Head And Tail Research Articles

Strategy revision phase with payoff threshold in the public goods game

Commonly, the strategy revision phase in evolutionary games relies on payoff comparison. Namely, agents compare their payoff with the opponent, assessing whether changing strategy can be potentially convenient. Even tiny payoff differences can be crucial in this decision process. In this work, we study the dynamics of cooperation in the public goods game, introducing a threshold ε in the strategy revision phase. In doing so, payoff differences narrower than ε entail the decision process reduces to a coin flip. Interestingly, with ordinary agents, results show that payoff thresholds curb the emergence of cooperation. Yet, the latter can be sustained by these thresholds if the population is composed of conformist agents, which replace the random-based revision with selecting the strategy of the majority. To conclude, agents sensible only to consistent payoff differences may represent ‘real-world’ individuals unable to properly appreciate advantages or disadvantages when facing a dilemma. These agents may be detrimental to the emergence of cooperation or, on the contrary, supportive when endowed with a conformist attitude.

The Effects of Construal Level on Predictive Heuristics: Disentangling Representativeness From Availability

Intuitive predictions about the future can expect upcoming events to conform with a pattern - representativeness heuristic - or to simply repeat the most recent and accessible outcome - availability heuristic. The present work proposes that while representativeness predictions require a relatively abstract comparison process, availability-based predictions reflect a concrete and local use of accessible information. Grounded on the construal level theory, this research pits one heuristic against the other in predictions about random events (rolling dice; coin tosses). Three studies suggest that low construal levels increase predictions consistent with the most accessible and recent outcomes while high levels of construal facilitate representativeness-consistent predictions. The findings highlight how construal level may determine reliance on one heuristic or the other.

Effects of 6 weeks of step aerobics training on pulmonary functions among female students with sedentary lifestyle

Background: Sedentary lifestyle is among the leading cause of cardiovascular and respiratory diseases over the globe. Aerobic conditioning is among the beneficial intervention to improve pulmonary function and manage the complications caused by sedentary life style. Objective: To determine the effects of step aerobics training on pulmonary function among female students with Sedentary Lifestyle. Methods: This RCT was conducted in Margalla Institute of Health Sciences from February to July 2019. Nonprobability convenient sampling was employed to collect sample of 80 students, randomly allocated into groups (40 per group) by coin toss method. Group A performed step aerobics and Group B performed cycling for 6 weeks. Pulmonary function test (FVC, FEV1, PEF) and 3-minute step test was performed at baseline, after 2, 4 and 6 weeks in both groups. Heart rate and oxygen saturation was monitored pre and post exercise. Results: The mean age of Group A is 22.43±2.49 and Group B is 21.80±2.04. Results showed statistically significant difference in respiratory function between groups. Significant improvement of respiratory function was observed in group A which performed aerobics program as compared to group B. The level of significance was set on p <0.05. Conclusion: Step aerobics is considered beneficial in improvement of pulmonary functions and is a good alternative for conditioning program for female adults. Cycling also improved pulmonary function but the progress was slow as compared to step aerobics which showed quick impact in improving pulmonary function test. Clinical Trial Number: NCT04051788

Investigation of the clinician satisfaction for the single-puncture and double-puncture arthrocentesis of temporomandibular joint

Aim: The aim of this study was to evaluate the clinician satisfaction of single-puncture arthrocentesis and double-puncture arthrocentesis in cadavers. Material and Method: The study was conducted on 10 fresh cadaver temporomandibular joints bilaterally. Single-puncture arthrocentesis was randomly conducted on one side chosen by coin toss and double-puncture arthrocentesis on the other side. The main outcome variable was clinician satisfaction and measured using 0-10 point Likert scale. Results: Twenty arthrocentesis procedures were completed. The mean clinical satisfaction scores for single-puncture arthrocentesis and double-puncture arthrocentesis were 8.1 and 4.8, respectively. A statistically significant difference was found between the techniques in terms of main outcome variable, and it was significantly lower in double-puncture arthrocentesis (p=0.001). Conclusion: Single-puncture arthrocentesis showed higher clinician satisfaction compared to double-puncture arthrocentesis.

Investigation of the effect of Jacobson’s relaxation technique on the fatigue of family caregivers of hemodialysis patients: a single-blinded randomized controlled trial

BackgroundCaring for hemodialysis patients could be a heavy burden on family caregivers, causing them to become fatigued and decrease their quality of life. This study aimed to investigate whether Jacobson’s relaxation can help alleviate the fatigue of family caregivers of hemodialysis patients.MethodsThis randomized controlled trial was conducted in 2021. Sixty-six family caregivers of hemodialysis patients were recruited by convenience sampling from a referral hospital in Tehran, Iran, and assigned randomly by coin toss to two groups of experimental (n = 32) and control (n = 34). Caregivers in the experimental group performed Jacobson’s relaxation three times a week, each time for 30–45 min, for 30 days. The score and severity of fatigue before, 2 weeks after, and 1 month after the intervention were measured with the Fatigue Severity Scale. Data analysis was performed in the statistics software SPSS using descriptive statistics (frequency, percentage, mean, and standard deviation) and analytic statistics (Independent Samples t-test, Mann–Whitney U test, Chi-Square test, Fisher’s exact test, and RM-ANOVA test). The significance level was less than 0.05.ResultsThe fatigue scores of the experimental and control groups were not significantly different before the intervention (4.42 ± 0.42 vs. 4.38 ± 0.42, P = 0.696). However, the experimental group had significantly lower fatigue scores than the control group 2 weeks after the intervention (4.11 ± 0.63 vs. 4.39 ± 0.42, P = 0.036) and 1 month after the intervention (3.5 ± 0.71 vs. 4.4 ± 0.44, P = 0.001). The results also showed a significant drop in the fatigue score of the experimental group after the intervention (P < 0.0001), but no such change in the control group (P = 0.662).ConclusionJacobson’s relaxation technique was effective in alleviating the fatigue of family caregivers of hemodialysis patients. Nurses are therefore recommended to promote the technique as a safe and easy method of fatigue management for family caregivers.

The Report on “Deterministic Coin Tossing with Applications to Optimal Parallel List Ranking”

This report summarizes the paper “Deterministic Coin Tossing with Applications to Optimal Parallel List Ranking.” It introduces the DC-ListRank algorithm, a deterministic parallel algorithm for list ranking in distributed computing. The algorithm achieves optimal time complexity and scalability by combining coin tossing with parallel computing. The report covers the background, problem statement, related work, algorithm description, correctness analysis, discussions on strengths and limitations, performance comparisons, and future research directions. The DC-ListRank algorithm represents a significant advancement in parallel list ranking, offering efficiency and practical applications in distributed computing.

Quantum game— “PQ” problem

This paper reviews the coin flipping problem of “PQ” in a classical two-player game, and shows that when one player adopts quantum strategy, he can beat his classical opponent and gain higher returns. By using quantitative means, the whole “PQ” problem is put under a more general and fair condition, and it is generalized and studied again from many aspects and angles. Finally, we obtain some more essential and important conclusions, and explain the conclusions and its practical significance through some practical examples. At the same time, this paper gives the definition of imperfect fair game and the definition of perfect fair game, revises the quantum coin flipping game to make the game fair, and studies a multi-round version of quantum coin flipping. Some basic conclusions of fair quantum game are obtained, and the meaning of perfectly fair game is explained in practice.

Comparative Evaluation of Antimicrobial Activity of 0.2% Lemongrass Oil and 0.2% Chlorhexidine as a Preprocedural Mouth Rinse: A Randomised Controlled, Parallel Design, Split-mouth Clinical Trial

Introduction: The aerosols produced by an ultrasonic scaler contain bacteria that may enter the respiratory systems of both dental surgeons and patients. Lemongrass oil is one of the essential oils with enormous antibacterial, antifungal, antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and antipyretic effects. Aim: To evaluate and compare the efficacy of commercially available preprocedural mouth rinses, containing 0.2% lemongrass oil mouthwash and a 0.2% chlorhexidine gluconate solution, in reducing the levels of viable bacteria in aerosols. Materials and Methods: This single-centre double-blinded randomised controlled parallel design split-mouth clinical trial was planned among patients in the Department of Periodontics attending Vishnu Dental College and Hospital in Bhimavaram, Andhra Pradesh, India. The study was conducted for 40 days, from August 2022 to October 2022. Two distinct types of preprocedural mouth rinses (lemongrass oil and chlorhexidine) were used on 56 participants with Stage II or III and Grade B periodontitis. A total of 56 subjects were randomly assigned to two groups: Group A (0.2% lemongrass oil) and Group B (0.2% chlorhexidine), using a simple coin toss method. Colonyforming units (CFUs) with and without rinsing in each group were assessed and studied. CFUs collected on blood agar plates were counted during ultrasonic scaling both with and without rinsing. International Business Machine (IBM) Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) version 20.0 was used for data analysis. Paired t-tests and independent t-tests were used for intragroup and intergroup comparisons for both groups. Results: The mean CFU count in the chlorhexidine group without rinsing was 259.6±26.6, and with rinsing, it was 140.7±22.6, which was statistically significant (p-value &lt; 0.001). In the lemongrass oil group, the CFU count without rinsing was 263.5±26.9, and with rinsing, it was 147.18±33.82, which was also statistically significant (p-value&lt;0.001). In the intergroup comparison, the p-values for both groups-using preprocedural rinse (Group A vs. Group B for quadrants 2 and 3) and without preprocedural rinse (Group A vs. Group B for quadrants 1 and 4)-were 0.40 and 0.58, respectively, which were not significant. Conclusion: Both preprocedural mouth rinses were equally effective in reducing microbial counts in aerosols during ultrasonic scaling.

Treatment of Willis-Ekbom Disease (Restless Leg Syndrome); The Efficacy of Mulligan's Traction Straight Leg Raise among Paramedical Professionals.

Background: Restless Leg Syndrome (RLS) is a generalized neurological sensory-motor disorder characterized by intense restlessness and discomfort in the lower extremities, leading to an urge to move the legs at sleep time. Treatment protocols for RLS may include thermotherapy, stretching exercises, and Mulligan’s traction straight leg raise (SLR). Mulligan’s traction SLR is an effective method that influences peripheral and central neural pathways through mobilization, thereby alleviating RLS symptoms. Objective: The study aimed to compare the efficacy of stretching exercises and Mulligan traction straight leg raise in reducing RLS severity among paramedical staff. Methods: This randomized clinical trial included a sample size of 38 paramedical staff members diagnosed with RLS using standard criteria. Participants were allocated using the Convenient Sampling Technique and randomly assigned into Group 1 (Stretching Exercises) and Group 2 (Mulligan Traction SLR) through coin tossing. Each group consisted of 19 participants. The interventions were conducted three times per week for one month. Assessments were made using the RLS Severity Scale, Numeric Pain Rating Scale, Groningen Sleep Quality Scale, and Goniometer at baseline, and after the 2nd and 4th weeks of treatment. Results: The study indicated that both treatments were effective in treating RLS, showing a significant difference with p&lt;0.05. However, Mulligan's TSLR exhibited remarkable results in improving sleep quality, increasing SLR range of both legs, reducing pain intensity, and improving RLS symptoms, with p-values of 0.001, 0.000, 0.012, and 0.001, respectively. Data analysis was conducted using the Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) version 26. Conclusion: The study concluded that both Stretching Exercises and Mulligan's TSLR are effective treatments for RLS. However, Mulligan's TSLR showed superior effectiveness in reducing pain levels, RLS symptoms, and in improving sleep quality and SLR range among paramedical staff members.

Darkness promotes dishonesty in a coin toss task: A pre-registered conceptual replication of Experiment 1 of Zhong, Bohns, and Gino (2010).

An earlier study suggested that individuals tend to be more dishonest in darker environments, this phenomenon was attributed to an increase in participants' perceived anonymity. However, instead of using quantifiable measurements, the original experiment depended on the experimenter's subjective observation to construct different brightness conditions, which led to a less precise understanding of the phenomenon. Additionally, the task used in the original experiment has recently been criticized as being unsuitable for dishonesty-detection studies. This study addressed these concerns to retest the effect of brightness on dishonest behavior. This study employed lux as a unit to accurately control the brightness within the experiment room. Moreover, the coin toss task which is frequently employed in dishonesty-detection experiments, was utilized instead of the task in the original experiment. The findings revealed that despite altering the content of the task, dishonesty increased in the dark condition. Contrary to the findings in the original experiment, however, the results did not substantiate that perceived anonymity was the driving factor of the effect of brightness on dishonesty. This discrepancy suggests that further empirical considerations are warranted to unravel the underlying mechanisms.

Agnosticism and Pluralism about Justice

Political liberalism views a public policy as justified when reasonable citizens subject to it have sufficient reasons to endorse it. But this endorsement condition does not specify how reasonable citizens in democracies are to exercise their equal say in deciding which policies to support prior to enactment. Citizens may regard many policy options as reasonable but only one as truly just. The dominant view among political liberals, which I call agnosticism, takes no stand on how citizens ought to rank these reasonable alternatives to determine which to support. Agnostics see all criteria for comparing reasonable policies as on a par, whether they be theories of justice or coin flips. I show how Quong’s (2011) analysis of reasonableness leads to agnosticism. I then develop the pluralist alternative, which holds that citizens should support the reasonable policy they regard as most just. What I call pluralism sees multiple conceptions of justice as correct, or “most reasonable.” I show that pluralism offers a compelling alternative to agnosticism in that it can both make sense of an individual citizen’s duty to support what they regard as just policy and respect the fact that citizens reasonably disagree about what the most just policy is.

Partnerships with religious leaders to promote family planning in rural Tanzania: an open-label, cluster randomised trial

Family planning benefits maternal-child health, education, and economic wellbeing. Despite global efforts, an unsatisfied demand for family planning persists in sub-Saharan Africa. Based on previous successful partnerships, the aim of this study was to determine whether an educational intervention for religious leaders would increase community knowledge, demand for, and ultimately uptake of family planning. In this open-label, cluster randomised trial in Tanzania, 24 communities were randomised (1:1) to intervention or control arm. Communities, defined as the catchment area of a single public health facility, were eligible if they were at least 15 km from Mwanza City and had not previously participated in a health intervention for religious leaders. Random allocations were determined by coin toss and were not revealed to clinicians at health facilities in intervention and control communities, nor to the data entry team; however, due to the nature of the intervention, masking of religious leaders in the intervention communities was not possible. All Christian religious institutions were invited to send four leaders to an educational intervention that incorporated cultural, theological, and medical teaching about family planning. The primary outcome was contraceptive uptake at the community health facility during the year post intervention versus the year before the intervention. This trial was registered at clinicaltrials.gov, NCT03594305. 75 communities in three districts were assessed for eligibility. 19 communities were excluded and 56 were eligible for study inclusion and were placed in random order to be invited to participate. The first 24 communities that were invited agreed to participate and were randomly assigned to receive the educational intervention either during the trial or after trial completion. Between July 10, 2018 and Dec 11, 2021, we provided the intervention in 12 communities and compared contraceptive uptake with 12 control communities. All were followed up for 12 months. In intervention communities, contraceptive uptake increased by a factor of 1·47 (95% CI 1·41-1·53) in the post-intervention (prospective) versus pre-intervention (historical) year (geometric mean of contraceptive uptake, 466 in the prospective year vs 312 in the historical year), versus 1·24 (95% CI 1·20-1·29) in control communities (geometric mean, 521 in the prospective year vs 429 in the historical year). The rate of change in contraceptive uptake was greater in intervention communities (between-group ratio of geometric mean ratios over time, 1·19 [95% CI 1·12-1·25]; p<0·0001). The COVID-19 pandemic was associated with decreased contraceptive uptake (geometric mean, 365 during the pandemic in communities that had the majority of their prospective 12-month data collection periods occur after March 16, 2020, vs 494 before the pandemic; geometric mean ratio, 0·72 [95% CI 0·57-0·90]; p=0·0040). This intervention offers a scalable model, leveraging influence of trusted religious leaders to increase knowledge and uptake of family planning. New strategies such as this could help to overcome setbacks that occurred during the COVID-19 pandemic. John Templeton Foundation and Weill Cornell Medicine Dean's Diversity and Healthcare Disparity Award. For the Kiswahili translation of the abstract see Supplementary Materials section.

Impact of eHealth education to reduce anemia among school-going adolescent girls in rural Bangladesh: Study protocol of a randomized controlled trial.

Adolescent girls are highly vulnerable to developing anemia due to reproductive immaturity, poor personal hygiene, and lack of nutritional intake and health education in rural Bangladesh. Digital health technology is a promising tool to overcome barriers and provide appropriate health guidelines. We aim to evaluate eHealth education's impact and changes in adolescent girls' knowledge, attitude, and practice regarding anemia. A 1:1 parallel randomized control trial was conducted among school-going adolescent girls in rural Bangladesh. A total of 138 anemic (mild and moderate) participants were enrolled. We randomized schools to reduce the health education bias through a simple coin toss technique, then allocated participants to the intervention group (n = 69) and control group (n = 69) by stratified random sampling technique. The intervention group received two online counseling sessions and 8-month eHealth education through mobile phone calls and short message service regarding anemia. The control group received the usual care. The primary endpoint changes the anemic level through changing knowledge, healthy lifestyle behavior, and an iron-rich food dietary plan. Per-protocol analysis will utilize to compare the control and intervention groups using SPSS software. Descriptive statistics (frequencies, percentages, mean, SD) will be employed, and continuous variables will be compared using the t-test/Mann-Whitney test. Two-way analysis of variance will assess outcome variables at baseline, 4 months, and 8 months. The 8-month intervention is designed from May 2022 to February 2023. Participants' age range of 10-14 years was 60.9% in the intervention group and 56.5% in the control group. Among the participants, 89.9% and 88.4% were mild anemic; 11.11 (SD ± 0.80) and 11.06 (SD ± 0.96) were mean hemoglobin in the intervention and control groups, respectively. eHealth education is expected to be an effective way to increase knowledge and healthy behavioral change, which can reduce the anemia burden among adolescent girls.

The Comparison of the Anti-inflammatory Efficacy of Phytochemical Extracts in Punica granatum and Lawsonia inermis Among Patients Diagnosed With Chronic Periodontitis.

Introduction The oral cavity is the gateway to the human body. Periodontitis is a common inflammatory condition affecting the oral cavity and a known etiological cause of tissue destruction, discomfort, and halitosis. Pomegranate (Punica granatum)and henna (Lawsonia inermis) are herbs known to mankind from timeimmemorial whose extracts are proven to fight inflammation. The current study was done to evaluate the phytochemical anti-inflammatory efficacy of Punica and Lawsonia in patients with chronic periodontitis and test the potency of herbal mouthwashes in fighting the inflammatory condition affecting the oral cavity using distilled water as a control group. Materials and methods A double-blinded randomized control trial was conducted on 60 patients who were recruited and divided into three groups, in which 20 patients were prescribed with pomegranate (Punica: n=20) mouthwash and 20 patients with henna (Lawsonia: n=20) mouthwash along with distilled water (n=20). All patients were randomly allocated using the coin toss methodand advised to use the prescribed mouthwash for a period of two weeks. Unstimulated saliva was collected before using the mouthwash, and salivary enzymes such as aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alanine aminotransferase (ALT), and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) and their levels were assessed spectrometrically using the infrared spectrophotoscopy (IFSC) method. Each patientwas assigned a mouthwash and recalled after two weeks. Unstimulated saliva was again collected, and salivary activity levels of enzymes AST, ALT, and LDH were analyzed after using mouthwash in a similar method as done before. Later on, the salivary levels of enzymes AST, ALT, and LDH were compared before and after the usage of mouthwashes. Statistical significance was seen in the salivary enzymatic activity of AST, ALT, and LDH before and after using Punica and Lawsonia mouthwashes due to their potent phytochemical action in fighting inflammation. Statistical analysis was performed using Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS)22 (IBM SPSS Statistics, Armonk, NY). The Shapiro-Wilk test was used to determine the normality and significance; intragroup comparison was done using the Wilcoxon signed-rank test and Mann-Whitney U test. Intergroup comparison was done using the Kruskal-Wallis test. Results Punica patients had much lower levels ofsalivary AST and ALT (p<0.001) and a decrease in LDH (p=0.002) after the usage of mouthwash for a period of two weeks. Also, patients using Lawsonia as herbal mouthwash had reduction in the values of AST (p=0.001) and LDH (p=0.003) and prominent reduction in ALT (p<0.001) aftera period of two weeks. But in the case of patients using distilled water, there was an increase in the salivary enzymatic activity of AST and ALT, which was statistically significant (p<0.001), and LDH (p=0.006)depicting the disease progression even after using mouthwash for the given time period of two weeks. Conclusion This study demonstrated that both Punica and Lawsonia were effective in reducing the inflammation in patients diagnosed with chronic periodontitis. However, when intergroup comparison was done, the anti-inflammatory efficacy was superior in Punica with significant reductionin the parameters such as ofAST, ALT, and LDHwhen compared to Lawsoniaowing to its potent phytochemical constituency in cutting down the inflammation. Hence,Punica can be used as an implicatedeffective anti-inflammatory herbal mouthwash.

Evaluation of endoscopic-assisted feline lateral bulla osteotomy: a cadaveric study.

The aims of the study were to investigate if feline middle ear anatomy can be visualized using endoscopy via a lateral bulla approach and to determine if scope-assistance increases rates of successful entry into the hypotympanum during feline total ear canal ablation and lateral bulla osteotomy (TECA-LBO). A total of 13 feline cadaver heads underwent CT to confirm the absence of pre-existing middle ear disease. For each head, an electronic coin toss was used to determine which ear would undergo endoscope-assisted TECA-LBO; a traditional TECA-LBO without the use of the scope was performed on the contralateral side. In endoscope-assisted procedures, a 1.9 mm scope was intermittently inserted into the tympanic bulla via a lateral bulla approach and used to identify middle ear structures, visualize the bony septum and confirm entry into the hypotympanum. After the bilateral TECA-LBO, the cadaver heads were imaged again and assessed for evidence of entry through the septum. Soft tissue and osseus structures of the middle ear were readily visualized with a 1.9 mm scope. Success rates for entry into the hypotympanum were high between both endoscope-assisted and traditional procedures, with entry confirmed for 12/13 ears in each group. Endoscope assistance can facilitate the identification and examination of middle ear structures but does not appear to increase the success rate of entry into the hypotympanum during feline TECA-LBO, as entry through the bony septum was consistently accomplished even without scope-assisted visualization. Alternative benefits to scope assistance may exist, and future studies to elucidate its impact on rates of intraoperative trauma to middle ear structures are indicated.

Examining Clinical Application Value of Uterine Compression Suture in the Treatment of Postpartum Hemorrhage

Objective: To observe and explore the clinical effect of uterine compression sutures in treating postpartumhemorrhage. Methods: 56 patients with postpartum hemorrhage were diagnosed and treated from January 2020 to December 2022. According to the coin toss method, they were divided into the conventional group (given routine hemostatic treatment) and the research group (given uterine compression suture), with 28 cases in each group. The hemostatic efficiency, postoperative recovery time, postoperative bleeding volume, and complication rate were compared between the two groups. Results: The hemostatic efficiency of the research group was higher than that of the conventional group (P &lt; 0.05); the hemostasis time, total hospitalization time, lochia excretion promotion time, and time for the menstrual cycle to return to normal in the research group were shorter than those of the conventional group (P &lt; 0.05); the bleeding volume at 2 hours and 24 hours after surgery in the research group was lower than that in the conventional group (P &lt; 0.05); the total incidence of complications such as fever, uterine adhesions, incisional bleeding, and fluid dark areas in the research group was lower than that in the conventional group (P &lt; 0.05). Conclusion: The hemostatic effect of the uterine compression suture is accurate. It stops bleeding quickly and can significantly reduce the amount of perioperative bleeding. It can also reduce postoperative complications and speed up recovery with a specific reference value.

Application of Unilateral Double-Channel Endoscopic Lamina Fenestration Decompression in Lumbar Spinal Stenosis

Objective: This paper aims to observe and explore the application effect of unilateral double-channel endoscopic lamina fenestration decompression in the clinical treatment of patients with lumbar spinal stenosis. Methods: The study period is from January 2020 to December 2022, 60 patients with lumbar spinal stenosis were recruited and divided into the control group (traditional interlaminar fenestration) and the study group (unilateral double-channel endoscopic lamina fenestration decompression) according to the method of coin tossing, with 30 cases in each group. The operation time, perioperative blood loss, incision diameter, total hospitalization time, postoperative complications, Japanese Orthopedic Association (JOA), Numerical Rating Scale (NRS) pain score, and excellent rate of lumbar recovery were compared. Results: The operation time of the study group was longer than that of the control group, the amount of perioperative blood loss was lower than that of the control group, the incision diameter was smaller than that of the control group, and the total hospitalization time was shorter than that of the control group (P &lt; 0.05). Postoperative complications such as dural tear, cerebrospinal fluid leakage, infection, and paravertebral muscle injury in the study group were less than those in the control group (P &lt; 0.05). The JOA score of the study group was higher than that of the control group, and the NRS score was lower than that of the control group 6 months after operation (P &lt; 0.05). The operation effect was evaluated according to the modified MacNab standard 6 months after operation, and the excellent rate of lumbar spine recovery in the study group was higher than that in the control group (P &lt; 0.05). Conclusion: Unilateral double-channel endoscopic fenestration decompression of the lamina has a definite application effect, it can significantly reduce postoperative complications of lumbar spinal stenosis, and promote the recovery of lumbar spine function. It has the advantages of mild pain, high safety, less bleeding, small incision, and other advantages, which can be recommended in the treatment of lumbar spinal stenosis.

Randomness-Free Test of Nonclassicality: A Proof of Concept.

Quantum correlations and nonprojective measurements underlie a plethora of information-theoretic tasks, otherwise impossible in the classical world. Existing schemes to certify such nonclassical resources in a device-independent manner require seed randomness-which is often costly and vulnerable to loopholes-for choosing the local measurements performed on different parts of a multipartite quantum system. In this Letter, we propose and experimentally implement a semi-device-independent certification technique for both quantum correlations and nonprojective measurements without seed randomness. Our test is semi-device independent in the sense that it requires only prior knowledge of the dimension of the parts. We experimentally show a novel quantum advantage in correlated coin tossing by producing specific correlated coins from pairs of photons entangled in their transverse spatial modes. We establish the advantage by showing that the correlated coin obtained from the entangled photons cannot be obtained from two two-level classical correlated coins. The quantum advantage requires performing qubit trine positive operator-valued measures (POVMs) on each part of the entangled pair, thus also certifying such POVMs in a semi-device-independent manner. This proof of concept firmly establishes a new cost-effective certification technique for both generating nonclassical shared randomness and implementing nonclassical measurements, which will be important for future multiparty quantum communications.

Can Simulation Prevent Prescribing Cascades? A Pilot Study

Prescribing cascades occur when an adverse drug reaction (ADR) is not recognized, and a second medication is prescribed to treat the ADR. Thirty-two family nurse practitioner students were included in this study. Students self-selected 1 of 2 days for a simulation experience. A coin toss determined the experimental group (day 1) and the control group (day 2). The experimental group scenario involved an ADR, whereas the control group scenario did not. Four months later, all students participated in a different ADR scenario. After the history and physical portions, students submitted their differential diagnosis to the facilitator. There was no difference in ADR recognition between the experimental and control groups.

Family-centered empowerment approach to optimize phosphate management among hemodialysis patients: an experimental study

BackgroundThis study aimed to investigate the effect of a family-centered empowerment program on hyperphosphatemia management.MethodThis experimental study was performed on 80 randomly selected eligible patients with hyperphosphatemia undergoing hemodialysis. Patients were assigned randomly to two groups of family-centered empowerment program (FCEPG) and control group (CG) by coin toss (40 people per group). Data collection tools were the researcher-made Phosphate Control Knowledge Scale, the researcher-made Adherence to Dietary Restriction of Phosphorus Intake Scale, the eight-item Morisky Medication Adherence Scale, and serum phosphorus measurements. Data were collected before the intervention, one month, and three months after the intervention. Patients in FCEPG participated in a family-centered empowerment program. The statistical significance level was considered to be 0.05.ResultsInter-group comparisons showed no significant difference between FCEPG and CG in terms of the mean score of knowledge of phosphate control, adherence to dietary restriction of phosphorus intake, adherence to medication, and the mean serum phosphorus level before the empowerment program, but showed significant differences between them in these respects at one month after the program and three months after the program (p < 0.05). Intra-group comparisons showed a significant difference in FCEPG between the mean and standard deviation of all four variables before the empowerment program and the corresponding values one month and three months after the program (P < 0.05).ConclusionThe findings of this study can be used in various fields of healthcare in the hospital and community.