General Public Use Research Articles

A Systematic Quality Assessment of Online Resources on Eyelid Ptosis Using the Modified Ensuring Quality Information for Patients (mEQIP) Tool.

Eyelid ptosis is an underestimated pathology deeply affecting patients' quality of life. Internet has increasingly become the major source of information regarding health care, and patients often browse on websites to acquire an initial knowledge on the subject. However, there is lack of data concerning the quality of available information focusing on the eyelid ptosis and its treatment. We systematically evaluated online information quality on eyelid ptosis by using the "Ensuring Quality Information for Patients" (EQIP) scale. Google, Yahoo and Bing have been searched for the keywords "Eyelid ptosis," "Eyelid ptosis surgery" and "Blepharoptosis." The first 50 hits were included, evaluating the quality of information with the expanded EQIP tool. Websites in English and intended for general non-medical public use were included. Irrelevant documents, videos, pictures, blogs and articles with no access were excluded. Out of 138 eligible websites, 79 (57,7%) addressed more than 20 EQIP items, with an overall median score of 20,2. Only 2% discussed procedure complication rates. The majority fail to disclose severe complications and quantifying risks, fewer than 18% clarified the potential need for additional treatments. Surgical procedure details were lacking, and there was insufficient information about pre-/postoperative precautions for patients. Currently, online quality information has not improved since COVID-19 pandemic. This study highlights the urgent requirement for improved patient-oriented websites adhering to international standards for plastic and oculoplastic surgery. Healthcare providers should effectively guide their patients in finding trustworthy and reliable eyelid ptosis correction information. This journal requires that authors assign a level of evidence to each article. For a full description of these Evidence-Based Medicine ratings, please refer to the Table of Contents or the online Instructions to Authors www.springer.com/00266 .

Disentangling opioids-related overdose syndemics: a scoping review.

This article reviews research investigating the synergistic interaction of opioid-related morbidity and mortality with other social, psychiatric, and biological conditions, to describe how and why it is syndemic. Opioid-related overdose syndemics are driven by commercial interests, emerging in communities facing social and economic disadvantage, and interacting with a range of other health conditions. We included articles that empirically investigated an opioid-related syndemic, discussed syndemic co-factors associated with opioid use, or framed opioid consumption conceptually in relation to syndemics. Most articles were conducted in and first authored by investigators from North America. These articles were published in journals focused on general public health (n=20), drug use and addiction (n=18), and infectious disease or HIV (n=15). Most original research articles (n=60) employed quantitative methods. Unlike scholarship from other disciplines, specifically the controversial "Deaths of Despair" (DoD) framework, most research on opioid-related overdose syndemics fails to fully articulate the macro-structural drivers of localized disease clustering. Instead, the syndemics scholarship emphasizes the clinical manifestations of opioid and substance use, illustrating a problem in translation at the heart of syndemic theory. Moreover, syndemics scholarship on opioid impacts remains largely disconnected from the wider DoD discourse, which represents a missed opportunity for equity-oriented research. Re-directing attention to the sociopolitical forces that shape opioid-related overdose syndemics is necessary to prevent future commercially-driven health crises and repair lives harmed by these deadly syndemics.

ANALYSIS OF THE EFFECTIVENESS OF BARRIER MASKS MADE OF FABRIC

Masks for general public use served to stem the cruel shortage during the Corona Virus 2019 (Covid19) pandemic. Their fabric making took off sporadically with the designers/seamstresses with the presentation of the models. Manufacturing methods and performance efficiency testing become worrisome for these manufactured face masks. The control is based on the pattern and the constituents of each mask.Visual inspections, filtration and breathability control are recognized in manufactured masks. Washing gives the possibility of reuse extending the life of the mask. The purpose of this article is to present the effectiveness of fabric face masks.

A Systematic Review on Clinical Research and Approval Process

Drug discovery is a key step or process by which lead molecule is been optimized for further preclinical and clinical trial studies. Drug development process involves target identification, target validation, lead identification, and lead optimization. Once the lead molecule is optimized the HIT compound is been analyzed further in preclinical trial in animals and clinical trial in human subjects. The development of a new drug till marketing authorization should gone through several stages in order to make the drug safe, effective and should posses best quality to get approve for applicable regulatory requirements. The overall theme of our article is to review and state the process from drug discovery to approval for marketing of drug. The process from drug discovery till marketing authorization is time taking, complex and expensive so each target should be consider for development of new drug and new research tools must be used for any new drug development process. It takes around 10-15 years and US$ 1 billion for a new lead compound to make it as a medicine and to get marketing approval for general public use. On an average million lead molecules are been scrutinized to make a HIT compound, so that it can be use for further preclinical and clinical studies to make it available in market. This article provides a brief outline on stages from drug development to clinical research.

Role of Mass Media and Public Health Communications in COVID-19 Vaccination

Vaccines offer life-saving protection against diseases and keep us safe from the harmful effects. The speedy development of vaccines during COVID-19 pandemic has reduced the coronavirus’s transmissibility and severity. COVID-19 vaccine development was challenging but the global scientific collaboration and use of resources including extensive funding made it possible. COVID-19 vaccines were deployed in controlled phases for general public use, initially offering them to the first responders and those vulnerable to life threatening effects of virus. However, it was observed that the general population has widespread vaccine hesitancy. Mass media plays a critical role in influencing people’s attitudes and practices. A common man cannot comprehend correlation from causation and jumps to conclusions. Media has the power to unite the world on one platform for a common cause. It is a source for the public to seek information, but like a double ended sword, this platform that provides information, also gives misinformation. On one hand, the public uses the media to seek information for vaccine safety and efficacy and on the other hand, to propagate unverified conspiracies against vaccines. In this review, we analyze the role of mass media and public health communications in COVID-19 vaccination from December 11, 2020, to September 15, 2021, and draw scientific inferences. We have discussed vaccine hesitancy and some prominent reasons that instil fear among the public, including the implausible claims of vaccines being the carriers of Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) microchips, impairing the reproductive systems, converting humans to hybrids, and the misconceptions about herd immunity. A consequential role of media was observed in keeping the world updated and motivated by tracking the vaccine number, distribution and deployment through live dashboards. We saw an upward trend in vaccination numbers with media campaigns, social media vaccination surveys, and socio-medico evidence. Thus, we have proposed a model for developing public awareness and health promotion using media as a tool for better distribution and administration of COVID-19 vaccines. With this, health organizations can gain widespread public trust, manage anti-vaccine movements, overcome threats faced due to vaccine conspiracy theories and eventually overcome the COVID-19 and future pandemics.

The Tornado Project: An Automated Driving Demonstration in Peri-Urban and Rural Areas

This article presents the results of a two-week robot taxi service demonstration in peri-urban and rural areas. A fully robotized Renault Zoe was available for general public use in Rambouillet, France. The driving zone included several complex scenarios, such as a narrow two-way road, a tunnel where the lanes reduced from two to one, and roundabouts, enabling an evaluation of the vehicle’s capabilities. The article describes the scientific and technical development of the car’s perception, navigation, and control to carry out the experiment. The results indicate that even though the vehicle was able to autonomously navigate suburban areas and the countryside, technical challenges remain that limit the car’s integration with the transport system.

Traditional Crafts. What About?

Abstract The (re)connection of contemporary society with traditional knowledge and its expression, traditional crafts, is a contradictory endeavor in itself. On one hand, traditional crafts are socially perceived as a burden, as a useless part of social life, and in the best case, as an exotic remanence of the past, good only for the hobbyists. On the other hand, as UNESCO and WIPO stated, traditional knowledge, and, by extension, traditional crafts are (or should be) an essential part of humankind’s history, part of the present, and the potential keepers of answers for future challenges. The presented paper aims to point out, mainly for general public use, the characteristics of traditional crafts and their richness. Traditional crafts might possess valuable answers for the present and future, related to sustainable use of natural resources; techniques and technologies for restoration and preservation of cultural heritage; holistic approaches in education; social and economic cohesion, especially for challenged communities. One of the main challenges in the active preservation of traditional crafts is that their protection and further acceptance at a social scale are connected with communities and not with individuals. In this respect, societies must find those instruments to address the communities of knowledge bearers and not companies or individuals. This understanding of the exceptional significance of communities in the present and future of traditional crafts is part of the solution for a desired sustainable life on this planet. Modern technologies will not offer all the answers to a dramatically fast-changing environment.

Adaptive personalized routing for vulnerable road users

This research presents an adaptive and personalized routing model that enables individuals with mobility impairments to save their route preferences to a mobility assistant platform. The proactive approach based on anticipated user need accommodates vulnerable road users' personalized optimum dynamic routing rather than a reactive approach passively awaiting input. Most currently available trip planners target the general public's use of simpler route options prioritized based on static road characteristics. These static normative approaches are only satisfactory when conditions of intermediate intersections in the network are consistent, a constant rate of change occurs per each change of the segment condition, and the same fixed routes are valid every day regardless of the user preference. In this study, the vulnerable road user mobility problem is modeled by accommodating personalized preferences changing by time, sidewalk segment traversability, and the interaction between sidewalk factors and weather conditions for each segment contributing to a path choice. The developed reinforcement learning solution presents a lower average cost of personalized, accessible, and optimal path choices in various trip scenarios and superior to traditional shortest path algorithms (e.g., Dijkstra) with static and dynamic extensions.

#PauseBeforeYouPost: Ethical and Legal Issues Involving Medical Social Media.

Medical social media (SoMe) has continued to grow in popularity and complexity with an estimated 90% of clinicians using it personally and 65% professionally.[1] Likewise, over half of clinicians report using SoMe for educational purposes,[2] and 85% of the general public use SoMe to connect with and seek healthcare information.[3] These platforms have numerous benefits, facilitating networking, education, advocacy, and outreach. It is not uncommon for conferences to now have sessions highlighting SoMe as a powerful tool for practice building and advertisement. Crowdsourcing can also help both patients and clinicians navigate challenging clinical decisions by seeking advice from experts across practices and continents, which would be difficult to access or facilitate efficiently through other forums.

Core Issues Regarding Fire Risk Management and Disaster Prevention and Mitigation Strategies in Medical Institutions

<p>醫療院所不同於一般公眾使用場所，各樓層空間存在不同醫療使用目的，亦需因應醫療需求規劃空間，尤其近年受COVID-19衝擊，使醫院火災風險及防減災策略面臨挑戰與轉變。由醫院火災災例中可知，硬體設備防護能有效簡化緊急應變作為，但醫院建築硬體安全性仍需與相關人員之減災、應變管理結合，以醫療品質與病人安全為目標，強化防減災邏輯思維，提升醫院整體火災安全。亦應由評鑑制度導引強化醫院火災安全、落實查核並搭配符合特性需求之策略，並重視醫院各級單位及部門間橫向與縱向之火災風險管理與溝通，形成合理可行之防減災應變策略。</p> <p> </p><p>Medical institutions differ from spaces for general public use. Each floor of a medical institution serves different purposes in medical application. Thus, spatial planning according to medical needs is necessary. The outbreak of COVID-19 in recent years subjects the fire risks and disaster prevention and mitigation strategies of hospitals to challenges and changes. According to cases of hospital fire in the past, protection of hardware equipment can effectively simplify emergency response actions. Nevertheless, the hardware security of hospital buildings still requires integration with disaster reduction and response management of relevant personnel to prioritize healthcare quality and patient safety, strengthen disaster prevention and mitigation process design, and improve the overall fire safety of a hospital. An accreditation system should be introduced to strengthen a hospital’s fire safety precautions, conduct thorough inspections, and develop strategies meeting specific needs. Moreover, attention should be paid to horizontal and vertical fire risk management and communication between units and departments at all levels of a hospital, thereby forming reasonable and feasible disaster prevention and mitigation strategies.</p> <p> </p>

Rainwater Harvesting Systems in Urban Areas and the Potential Value of Incorporating Community Engagement

Rainwater harvesting (RWH) is a water catchment technique used in urban areas globally. RWH has a deep history rooted in indigenous practices and has recently become more accepted in urban areas. The quality and quantity of harvested water depends both on the geographical location of the system with respect to nearby land-use, seasonality, and rainfall intensity, as well as the material of the catchment surface. The economic viability of RWH systems is dependent on initial expenses, operation and maintenance costs, and water fees. Furthermore, government subsidies and clear, concise policy may improve water tank installation, usage, and maintenance. Policy may also help the general public install and use RWH systems through the promotion of education that improves RWH-specific knowledge. While community engagement (CE), stakeholder participation, and increased community knowledge of RWH may potentially yield increases in system use and sustainability, there is a general paucity of this research in peer-reviewed literature. Future studies should explore community engagement within the context of rainwater harvesting systems in urban areas.

The Quality of Online Information on Cosmetic Injectable Fillers: Current Status.

Web-based health information plays an increasingly vital role in spreading health information. Many patients interested in aesthetic surgery study the procedure on the Internet. This study aims to evaluate the quality of online health information on injectable fillers using the modified "Ensuring Quality Information for Patients" (EQIP) tool. Nine different search terms, including "fillers," "fuller cheeks," "wrinkle removal," and "antiwrinkle treatment" were identified and queried on Google. Unique links from the first three pages of each search term were identified and evaluated if the contents were in English language and were for general non-medical public use. A total of 172 websites were analyzed, with a median EQIP score of 20. In total 129 websites belonged to aesthetic practitioners, of which 81 were operated by medical doctors. Eighty-three percent of websites disclosed some forms of postoperative complications, most commonly edema (74%) and bruising (73%). Blindness and tissue necrosis were only mentioned by 12 and 10% of the websites, respectively. The current health information available on injectable fillers is of poor quality. While many do provide some information on risks, the majority of websites fail to disclose severe complications and quantifying risks. This poses a barrier against informed decision-making and may lead to unrealistic expectations. Patient satisfaction and expectations may be improved by developing better online education resources on fillers.

Analisis Mural Karya Arnis Muhammad Ditinjau Dari Segi Fungsi dan Gaya

This study aims to describe the function and style of the mural by Arnis Muhammad. Mural as art in public space, which means that the space for movement and the target audience for the audience and audience is the general public. As a two-dimensional work of art, mural is also inseparable from style. Visually, the style in a work of art is the selection of objects, techniques, colors, and environmental conditions, time, era, and environmental conditions in which an artist creates his work. The population in this research is that all of Arnis Muhammad's mural works for the 2017-2019 period are 51 works. In this study the authors took samples using purposive sampling technique. The reason for taking samples is the number of mural works that still exist and are still intact. There are 10 mural works in the research location. In this case, the writer examines these mural works based on their function and style. The method used in this research is descriptive qualitative method. The function of the mural by Arnis Muhammad is a personal function as a reflection of the resonance of the environment in which he lives. Social function, as a form of concern for the environment and the surrounding community in everyday life. Physical function, as an aesthetic value enhancer and the various ways the general public use it. Arnis Muhammad's murals tend to have a surreal and decorative style.

A Quality Assessment of Online Patient Information Regarding Rhinoplasty.

There is a large demand for online patient information for patients considering rhinoplasty. While there are many resources available, the quality and content of the information provided are unknown. This study aimed to assess the quality of the most popular information available online, using the "Ensuring Quality Information for Patients" (EQIP) tool to evaluate the content, structure, and readability of patient information on websites. Search terms including nose operation, nose job, nose reshaping, nose tip surgery, rhinoplasty, septorhinoplasty, were identified using Google AdWords and Trends. Unique links from the first 10 pages for each term were identified and evaluated with websites written in English and for general non-medical public use were included. 295 websites met the eligibility criteria with a median overall EQIP score of 17. Only 33% contained balanced information on the risks and benefits. Bleeding and infection risk was only mentioned in 29% and 27% of websites, respectively. Two percent described complication rates of the procedures and only 20% of articles explained further surgery may be required to achieve patient cosmetic or functional satisfaction. Information regarding rhinoplasty available online is currently of poor quality. The lack of effective risk counselling, possible outcome management, and complications may likely lead to unrealistic expectations of rhinoplasty. It is crucial the risks of surgery are communicated to the patient to ensure they can make an informed decision. Improved education through online resources would likely help to promote more realistic patient expectations.

Compliance and Etiquettes of Using Face Masks in Public during COVID-19 Pandemic: A Community-Based Survey from Islamabad, Pakistan

Background: To determine the frequency of general public compliant to face mask and also to evaluate knowledge and practice of using face mask in accordance with World Health Organization (WHO) and National Institute of Health (NIH) guidelines in our community. Methods: A cross-sectional descriptive design was adopted. A sample of 190 people was recruited from public areas in Islamabad during the COVID-19 pandemic. The study was conducted over a period of two months between November and December 2020. Knowledge and etiquettes of face mask use were evaluated with the help of a self-developed questionnaire based on WHO and NIH guidelines. Statistical tests were applied to understand the association of knowledge with etiquettes and also to see the effects of demographic variables on them. Results: This study revealed that one fourth of the sample population was not wearing face masks in public. More than half were not concerned about COVID-19 pandemic and only one third knew about the national policy related to face mask usage. Only one-tenth of the population wore the correct type of mask recommended for general public use (cloth mask). The participant’s performance in the etiquette aspect of using face mask was also poor. Conclusion: The general public is unaware of Pakistan’s national policy on face masks. Although majority of the study population was compliant with wearing masks in public, results were unsatisfactory in terms of their etiquette. Effort is needed to increase the general public’s concern in value of using face mask and awareness about correct techniques.

A Colourimetric Approach to Ecological Remote Sensing: Case Study for the Rainforests of South-Eastern Australia

To facilitate the simplification, visualisation and communicability of satellite imagery classifications, this study applied visual analytics to validate a colourimetric approach via the direct and scalable measurement of hue angle from enhanced false colour band ratio RGB composites. A holistic visual analysis of the landscape was formalised by creating and applying an ontological image interpretation key from an ecological-colourimetric deduction for rainforests within the variegated landscapes of south-eastern Australia. A workflow based on simple one-class, one-index density slicing was developed to implement this deductive approach to mapping using freely available Sentinel-2 imagery and the super computing power from Google Earth Engine for general public use. A comprehensive accuracy assessment based on existing field observations showed that the hue from a new false colour blend combining two band ratio RGBs provided the best overall results, producing a 15 m classification with an overall average accuracy of 79%. Additionally, a new index based on a band ratio subtraction performed better than any existing vegetation index typically used for tropical evergreen forests with comparable results to the false colour blend. The results emphasise the importance of the SWIR1 band in discriminating rainforests from other vegetation types. While traditional vegetation indices focus on productivity, colourimetric measurement offers versatile multivariate indicators that can encapsulate properties such as greenness, wetness and brightness as physiognomic indicators. The results confirmed the potential for the large-scale, high-resolution mapping of broadly defined vegetation types.

Dynamic associations between temporal behavior changes caused by the COVID-19 pandemic and subjective assessments of policymaking: A case study in Japan

To design effective policies against COVID-19, there is a need for more evidence-based research. However, associations between actual policies and temporal behavior changes have remained underexplored. To fill this important research gap, a nationwide retrospective life-oriented panel survey on individuals' behavior changes from April to September 2020 was implemented in Japan. Reliability of information sources, risk perceptions, and attitudes toward policymaking were also investigated. Valid data were collected from 2643 respondents residing in different parts of the country. Risks were reported about general infections and public transport use. Attitudes toward policymaking were mainly about policymaking capacity and PASS-LASTING based policy measures. A dynamic structural equation model (DSEM) was developed to quantify dynamic associations between individuals’ behavior changes over time and subjective assessments (i.e., attitudes) of policymaking. Survey results revealed that behavior changes are mostly characterized by avoidance behaviors. Modeling estimation results showed a statistically-significant sequential cause-effect relationship between accumulated behavior changes in the past, subjective factors, and the most recent behavior changes. The most recent behavior changes are mostly affected by accumulated behavior changes in the past. Effects of subjective assessments of policymaking on the most recent behavior changes are significant but moderate. Among attitudes toward policymaking, attitudes toward policymaking capacity are more influential than willingness to follow PASS-LASTING based policy measures. High risks of using public transport are found to significantly influence the most recent behavior changes, together with other risk perception factors. Insights into effective COVID-19 policymaking are summarized.

Behavior in the use of face masks in the context of COVID-19.

ObjectivesInvestigation of potential erroneous behavior in the general public's use of face masks during the COVID‐19 pandemic.DesignWe conducted a naturalistic observational study in the period from April to June 2020.SampleIn two western Austrian provinces, a total of 2080 persons were observed in front of 24 grocery stores.MeasurementThe frequencies and types of erroneous behavior in the use of face masks were collected using a standardized observation form.ResultsA total of 2080 persons were observed. Almost one‐third of all observations (n = 648; 31.2%) showed erroneous behavior before positioning the face masks. Another 935 (45.0%) persons touched the face mask front during the adjustment via mouth and nose, 501 (24.1%) persons touched the face mask front in the period after the adjustment. A total of 116 (5.6%) persons showed erroneous behavior in each sequence of the observation unit. Overall, almost half of all people observed showed at least one erroneous behavior within the observation period.ConclusionsThe behavior of the general public in handling face masks is highly error‐prone. Decision makers must increasingly provide accompanying information and educational measures in order to encourage the population at risk to use face masks correctly.

Roundup® and Glyphosate Exposure Elicits Proconvulsant Behavior in C. elegans

While debate continues over the carcinogenic effects of glyphosate, there is little understood about the neurological impact of glyphosate. With glyphosate use projected to increase 200-fold in the US and dramatic increases globally, it is essential to improve our understanding of the concerns that pesticide use may have on neurological health and physiology. Another critical concern is the one-dimensionality of the majority of studies which examine glyphosate by itself, while farmers and the general public use commercial products which contain a myriad of chemicals in addition to glyphosate. Here we compare how glyphosate and Roundup® affect convulsant behavior in C. elegans. Glyphosate and Roundup® both increase seizure-like behavior, but treatment with an antiepileptic drug rescued the prolonged convulsions. Notably, these effects were found at concentrations that are 1000-fold dilutions of previous findings of neurotoxicity. These physiological findings raise concerns over how pesticide exposure may affect those with epilepsy and seizure disorder, and the unique electroshock assay used in this study can be translated to higher-order rodent models to expand on these findings. Finding neurological effects at very dilute concentrations may also support the concern that herbicide exposure affects mental health symptoms in humans. While high concentrations may be necessary to induce toxicity, lower concentrations may confer behavioral effects such as depressive symptoms in humans. Our findings provide valuable insight into the proconvulsant effects of glyphosate and Roundup®, and these data can be translated to mammalian models to further contextualize the impact that pesticide exposure has on neuronal function and behavior.

Dengue Fever: Therapeutic Potential of Carica papaya L. Leaves.

Dengue, a very widespread mosquito-borne infectious disease caused by Aedes aegypti virus, has been occurring during the monsoons every year. The prevalence and incidence of dengue fever and death due to its complications have been increased drastically in these recent years in Bangladesh, Philippines, Thailand, Brazil, and India. Recently, dengue had spread in an epidemic form in Bangladesh, Thailand, and Philippines. Although the infection affected a large number of people around the world, there is no established specific and effective treatment by synthetic medicines. In this subcontinent, Malaysia could effectively control its incidences and death of patients using alternative medication treatment mainly prepared from Carica papaya L. leaves along with proper care and hospitalization. Papaya leaves, their juice or extract, as well as their different forms of preparation have long been used traditionally for treating dengue fever and its complications to save patients’ lives. Although it is recommended by traditional healers, and the general public use Papaya leaves juice or their other preparations in dengue fever, this treatment option is strictly denied by the physicians offering treatment in hospitals in Bangladesh as they do not believe in the effectiveness of papaya leaves, thus suggesting to patients that they should not use them. In Bangladesh, 1,01,354 dengue patients have been hospitalized, with 179 deaths in the year 2019 according to information from the Institute of Epidemiology, Disease Control, and Research as well as the Directorate General of Health Services of Bangladesh. Most of the patients died because of the falling down of platelets to dangerous levels and hemorrhage or serious bleeding. Therefore, this paper aims to critically review the scientific basis and effectiveness of Carica papaya L. leaves in treating dengue fever based on preclinical and clinical reports. Thrombocytopenia is one of the major conditions that is typical in cases of dengue infection. Besides, the infection and impairment of immunity are concerned with dengue patients. This review summarizes all the scientific reports on Carica papaya L. for its ability on three aspects of dengue: antiviral activities, prevention of thrombocytopenia and improvement of immunity during dengue fever.