General Perception Research Articles

India’s growth in the era of secular stagnation

As one of the world’s fastest-growing and largest economies, India is showing growth momentum while advanced countries have long been suffering from secular stagnation and the recent China’s slowdown is also evident. In the context of the current economic juncture and global integration, this paper attempts to analyze such Indian growth dynamism and factors affecting it. In particular, this paper aims to investigate (1) the degree of synchronization in economic activities between India, the selected advanced countries and China, (2) the transmission channel focusing on trade, with a particular focus on China, and (3) sectoral growth and India’s manufacturing drive. It utilizes exploratory data and correlation analyses. The key finding is, firstly, India’s synchronization with the global economy has been deepening. The growth trend reaffirms the general perception that India exhibits high growth, whereas advanced countries experience continuous low growth. On the other hand, the cyclical growth shows that the Indian economy is experiencing weaknesses as are the advanced countries and Chinese economy. Secondly, India is closely linked with China via trade channels. It aided in deepening the dependency on China rather than promoting domestic production due to the high cost of capital and intermediate goods and lack of technology. Thirdly, the sectoral analysis indicates the weakness of manufacturing sector that is associated with declining investment and the lower profit margin. These findings suggest that India is exposed to both external and domestic weaknesses in driving its economic growth. Under such juncture, it needs careful monitoring whether India will be able to sustain long term growth impetus.

Understanding the Transformations of San Lorenzo, Rome: An Attempt at Conceptual Order between Gentrification and Urban Policy

This paper is the result of a preliminary research phase aimed at identifying the phenomenon of gentrification in Rome’s San Lorenzo neighborhood, examining the perception of the phenomenon and the urban planning tools that have been adopted until today to contain it. The experimental framework proposed, based on qualitative research methods, aims to discuss if some urban transformations can be related only to market phenomenon inherent to gentrification or to the lack of planning tools able to manage—through the construction of a shared view on neighborhoods development—the negative externalities resulting from the real estate investments induced by the tourism sector and linked to the presence of universities in the reference territory. The research combines an international theoretical framework; the analysis of the policies and of the urban transformation during the contemporary history of the neighborhood; and interviews to key informants such as representatives of local institutions and associations, researchers, inhabitants, and others. The research approach intends to deepen the general perception and the comprehension of the phenomenon of gentrification from the local community, in relation to his own involvement in decision-making processes about the strategic regulatory–prescriptive development of the neighborhood. The primary objective of the paper is to advocate for an analytical framework that facilitates a better understanding of gentrification within the national context and explores potential institutional responses. It seeks to clarify the concept of gentrification, which is often misunderstood when interpreted solely through its Anglo-Saxon definition. By doing so, the paper aims to contribute to informed discussions and effective policy-making regarding urban development in San Lorenzo and beyond.

A study on the perception of refrigerator noise in everyday life

Advancements in technology and noise control measures significantly reduced the noise emissions of refrigerators. Despite the achievement of low sound power levels in modern refrigerators, substantial efforts are still dedicated to further minimizing their noise. This initiated an examination into the need for ongoing activities to reduce noise, given the already minimal noise levels. This study aimed to evaluate the impact of refrigerator noise in everyday life, examining the circumstances and extent of individuals' exposure to noise while exploring their general perception. In an online survey, attention to refrigerator noise was explored to understand how often respondents can hear refrigerator noise in their daily lives. In addition, questions about the operating conditions of the refrigerator, in particular at the times when participants could hear refrigerator noise, were also assessed in the survey. Finally, the results of measurements that generalize the extent to which refrigerator noise can exceed background noise in normal rooms were also evaluated in this study.

DEVELOPMENT OF ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE AND ROBOT TECHNOLOGY PERCEPTION SCALE

The Artificial Intelligence and Robot Technology Perception Scale is a measurement tool developed to assess people's perception of risk and functionality related to the said technology. 47-item draft form was applied to a total of 460 volunteer participants. Statistical analysis of the data was performed using IBM SPSS Statistics v26.0 and Lisrel 8.80 programs. According to the EFA result, the developed scale consisted of a 4-factor structure and 26 items, and as a result of Principal Component Analysis scale explained 61.10% of the total variance. The fit indices of the scale were examined with CFA and it was determined that the fit indices of 26 items and the 4-factor structure were at a sufficient level. Within the scope of reliability analysis, Cronbach Alpha internal consistency coefficients were calculated and found to be .89 for general function perception and .93 for general risk perception, and the reliability level of the scale was found to be high. In the analysis of the scale's items, it was determined that the items were highly predictive and discriminative. Upon thorough examination of all statistical data, it has been established that the developed scale is valid and reliable.

Public Acceptance of Living Donor Liver Transplant for Colorectal Liver Metastases: A Web-Based Survey.

Recent advancements in cancer treatment and post-transplant management have expanded the population of living donor liver transplant (LDLT) candidates. We aimed to examine variations in public acceptance of LDLT based on patient diagnosis, including unresectable colorectal liver metastases (uCRLM). A web-based survey collected demographic information and general perceptions about organ donation in different settings. Respondents indicated their likelihood of being a living liver donor for a family member with genetic liver disease, alcohol-related liver disease (ALD), and uCRLM. Differences in the likelihood of donation between scenarios were compared. There were 491 survey respondents (female [76.5%], Caucasians [87.4%], and had at least a college degree [98.2%]). Most (82.4%) were aware of the option of living liver donation before the study and 95% supported living organ donation in general. Over 80% were registered as organ donors. Ninety percent indicated that they would be likely to donate to a family member with a genetic liver disease if they qualified as a living donor; significantly more than ALD (59%) and uCRLM (71%) (p < 0.001). Willingness to donate to patients with uCRLM was significantly higher (p < 0.001) than the hypothetical patient with ALD with a clinically accepted recovery period of 6 months. This study is the first of its kind to assess thepublic acceptance of living liver donation for uCRLM. Respondents were as or more supportive of donating to uCRLM as they were of generally accepted indications for LT. Further surveys with a broader respondent pool are warranted.

General emergency physician perceptions of caring for children: A qualitative interview study.

Emergency physicians care for most children presenting to U.S. emergency departments (EDs). Pediatric exposure during emergency medicine (EM) residency can be variable and critically ill children are rarely encountered. A recent needs assessment revealed that emergency physicians feel less prepared to manage various conditions in children and that infants, regardless of presenting complaint, pose particular challenges. Emergency physician perceptions of the experience of caring for pediatric patients have not been widely examined through a qualitative lens. We designed an interview-based qualitative study to explore emergency physician perspectives on pediatric patient care. We recruited emergency physicians who graduated from residency in 2015-2019 and all rotated through the same large tertiary children's hospital. Four trained interviewers conducted in-depth, one-on-one virtual interviews. An interdisciplinary team transcribed and then coded the interviews. The team performed a conventional content analysis for themes. Recruitment continued until thematic saturation was achieved. Twelve participants completed interviews. These participants trained in five diverse residency programs. Likewise, the participants now practice in a variety of settings. Three major themes emerged from the data: (1) experience and exposure are key to establishing comfort caring for children; (2) simulation, pathways, and the pediatric anesthesia rotation are educationally useful; and (3) caring for children poses unique emotional challenges. Participants shared many recommendations for future pediatric education for EM trainees, including increasing autonomy and exposure to neonates and considering how care might differ in a community setting. This interview-based qualitative study elucidates key themes in recently graduated emergency physicians' perceived experience of caring for children. Our findings have important educational implications for this group of emergency physicians and those who share similar experiences in training and practice.

Affecting Factors on Police Body-Worn Camera

Previous studies related to police body-worn cameras have discussed legal and institutional problems and issues that may cause when police officers use them at the scene. In recent years, there has been a possibility that their use will be further expanded due to the revision of related laws after the test project of the police body-worn cameras is closed. This study empirically analyzes the differences among the socio-demographic characteristics of field police officers' perceptions of police body-worn cameras using two variables: citizen/resident reaction and general perception. As a result of the research, differences are identified in the variables of citizens/residents reaction according to the socio-demographic characteristics such as age and rank of the survey subjects. On the other hand, there is no difference in general perception variables according to the socio-demographic characteristics. Based on the results of the study, domestic and international research results are different on citizen/resident reactions, and this study also suggests future discussion directions in that they differ from some socio-demographic characteristics of citizen/resident reactions. This study also differs from existing studies in that no difference is identified in general perception by the socio-demographic characteristics. Through these findings, this study suggests the expansion of empirical research related to police body-worn cameras.

Destination-Country Image of Türkiye from Perspectives of American Non-Visitors

The significance of images in advertising, promoting, attracting tourists for destinations, and influencing their future behavioral intentions is widely acknowledged concept. In recent years, destination-country image research has gained momentum. This article seeks to evaluate how Türkiye (the fourth most visited country in the world) is perceived as a travel destination by American non-visitors. The focus on American non-visitors in this study is significant because Americans represent the largest group of international travelers globally. This demographic offers valuable insights for understanding potential tourism markets for Türkiye. By analyzing how American non-visitors perceive Türkiye, the study aims to enhance the country's tourism strategies, especially in a highly competitive global market. Their perceptions influence their likelihood to visit, making it crucial for tourism managers to tailor marketing campaigns to shift these non-visitors' views toward a more favorable image of Türkiye. The sample included potential tourists who have never visited Türkiye, also known as non-visitors. Furthermore, the study examined the relationship between how potential visitors view the destination country and their intentions to travel there. Amazon Mechanical Turk (MTurk), a widely used online research platform, gathered the data for this study. Data were obtained through a survey from a total of 302 non-visitors by conducting convenience sampling method. We employ PLS-SEM, a variance-based methodology, analyze the data set. After the analysis, we validated all proposed hypotheses. Therefore, the cognitive and emotional images have an impact on each other. There is a statistically significant and positive link between the affective image and overall and the cognitive image and overall (β = 0.354, p&lt;0.001; β = 0.258, p&lt;0.001, respectively). In addition, there were strong and positive links between visit intention and both affective image (β = 0.262, p&lt;0.001) and cognitive image (β = 0.168, p&lt;0.001). The cognitive and emotional components of an image have a significant impact on general image perception. The current study validates that both the general image and its elements positively influence non-visitors' visit intentions. The study concludes by presenting the management and theoretical consequences.

Spatiotemporal evolution of Nigeria’s armed conflicts and terrorism and the associated shift in social perceptions

Nigeria is one of the largest countries in Africa that is most severely affected by armed conflict and terrorism. To help Nigeria design effective measures to curb armed conflicts and terrorism, it is essential to analyze all available data. We propose to first systematically characterize the spatiotemporal evolution of armed conflicts and terrorism in Nigeria using the events and fatalities data from the Armed Conflict Location & Event Data (ACLED) Project by constructing a few new and readily computable indexes, then utilizing another media big data, the Global Database of events, language, and Tone (GDELT), to construct two general indices, to describe the collective national activity about cooperation and conflicts and examine how social perception on conflicts and terrorism in Nigeria has been changing. We find that armed conflicts and terrorism in Nigeria have become more widespread spatially and more uniform temporally, characterized by appropriate changes in Shannon entropy. We have also found that economic decay, erosion in democracy, and increase in corruption are all highly correlated with the increase in armed conflicts and terrorism, and the general societal perception in Nigeria has been accepting the severe armed conflicts and terrorism after the COVID-19 pandemic as a new normal. Therefore, great care has to be taken to ensure better economic development in Nigeria, besides calling for greater support and enhanced international and regional cooperation.

Artful Instruction: Refining TVET Pedagogy on Food Safety Requirements

Food safety is a critical issue in the culinary industry, and culinary students as a Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) practitioners must understand the importance ofadhering to food safety requirements. However, there are several challenges in ensuring students' perceptions of conformity to food safety requirements are accurate and effective. These issues include the complexity of food safety regulations, the varyinglevels of understanding among students, and the limited resources available to culinary programs to provide comprehensive training. This study explores vocational culinary students' perceptions of conformity to food safety requirements. The research employs quantitative design research, using surveys to collect data from 120 students enrolled in culinary programs at vocational schools in Johor, Malaysia. The study aims to understand how students view their adherence to food safety protocols and how their training and education shape their perceptions. This study is structured as a survey employing a distribution of questionnaires to find culinary students in Johor, Malaysia views compliance with food safety requirements in terms of food safety training, food safety rules, food safety standards, and license compliance with food safety standards. Statistical Package for Social Science (SPSS) version 26.0 was used to compute the survey responses' mean value, standard deviation, and frequency. All of the responses to the research questions got a high mean score. The results reveal that most students understand food safety practices well, but there needs to be more knowledge and implementation of some critical protocols. Furthermore, the study revealed that vocational students' general perceptions of food safety laws regarding food safety rules had the highest mean value, indicating that this is the most influential factor in persuading how culinary students in Johor, Malaysia perceive compliance with food safety standards. These findings have implications for culinary education programs and the food service industry, suggesting that more attention should be paid to providing students with comprehensive training in food safety practices to ensure safe and healthy food preparation.

The Perceptions Of Educational Administrators Towards Digital Leadership In The Age Of Artificial Intelligence: A Qualitative Study

Artificial intelligence technologies are used in many fields and have become a part of our lives. The field of artificial intelligence, which has an important place especially in the field of education and for the digital leadership, is constantly developing and is expected to create even greater impacts in the future. The main purpose of this research is to examine the experiences of educational administrators towards digital leadership in the age of artificial intelligence. In the research, phenomenological design, one of the qualitative research methods, was used. The research's study group was comprised of 15 educational administrators. These participants were selected using a convenience sampling design, a type of maximum sampling method, derived from purposive sampling methods. In the study, a semi-structured interview form created by the researchers by analyzing the literature in detail and taking expert opinions was used as a data collection tool. Content analysis was used to analyze the data. According to the results of the research, the themes of general perceptions of educational administrators towards artificial intelligence, perceptions towards the use of artificial intelligence in education, general perceptions of educational administrators towards digital leadership and suggestions of educational administrators towards artificial intelligence and digital leadership emerged.

Tooth loss from the perspective of studies employing a life course approach: a systematic review.

The life course approach scrutinizes factors that shape the development of diseases over time. Tooth loss, which is influenced by social, behavioral and biological factors, can occur at various stages of life and tends to become more prevalent in later years. This systematic review examined the influence of socioeconomic, psychosocial, biological and behavioral adversities in life on the likelihood of tooth loss. Searches were conducted in the Embase, PubMed, Web of Science, Ovid, PsycINFO, Scopus and LILACS databases. Reference management was performed using EndNote online. The risk of bias was appraised using the Newcastle-Ottawa Scale (NOS). The electronic searches yielded 1366 records, 17 of which (13 cohort and four cross-sectional studies) met the inclusion criteria. According to the NOS, all studies had a low risk of bias. Two studies found a link between a lower education and higher incidence of tooth loss and socioeconomic status exerted a significant influence in 47% of the studies. Disadvantaged socioeconomic trajectories and health-related factors, such as smoking, general health perception and oral health behaviors, increased the likelihood of tooth loss. Factors such as dental visits, a history of toothache and exposure to fluoridated water influenced the likelihood of tooth loss. Individuals who experienced adversities in socioeconomic, behavioral and biological aspects throughout their life course were more prone to tooth loss.

Quality of life, depression and anxiety in cerebral amyloid angiopathy: A cross-sectional study.

Data on health-related quality of life (HRQoL) and mood in cerebral amyloid angiopathy (CAA), a disease characterized by stroke and cognitive decline, are limited. We aimed to investigate the impacted domains of life, value-based HRQoL and the prevalence of depression and anxiety in patients with CAA. We conducted a cross-sectional study of patients with sporadic (s)CAA, lobar dominant mixed CAA and hypertensive arteriopathy (mixed CAA-HTA), or Dutch-type hereditary (D-)CAA, from prospective outpatient clinic cohorts. Participants completed four questionnaires: the EuroQoL 5 dimensions 5-level questionnaire (EQ-5D-5L; EQ-VAS for visual analogue scale; EQ-Index for index rating), the Short-Form 36 questionnaire (SF-36), the Center for Epidemiologic Studies-Depression scale (CES-D), and the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS; -D for depression and -A for anxiety subscales). The EQ-5D-5L assesses the domains mobility, self-care, usual activities, pain/discomfort and anxiety/depression. The SF-36 domains are physical functioning, social functioning, physical role limitations, emotional role limitations, mental health, vitality, bodily pain, and general health perceptions. We compared age- and sex- adjusted HRQoL (SF-36 domain scores; EQ-VAS; EQ-Index) to the Dutch normative population, and estimated the prevalences of current depression (either: history of depression or current use of antidepressants, with high score on CES-D [≥16] and/or HADS-D [≥8]; or high score on both depression questionnaires) and anxiety (HADS-A ≥ 8). We included 179 patients: 77 with sCAA (mean age: 72 years, women: 36%), 31 with mixed CAA-HTA (68 years, women: 29%), and 71 with D-CAA (56 years, women: 52%, symptomatic: 35 [49%]). The SF-36 profiles of all patient groups were similar, negatively differing from the norm in emotional role functioning, social functioning and vitality. The EQ-VAS score of patients (mean [SD] sCAA: 76 [16], D-CAA: 77 [15]) was similar to the norm, as was the EQ-Index score. Fifteen patients with sCAA (23%; 95% confidence interval [CI] 13%-33%), seven with mixed CAA-HTA (27%; 95% CI 10%-44%) and eight with D-CAA (14%; 95% CI 5%-22%) were noted as having depression. The prevalences of anxiety and depression were equivalent. We found that CAA influenced emotional role functioning and aspects linked to social engagement consistently across its subtypes. One quarter of patients exhibited depressive or anxiety symptoms. Recognizing these impacted domains could enhance overall well-being.

Application Value of Iodine-131 Combined with Levothyroxine Sodium in Patients with Differentiated Thyroid Cancer after Surgery

Introduction: This study aimed to evaluate the clinical value of iodine-131 combined with levothyroxine sodium in the treatment of patients with differentiated thyroid cancer (DTC) after surgery. Methods: Prospective randomized controlled studies were conducted. A total of 374 DTC patients who underwent total or near-total thyroidectomy in the Department of Thyroid Surgery, Tianjin Union Medical Center and Tianjin Medical University General Hospital, from January 2019 to February 2022 were selected and divided into control group (187 cases) and observation group (187 cases) according to random number table method. The control group was treated with levothyroxine sodium after surgery, and the observation group was treated with iodine-131 on the basis of the control group. Gender, age, course of disease, tumor diameter, pathological type, TNM classification, treatment effect, thyroglobulin (Tg) levels before and after treatment, SF-36 health status questionnaires (SF-36), occurrence of adverse reactions after treatment, and recurrence rate of 1-year follow-up were compared and analyzed between the two groups. Results: There was no significant difference in baseline data between the two groups. After treatment, the effective rate of the observation group increased by 11.23% compared to the control group, with a statistically significant difference (91.98% vs. 80.75%, p < 0.05). There was no significant difference in Tg level and scores of SF-36 evaluation including physical functioning, physical problems, vitality, pain, mental health, emotional problems, social functioning, and general health perception between the two groups before surgery (p > 0.05), Tg levels and scores of SF-36 evaluation in all dimensions were significantly improved in both groups after treatment (p < 0.05), and the levels of Tg and scores of SF-36 in all dimensions in observation group were significantly better than those in control group after treatment (p < 0.001). There was no significant difference in the incidence of adverse reactions between the two groups (p > 0.05). The recurrence rate in the observation group was 5.89% lower than that in the control group 1 year after treatment, with a statistically significant difference (2.67% vs. 8.56%, p < 0.05). Conclusions: The combination of iodine-131 and levothyroxine sodium in the postoperative treatment of DTC can improve the therapeutic effect and reduce the postoperative recurrence rate without increasing adverse reactions, which is worthy of clinical reference and promotion.

Neural Conversational Agent for Weight Loss Counseling: Protocol for an Implementation and Feasibility Study.

Obesity is a common, serious and costly chronic disease. Current clinical practice guidelines recommend that providers augment the longitudinal care of people living with obesity with consistent support for the development of self-efficacy and motivation to modify their lifestyle behaviors. Lifestyle behavior change aligns with the goals of motivational interviewing (MI), a client-centered yet directive counseling modality. However, training health care providers to be proficient in MI is expensive and time-consuming, resulting in a lack of trained counselors and limiting the widespread adoption of MI in clinical practice. Artificial intelligence (AI) counselors accessible via the internet can help circumvent these barriers. The primary objective is to explore the feasibility of conducting unscripted MI-consistent counseling using Neural Agent for Obesity Motivational Interviewing (NAOMI), a large language model (LLM)-based web app for weight loss counseling. The secondary objectives are to test the acceptability and usability of NAOMI's counseling and examine its ability to shift motivational precursors in a sample of patients with overweight and obesity recruited from primary care clinics. NAOMI will be developed based on recent advances in deep learning in four stages. In stages 1 and 2, NAOMI will be implemented using an open-source foundation LLM and (1) few-shot learning based on a prompt with task-specific instructions and (2) domain adaptation strategy based on fine-tuning LLM using a large corpus of general psychotherapy and MI treatment transcripts. In stages 3 and 4, we will refine the best of these 2 approaches. Each NAOMI version will be evaluated using a mixed methods approach in which 10 adults (18-65 years) meeting the criteria for overweight or obesity (25.0≥BMI≤39.9) interact with NAOMI and provide feedback. NAOMI's fidelity to the MI framework will be assessed using the Motivational Interviewing Treatment Integrity scale. Participants' general perceptions of AI conversational agents and NAOMI specifically will be assessed via Pre- and Post-Interaction Questionnaires. Motivational precursors, such as participants' confidence, importance, and readiness for changing lifestyle behaviors (eg, diet and activity), will be measured before and after the interaction, and 1 week later. A qualitative analysis of changes in the measures of perceptions of AI agents and counselors and motivational precursors will be performed. Participants will rate NAOMI's usability and empathic skills post interaction via questionnaire-based assessments along with providing feedback about their experience with NAOMI via a qualitative interview. NAOMI (version 1.0) has been developed. Participant recruitment will commence in September 2024. Data collection activities are expected to conclude in May 2025. If proven effective, LLM-based counseling agents can become a cost-effective approach for addressing the obesity epidemic at a public health level. They can also have a broad, transformative impact on the delivery of MI and other psychotherapeutic treatment modalities extending their reach and broadening access. PRR1-10.2196/60361.

The perspective and preferences of adolescents in addressing sensitive health topics with their family doctor – The influence of childhood adversities

ObjectiveTo investigate whether adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) influence adolescents’ perspectives and preferences in addressing sensitive health topics and their general perception of family doctor's care, and also to study the impact of addressing sensitive topics regarding adolescents’ health-related quality of life (HRQoL). MethodsTwo hundred and forty-five tenth to twelfth grade students completed a questionnaire, comprising the Childhood Trauma Questionnaire-Short Form (CTQ-SF), and scales to assess experiences, preferences, perspectives, the general perception of family doctor visits, and HRQoL. ResultsThe total CTQ-SF score negatively predicted the preferences in addressing sensitive topics and the general perception of family doctor's care. Being asked about sensitive topics positively predicted the perception of family doctor's care and was positively associated with three dimensions of HRQoL. ConclusionThe greater the frequency of ACEs reported by the adolescents, the less willing they were to be asked about sensitive topics and the worse was the general perception of family doctor’s care. However, when asked about sensitive topics, the adolescents had a more positive general perception and a better HRQoL. Practice ImplicationsThis study helps family doctors understand the need to adapt communication skills and to build a trustful relationship with adolescents who reported ACEs.

Mental Health and Quality of Life of Patients with Differentiated Thyroid Cancer Pre and Post Radioactive Iodine Treatment: A Prospective Study.

Background: Although patients with differentiated thyroid cancer (DTC) have a good prognosis, their long-term clinical course can influence their mental health and their health-related quality of life (HRQoL). However, few studies have evaluated the psychological factors that influence subsequent HRQoL in this population, particularly during the initial treatment stage. Methods: In this 1-month cohort study, we evaluated depressive and anxiety symptoms and HRQoL of patients with DTC and examined possible predictors of further HRQoL impairment. Results: In total, 181 patients completed questionnaires where they self-rated their psychological status (the Chinese Health Questionnaire [CHQ], Taiwanese Depression Questionnaire [TDQ]) and HRQoL (the 36-item Short Form Health Survey [SF-36]) at baseline and 1 month after radioactive iodine (RAI) therapy. Compared with the general Taiwanese population, patients with DTC reported a worse HRQoL in all dimensions of the SF-36. Multivariate regression models indicated that anxiety and depressive symptoms were inversely correlated with some dimensions (physical functioning, bodily pain, and general health perceptions for the CHQ; role limitations due to physical problems and social functioning for the TDQ). However, psychiatric follow-up and treatment history were significantly associated with physical functioning and role limitations owing to the physical problem dimensions of HRQoL. Conclusions: In conclusion, although anxiety and depressive symptoms may negatively affect certain HRQoL domains, psychiatric follow-up can improve the physical dimensions.

Quantification of Site City Interaction Effects on Responses of Buildings and Basin Under Earthquake Loading

ABSTRACT The paper presents quantification of site-city-interaction (SCI) effects on buildings and free-field motion under earthquake loading. The obtained reduction in the response of buildings in wide bandwidth conflicts with the reported splitting of the bandwidth of fundamental frequency in past SCI studies, which used a simple plane wave-front. However, the achieved reduction in fundamental-frequency and free-field motion corroborates with past studies. Obtained largest SCI effect was highly dependent on building type, city, and basin-heterogeneity in contrast to general perception. It is recommended that city should be homogeneous and fundamental-frequency of buildings should be less than 1.4 times to that of basin and buildings should preferably be of steel.

Community pharmacists' perceptions and experiences of medicine shortages in disruptive situations: a qualitative study.

Medicine shortages are a challenge in upper, lower and middle-income countries, including South Africa. In recent years, community pharmacists, in Durban, South Africa, have experienced the COVID-19 pandemic, flooding, civil unrest and electricity disruptions. Little is known about the impact of these disruptions on medicine shortages in community pharmacies. To explore community pharmacists' perceptions and their experiences with medicine shortages during the COVID-19 pandemic and other disruptive situations. Convenience and snowball sampling were used to recruit participants. Semi-structured interviews were conducted in person or via an online video conferencing platform, which were audio-recorded and transcribed verbatim. Using the Framework Method, the transcripts were analysed thematically on NVivo 14 software. Fifteen community pharmacists were interviewed. Five major themes emerged from thematic analysis: general perceptions of medicine shortages, the impact of disruptive situations, the consequences of medicine shortages, mitigation strategies; and further suggestions and resources. Disruptive situations were perceived to exacerbate shortages. Participants perceived a negative financial impact on patients and pharmacies, with out-of-pocket costs affecting the former and loss of income affecting the latter. The mitigation strategies used were contacting stakeholders, medicine substitution and stock management. Community pharmacists felt that improved communication, collaboration, policies, notification systems and guidelines would mitigate shortages.

Evaluation of a pre-post quasi-experimental educational intervention on breast cancer awareness among pharmacy professionals in Karachi, Pakistan.

Cancer, particularly breast cancer, is a major contributor to mortality and a significant impediment to life expectancy. In 2020, breast cancer accounted for 11.7% of all cancer cases and caused approximately 685,000 deaths worldwide, surpassing lung cancer in prevalence. The study aims to evaluate the impact of an educational intervention on breast cancer awareness among pharmacy students by comparing their understanding before and after the program. A pre-post quasi-experimental study was designed to assess knowledge and awareness of breast cancer, breast self-examination (BSE) practices, and attitudes toward breast cancer among female university students in Karachi, Pakistan. Participants completed a pre-session questionnaire, attended an awareness workshop and video tutorial, and then completed a post-session questionnaire 2 weeks later. Of 1,200 participants, 1,015 of them completed both the pre- and post-intervention questionnaires. Key demographic features included 83.9% of the participants being in the 18-24 age group, 26.8% being married, and only 14.2% having a family history of breast cancer. Before the intervention, 60.7% of the participants were not involved in regular breast self-exams due to a lack of awareness. Post-intervention results showed a significant increase in awareness, with 35.9% rising to 94.9%. The use of screening methods increased from 46.7 to 94.8%. Knowledge of breast cancer improved from 51.2 to 96.7%, and the general perception rose from 48.2 to 93.4%. Attitudes toward self-examination also shifted positively, indicating a significant change in perception. The study concludes the baseline knowledge of breast cancer among female students was inadequate but improved significantly from over 40% to over 90% following the educational intervention. The intervention positively influenced the general perception and attitudes toward breast cancer. These findings highlight the need for regular educational sessions to enhance awareness, improve healthcare outcomes, and reduce mortality rates, particularly in developing countries.