicator of human satisfaction and wellbeing. QOL is significantly and persistently affected for patients after a cancer diagnosis. Despite some evidence suggesting that psycho-oncologic interventions can provide lasting benefits, the inclusion of such interventions in cancer therapy is not universal. This article overviews known approaches to the evaluation of QOL in cancer patients and various interventions for improving patients’ outcomes with a focus on the Eastern European regional and specific Romanian context. With a mortality rate above and cancer care performance below the EU average and unequally distributed, Roma-nia urgently needs a national coordination program which is discussed in our review highlighting the main psychological tools needed for the assessment and its challenges towards implementing the program. In the end, we suggest some directions for future development of the psycho-oncologic approach in the context of social, policy and unexpected financial challenges the nation provides

Interrelationships between traditional dental variables are becoming more evident in far reaching aspects of life such as psychosocial interaction, self-esteem, overall health and even occupational performance. This study compares quality of life (QoL) in postmenopausal women (PMW) with poor oral health (POH) with QoL in PMW with good oral health. 200 randomly recruited PMW received a dental evaluation and completed Utian Quality of Life Survey. The participants were divided into POH and healthy groups based on dental exam. Mean scores were calculated for each QoL item, domain and the overall summary score. For each of the four parameters for periodontitis diagnosis, periodontitis patients’ QoL outcomes were compared to those of healthy patients using T-test with threshold of significance at p<0.05. QoL in all fields measured were significantly poorer in the POH compared to the healthy patients, occupational (19.95±5.35vs. 27.56±6.13), health (18.02±8.23 vs. 26.59 ±6.45), emotional (15.68±10.22vs. 21.15±9.15), sexual (6.2±5.98vs. 10.02±5.35), and total score (60.21±25.85 vs. 84.26±22.35). This study finds that PMW with POH, report significantly poorer quality of life. Clinicians caring for PMW should be aware of that oral health impacts QoL and make appropriate referral decisions for patients’ dental care. Keywords: Quality of Life, Oral Health, Post-menopause, Women

Prostate cancer is the most common cancer among men in Poland. A significant proportion of prostate cancers can be cured, providing longer survival. Patients have the opportunity to undergo minimally invasive treatment methods like brachytherapy, while maintaining their previous quality of life. The disease itself, as well as treatment complications, primarily affect the functioning of the urinary and digestive systems and impact the sexual sphere. Aim: This study aims to assess the quality of life of patients after prostate brachytherapy. Methods: The research was conducted at the Lower Silesian Oncology Centre in Wroclaw. The study included fifty men aged between 51 and 85 years. The following questionnaires were used: EORTC QLQ-C30, QLQ-PR25. Scales: Katz, Mini-MAC, PSS-10. Moreover, the study used a self-designed survey covering socio-demographical factors. Results: Prostate brachytherapy has a significant impact on the degree of sexual dysfunction. Compared to sexually inactive individuals, sexually active individuals exhibit fewer negative psychological symptoms. Choosing a destructive coping strategy intensifies the occurrence of symptoms, lowers patients' level of independence, and negatively affects their quality of life. Conclusions: Brachytherapy contributes to worsening sexual function and temporarily affects urinary system function, which may lower the overall quality of life in patients.

Groundwater represents a pivotal asset in conserving natural water reservoirs for potable consumption, irrigation, and diverse industrial uses. Nevertheless, human activities intertwined with industry and agriculture contribute significantly to groundwater contamination, highlighting the critical necessity to appraise water quality for safe drinking and effective irrigation. This research primarily focused on employing the Water Quality Index (WQI) to gauge water's appropriateness for these purposes. However, the generation of an accurate WQI can prove time-intensive owing to potential errors in sub-index calculations. In response to this challenge, an artificial intelligence (AI) forecasting model was devised, aiming to streamline the process while mitigating errors. The study collected 422 data samples from Mirpurkash, a city nestled in the province of Sindh, for a comprehensive exploration of the region's WQI attributes. Furthermore, the study probed into unraveling the interdependencies amidst variables in the physiochemical analysis of water. Diverse machine learning classifiers were employed for WQI prediction, with findings revealing that random forest and gradient boosting eclipsed other algorithms, achieving an accuracy rate of 99%. In close pursuit were SVM and XGBoost, registering accuracy scores of approximately 95% and 93%, respectively, while KNN and Decision Trees garnered accuracy rates of 88% and 87%, respectively. In addition to WQI prediction, the study conducted an uncertainty analysis of the models using the R-factor, providing insights into the reliability and consistency of predictions. This dual approach, combining accurate WQI prediction with uncertainty assessment, contributes to a more comprehensive understanding of water quality in Mirpurkash and enhances the reliability of decision-making processes related to groundwater utilization

Background: Music therapy (MT) is a non-pharmacological treatment increasingly used to reduce stress and anxiety in hospitalized children affected by cancers. The aim of this study was to eval-uate the impact of MT on quality of life of children with cancer. Methods: We have conducted a quasi-experimental study between April 1 and August 31, 2021 at Bechir Hamza children's Hos-pital in Tunis, including children treated for cancer. The child or the parent completed PedsQL Module Cancer french version 3.0 questionnaires before and after four weekly music therapy ses-sions. Child's respiratory and heart rate were measured before and after each session. Results: We included 20 children whose mean age was 7 ± 4.5 years [2-14]. The median value of the total questionnaire score increased from 57 [46; 70] to 72 [67; 85] (p < 10-3) with a significant reduction in pain (p = 0.02), nausea (p = 0.009), anxiety related to medical procedures (p = 0.009) and worry about the future (p = 0.005). We highlighted a significant decrease in respiratory and heart rate after MT (p<0,05). Conclusions: MT has positive impact of on quality of life of children with cancer.

In order to synchronize foreign policies of governments, firm actions in the form of economic sanctions have long been employed by western countries. Those countries that tend to have independent views and policies are made to undergo economic adversity to fall in line. But the hardest hit by these coercive actions are the ordinary citizens who have to endure immense difficulty with social and economic issues not to mention the human rights violations. This paper provides a review regarding the effect of economic sanctions on mental health and quality of life of Iranian citizens based on data available from Iran post-sanctions. From 2012 stronger sanctions have been implemented on Iran as its nuclear program failed to draw faith in terms of its peaceful execution. Evidence have pointed out that economic sanctions imposed by western countries have a detrimental and destructive effect on the health of individual Iranians and they violated some basic human rights.

The present paper is concerned with the study of the quality of life index. Such an index has become an important index for measuring the well-being of individuals. However, the quality of life index is always a subjective, intangible, and often hard to quantify with precision due to the lack of quantitative models dealing with. The main goal of the present paper is thus to propose a mathematical, quantitative model for the measurement of a quality of life index. The main novelty is firstly the construction of a wavelet dynamic multiscale model to quantify and investigate the effect of time scale on the quality of life index measuring. The proposed procedure is acted empirically on a sample corresponding to Saudi Arabia as a case of study during the period from 2003 to 2020 as part of the 2030-vision plan. Saudi Arabia has implemented the so-called 2030-vision plan where the quality of life improvement is one of the main goals to be attempted. The findings show that wavelets are capable to localize the time-wise behavior of the index contrarily to classical studies which estimate a global view of the index. Moreover, the study shows the link between the quality of life behavior and many other indices.

Abstract: Patients with Cleft Lip Palate (CLP) require comprehensive treatment, so the people who take care of them must constantly provide care and support, along with continuous care and support from their caregivers, often extending until youth. The purpose was to compare the Quality of Life (QoL) of caregivers of children with CLP with those without the condition. A cross-sectional paired study was conducted at the Dental Clinic of the Escuela Nacional de Estudios Superiores (ENES León), National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM), from May to December 2021. Primary caregivers of patients with CLP (n=70) were included as well as those of the patients without CLP (n=70) of the same institution. Sample size was calculated considering an OR=2.5, establishing a convenience selection. Caregivers answered the WHOQoL Bref instrument to assess QoL. Of the total sample analyzed, 88.6% of the caregivers were female (p>0.05). Caregivers of patients with CLP reported poor QoL (64.8%), compared to caregivers in the control group (p

Introduction: Patients with hematological malignancies undergo intensive treatment and prolonged hospitalization, thus having a variety of physical and psychosocial symptoms and worse quality of life (QOL). Aim: This study aimed to assess the QOL and investigate the symptoms of hospitalized hematological cancer patients. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted in the hematology clinics and day units of two general hospitals of Heraklion, Crete. Adult patients with hematological malignancy and an adequate understanding of the Greek language participated. A demographic questionnaire, the European Organization for Research and Treatment for Cancer quality assessment questionnaire (EORTC QLQ-C30), and the MD Anderson Symptom Inventory (MDASI) were used for data collection. The level of statistical significance was set at p &lt;0.05. Results: The sample consisted of 120 patients, 42.5% of whom were women, with a mean age of 65.6 years. The mean time from diagnosis was 33 months. The global health status of QoL had an average value of 47.1. The highest levels of QOL were found in the subscale of cognitive function (72.8) and the lowest in the role function (46.1). Among the of EORTC QLQ-C30 symptoms scale, the lowest score was found in nausea-vomiting (11.0) and the highest in fatigue (59.1). In the MDASI, in part I (core symptoms), higher levels, but also medium intensities were reported at fatigue (78.3%, mean 3.5), drowsiness (65.0, mean 3.3), and distress (65.8%, mean 2.8). In part II, enjoyment of life (85.8%, mean 5.1) had the highest and relation with other people (67.5%, mean 3.7) the lowest scores. The increase in the severity of the core symptoms (part I) was related to females (rho = 0.193, p &lt;0.05) and comorbidities (rho = 0.220, p &lt;0.05). It also related to a significant decrease in all functional domains and an increase in fatigue (rho = 0.571, p &lt;0.05) of the EORTC QLQ-C30 questionnaire. The increased global health status was related to males (rho = -0.185, p &lt;0.05) and physical functioning with younger age (rho = -0.331, p &lt;0.05), higher education (rho = 0.239, p &lt;0.05), fewer months from diagnosis (rho = -0.199, p &lt;0.05) and low comorbidity (rho = -0.209, p &lt;0.05). Finally, the increased global health status was significantly related to lower symptoms determined by the total average symptom score (-0.491, p &lt;0.05). Conclusions: The QoL of hematological cancer patients is significantly decreased during treatments due to a significant number of symptoms that must be taken into consideration for high-quality individualized care.

Canine hypoadrenocorticism is a rare chronic disease, which demands intense dog-owner interaction, as its treatment requires to be individualised. The aim of this study was a qualitative analysis of the challenges owners face when dealing with the disease, especially regarding its management and how this affects quality of life. By promoting an online discussion between owners, we transcribed and summarised their experiential knowledge in dealing with the disease. Owners were recruited for the online seminars via social media. After a theoretical introduction, participants were free to share experiences and ask questions. The recorded events were retrospectively analysed. Twenty-four owners of 22 Addisonian dogs took part in four events. Owners felt most “traumatised” when experiencing their dog’s acute adrenal crisis. The initial adjustment phase and distinguishing the non-specific symptoms of hypoadrenocorticism from those of other diseases were also challenging. Overall, owners were well informed on the disease and committed to its long-term adjustment. Adrenal crisis and the initial adjustment phase may be more burdening to owners than expected. Understanding what their clients’ concerns are, can help veterinarians provide better care and reduce the negative impacts of canine hypoadrenocorticism. Promoting peer to peer support, as well as providing a framework for participative communication might also help.

Most people living in Europe's cities are still exposed to levels of air pollution deemed harmful by the World Health Organization. In the modern world, air pollution is the foremost concern because of its impact in human health and economy. This strong connection appears gaining a lot of concern, driven by new installed low-cost electrochemical sensors monitoring systems. Highly accuracy, real-time monitoring, daily and yearly statistics, data access from experts or simple users, low-cost equipment and forecasting needs, enforce the market to develop new air quality monitoring systems using advanced technologies and protocols. In this study, a comparison via low-cost electrochemical sensors and of static, fixed site measurement monitoring station, is taking place in Athens, Greece, along with the data quality and Air Quality Index (AQI) including data accuracy and quality of data concerning adverse health effects due to air pollution. The findings presented in this work, relate to different flexible and affordable alternatives adopted during the evaluation and calibration of low-cost gas sensors for the monitoring. The significance of the positive results is particularly useful, especially considering the founding for interference, environmental conditions affections and air quality information including indexes and health recommendations for a specific location.

Background: The concept of Quality of Work Life (QWL) has been built multidimensionally through social reproduction; it is impacted by the perceptions of each individual and by the relationship between workers and the work environment. Objective: to analyze the Work Process and QWL of assisting nurses in public health. Methods: Research in a critical paradigm, descriptive, exploratory with a qualitative approach. The population corresponds to Nurses who work in care work. Semi-structured guiding questions were applied and were analyzed with content analysis. Results: seven participants declared female; all Chilean; seven are young adults; six singles; only one has children, and one has a person dependent on her care; six are heads of household, and five receive help with housework. All have a nursing degree, five have a diploma, but none have a postgraduate. Work Process has three subcategories: work object, instrument, organization, and work conditions; the QWL category has six subcategories: definition and perception of QWL, QWL potentiating factors, QWL exhausting factors, QWL improvement strategies, the emotional burden associated with QWL, and Health problems. Conclusions: In this way, the lifestyle built by the assistance in the health area has repercussions on the quality of life and health in general.

The market of ready-to-eat salads is experiencing a noticeable growth in Europe. Since they are intended to be consumed without additional treatments, these ready-to-eat products are associated with a high microbiological risk. The aim of this work was to evaluate the microbiological quality and safety of ready-to-eat salads sold in widespread supermarket chains in Lazio, Italy, at the packaging date, during shelf-life and during home-refrigeration. The study also aimed to determine the differences between low, medium, and high cost products. Salmonella spp., L. monocytogenes were chosen as safety indicators as specified by European regulations while total aerobic mesophilic bacteria and Escherichia coli were chosen as quality indicators as suggested by national guidelines. Analyses were performed following the ISO standards and in parallel, for the evaluation of total aerobic mesophilic bacteria, with an alternative colorimetric system, the Micro Biological Survey method, in order to propose a simple, affordable and accurate alternative for testing the microbiological quality of products, especially suitable for small and medium enterprises and on-site analyses. The study revealed high, unsatisfactory, total bacterial loads in all analyzed samples at the packaging date and expiring date and a very high prevalence of Salmonella spp. (67%) regardless of the selected varieties and cost-categories; L. monocytogenes was instead not recovered aligning with the results obtained in other studies.

The market of ready-to-eat salads is experiencing a noticeable growth in Europe. The commercial success of these products is linked to the growing demand for fresh, healthy and nutritionally valuable products that can be consumed without preparation time and are perceived as safe and very high-quality products. Since they are intended to be consumed without additional treatments, these ready-to-eat products are associated with a high microbiological risk. The aim of this work was to evaluate the microbiological quality and safety of ready-to-eat salads sold in widespread supermarket chains in Lazio, Italy, at the packaging date, during shelf-life and during home-refrigeration. The study also aimed to determine the differences between low, medium and high cost products. Salmonella spp., L. monocytogenes were chosen as safety indicators as specified by European regulations while total aerobic mesophilic bacteria and Escherichia coli were chosen as quality indicators as suggested by national guidelines. Analyses were performed following the ISO standards and in parallel, for the evaluation of total aerobic mesophilic bacteria, with an alternative colorimetric system, the MBS method, in order to propose a simple, affordable and accurate alternative for testing the microbiological quality of products, especially suitable for small and medium enterprises and on-site analyses.

Background: Gluten neuropathy (GN) is defined as an otherwise idiopathic peripheral neuropathy in the presence of serological evidence of gluten sensitivity (positive antigliadin and/or transglutaminase or endomysium antibodies). We aimed to compare the quality of life (QoL) of GN patients with control subjects and to investigate the effect of a gluten free diet (GFD) on the QoL. Methods: All consecutive patients with GN attending a specialist neuropathy clinic were invited to participate. Overall Neuropathy Limitations Scale (ONLS) was used to assess the severity of neuropathy. The SF-36 questionnaire was used to measure participants’ QoL. A strict GFD was defined as effectively been able to eliminate all circulating gluten sensitivity-related antibodies whilst on the diet. Results: Fifty-three patients with GN and 53 age and gender matched controls were recruited. Compared to controls, GN showed significantly worse scores in physical functioning, role limitations due to physical health, energy/fatigue and general health subdomains of SF-36. After having adjusted for age, gender and disease severity, being on a strict GFD correlated with better SF-36 scores on the pain domain of the SF-36 (beta 0.317, p=0.019) and the overall health change domain of the SF-36 (beta 0.306, p=0.017). Conclusion: In GN physical dysfunctioning is the major determinant of poor QoL compared to controls. Routine checking for elimination of gluten sensitivity-related antibodies that results from a strict GFD should be encouraged as such elimination ameliorates the overall pain and health scores, indicating better QoL.

Abstract Introduction. Burnout syndrome develops as a consequence of chronic stress among employees. The study objectives were to examine burnout syndrome and to evaluate the quality of life among security employees of the professional private security sector in Central Serbia. Methods. A multicenter cross-sectional questionnaire-based study was performed. The questionnaire for staff employed at institutions who are in direct contact with people (Human Services Survey, MBI-HSS) and Short Form 36 Health Survey-(SF-36). Results. A total of 353 respondents participated in the study. The response rate was 80%. Approximately one-third (32.6%) had symptoms of total burnout, and a much higher number of responders had a moderate or high level of burnout on individual subscales:- depersonalization (high 82.4%, moderate 16.2%) and emotional exhaustion (high 66.3%, moderate 19.8%) and, slightly more than one-third (34.5%) had low personal achievement, while about one-third (32.9%) had moderate personal achievement. Female sex and older age were associated with a higher risk of total burnout and the development of emotional exhaustion. Male sex, higher education, and managerial position were associated with higher personal achievement and lower risk of total burnout. Male sex, marital union, two or more children, and direct contact with clients were significantly associated with a lower quality of life of employees. Conclusion. Female sex and older age were associated with a higher risk of total burnout and the development of emotional exhaustion. Male sex, university education and managerial position were associated with greater personal achievement and were protective factors in relation to the development of burnout. Male sex, marital union, two or more children, and direct contact with clients were significantly associated with lower quality of life of employees. Keywords: burnout syndrome; security employees; professional private sector; quality of life

In perennial fruit crops, bearing can be influenced by various factors, including environmental conditions, germplasm, rootstocks, and cultivation methods. Cherries, one of the most important and popular fruit species from the temperate climate zone, achieve high prices on the market. New agricultural technologies and environmental factors force a change in the approach to cherry cultivation. Old-type cherry orchards with their high demand for water, nutrients and manual work are replaced by orchards of self-pollinating cherry cultivars grown on dwarf rootstocks. These changes make it necessary to search for ways to regulate fruiting, in particular to thin buds, flower and fruit. In view of environmental regulations and consumer pressure, thinning methods are being sought that either do not involve the use of chemicals or that use eco-friendly chemical agents. This review examines recent progress in understanding the effect of thinning methods on the physiology, tree growth and fruit quality of cherries, discusses horticultural practices aimed to ensure regular cropping and their influence on fruit quality, and provides suggestions for future research.

Background: COVID-19 mainly affects the respiratory system, although its manifestations are multisystemic. Increasingly, complications presented after the acute phase are still being rec-ognized and are associated with impaired functional status and health-related quality of life (HRQoL). The objective was assess the functional status and HRQoL of patients with post-COVID-19. Methods: This was a cross-sectional study involving individuals affected by COVID-19 who had persistent symptoms for one month after the acute phase of the disease. HRQoL was verified through the Short Form Health Survey 36 (SF-36) and, functional status was assessed using the six-minute walk test (6MWT), the Fatigue Severity Scale (FSS), the Med-ical Research Council (MRC) Dyspnea Scale and, the Post-COVID-19 Functional Status Scale (PCFS). Results: Were included 123 patients, 73 (59.35%) were male, with a mean age of 49.17±13.48 years and a body mass index of 31.02±6.56 stratified into three groups, not recov-ered group (NRG=23), ward recovered group (WHG=60), and intensive care unit group (ICUG=40). The main symptoms were muscle weakness (74.17%) and dyspnea (68.33%). In rela-tion to the distance covered in the 6MWT, the GNR group walked 12.83% below the predicted values, GNR 20.21% and the UGCI 28.82%, respectively. The MRC dyspnea scale had a mean value of less than 3 and the FSS scale had a mean value over 4, indicating considerable fatigue. In the PCFS scale, a significant difference was observed (p>0.0005); while in the SF-36, all HRQoL domains were compromised. Conclusion: Post-COVID-19 patients involved in this study showed a significant decline in functional status and an impairment of HRQoL.

Water is an essential commodity to sustain life. The condition of water in Tiruchirappalli was measured using different Physicochemical parameters like Temperature, pH, TDS, Total Solids, Salinity, Total Hardness, and Electrical Conductivity. Water samples were collected from different places in Tiruchirappalli city, Tamil Nadu. Water samples were examined by different chemical methods. According to the results, Thiruvarambur-1 showed comparatively higher results in the case of every parameter compared to other sampling stations. Obtained results were further interpreted using statistical tools. Considering ECs as a principal component for the regression and correlation analysis with other parameters significant correlation was found. A strong correlation was observed between ECs and TDS, Total Hardness, Turbidity, and Salinity.

Background: School nursing plays a crucial role in promoting the health and well-being of students in educational settings. Previous research has highlighted its protective effect across various health domains, including substance use, mental health, violence, and sexual health. Despite its importance, the job satisfaction of school nurses and the factors influencing it have been insufficiently addressed in scientific research, underscoring the need to better understand their challenges and barriers. Therefore, the objective of this research is to evaluate the perceived job satisfaction and professional quality of life of school nurses at a national level in Spain. Methods: A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted using the Font-Roja Job Satisfaction Questionnaire and the CPV-35 Professional Quality of Life Questionnaire. The sample included 553 school nurses from different geographical regions in Spain, selected through school nursing groups and associations. Data were collected from November 2023 to February 2024. Results: The majority of the nurses were women (68%), with a median age of around 40 years and predominantly less than 5 years of work experience (56%). Significant differences were observed in job satisfaction and professional quality of life depending on the employing entity (healthcare and educational settings). Factors such as workload, institutional support, and work experience influenced the perception of job satisfaction. Conclusions: We affirm that this study, being one of the first of its kind at a national level in Spain, highlights the need to develop effective strategies to improve the job satisfaction and professional quality of life of school nurses. School nurses in Spain present a moderately high level of job satisfaction, although there are significant differences in factors such as status and job monotony depending on the sector of employment (Healthcare, Education, Others). Nurses in educational contexts report lower levels of job satisfaction, influenced by the nature of the work, interpersonal relationships, opportunities for professional development, and institutional support. Additionally, work experience impacts satisfaction, being more positive for nurses with greater experience. We also affirm that the professional quality of life of school nurses is homogeneous, with an average score of 6.000 on the CPV-35. Although professional competence is uniformly perceived, work pressure is a common concern. Working more than 37.5 hours per week is associated with higher professional quality of life, although also with lower job satisfaction. Only half of the schools have a school nurse, highlighting the need for policies that ensure equity in service provision. There is also a recognized need for health training for teachers, which could improve support for nurses and student health. Active interaction with the educational community reinforces the integral role of school nurses and emphasizes the importance of the socioeconomic context in interventions and resource allocation. Keywords: School nursing, job satisfaction, professional quality of life, work factors, educational settings.

Background The purpose of this study was to clarify the relationship structure of quality of life (QOL) in survivors of breast cancer, including difficulty in daily life and negative experience as health-related indicators. Methods Participants were survivors of breast cancer for more than 2 years after primary breast cancer surgery and belonged to self-help groups. The assessment used FACT-B (QOL), HADS (anxiety and depression), SOC (sense of coherence), WHODAS 2.0 (difficulties in daily life), and CAOD (negative experiences). Bayesian structural equation modeling (BSEM) was performed to analyze the hypothesized model. If the causal model was significant, multiplication of the path coefficient from anxiety and depression to QOL, and from SOC to anxiety and depression, was considered a direct effect on QOL, and from SOC to difficulty in daily life, from difficulty in daily life to negative experiences, and from negative experiences to anxiety and depression were considered indirect effects on QOL. Results Goodness of fit of the model in the BSEM was satisfactory. The direct effect was 0.274, and indirect effect was 0.163. Conclusions These direct and indirect approaches to difficulties in daily life are very significant because they can provide a basis for development of support strategies to increase QOL.

Chronic diseases such as childhood DM are a complex and continuous struggle as well as a great challenge both for the children who face the disease and for their parents. Type 1 DM is characterized by the complex management of the therapeutic treatment thus causing physical and psychological complications in family members. There are many families who, upon hearing the diagnosis of their child with DM, stand still in front of these new facts as their lives change. All these unprecedented conditions cause parents intense stress, discomfort and mental burden as the only thing that concerns them now is how the family will survive in the face of the current conditions they are experiencing as well as the future of the sick child. The purpose of this brief literature review is to present the research findings which are related to the quality of life among parents of children and adolescents with diabetes.

Background: The aim of the present work is the elaboration of a systematic review of existing research on physical fitness, self-efficacy for physical exercise, and quality of life in adulthood. Method: Using the PRISMA statement guidelines, and based on the findings in 396 articles, the final sample was composed of 31 articles, which were reviewed to show whether self-efficacy has previously been studied as a mediator in the relationship between physical fitness and quality of life in adulthood. Results: The results indicate that little research exists in relation to healthy, populations with the majority being people with pathology. Physical fitness should be considered as a fundamental aspect in determining the functional capacity of the person. Conclusions: We discuss the need to investigate the mediation of self-efficacy in relation to the value of physical activity on quality of life and well-being in the healthy adult population in adult life.

(1)Background: This report was an effective evaluation of using multimedia educational program for self-care and quality of life in patients with a stoma at postoperative and established a simple threshold for enterostomy self-care skills.(2)Methods:108 patients with enterostomy were randomly assigned to receive either the intervention multimedia education program (including information about preparation for enterostomy care, cleaning method, manual bag replacement steps and precautions). The primary outcome was self-care ability and quality of life (defined as overall enterostomy self-care ability and overall quality of life), which was assessed at 2 weeks after intervention via an interview.(3)Results: Compared with those who in the conventional stoma education program, patients received the multimedia education program significantly improved their overall self-care ability and quality of life in statistically. The threshold of the enterostomy self-care skill scale was 20 points, and its corresponding sensitivity was 77.8%, and the specificity was 75.7%.(4)Conclusions: According to our study, the multimedia education program could enhance self-care ability of home care and quality of life in patients with enterostomy.

Introduction: The majority of epidemiological reports focus on confirmed cases of COVID-19. In this study, we aim to assess the health and well-being of adults not infected with Covid-19 after two months of quarantine in Morocco. Materials and methods: Two months after the declaration of quarantine in Morocco following the Covid-19 epidemic, we carried out a descriptive cross-sectional study of 279 Moroccan citizens. We used the Short Form Health Survey (SF-12) as a determinant of quality of life, which is based on eight dimensions of health. The data were collected using an electronic questionnaire distributed online. The participants also indicated their socio-demographic data, their knowledge and practices regarding the Covid-19 pandemic and whether they had chronic health problems. Results: The quality of life of all participants was moderately disrupted during the Covid-19 pandemic with a mental health score (MCS) of 34.49 (± 6.44) and a physical health score (PCS) of 36.10 (± 5.82). Participants with chronic diseases scored lower with 29.28 (± 1.23) in mental health (MCS) and 32.51 (± 7.14) in physical health (PCS). The seriousness of COVID-19 has an impact on the quality of life and health well-being of people and this impact is more marked in people with chronic health problems. Conclusion: Our results confirm the need to pay attention to the health of people who have not been infected with the virus. Our results also point out that uninfected people with chronic illnesses may be more likely to have well-being problems due to quarantine restrictions.

With end-to-end encryption for video streaming services becoming more popular, network administrators face new challenges in preserving network performance and user experience. Video ads may cause traffic congestion and poor Quality of Experience. Because of the natural variation in user interests and network situations, traditional algorithms for increasing QoE may face limitations. To solve this problem, we suggest a novel method that uses user facial emotion recognition to deduce QoE and study the effect of ads. We use open-access Face Emotion Recognition (FER) datasets and extract facial emotion information from actual observers to train machine learning models. Participants were requested to watch ad videos and provide feedback, which will be used for comparison, training, testing, and validation of our suggested technique. Our tests show that our approach beats the ITU-T P.1203 standard in terms of accuracy by 37.1%. Our method provides a hopeful answer to the problem of increasing user engagement and experience in video streaming services.

Purpose: To examine associations between subjective quality of life and other socio-demographic variables and to explore differences in experiences of people with different levels of quality of life (low, moderate, high). Materials and methods: Semi-structured interviews and standardized measures of mobility, function, health-related quality-of-life, and quality-of-life were used to collect the data for this mixed-method study. Results: Twenty-four participants were interviewed with an average age of 55 years and 54% were male. High quality of life, according to quantitative analysis, was strongly associated with being male, attending rehabilitation, and being married. The qualitative findings supported the quantitative findings and also revealed that people with a low quality of life felt the neighborhood-built environment was not supportive of people with incomplete spinal cord injury who can walk. Participants who reported a low/ moderate quality of life reported feeling devalued by able-bodied people and that their mobility was getting worse over time. Conclusion: Findings suggest that those with incomplete spinal cord injuries who can walk could benefit from improved quality of life by modifying their social and neighborhood's built environment. For instance, sensitivity training for the general population could help to reduce negative attitudes and misperceptions about invisible impairments and promote inclusion.

Quality-of-life (QOL) is important for cancer patients with poor prognosis. However, QOL survey is difficult using patients. We created cancer scenarios and investigated QOL utility values among the general public using vignette-based methods. On the other hand, some scenarios may have been difficult for the general public to image and understand. Therefore, we conducted a QOL survey among physicians. This survey was conducted by interviewing physicians adminis-tering chemotherapy to patients for recurrent/metastatic pancreatic cancer. Responses were eval-uated using Composite Time Trade-Off (cTTO) and Visual Analog Scale (VAS) for 11 pancreatic cancer status scenarios to be evaluated (survey scenarios). Survey scenarios consisted of health state, type and Grade of adverse events. Health status was classified into two categories: Stable disease (SD) and Progressive disease (PD). Twenty responders answered in this survey, however two responses were excluded because of inconsistent responses. The stable disease had the highest QOL value for both assessment method. Whereas progression disease (PD) had the lowest QOL value. The physicians scored higher QOL values on VAS and cTTO than the general public in all survey scenarios. The QOL values obtained by physicians were consistent with the degree of sta-tus in any assessment scenarios.

Frontal incomes play an important role in human behavioral regulation and can be a determinant of eating behavior. The aim of this study was to analyse the frontal incomes in obese patients with and without Binge Eating Disorder (BED), compared to normoweight (NW) subjects and to analyse the effect of sex and binge disorder on quality of life, with age and BMI as covariates. A total of 114 participants comprised three different groups (obese with BED, obese without BED and NW) completed the Frontal Assessment Battery (FAB) and Impact of Weight on Quality of Life (IWQOL-lite). The results showed that obese patients, with and without BED, have poorer frontal functioning than NW persons. Obese patients with BED have lower performance in frontal income than obese patients without BED. Male participants have a higher perception of quality of life in all dimensions, with women showing lower values in self-esteem and sex life. Obese with BED show greater weaknesses in physical function. These results suggest that low frontal incomes and worse quality of life characterize obese patients, more evident in obese patients with BED.

Background: Quality of life (QoL) in IC/BPS patients is an evidence gap in guidelines, because studies are limited and outdated. Therefore, guidelines might not reflect the current situation accurately, and no possible improvements in QoL of these patients. Secondly, guidelines suggest multimodal approach in therapy, however unknown is how the efficacy of these therapies are perceived by the patient themselves. The aim of this study is to investigate the perception of IC/BPS patients on their QoL and to determine which treatments they received and how they evaluate the efficacy of these various (alternative) therapies.Methods: Quantitative retrospective database study in IC/BPS patients, compiled of existing patient survey data (n=217) from July 2021. Results: The QoL of patients is affected significantly by IC/BPS. This is evident from the substantial self-reported impact by patients, the various affected domains on EQ-5D 5L. The QoL was not negatively affected by delayed diagnosis, but there were differences between female and males. Secondly, there was the wide array of (alternative) treatments utilized, although some have doubtful results and high dropout rates. Conclusion: QoL is considerably impaired in IC/BPS patients. Coagulation therapy and intravesical GAG therapy were most appreciated treatments. The diverse responses and adherence to various treatments warrant a personalized approach (phenotype-oriented therapy). To achieve improvement in the QoL, it is important to incorporate the patient’s perspective in treatment guidelines.

Background: Given the extensive translation of the Prolapse Quality of Life Questionnaire (P-QoL) into many languages, it is imperative to develop an Arabic version to facilitate study on Pelvic organ health within the Arabian culture. Objective: To investigate, cross culturally adapt and validate Arabic version of the P-QoL. Study Design: Cross-cultural adaptation and psychometric testing. Methods: A total of 90 participants were included in the study. This cross-sectional study went through two phases; during phase I, the P-QoL was translated and adapted from English into Arabic. The Arabic version was psychometrically validated during phase II using the test-retest reliability internal consistency with Cronbach’s alpha coefficient, convergent construct validity (CC) among the four study tools using Spearman’s coefficient (r) and discriminative validity using Mann-Whitney test to find differences between the means of the two samples. Results: A satisfactory level of semantic, conceptual, idiomatic, and content comparability was reached in the cross-cultural adaptation of the Arabic version of the P-QoL questionnaire. The internal consistency was high in terms of psychometric validation, with a Cronbach’s alpha coefficient of 0.971 for the P-QoL questionnaire. The test-retest results showed a high reliability with interclass correlation coefficient (ICC) of P-QoL = 0.987. The convergent construct validity was highly accepted (moderately strong), reflecting a positive correlation between the Arabic version of the P-QoL and the Australian Pelvic Floor Dysfunction Questionnaire (APFD) r = 0.68 (p &lt; 0.001). Similarly, a significant convergent validity of P-QoL Arabic version and Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) r = 0.47 (p &lt; 0.001) was found, as well as the correlation between the APFD and the VAS r = 0.46 (p &lt; 0.001). However, there were no significant correlation between the SF-12, the P-QoL, the APFD, and the VAS. Conclusion: Based on a significant correlation between the Arabic APFD and the VAS, the results reveal good reliability, internal consistency, and construct validity. It is recommended that Arabic-speaking females with pelvic organ prolapse use the Arabic version of the P-QoL. More research is needed to assess the responsiveness of the P-QoL.

The relationship between perception of anxiety and quality of life in caregivers of children with autism was verified. To verify quality of life, the Short Form Healthy Survey Item was used; perception of anxiety was assessed using the Beck Anxiety Inventory. 80 caregivers of children with autism participated, with 68.7% of caregivers being mothers. Of the total number of caregivers, 68.8% had a severe level of anxiety. Regarding quality of life, they demonstrated greater impairment in Limitation due to physical aspects, Limitation due to emotional aspects, Vitality and Pain. Caregivers with severe anxiety levels had worse quality of life in the domains of pain (p = 0.012), social aspects (p =&lt; 0.001), limitation due to emotional aspects (p = 0.001) and mental health (p =&lt; 0.001). However, in the functional capacity domain, caregivers with a moderate level of anxiety had a better physical capacity score (p = 0.001). There was a negative correlation between the general anxiety score and the general physical (p = 0.029) and general emotional component of quality of life (p =&lt; 0.001). It was found that caregivers of children with ASD present losses related to psychological factors, quality of life and the lack of social support.

This paper investigates the relationship between public spaces and quality of life (QoL) for older adults, aiming to identify knowledge gaps within the context of population ageing and urbanization. Recognizing the growing importance of sustainable urban development, the research explores how cities can foster active ageing and improve QoL through accessible and inclusive public spaces. A scoping literature review identifies five key QoL domains for older adults: autonomy, meaningful activities, positive social relationships, leisure opportunities, and health. The review highlights areas requiring further investigation, including the interplay between environmental design and social connections, intergenerational perspectives on public space liveliness, the influence of context on QoL and the built environment, and the value of qualitative research in this field. By contributing to the understanding of QoL in relation to public spaces through the lens of Person-Environment fit theory, this study aims to inform urban design, landscape architecture, and policymaking in the creation of age-friendly communities with inclusive public spaces.

The purpose of this study was to identify subgroups of quality of life (QOL) changes in breast cancer survivors (BCS) and to determine factors associated with subgroups of consistently low or deteriorated QOL. We enrolled 101 women recently diagnosed with breast cancer in South Korea and asked them to complete a questionnaire at baseline (within 1 month of diagnosis), 1 year later (Year 1), 2 years later (Year 2), and 3 years later (Year 3). We assessed QOL using the global QOL subscale from the EORTC QLQ-C30. We defined low QOL as a global QOL score 10 points below the mean score of the general population. Based on low QOL as defined in this study, we identified subgroups of QOL changes over 3 years. We identified four subgroups of QOL changes: improved (47.4%), stable (30%), continuously low (8.8%), and deteriorated (13.8%) and considered the last two categories (22.6%) as poor QOL. Logistic regression analyses demonstrated that significant determinants of poor QOL were insomnia at Year 1, fatigue and anxiety at Year 2, and fatigue, depression, and comorbidity at Year 3. In conclusion, persistent symptoms of insomnia, fatigue, anxiety, depression, and comorbidity are potential risk factors for poor QOL in BCS.

Background/Objectives Bowel endometriosis (BE) is defined as the presence of endometrial-like tissue in the muscular layer of the bowel wall. When BE does not cause severe obstruction to fecal transit, not leading to (sub)occlusive symptoms, the decision to operate becomes challenging as intestinal surgery is associated with higher complication rates and long-term bowel dysfunction. The aim of this cross-sectional study is to evaluate the quality of life (QoL) in patients with BE undergoing medical therapy or expectant management, investigating the impact of characteristics of BE nodules on QoL and intestinal function. Methods A retrospective cross-sectional analysis was conducted on 580 patients with BE who did not undergo surgery but were treated conservatively by medical therapy or expectant management between January 2017 and August 2022. The diagnosis of BE was done by transvaginal ultrasound and confirmed at double contrast barium enema. After at least one year of follow-up, QoL and intestinal function of patients were evaluated by the Endometriosis Health Profile-5 (EHP-5) questionnaire and Bowel Endometriosis Symptom score (BENS), whereas pain symptoms were assessed by the Visual Analogic Scale (VAS 0-10). Statistical analysis was performed to investigate possible associations between QoL and characteristics of bowel nodules (dimension, location, and evidence of stenosis) as well as type and length of eventual medical therapy. Results Patients with BE had a satisfying overall QoL with a mean EHP-5 score of 105.42 ± 99.98 points and VAS lower than 3 for all pain domains; additionally, they did not show a significant impartment of bowel function with mean BENS score of 4.89 ± 5.28 points. Notably, patients under medical therapy had a better QoL than patients without therapy (p

This article obtains data through questionnaire survey, and then uses the Multiple Indicators Multiple Causes (MIMIC) Model to establish the Taoyuan City’s quality of life quantifying framework in a city-level community context. Statistical test results show that the reliability of overall model is high and is suitable for policy analysis. There are thirteen variables in the structural model that significantly affect the quality of life as well as eleven indicators in the measurement model that can significantly measure the quality of life. Then, half of the observations are substituted back to calculate the quality of life. Via ArcGis operation, it finds that the quality of life of Longtan District is the best as well as Dayuan District is the worst one. LISA cluster of quality of life illustrates hot spots areas are distributed in Longtan, Daxi, and Pingzhen Districts.

Emotional intelligence can contribute to quality of life and as a health predictor. The aim of this study is to analyze emotional intelligence, quality of life and the correlation factors associated in patients undergoing chronic hemodialysis. A quantitative, observational, cross-sectional design was performed, and one hundred and thirty-eight multi-centers hemodialysis patients were recruited. A battery of questionnaires, including Trait Meta-Mood Scale (TMMS-24), Kidney Disease Quality of Life-Short Form (KDQOL-SF), and an ad-hoc sociodemographic questionnaire, were answered. Sex differences existed when assessing the three dimensions of emotional intelligence: ranked by order, the highest scores in males were in clarity, repair, and attention. However, in females were in repair, clarity, and attention. Males had higher scores than females in emotional role (p=0.045). Younger participants had better scores in all physical functions (p=0.001) and vitality (p=0.038) than older. Moreover, those who had a higher level of education presented better physical function (p=0.027) and higher scores in emotional wellbeing (p=0.036). Finally, in females, emotional attention (p=0.046) and repair (p<0.001) were strongly associated with general health perception. The assessment of emotional intelligence considering sex differences in patients undergoing chronic hemodialysis can be an indicator of quality of life including the use in health interventions.

: Background: Parkinson’s disease (PD) is a chronic, progressive illness with a profound impact on health-related quality of life, and it is crucial to know what factors influence quality of life throughout the course of the disease. This study aimed to evaluate PD patients’ motor and non-motor symptoms to compare symptom severity between PD clinical phenotypes and to assess the impact of disease symptoms on quality of life in a cohort of Latvian patients. Methods: We evaluated 43 patients with Parkinson’s disease. Fourteen patients had tremor-dominant (TD) PD, twenty-five patients had postural instability/gait difficulty (PIGD), and four patients had a mixed phenotype. Results: The patients’ mean age was 65.21 years, and the disease’s mean duration was 7 years. The most common non-motor symptoms were fatigue (95.3%), sleep disturbance (83.7%), daytime sleepiness (83.7%), and pain and other sensations (81.4%). PIGD patients had a higher prevalence of depressed mood, daytime sleepiness, constipation, light headedness on standing, cognitive impairment, and severe gastrointestinal and urinary disturbances (as assessed using the SCOPA-AUT domains) compared with TD patients. A high prevalence of fatigue was assessed in both disease subtypes. Health-related quality of life significantly statistically correlated with MDS-UPDRS parts III and IV (r = 0.704), the Hoehn and Yahr scale (r = 0.723), as well as the SCOPA-AUT scale’s gastrointestinal (r = 0.639), cardiovascular (r = 0.586), thermoregulatory (r = 0.566) and pupillomotor domains (r = 0.597). Conclusion: The severity of motor symptoms, as well as non-motor symptoms, such as fatigue, apathy, sleep problems and daytime sleepiness, pain, and disturbances in gastrointestinal and cardiovascular function, negatively affect PD patients’ health-related quality of life. Thermoregulatory and pupillomotor symptoms also significantly affect PD patients’ well-being.

Celiac disease (CD) is an autoimmune disorder triggered by the ingestion of gluten and affects approximately 1% of the global population. Currently, the only treatment available is lifelong strict adherence to a gluten-free diet (GFD). Chronic diseases such as CD affect patients and their family members’ quality of life (QoL); particularly parents and caregivers who play an essential role in the child’s care and treatment. A higher level of psychological distress has been found in the parents of children with chronic ailments due to limited control over the child’s daily activities and the child’s illness. In this context, the validation of a specific questionnaire of QoL is a valuable tool to evaluate the difficulties faced by parents or caregivers of children with this chronic illness. A specific questionnaire for this population can elucidate the reasons for stress in their daily lives as well as the physical, mental, emotional, and social impact caused by CD. Therefore, this study aimed to develop and validate a specific questionnaire to evaluate the QoL of parents and caregivers of children and adolescents with CD. The study was developed in six steps: (i) development of the CD parent/caregiver QoL questionnaire (CDPC-QoL); (ii) subjective evaluation; (iii) validation of the questionnaire by the Delphi method; (iv) evaluation of the internal consistency and reproducibility of the CDPC-QoL; (v) application of the questionnaire to Brazilian CD parents or caregivers; and (vi) statistical analysis. Overall results showed that a higher family income resulted in a higher score of the worries domain. In addition, having another illness besides CD decreased the QoL (except in the worries domain). The other variables studied did not present a statistically significant impact on the QoL, which was shown to be low in all aspects. Knowledge of the QoL is important to help implement effective strategies to improve celiac patients’ quality of life and reduce their physical, emotional, and social burden.

The sustainability of agricultural commodities produced in the Southern U.S. under irrigation is increasingly at risk due to erratic rainfall patterns, inadequate water supplies and compromised water quality. This study assessed the needs of crop growers in the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Southern Region. The purpose was to identify growers’ critical water resource management concerns to identify research priorities from the perspective of growers in this region. To obtain this information, a questionnaire was developed and distributed to growers throughout the Southern Region in 2020. The final sample included 112 crop (row and specialty) production growers from the Southern Region. Overall, respondents named the water available to irrigate as the greatest water resource management priority. Within all the water availability priorities asked, respondents’ first choice was declining water supply in the future. Declining water supply and the cost of irrigating presently were the next most frequently named water availability priorities. Growers named both increasing the efficiency of irrigation and development of farming practices to improve soil moisture retention as the first and second focus of future irrigation research, respectively. These results will aid in strengthening existing and developing new initiatives for water research and Extension in this region.

Aim: Esophageal atresia (EA) is the most common congenital esophageal malformation. Thoracoscopic repair is gaining popularity, but controversy persist regarding the ideal surgical approach for this challenging anomaly. Study’s aim is to analyze outcomes in terms of quality of life (QoL) of children undergoing thoracotomy and thoracoscopy for type III EA repair. Methods: Perinatal characteristics, malformations, surgical procedures, complications, gastrointestinal and respiratory current symptoms were collected. QoL were investigated through Esophageal-Atresia-QoL(EAQoL) and Pediatric-QoL(PedsQL)4.0 standardized and validated questionnaires. Statical Mann-Whitney test with significance level p <0.05 was carried out. Main results: A total of 32 patients undergoing type III EA primary repair answered the questionnaire, including 17 thoracotomy and 15 thoracoscopy. Median birth weight was not significantly different between two groups (median[2.385;2.475], p=.3529) while gestational age showed statistically difference (median[36;38], p=.0063). Thirty-five associated malformations (15 thoracotomy, 20 thoracoscopy) in 23 patients were observed. Postoperative complications occurred in 9 patients in thoracotomy group (1 recurrent fistula, 2 leakages, 6 stenosis) and in 6 patients in thoracoscopic group (2 recurrent fistula, 4 stenosis). Analyzing EAQoL we found statistically significant difference in physical health between the two groups (median[83;96], p=0.0119), while there was no difference in social relations, eating and total score (median[100;100], p=0.3473)(median[91;97], p=0.5749)(median[91;96], p=0.1710). Investigating PedsQL, psychosocial-health score (median[88;98], p=0.0069) and total score (median [91;99], p=0.0043) were statically significant different between the groups, whereas there was no difference for physical-health score (median[91;100], p=0.0706). Conclusions: Thoracoscopic EA repair is safe and feasible, allowing patient to have a better QoL in terms of physical and psychosocial health score.

Volunteering among older adults in the United States is rising, with rates up by 65% since 1974. With this tremendous growth in volunteering among seniors, examining how it affects them is essential. One such volunteering program we look at in this research is the Foster Grandparents Program (FGP) of the High Country, which allows older adults to volunteer at local schools to help in-need children. Previous research has shown how volunteering as an older adult positively impacts people's quality of life. This paper will explore the quality-of-life changes for the FGP older adult volunteers, explicitly comparing the quality-of-life changes with demographics and program satisfaction. This study looked at 93 participants of the FGP and their survey responses. We used cross-tabulation and correlation to look for relationships between demographics, satisfaction with volunteer experience, and overall changes in the quality-of-life of volunteers. Age, gender, and years of service were not good predictors of quality-of-life changes. On the other hand, overall satisfaction with the program proved to be the best predictor for change in quality of life. When satisfaction with positive program experiences is high, volunteers are more likely to have less symptoms of depression, state they have a greater sense of belonging to a community and were able to build a positive identity for themselves, all of which impacted their overall quality-of-life.

Background. Private security refers to the security protection services that private security organizations provide to control crimes, protect lives and other assets, and to maintain order at their employers’ facilities. The objective of the study was to analyze the burnout syndrome and the quality of life among security employees of the professional private security sector in Central Serbia. Methods. A multicenter cross-sectional questionay-based study was performed in seven different cities in central Serbia. The study included the representative sample of security staff employed. The study was performed in the period from March 3, 2019 to April 30, 2019. Results. A total of 353 respondents (330 male and 23 female) participated in the study. The Response rate was 80%. Men were significantly older than women: 44.09±11.44 vs. 36.91±7.92 (F=8.752; p=0.003). Approximately one third (32.6%) had symptoms of total burnout and a much higher number of responders had moderate or high level of burnout in individual subscales; in emotional exhaustion (high 66.3%, moderate 19.8%), in depersonalisation (high 82.4%, moderate 16.2%) and slightly more than one third 34.5% had low personal achievement, about one third 32.9% had moderate personal achievement. Our study has shown that female sex and older age were associated with higher risk of total burnout and for the development of emotional exhaustion. Male sex, university education and managerial position were associated with higher personal achievement and lower risk of of total burnout because this subscale is inversely correlated with the burnout. Male sex, marritual union, two and more childreen and direct contact with clients were significantly associated with lower quality of life of employees. Conclusion. Nearly one third (32.6%) of security employees had symptoms of total burnout. Female sex and older age were associated with higher risk of total burnout and for the development of emotional exhaustion. Male sex and higher level of education were associated with greater personal achievement. Managerial position and higher education were protective factors in relation to the development of burnout. Male sex, marritual union, two and more childreen, direct contact with clients were significantly associated with lower quality of life of employees. security staff, professional private sector, quality of life

Colorectal cancer remains one of the most commonly diagnosed cancers. Advanced rectal cancer patients receive neoadjuvant radiochemotherapy as well as surgery and suffer under reduced health-related quality of life due to various side effects. We were interested in the role of the COVID-19 pandemic and how it affected those patients’ quality of life. A total of 489 advanced rectal cancer patients from the University Hospital Erlangen in Germany were surveyed between May 2010 and March 2022 and asked to fill out the EORTC QLQ-C30 and QLQ-CR38 questionnaire over eight different time points: in the beginning, during and after radiochemotherapy, right before surgery and in yearly intervals after surgery for up to four years. Answers were converted to scores to compare the COVID-19 period to the time before March 2020 focusing on the follow-ups, the developments over time – including by sex and age - and the influence of the TNM cT-stage. Overall, a trend of impaired functional and symptom scores was found across all surveys with few significances (body image -10.6 percentage points (pp) after one year; defecation problems +13.5 pp, insomnia +10.2 pp and weight loss +9.8 pp after three years; defecation problems +11.3 pp after four years). cT4-stage patients lost significantly more weight than their cT1-3-stage counterparts (+10.7 to 13.7 pp). Further studies should be conducted to find possible causes and develop countermeasures for future major infectious diseases.

Background: Over the past two decades, various research teams have designed and applied instruments to measure the quality of life of families with a member who has a disability. A recent systematic review on the state of art of Family Quality of Life in early care identified that many of these studies collected data only from the mothers. The present study aimed to investigate whether there is a bias in participant selection in these types of studies. Method: A systematic review of the scientific literature was conducted in the 3 databases from the year 2000 to 2022. A total of 72 empirical studies have been identified. Results: The findings indicated that most studies examining the family quality of life were based on the information of a single informant per family unit. The profiles of participants according to the research objective is quite similar. In one third of studies the authors report that family members who participate cannot be represented by only mothers or one participant per household. Conclusions: Given the dynamic and collective nature of the construct, the application of a systemic approach is necessary.

Better understanding of the quality of life among nursing home residents with dementia is im-portant for developing interventions. The objectives of this cross-sectional study were to examine factors associated with poor health-related quality of life in older adults with dementia living in nursing homes in Hanoi, Vietnam. In-person interviews were conducted with 140 adults 60 years and older with dementia and information about their quality of life was obtained using the Quality of Life in Alzheimer’s Disease scale (QOL-AD). A number of sociodemographic and clinical factors associated with poor health-related quality of life (lowest tertile) were assessed through the results of physical tests, interviews with nursing home staff, and review of medical records. The average age of the study sample was 78.3 years, 65% were women, and their av-erage QOL-AD total score was 27.3 (SD = 4.4). Malnutrition, total dependence in activities of daily living, and urinary incontinence were associated with poor quality of life after controlling for multiple potentially confounding factors. Our findings show that Vietnamese nursing home residents with dementia have a moderate quality of life and interventions based on comprehen-sive geriatric assessment remain needed to modify risk factors associated with poor health-related quality of life.

Quinoa is a resilient crop known for its adaptability to diverse environmental conditions. This study examined the agronomic performance and ecological adaptability of quinoa across four distinct altitudes in the northwestern regions of China. Six quinoa genotypes were assessed for agronomic traits, phenology and yield performances, and nutritional quality characteristics in Yining city, Nilka County, Tekes County and Zhaosu County under varied environmental conditions. Our findings demonstrate significant variations in all measured traits including agronomic and nutritional quality traits across the various altitudes and genotypes. In Yining City, a warmer and lower altitude area, genotypes exhibit superior traits for fodder production, including increased branches, longer panicles, robust stems, and high seed protein content. Genotypes Jinli 1 and Beijing 2 achieve yields exceeding 3 tons per hectare (T/ha), highlighting the region’s productivity. Nilka and Tekes counties boasted the shortest quinoa crop cycles, with Jinli 1 yielding 4.05 T/ha seeds in Tekes County, exhibiting high protein and fat content alongside low saponins, making it prime location for yield production. Zhaosu County, with its cooler climate and fertile chernozem soil, elicited high 1000 seed weight and more robust protein response than Nilka and Tekes counties, illustrating the impact of soil fertility on nutritional composition. Correlation analyses further elucidated that the plants characterized by shorter flowering times, crop cycles, compact inflorescence, and taller heights exhibited superior seed yields. Our study contributes significant insights into the ecological adaptability and nutritional dynamics of quinoa, with implications for sustainable crop production and food security in diverse agroecosystems.

Increasing quality of life (QoL) is both an end in itself and a means to optimize the impact of treatment in HIV-infected persons. Possibly due to cultural and social influences, the predictors of QoL vary across studies, which highlights the importance of studying specific populations. In the present study, we wanted to determine the sociodemographic (age, sex, schooling) and psychosocial correlates (meaning in life, social support, positive and negative affect) of QoL in HIV-infected patients living in Mozambique, a country with high prevalence of HIV, but also with well-structured strategies to fight the disease. To that end, we made correlational analyses followed by regression models, and we examined potential mediation processes among predictors. All correlates were relevant except sex. Meaning in life was the strongest predictor, while social support was the weakest. Schooling was both directly and indirectly related with QoL - in the latter case, it was mediated by meaning in life, social support and positive affect. Our findings suggest that investments in education may be highly rewarding to Mozambicans, and that satisfying needs of self-actualization and purpose may be more urgent than improving social connections.

Background: Chronic disease is the leading cause of death and disability in children. Various complex stressors faced by children due to illness and a series of treatments can negatively impact children's welfare, which can negatively affect children's quality of life.Objectives: This literature aims to study the philosophy of spiritual-based care interventions to improve the quality of life of children with chronic diseases viewed from three philosophical perspectives, namely ontology, epistemology, and axiology.Methods: A literature search was performed on five databases, namely SCOPUS, PubMed, ProQuest, ScienceDirect, and SAGEPub. Population limitations and diagnoses in this literature of children with chronic disease. This research is a quantitative study focusing on publications between 2017-2021.Results: The philosophy of spiritual care intervention is humanistic, pragmatic, and religious intervention. Humanistic interventions are interventions in which nurses are actively involved in spiritual care. Pragmatic intervention is the activeness of a nurse in assessing the spiritual needs of patients. Meanwhile, religious intervention is an intervention that is directly related to the practice or ritual of a specific belief system. Spiritual care is an essential part of holistic care, which is considered an indicator of improving the quality of care. It will ultimately affect the optimal quality of life of children.Conclusion: Spiritual-based care interventions are essential to improve the quality of life of children with chronic diseases. Spiritual care given to children with chronic illnesses must consider all aspects such as developmental stage, life experience, and socio-cultural of the child.

Background: Exercise is an accepted intervention to improve the quality of life (QoL) of breast cancer patients. Exercise programs have been developed and all have shown satisfactory results in improving QoL. There is a lack of research comparing different prescription modalities. The aim of this study is to evaluate the effectiveness of physical exercise (in-person, home-based, prescription) on QoL in breast cancer patients actively undergoing treatment; Methods Quasi-experimental study with randomized assignment to three groups (in-person: guided and supervised in-person exercise program; home-based exercise: guided and supervised exercise program with streaming monitoring; recommendation: exercise recommendation). Quality of life was measured using the QLQ-C30 questionnaire. Baseline and 24-week analysis. Results: The total sample analyzed was n=80. QoL improved significantly at 24 weeks in the face-to-face and home-based exercise groups, but not in the advice group. Exercise in all modalities improved fatigue, nausea, vomiting, appetite, and constipation. QoL at 24 weeks depended on active chemotherapy, tumor type, and assigned exercise group (r2 = 0.503; p &lt; 0.001). Conclusions: QoL in breast cancer patients undergoing active treatment improves after a 24-week exercise program, especially in face-to-face and home-based exercise. Home-based exercise, streaming-based recommendation is a viable option for exercise recommendation.

The treatment of cancer and associated healthcare procedures often impose a detrimental effect on patients’ quality of life. Symptoms stemming from treatment often hinder patients’ social interactions, emphasizing the crucial role of social support in preserving quality of life and alleviating stress. Moreover, patient resilience serves as a valuable asset in mitigating stress levels and upholding an optimal quality of life amidst the challenges posed by the illness. This study aims to explore the correlation between diverse sources and forms of social support, resilience, and their impact on the quality of life and stress levels among patients undergoing cancer immunotherapy. This study involved thirty patients undergoing immunotherapy at Costa del Sol Hospital in Marbella. Resilience correlated with improved cognitive functioning and diminished symptoms. Informational support from healthcare providers and emotional support from friends were linked to symptom alleviation, such as reduced appetite and insomnia. Moreover, emotional support from friends emerged as a predictor for decreased perceived stress. Interventions targeting the improvement of quality of life and reduction of stress among cancer patients should prioritize assessing support needs and involving the patient's social network, especially during the treatment phase.

The aim of this study was to determine whether a rowing training program improved the quantity and quality of physical activity and quality of life in female breast cancer survivors (stage I - 4.35%; II - 30.43%; III - 52.17%; and IV - 8.7%) diagnosed 6.57 ± 5.02 years previously, who had undergone a subsequent intervention (preservation 53.52%; total mastectomy 39.13% and double mastectomy 4.35%) and had a current mean age of 53.70 ± 7.88 years. The participants (N = 30) engaged in a 12-week training program, each week comprising three sessions and each session lasting 60-90 minutes. An anthropometric evaluation was performed before and after the program. The short form of the International Physical Activity Questionnaire (IPAQ-SF) and the Short Form 36 Health Survey (SF-36) were also administered. The results showed statistically significant improvements in levels of physical activity and in the dimensions of quality of life. We can conclude that a 12-week rowing training program tailored to women who have had breast cancer increases physical activity levels, leading to improved health status and quality of life.

The aim of this study was to determine whether a rowing training program improved the quantity and quality of physical activity and quality of life in female breast cancer survivors (stage I - 4.35%; II - 30.43%; III - 52.17%; and IV - 8.7%) diagnosed 6.57 ± 5.02 years previously, who had undergone a subsequent intervention (preservation 53.52%; total mastectomy 39.13% and double mastectomy 4.35%) and had a current mean age of 53.70 ± 7.88 years. The participants (N = 30) engaged in a 12-week training program, each week comprising three sessions and each session lasting 60-90 minutes. An anthropometric evaluation was performed before and after the program. The short form of the International Physical Activity Questionnaire (IPAQ-SF) and the Short Form 36 Health Survey (SF-36) were also administered. The results showed statistically significant improvements in levels of physical activity and in the dimensions of quality of life. We can conclude that a 12-week rowing training program tailored to women who have had breast cancer increases physical activity levels, leading to improved health status and quality of life.

The COVID-19 pandemic has had a significant impact on all facets of life and has exacerbated many challenges faced by people living with tuberculosis (TB). This study aimed to assess the health-related quality of life (HRQoL) of TB patients in Guinea during the COVID-19 pandemic. A mixed-methods study was conducted using two validated psychometric tools to assess HRQoL and qualitative interviews among TB patients enrolled in treatment at three centers in Conakry, Guinea. Multinomial logistic regression was used to identify factors associated with the deterioration of HRQoL. We included 439 participants in the study, among whom 44% and 31% experienced pain and anxiety, respectively. We found that an increase in the number of household members and the distance from participants’ residence to the health centre were significantly associated with lower HRQoL. Qualitative interviews highlighted nutritional and financial concerns which were exacerbated during COVID-19 pandemic and beliefs that the Guinean Government’s assistance plan was insufficient. This study supports the implementation of specific relief plans for TB patients which includes nutritional and psychological support, especially those whose movements are limited by travel restrictions, impeding access to TB care, reducing work opportunities and exacerbating financial needs and stress.

Background: Breast cancer is the second type of cancer diagnosed in women and is the first cancer in women worldwide. Breast cancer also causes high morbidity and mortality in women and becomes a heavy burden due to the incidence of disability due to the disease. Purpose: This literature review aims to examine how social support affects anxiety, depression and quality of life in breast cancer sufferers. Method: The data were obtained by searching for reputable and trustworthy journals. have high quality criteria, namely Scopus, Proquest, Science Direct, Elsevier, Pubmed. Journals or articles used in this review literature are searched using keywords and Boolean operators (AND, OR NOT, or AND NOT). Keywords in this review literature are as follows: social support OR family support, quality of life OR Quality, anxiety OR depression, AND Cancer OR cancer treatment OR Chronic disease. Results: The results of this literature review show that there is a significant influence between the social support received by breast cancer patients on the improvement of their quality of life. The social support provided is also able to reduce anxiety and depression in breast cancer sufferersConclusion: Social support given to breast cancer patients is proven to have an effect on improving the quality of life, reducing anxiety and depression.

The maintenance of high quality standards for prolonging shelf life of fruit and maintaining sensory and nutritional quality is a priority the horticultural products. The aim of this work was to test the effectiveness of a single treatment of edible coating based on Aloe arborescens and a combined treatment of 1-Methylcycyclopropene and edible coating to prolong the shelf-life of "Settembrina" white flesh peach fruit. White flesh peach fruit were harvested at the commercial ripening stage and treated with edible coating (EC) or 1-MCP +EC and stored for 28 days at 1°C. After 7, 14, 21 and 28 days fruits were removed from cold storage, transferred at 20°C and then analyzed immediately (cold out) and after 6 days (shelf life) to evaluate the combined effect of cold storage and room temperature. Weight loss, physical, chemical and sensory parameters were measured. Fruit treated with EC and 1-MCP +EC kept their marketing values better than CTR after 14 days of storage and 6 days of simulated shelf life, in terms of flesh firmness, total soluble solids and titratable acidity as well as sensory parameters. After 21 days of storage, all treatments showed a deterioration of the quality parameters. The single and combined application of Aloe-based coating (with 1-MCP) slowed down the maturation processes of the fruit, limited the weight loss and preserved its organoleptic characteristics.

Quality of life (QoL) focuses on a person’s ability to live a fulfilling life. In the elderly population, it helps in determining successful aging. Because of a scarcity of information regarding predictors of QoL in the elderly population in developing countries, this study was undertaken to assess the overall QoL and its predictors in the elderly population in an urban setting of Bangladesh. In this cross-sectional study, 275 participants were enrolled by systematic sampling at the outpatient department of a tertiary care hospital in Dhaka, Bangladesh. Data were collected by using a pretested semi-structured standard questionnaire for QoL (OPQOL-35). Pearson’s correlation was used to assess the association between QoL and sociodemographic factors. The Chi-square test was done for assessing the statistical significance between categorical variables. Multivariate linear regression was conducted to identify predictors of QoL, after controlling for potential confounders. The median age of the participants (n = 275) was 65 years (range, 60 to 85; 25th and 75th percentile, 60 and 68, respectively). The majority (78%) of them were married and 20% were widowed or divorced. The median score of QoL was 113 (25th and 75th percentile, 101 and 124, respectively). Most of the participants had a very poor (bad as can be) or poor (bad) QoL. Only 7.3% were observed to have “good” QoL (scores 140 or more). Females had significantly poorer QoL scores compared to males (p = 0.01). Educational status, marital status, body mass index and sleep duration significantly predicted QoL in a multiple regression analysis. In conclusion, the QoL of the elderly individuals in Bangladesh was very poor or poor. Future research should focus on service-oriented interventions, especially targeting women. Counseling of elderly people for enhancing their quality of life may include improving sleep patterns, healthy diets, regular exercise, and caring for their mental health.

Using the culture-work-health model, this study investigates the factors influencing the quality of life of maritime workers. This study conducted a survey of 320 maritime workers who have experience living and working on a ship for more than six months. This self-administered questionnaire included questions on organizational culture and support, self-efficacy, perceived fatigue, as well as the quality of work life. Organizational culture and self-efficacy were identified as factors affecting the quality of work life, while organizational support was found to have an indirect effect after passing through self-efficacy and perceived fatigue. The final model accounts for 63.1% of the variance in maritime workers’ quality of life. As such, this study shows that self-efficacy is important for the quality of life of maritime workers, having both direct and indirect effects. Moreover, organizational support may prove the primary intervention point for relieving perceived fatigue and enhancing self-efficacy, thus improving the quality of work life.

In the present paper, we investigate the impact of the timescale factor on the quality of life index behavior on specific time intervals characterized by the presence of socio-economic, political, and/or health severe movements such as pandemics and crises. We essentially aim to show that effectively the quality of life measuring based on a single index in the existing studies may be described more adequately by a variable index due to the social, political, economic, and also healthy environment. The variability discovered is expressed by the existence and the estimation of a multi-index instead of a single one relatively to many factors. Our focus is mainly on the effect of the COVID-19 pandemic on the quality of life. Our model is applied empirically to a sample corresponding to Saudi Arabia as a case of study during the period from January 1990 to December 2021 as the main period affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. The sample is based on social media conversations and texts discussing and describing the satisfaction with the quality of life. The study confirms effectively that the role of the timescale factor is more described when considering a multi-index rather than measurement on the whole time interval.

Paralyzed patients have always been ideal candidates for physiotherapy due to their body's inability to recover on its own. Regardless of the cause that led to the onset of paralysis (whether localized or generalized), physiotherapy helps these patients with devices and methods designed to restore their proper functioning of the body, as well as quality of life. Obtaining the standing position is the main stage in the therapeutic process, being the indispensable element for the entire protocol. The present study focused on the devices we developed over time, adapting them for each patient, depending on the degree of damage they presented and the possible associated pathologies. At the same time, we wanted these devices to be available for any therapist or even owner, being made of common materials, easy to find, but also affordable.

Patients with non-union fractures spend extended periods in the hospital following poor healing. Patients have to make several follow-up visits for medical and rehabilitation purposes. However, the clinical pathways and quality of life of these patients are unknown. This prospective study aimed to identify the clinical pathways (CPs) of 22 patients with lower limb non-union fractures whilst determining their quality of life. Data were collected from hospital records on admission through discharge, utilising a CP questionnaire. We used the same questionnaire to track patients' follow-up frequency, involvement in activities of daily living, and outcomes at six months. We used the short form-36 questionnaire to assess patients’ initial quality of life. The Kruskal-Wallis test compared the quality of life domains across different fracture sites. We examined CPs using medians and inter-quantile ranges. During the six-month follow-up period, 12 patients with lower limb non-union fractures were readmitted. All of the patients had impairments, limited activity, and participation restrictions. Lower limb fractures can have a substantial impact on emotional and physical health, and lower limb non-union fractures may have an even greater effect on the emotional and physical health of patients, necessitating a more holistic approach to patient care.

Background: The tsunami and earthquake occurred in 1927 and 2018 made life quality of Da’a Tribe women in refugee camps was affected by violence. It affects on women reproductive health in various aspects of life as high maternal mortality rate of 450 per 100 thousand live births and half of women victims of natural disasters have reproductive health problems such as anemia and malnutrition during pregnancy. The study objective is to explore the health quality of women related to the couple violence during the humanitarian crisis at refugees’ camps. Method: The population was 798 cases of violence. The 90 samples were selected by simple random sampling and calculated by Slovin method. Data analysis was done by descriptive qualitative and cross tabulation. The research location was Palu City. Results: The research findings showed that health quality of Da’a Tribe women after the couple violence is influenced by three factors, namely economic by 40%, psychological by 7%, violence during pregnancy 59.3%. Conclusion: Social life and women violence handling can be done by symbolizing the threat of criminal law for male perpetrators in accordance with applicable laws in Indonesia and improving the life quality of population, especially women in education and skills through empowering the family economy and increasing gender equality justice.

Ankylosing spondylitis (AS) is a chronic inflammatory arthritis that affects the axial skeleton, causing intense pain, progressive joint destruction, and a gradual reduction in physical function. It has been recognized not only as affecting the axial skeleton but as a systemic disease. Since it also causes an increase in the rates of inflammatory bowel disease, psoriasis, acute anterior uveitis, and mental disorders affecting the quality of life. Furthermore, an association with neurological and cardiovascular events is documented. With the advent of biologics, treating AS dramatically changed due to its high efficacy and tolerable safety. AS can be treated with various biological treatments. Nevertheless, there are differences in traits, including rapidity of onset, long-term efficacy, safety profile, and influence on comorbidities. A better understanding of such traits enables clinicians to make the best decision for each patient, increasing persistence, extending medication survival, enhancing patient satisfaction, and reducing the disease effect of ankylosing spondylitis. In this article, we emphasize biologics' efficacy and safety profile in patients with ankylosing spondylitis. In addition, we discuss the impact of biologics on comorbidities and health-related quality of life.

Background/Objectives: Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a chronic neurological disorder characterized by various clinical presentations and manifestations that include biopsychosocial impediments. This study has three interrelated goals relevant to biopsychosocial functioning. The first is to compare cognitive, neuropsychological, and affective functioning and quality of life between patients with MS (PwMS) and a control group. The second is to examine whether cognitive and neuropsychological performance is affected by gender, and the third is to examine whether variation in QoL hinges on cognitive neuropsychological performance. Methods: This multicenter study was carried out among clinically stable PwMS under follow-up in two tertiary care units in urban Oman. Healthy controls, matched for age and sex, were also recruited as a comparison group. Data were collected using cognitive batteries sensitive to current reasoning ability and conventional neuropsychological batteries designed to measure verbal learning, visual-spatial ability, and processing speed. The affective range (anxiety and depressive symptoms) and quality of life (QoL) were also assessed. Results: The PwMS group scored lower on current reasoning ability, verbal learning, visual-spatial ability, and processing speed compared with the control group. The incidence of anxiety was higher in the PwMS group but there was no statistically significant difference in depressive symptoms. No significant differences were found in cognitive variables between the two sexes, except in visual-spatial ability, where women outperformed men. PwMS with low QoL scored lower on the attention and concentration indices than those with adequate QoL. According to QoL, no significant differences were observed in reasoning, verbal learning, and visual-spatial ability. Conclusions: The present sentinel study suggests that the Omani cohort with MS tends to have lower indices of current reasoning ability, visual and spatial memory and cognitive speed compared to control subjects. Gender differences are minimal, except for visual-spatial abilities where women outperform men. Quality of life significantly affects cognitive functioning. In general, the biopsychosocial impediment appears to be significant, indicating the need for comprehensive evaluation and care in the management of MS.

Taste and smell function decline with age, with robust impairment in the very old. Much less is known about taste and smell function in young and middle old. We investigated taste and smell sensitivity via thresholds in a sub-sample of the NutriAct Family Study (NFS), the NFS Examinations cohort (NFSE; N=251, age M=62.5 years). We examined different aspects relating to taste and smell function: the degree to which taste and smell sensitivity relate to another and to taste and smell preferences, the role of gender and age, as well as effects on Quality of Life (QOL). Taste thresholds were highly correlated but no correlation was observed between taste and smell thresholds and between thresholds and preference. Women were more sensitive for both taste and smell than men. We found no effect of age on sensitivity and no effect of sensitivity on QoL. All null-findings were corroborated with Bayesian statistics providing evidence for the null hypotheses. Together our results indicate the independence of taste and smell despite their overlap during sensorial experiences. We found no evidence for age-related sensory decline, which could be due to our sample´s characteristics of non-clinical volunteers with good dental health and 93% non-smokers.

Introduction: People with schizophrenia have poor cardiometabolic health, with elevated 10-year cardiovascular disease risk (CVD-R) scores and poor quality of life (QOL). There is lack of understanding of these issues in early psychosis. Aims: To quantify CVD-R in people with early psychosis and profile their obesity prevalence, lifestyle behaviours and QOL. Secondary aim was to explore associations between lifestyle behaviours/treatment characteristics and CVD-R/QOL. Method:Baseline data from 81 RCT participants were used to profile cardiometabolic health risks (QRISK®3, BMI and waist circumference). Participants self-reported lifestyle behaviours and QOL. Relationships between modifiable treatment/lifestyle factors and QOL/CVD-R were explored using bivariate analyses. Results: Participants’ relative risk for CVD over 10 years was 1.93 times higher than healthy counterparts; 39% also had an obese BMI and physical QOL was poor. No significant associations were observed between CVD-R or QOL with treatment characteristics and lifestyle factors. Discussion: Despite positive lifestyle behaviours, participants had elevated CVD-R scores and poor physical health related QOL. Quantifying CVD-R with QRISK®3 may highlight the need for health promotion interventions. Implications for practice: Mental health professionals should be alert to elevated cardiometabolic health risks in early psychosis, particularly as these can occur in the context of relatively healthy lifestyle behaviours.

The present study focuses on the investigation of fatigue, social support and quality of life that characterizes social workers. Furthermore, the study aims to highlight the effect of demographic and occupational characteristics on the above factors. A total of 400 social workers with an average age of 39.05 years took part in the research. Most were women, single, residents of cities of more than 100,000, and health care workers. Participants were asked to answer online questionnaires (FAS for fatigue, MSPSS for social support and GHQ-28 for quality of life). From the analysis of the data, it was found that the level of fatigue of the social workers is at low levels. At the same time, the level of occurrence of negative symptoms is also low, with physical symptoms appearing more often than the rest. Participants receive a high level of support from their environment, and more so from the "significant other" in their life. Finally, it was found that the fatigue, social support and quality of life of social workers is affected by the age of the social workers, the total years of service, gender, marital status, place of residence, employer and position of responsibility.

Health related quality of life’s (HRQoL) different domains of functioning can serve as a good prognosticator of later life’s outcomes for children and adolescents. Understanding associated factors is crucial for promoting better health and life satisfaction. This study aimed to investigate the impact of socio-economic status (SES), physical activity (PA) and cardio-fitness on the Health-Related Quality of Life (HRQoL) in 224 Italian early adolescents attending secondary school in the Emilia-Romagna region located in northern Italy. The present cross-sectional study included measures of SES, demographic factors, cardio-fitness measures and self-reported PA levels. In a multivariate model, younger students and females reported higher HRQoL (β=-0.139, P<.05, 95% CI: -0.254 – -0.023 and β=0.142, P<.05, 95% CI: 0.011 – 0.273 respectively). Having both parents employed and having higher familiar educational status resulted in higher HRQoL. Greater engagement in routine PA was positively associated with HRQoL (β=0.429, P<.001, 95% CI: 0.304 – 0.554). Endurance (speed) was positively associated with HRQoL (β=0.221, P<.01, 95% CI: 0.087 – 0.355) and students with longer times on the shuttle run reported less HRQoL (β=-0.207, P<.01, 95% CI: -0.337 – -0.077). Findings reinforced the importance of promoting regular PA among students and addressing SES disparities to improve HRQoL. The study suggests a focus on expanding research measures and evaluating targeted PA interventions for a more comprehensive understanding of children’s well-being. These findings highlight the crucial roles of demographic, PA and cardio-fitness measures in child’s HRQoL, thus providing relevant information for stakeholders who work in the education, public health, and health policy sectors.

Background: Caring for individuals with mental disorders poses significant challenges for caregivers, often leading to compromised quality of life and mental health issues such as stress, anxiety, and depression. This study aims to assess the extent of these challenges among caregivers in Greece, identifying which demographic factors influence their well-being. Method: A total of 157 caregivers were surveyed using the SF-12 Health Survey for quality of life assessment and the DASS-21 questionnaire for evaluating stress, anxiety, and depression symptoms. T-tests, Kruskal-Wallis tests, Pearson correlation coefficients, and regression analyses were applied to understand the associations between demographics, quality of life, and mental health outcomes. Results: The study found that caregivers, especially women and younger individuals, faced high levels of mental health challenges. Marital status, educational level, and employment status also significantly influenced caregivers' well-being. Depression was the most significant factor negatively correlating with the mental component of quality of life. The magnitude of burden experienced by caregivers highlighted the urgency for targeted social and financial support, as well as strategic treatment programs that consider caregiver well-being. Conclusions: Caregivers of individuals with mental disorders endure significant stress, anxiety, and depression, influencing their quality of life. Demographic factors such as age, gender, marital status, education, and employment status have notable impacts. Findings emphasize the need for society-wide recognition of caregivers' roles and the creation of comprehensive support and intervention programs to alleviate their burden, particularly in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The study’s objective was to evaluate the influence of thinning on the quality and regularity of yield of 'Regina' cherries grown on a dwarf Gisela 5 rootstock. The experiments were conducted in the years 2009-2012 in Western Poland. Trees were thinned using a chemical agent, ammonium thiosulphate (ATS) at doses of 20g ATS × L-1, 30g ATS × L-1 and 40g ATS × L-1, and by hand, and the results of chemical and hand thinning were compared with those obtained for unthinned trees. The course of weather conditions in winter and during flowering had a significant impact on yield. Chemical thinning is known to be an effective method to regulate fruiting of pome trees, but it can also be successful if applied to cherry trees, as reflected by the alternate bearing index, which was the lowest after applying ATS at a dose of 40g. ATS treatment improved fruit quality in full crop years. Thinning resulted in, among other things, larger and darker fruit and higher content of total soluble solids and titratable acidity. Treatment with 40g ATS × L-1 significantly stimulated the vegetative growth of trees.

Face milling is a well known commercial process highly used in heavy industries that consumes high amount of power. Besides power issue, modern manufacturing industries are aiming for per part cost reduction keeping the product quality unimpaired. Unexpectedly if the part is rejected in any stage of manufacturing, the cost of manufacturing dramatically increases. Major cause of part rejection is excessive tool wear that imparts poor surface profile or catastrophic tool failure that causes adherence of broken tool debris onto machined surface. Furthermore, the tool wear is associated with sliding distance (frictional distance) and the tool life quantifies the cost of tools. As such, from the perspective of manufacturing industries it is imperative to optimize the surface quality parameter, cost of part, power consumption, and material removal – this is exactly what is accomplished here. By this work, it is possible to conserve power consumption, produce parts with lower cost, manufacture with uncompromising surface quality and enhanced material removal rate. Moreover, as intermediate factors of interest, the influences of sliding distance, tool life and tool flank wear on the overall machining performance are evaluated. The multi-objective optimization by Grey Relational Analysis (GRA) revealed that for improved product performance and fast manufacturing (case 1) optimum results are: feed per tooth fz = 0.25 mm/tooth, cutting speed vc = 392.6 m/min and cutting length l = 0.5 mm; for resource conservation (case 2) the optimum results are: feed per tooth fz = 0.125 mm/tooth, cutting speed vc = 392.6 m/min, cutting length l = 0.5 mm.

Milkfish (Chanos chanos) locally called Bangus in the Philippines, is a popular food fish in terms of production and consumption in the Philippines, Indonesia and Taiwan. This study characterized a typical grow-out milkfish farm in the Davao region in terms of socioeconomic profile, farming practices, and simple costs and returns. Three sites were chosen to conduct this study, mainly in Mati, Pantukan and Panabo in Davao region where N=43 farm workers provided information on their daily farming practices. Farms are commonly stocked with 16,000 fingerlings, harvesting occurs after every 6 months with six feeding times in a day. Moreover, workers were paid an average of Php 10,000 per month while the company had a gross income of Php 930,000 per cropping cycle. The feed cost shares 76% of the overall operational cost with a 27% return on investment for the first year of operation. Climate change impacts (e.g. higher sea surface temperature, unpredictable weather and flooding) and deteriorating water quality conditions were seen as bigger threats. Other results showed a positive relationship between stocking density and volume harvested (df=1, MS=0.0907, F=40.13, P=0.000) and income (df=1, MS=0.048, F=21.22, P=0.000). The study also showed the need for cheaper feed substitute and better benefits to farm workers.

Emerging evidence demonstrated that using a new manufacturing technology to produce γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA)-fortified oolong (GO) tea could relieve human stress and exert versatile physiological benefits. The purpose of this human research aims to investigate therapeutic effects of daily GO tea consumption on the improvement of blood pressure, relaxation-related brain waves and quality of life (QOL) during a period of 28 consecutive days. Total polyphenols, major catechins and free amino acids were analyzed via HPLC assay. Changes of heart rate, blood pressure, α-brain wave (index of relaxation) and eight-item QOL score were investigated on day 0, 7, 14, 21 and 28, respectively. The chemical analysis results showed that GO tea contained the most abundant amino acids and GABA, contributing to the relaxation activity. Among all study participants, daily drinking GO tea could reduce systolic blood pressure on day 21 and diastolic blood pressure on day 28 (p &lt; 0.05, respectively). For participants with pre-hypertension, GO tea could effectively reduce heart rate, systolic and diastolic blood pressure on day 28 (p &lt; 0.05). At the end of the study, incremental changes in alpha-brain wave and QOL scores were also demonstrated (p &lt; 0.05, respectively). This study recommended that GO tea might potentially serve as a natural source of alternative therapy to benefit blood pressure, stress-relief and QOL.

The aim of this paper is to analyze and evaluate Renewable Energy Sources (RES) usage and their contribution to citizens’ life quality. For this purpose, a survey was conducted, using a sample of 400 residents in an urban area of Attica region in Greece. The methods of Principal Components Analysis and Logit Regression were used on a dataset containing respondents’ views on various aspects of RES. Two statistical models were constructed for the identification of the main variables that are associated with RES’ usage and respondents’ opinion on their contribution to life quality. The conclusions that can be drawn show that the respondents are adequately informed about some of the RES’ types while most of them use at least one of the examined types of RES. The benefits that RES offer, were the most crucial variable in determining both respondents’ perceptions on their usage and on their contribution to life quality.

Throughout the Covid19 period, families were forced to stay indoors, adapting to online school-ing, remote work, and virtual social engagements, inevitably altering the dynamics within households. There is a notable increase in mental health challenges in terms of anxiety and de-pression in children and adolescents. This study intends to explore the psychosocial effects of the Covid-19 pandemic in Italian families adopting self- and proxy-report questionnaires on anxiety, anger, and health-related quality of life. The results showed that approximately 20% obtained a clinical anxiety score and only 10% obtained a clinical anger score. There was found a difference in the perception of the quality of life reported by the child and that perceived by the parent. The stepwise regression model showed that total anxiety scores were predicted by sex, quality of life scores from the parents' self-report version and total anger score. Another stepwise regression model identified physiological and social anxiety as the best predictors that impact the quality of life. Parental well-being actively influences the well-being of children, so it is fundamental to implement preventive programmes and promote child well-being providing parents the most adequate support possible.

(1) Background: This work aimed to conduct the first comparative study providing long-term data about patient reported outcome measures as well as donor-site scar assessment and aesthetic evaluation of the reconstructed breasts in patients with DIEP versus PAP flap breast reconstruction. (2) Methods: This prospective, single-center, matched cohort study included a total of 36 patients after DIEP and PAP flap breast reconstruction. Evaluation was done using the Breast-Q and POSAS questionnaire as well as the Breast Aesthetic Scale for cosmetic analysis by four plastic surgeons. (3) Results: Post-operative Breast-Q evaluation revealed no significant differences between both patient groups for the categories physical well-being donor-site, physical well-being breast and satisfaction with the breast. Scar evaluation of the donor-site region showed equivalent results for the thigh and the abdomen concerning the overall opinion of patients and observers. There was no significant difference between both methods of reconstruction for all aspects of breast aesthetics. (4) Conclusions: Similar results of donor-site morbidity, scar quality and aesthetic outcome of the breast in both the DIEP and PAP patient group have been demonstrated. Hence, in cases suitable for both types of reconstruction, the decision can be based on factors such as patients’ lifestyle, leisure activities and preferences.

This study investigates the evolving corporate governance mechanisms within the context of an emerging economy. Addressing a literature gap, we analyse the influence of corporate governance and earnings quality on idiosyncratic risk in an emerging economy. In particular, this research explores the impact of corporate governance practices and earnings quality on idiosyncratic risk. For this purpose, we utilise a sample of 75 non-financial firms listed on the Pakistani equity market over nine years from 2010 to 2018. Employing the generalised method of moments, the findings of our empirical analysis reveal that firms with robust governance mechanisms and higher earnings quality experience minimal idiosyncratic risk. These outcomes provide valuable insights for standard setters, regulatory authorities, policymakers, and other stakeholders, emphasising the importance of governance mechanisms and earnings management in mitigating idiosyncratic return volatility.

Background: Features of post-traumatic stress disorder and anxiety may be present in Pulmonary Embolism (PE) patients along with impaired Quality of Life (QoL). We aim to evaluate health related QoL, anxiety and satisfaction with life, during the pandemic, in patients with a PE. Methods: Patients with PE were enrolled during their follow-up. All participants completed the Short Form 36 (SF-36) questionnaire, the State Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI) X1 and X2 form, and the Satisfaction with Life Scale (SWLS). Results: 92 PE patients were included (mean age±SD=62.50±15.33 years, 56.5% males). Most of the mean values of the SF36 subscales were above the normative value except for “physical role functioning”) (45.92±42.41). “Emotional role functioning” (51.26±43.31) and “general health perceptions” (GH) (54.02±18.79) were slightly above the normative value of 50. Mean STAIX1 levels were 37.05±11.17 and mean STAIX2 levels were 39.80±10.47. Mean SWLS levels were 23.31±6.58. According to multiple linear regression analysis, mental healthscore (MH) and GH were predictive of SWLS(F (10,76) = 10.576, p

Health-Related Quality of Life (HRQoL) encompasses the comprehensive evaluation of an indi-vidual's health and well-being across multiple dimensions. Mindfulness, recognized as a scientifi-cally supported strategy for anxiety management, plays a role in enhancing both physical and mental health. The Gut-Brain Axis (GBA) serves as the bidirectional communication link between the gastrointestinal system and the central nervous system. This study aims to explore the associa-tion between Mindfulness and factors influencing the GBA in both healthy individuals and those with Inflammatory Bowel Diseases (IBD). A cross-sectional investigation involved 338 adults, in-cluding 50 IBD patients, utilizing validated Greek scales for Mindfulness (MAAS-15), Mediterra-nean Diet (14-MEDAS), and HRQoL (EQ-5D-5L). The questionnaire gathered demographic, an-thropometric, and lifestyle data. Among healthy participants, EQ-5D-5L showed a moderate cor-relation with the MAAS-15 scale (r=0.389, p

Mothers of children with a specific clinical condition such as type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM) may experience higher levels of stress predisposing them to a poorer perception of quality of life and alterations in nutritional status. The aim of this research was to evaluate the relationship between nutritional status and quality of life perception of mothers caring for children with Type 1 Diabetes Mellitus. This research was conducted from July to September 2022, with mothers of children aged 5 to 10 years with diabetes. Data were collected through an online questionnaire including soci-oeconomic information, anthropometric data, clinical data of the children, and the WHO-QOL-abbreviated quality of life questionnaire. For statistical analysis, Statistical Package for Social Science 24 was used. Fifty-five mothers of children with diabetes were evaluated. Over 33% of the mothers were overweight and reported a regular perception of quality of life. Higher BMI was associated with poorer perception of quality of life in the psychological and self-assessment domains, and longer diagnosis time was associated with better perception of quality of life in the physical, psychological, and environmental domains. Therefore, it is understood that actions aimed at improving the quality of life of these mothers are necessary.

A good management of diabetes requires at the same time self-regulation behaviour and a balanced involvement of family components. This study’s aims were: understanding fear of injections and perceptions of family conflicts in preadolescents and adolescents with type 1 diabetes mellitus and their mothers, comparing their perceptions, and identifying the risk factors impacting patients’ quality of life. Participants were one hundred and two patients (Mean age = 14.63, SD = 2.43; age range = 10-19 years; Females = 52) and their mothers (Mean age = 46.94, SD = 6.2, age range = 27-63 years), who filled in self and proxy-report questionnaires. Twenty % of patients and 14.7% of their mothers reported clinical score for fear of self-injection and blood testing. Mothers reported higher fear of injecting and family conflicts compared with the patients. Age, fear of injecting and family conflicts impacted significantly on patients’ quality of life perceptions. Clinical consideration and recommendations are given basing on the empirical results.

Background: This study investigated the prevalence of worsening problems using Post Stroke Checklist (PSC) at 3, 6, and 12 months post-stroke and their associations with health-related quality of life. Methods: In stroke patients admitted between June 2014 and December 2015, PSC and EuroQol-5Dthree level (EQ-5D-3L) were assessed at post-stroke 3 (n=181), 6 (n=175), and 12months (n=89). The prevalence of worsening problems and its association withEQ-5D-3L at post-stroke 3 and 6months were analyzed. Results: An average of 0.59 (range 0–12), 1.47 (range 0–12), and 1.00 (range 0–10) worsening problems per patient was identified at 3, 6, and 12months after stroke, respectively. The most frequently and continuously identified worsening problems were mood disturbances (reported by 8.8%, 16.0% and13.5% of patients at 3, 6, and 12 months post-stroke, respectively). Worsening mobility was significantly associated with worse EQ-5D index at post-stroke 3 months (β,-0.583; 95% CI, -1.045 to -0.120). The worsening of mobility and communication was significantly associated with worse EQ-5D index at post-stroke 6 months (mobility: β,-0.170; 95% CI, -0.305 to -0.034, communication: β,-0.164; 95% CI, -0.309 to -0.020). Conclusions: PSC may be useful for the detection of various subjective worsening problems during serial clinical follow-up after stroke. Appropriate rehabilitation and management strategy to solve the identified problems could improve the quality of life in stroke survivors.

Introduction: When analyzing the current situation in Spain, derived from our current lifestyles far from following a Mediterranean lifestyle, there is an alarming prevalence of diabesity, which increases the global risk of suffering from cardiovascular disease (CVD) and decreases the quality of life related to health (QLRH). In order to guarantee, beyond glycemic control of patients with type 2 diabetes (DM2), adequate control of cardiovascular risk factors (CVRF) in DM2, it will be necessary to carry out a community intervention focused on the application of education programs focused on promoting the acquisition of healthy eating habits through the Mediterranean diet (DMED). This dietary pattern, together with physical exercise, has been shown to contribute to improving the QLRH of patients. Objective: To analyze the quality of life related to health, present in patients with poorly controlled type 2 diabetes, to determine the possible relationship between this and the degree of adherence to the Mediterranean diet and to examine whether there are differences between the sexes. Material and methods: Observational descriptive study in 93 patients diagnosed with DM2 with poor glycemic control (1Ac ≥ 7%), carried out in various health centers in Albacete and Cuenca, in which the baseline relationship between adherence to DMed and the HRQoL. They were administered a data collection sheet that included a survey of the degree of adherence to the DMed (MEDAS-14) and QLRH (SF-12v2) in the Primary Care (PC) medical and nursing consultations. The variables were analyzed: age groups, sex, years of evolution of DM2, body mass index (BMI), as well as basal glycemia (GB) and glycosylated hemoglobin (HbA1c). The “MEDAS-14” (adherence to DMED) was the main variable and the “SF-12v2” (QLRH) was the secondary variable. Material and methods: Observational descriptive study in 93 patients diagnosed with DM2 with poor glycemic control (1Ac ≥ 7%), carried out in various health centers in Albacete and Cuenca, in which the baseline relationship between adherence to DMed and the HRQoL. They were administered a data collection sheet that included a survey of the degree of adherence to the DMed (MEDAS-14) and QLRH (SF-12v2) in the Primary Care (PC) medical and nursing consultations. The variables were analyzed: age groups, sex, years of evolution of DM2, body mass index (BMI), as well as basal glycemia (GB) and glycosylated hemoglobin (HbA1c). The “MEDAS-14” (adherence to DMED) was the main variable and the “SF-12v2” (QLRH) was the secondary variable. Results: Patients with poorly controlled DM2 and with low adherence to the MedDM show a non-significantly greater affectation in the physical sphere: fair general state of health, physical function I (limitation to make moderate efforts such as moving a table, vacuuming or walk more than an hour), physical function II (limitation to climb several flights of stairs), physical role (problems at work or daily activities doing less than loved ones), physical role II (they had to stop performing some tasks at work or activities of daily living) and regular body pain. Presenting less affectation in the mental field: emotional role I, emotional role II, mental health I, vitality and mental health II. Without affectation in the social function since they consider that rarely the emotional or physical problems have hindered their social activities. Conclusions: Diabetic patients with poor glycemic control have low adherence to the MedMD (<9 points) and have poor QLRH. Low adherence to the DMed and obesity are related to a greater affectation in the physical dimension and less affectation in the mental dimension without affectation in the "social function".

This study investigates the process of planning for future inpatient resources (beds, staff and costs) for maternity (pregnancy and childbirth) services. The process of planning is approached from a patient centered philosophy; hence, how do we discharge a suitably rested healthy mother who is fully capable of caring for the newborn baby back into the community. It demonstrates some of the difficulties in predicting future births and investigates trends in the average length of stay. While it is relatively easy to document longer-term (past) trends in births and the conditions relating to pregnancy and birth, it is exceedingly difficult to predict the future nature of such trends. The issue of optimum average bed occupancy is addressed via the Erlang B equation which links number of beds, average bed occupancy and turn-away. Turn-away is the proportion of times that there is not an immediately available bed for the next arriving inpatient. Economy of scale implied by queuing theory (and the implied role of population density) explains why many well intended community-based schemes fail to gain traction. The paper also addresses some of the erroneous ideas around the dogma that reducing length of stay ‘saves’ money. Maternity departments are encouraged to understand how their costs are calculated to avoid the trap where it is suggested by others that in reducing the length of stay, they will reduce costs and increase ‘efficiency’. Indeed, up to 60% of calculated maternity ‘costs’ are apportioned hospital overheads from supporting departments such as finance, personnel, buildings and grounds, IT, information, etc., along with depreciation charges on the hospital-wide buildings and equipment. These costs, “the fixed costs dilemma”, are totally beyond the control of the maternity department and will vary by hospital depending on how these costs are apportioned to the maternity unit. Premature discharge, one of the unfortunate outcomes of turn-away, is demonstrated to shift maternity costs into the pediatric and neonatal departments as ‘boomerang babies’ then require the cost of avoidable inpatient care. Examples are given from the English NHS of how misdirected government policy can create unforeseen problems.