Past Year Research Articles

Novel odor sensing intelligence and surveillance capabilities in controller-responder robots

The rise in global travel has led to an increased need for heightened security measures at airports. Despite the best efforts of airport security officers, in the past year, hundreds of kilograms of illegal drugs and thousands of agricultural invasive species have found their way into the country, posing a severe threat to public safety and the environment. Moreover, human threats pose a significant risk to civil aviation, reinforcing the need for advanced security technology. In response to these challenges, NOSI (Novel Odor Sensing Intelligence) and ROSI (Reconnaissance Operations Security Intelligence), intelligence surveillance systems consisting of semi-autonomous controller-responder robots, were developed as a proof of concept to supplement the efforts of security and K-9 (police dogs) operators at airports. NOSI is equipped with multi-channel gas sensors for odor detection, enabling it to identify illegal drugs and invasive species in the baggage handling process, while ROSI is equipped with computer vision to identify individuals already in the government’s database of persons of interest. These coordinated robots also provide travelers with important information pertaining to their journey and allow them to trigger emergency alerts. The robots were tested in a custom-designed test bed that replicated both the behind-the-scenes baggage handling and front-office customer service operations of an airport, thus simulating a realistic airport-like setting. Based on design criteria, NOSI and ROSI demonstrated success rates of 73.4 percent and 69.8 percent, respectively. Improvements in areas of robot stability, sensor accuracy, and feature expansion were documented for further development. In conclusion, the NOSI and ROSI framework can enhance the efficiency and accuracy of airport infrastructure monitoring and supplement the capabilities of human and K9 operators. Overall, this approach can potentially revolutionize operations in various infrastructures and represents the future of human-robot collaboration.

The COVID-19 lockdown experience suggests that restricting the supply of gambling can reduce gambling problems: An Australian prospective study.

COVID-19 lockdowns limited access to gambling but simultaneously elevated psychosocial stressors. This study assessed the relative effects of these changes on gambling risk status during and after the Australian COVID-19 lockdown from late-March to late-May 2020. The study administered three surveys to people who had gambled within the past year at T1. Wave 1 asked about before (T1, N = 2,125) and during lockdown (T2, N = 2,125). Subsequent surveys focused on one year (T3; N = 649) and two years after lockdown (T4, N = 458). The dependent variable was changes in reporting any problem gambling symptoms (PGSI 0 vs 1+). Bivariate analyses and multinomial logistic regression tested for significant associations with: demographics, psychosocial stressors (perceived stress, psychological distress, loneliness, health anxiety about COVID, financial hardship, stressful life events), gambling participation and gambling frequency. Gambling participation and at-risk gambling decreased between T1 and T2, increased at T3, with little further change at T4. When gambling availability was curtailed, decreased gambling frequency on EGMs, casino games, sports betting or race betting, and lower psychosocial stress, were associated with transitions from at-risk to non-problem gambling. When gambling availability resumed, increased EGM gambling frequency, decreased online gambling frequency, and higher psychosocial stress were associated with transitions from non-problem to at-risk gambling. Gambling availability appears a stronger influence on gambling problems, at the population level, than psychosocial risk factors. Reducing the supply of high-risk gambling products, particularly EGMs, is likely to reduce gambling harm.

Mobile phone addiction and suicide behaviors among Chinese adolescents: The mediation of poor sleep quality.

Mobile phone addiction (MPA) is emerging among adolescents, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic. Nevertheless, there is a dearth of knowledge regarding the correlation between MPA and suicide behaviors and its mechanism. The objective of the current study is exploring the direct effect of MPA on suicide behaviors and the indirect effect through poor sleep quality. A total of 18,900 Chinese adolescents aged 12 to 18 were recruited via a multi-stage cluster sampling method. The prevalence of MPA and poor sleep quality was 26.2 and 23.1%, respectively. During the past year, 24.4% participants were involved in suicide behaviors. Specifically, suicide ideators, suicide planners, and suicide attempters were 10.7, 8.4, and 5.3%, respectively. Particularly, rural females had the highest prevalence of suicide behaviors, MPA, and poor sleep quality.Logistic regression analysis showed that MPA was significantly associated with suicide ideators (OR = 1.22, 95% CI: 1.09-1.37, p < 0.001) and planners (OR = 1.18, 95% CI: 1.04-1.34, p < 0.05), but not for suicide attempters (p > 0.05). Structural equation modelling demonstrated that MPA had direct effect on suicide behaviors (β = 0.145, 95% CI = 0.127-0.160), and poor sleep quality partially mediated the relationship (the mediating ratio was 46.7%). The mediating ratio of poor sleep quality was the highest in urban males. MPA has both direct and indirect effects on suicide behaviors. For suicide prevention, limited mobile phone use and improvement sleep quality may be practical for adolescents. Additionally, more efforts of intervention could give priority to rural girls.

NIDA: More than 11% of high school seniors use delta‐8

About 11% of 12th graders have used delta‐8 tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) in the past year, according to an analysis of last year's Monitoring the Future Study which is conducted by the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA).

Journalist Attrition and its Expected Impact on Democracy in Bhutan

According to the human resources records of Kuensel, the number of journalists fell by 37 percent from 2021 to 2023, with only 4 out of 15 vacancies filled over the past two years. Other agencies are experiencing similar workforce challenges. While the departure of educators, civil servants, and health professionals has been featured in the headlines over the past year, little attention has been devoted to the attrition ongoing in the media itself. To understand the issues driving journalists out of the profession, a survey of a non-random sample was conducted of 63 professionals who worked as a journalist in the past five years. While 32 had left the profession, 31 stayed in the media. Of those who left the profession, 66 percent left in the past two years, and 44 percent left the country (for Australia in almost all cases). The rest remain in Bhutan but are no longer working as journalists. Of the leavers, 19 per cent are now unemployed, while the other 81 percent have moved on to new jobs, notably including teaching (in Bhutan) and aged care (in Australia). When asked about reasons for leaving the profession, low salary and lack of professional development came out as the most common complaints. Of the stayers, 40 percent expressed dissatisfaction with their pay, and 43 percent claimed to be actively searching for ways to change their employment status. This study reflects on the implications of the survey findings for the future of media and its relationship with democracy in Bhutan.

Development of Cryogenic Systems for Astronomical Research

Development of Cryogenic Systems for Astronomical Research

Pre-Pandemic and Recent Oral and Medical Health Care Utilization among Young American Indian Children and Their Caregivers.

Children from diverse ethnic groups are at significantly increased risk for dental caries. In particular, American Indian (AI) children have the highest incidence of detal caries of any ethnic group. The COVID-19 pandemic dramatically restricted health care access, including preventive oral health care. Given this context, it is unclear whether or not preventive oral health care for AI children has resumed since lockdown. To address this question, we surveyed adult AI caregivers (N = 152) of children aged 0-5 years, assessing recent (12-month) and pre-COVID (for caregivers of children aged 3-5 years) preventive oral and medical health services. We also examined medical health care access and utilization among caregivers. Among children aged 3-5 years old, both pre-pandemic and past year medical care utilization were generally high (80 and 90%, respectively) as was any oral health care utilization (64 & 78%, respectively). Oral health check-ups were more common over the last year (62%) compared to pre-COVID (44%). Recent health care utilization among children 1-5 years old in this sample were generally comparable to national estimates, except for higher reported preventive medical care (99% vs. 87.6%, respectively) and higher preventive oral care (96% vs. 59.6%, respectively). More caregivers reported delaying or foregoing needed health care due to COVID (28-38%) versus due to cost (8-17%). In this survey of AI caregivers, recent child preventive health care utilization was high, and changes in utilization following the lockdown phases of the pandemic were comparable for oral and medical health care.

Learning to cope with the reality of endometriosis: A mixed-methods analysis of psychological therapy in women with endometriosis.

Despite the need and uptake of mental health support by women with endometriosis, no research to date has explored their experience of psychological therapy. We aimed to understand the factors that predict engagement in psychological therapy by Australian women with endometriosis and to qualitative explore their experience of psychological support. Mixed-methods design. A total of 200 women with self-reported endometriosis were recruited from the community. We explored; (1) the demographic and clinical predictors of engagement in psychological therapy, (2) the psychological approaches that seem most valuable to women in the management of endometriosis and (3) their experience engaging in psychological therapy for endometriosis. Nearly half of women reported to have seen a psychologist within the past year, particularly for pain. Younger age (OR, .94; 95% CI, .886-.993), depressive symptoms (OR, 1.05; 95% CI, 1.002-1.099), and working part time compared to full time (OR, 2.17, 95% CI, 1.012-4.668), increased the likelihood of engaging in psychological therapy. Template thematic analysis identified three themes; (1) endometriosis and pain have multi-faceted psychological effects, (2) psychological support is sought to adjust and live with endometriosis and (3) there are helpful and unhelpful psychological tools for women with endometriosis. Our findings support the use of psychological therapy in the management of endometriosis, and the need for psychological therapy to acknowledge the chronicity and impact of symptoms, to enlist multidisciplinary support and to consider alternative options. Further advocacy is required to educate women on the benefits of psychological therapy for endometriosis.

Change in employment status and its causal effect on suicidal ideation and depressive symptoms: A marginal structural model with machine learning algorithms.

This study aimed to assess the causal effect of a change in employment status on suicidal ideation and depressive symptoms by applying marginal structural models (MSM) with machine-learning (ML) algorithms. We analyzed data from the 8-15th waves (2013-2020) of the Korean Welfare Panel Study, a nationally representative longitudinal dataset. Our analysis included 13 294 observations from 3621 participants who had standard employment at baseline (2013-2019). Based on employment status at follow-up year (2014-2020), respondents were classified into two groups: (i) maintained standard employment (reference group), (ii) changed to non-standard employment. Suicidal ideation during the past year and depressive symptoms during the past week were assessed through self-report questionnaire. To apply the ML algorithms to the MSM, we conducted eight ML algorithms to build the propensity score indicating a change in employment status. Then, we applied the MSM to examine the causal effect by using inverse probability weights calculated based on the propensity score from ML algorithms. The random forest algorithm performed best among all algorithms, showing the highest area under the curve 0.702, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.686-0.718. In the MSM with the random forest algorithm, workers who changed from standard to non-standard employment were 2.07 times more likely to report suicidal ideation compared to those who maintained standard employment (95% CI 1.16-3.70). A similar trend was observed in the analysis of depressive symptoms. This study found that a change in employment status could lead to a higher risk of suicidal ideation and depressive symptoms.

Attitude toward human papillomavirus self-sampling and associated factors among Thai women undergoing colposcopy.

To compare attitudes toward self-sampling for human papillomavirus (HPV) testing before and after specimen collection in women undergoing colposcopy. The factors associated with the pre-sampling attitude were also studied. This prospective study enrolled women with abnormal cervical cytology and/or positive high-risk HPV who attended colposcopy clinics at 10 cancer centers in Thailand between October 2021 and May 2022. Prior to colposcopy, the attitudes of the women toward self-sampling were surveyed through a questionnaire. Written and verbal instructions for self-sampling were provided before the process and subsequent colposcopy. The attitudes toward self-sampling were reassessed after the actual self-sampling. Factors associated with the attitudes were analyzed. A total of 499 women were included in this study. The mean age was 39.28±11.36 years. A total of 85.3% were premenopausal, and 98.8% had sexual experience. With the full score of 45, the attitude score after self-sampling was significantly higher than the attitude score before self-sampling (39.69±5.16 vs. 37.76±5.71; P<0.001). On univariate analysis, the factors associated with attitude before HPV self-sampling were age, menopause, sexual activity, education level, income, knowledge regarding HPV, and prior HSIL histology. The remaining significant factor on multivariate analysis was sexual activity within the past year (B=0.105, 95% CI, 0.014-2.870; P=0.048). Attitudes toward self-sampling improved after the actual self-sampling process, as evidenced by higher attitude scores. Sexual activity was the only independent factor related to the attitude before self-sampling.

Testing Suicide Ideation-to-Action Theory Differences Among Those With Nonsuicidal Self-Injury

Objective Individuals with recent nonsuicidal self-injury (NSSI) are at elevated risk for suicide but our understanding of the factors that impact the emergence of suicidal ideation and/or suicide attempts in this group is limited. The current study aimed to evaluate whether the processes identified by existing ideation-to-action theories of suicide apply within this subgroup. Method A sample of 362 university students (77.9% female, 88.5% White) who reported past year engagement in NSSI completed an anonymous online questionnaire assessing past year NSSI, suicidal ideation, and suicide attempts as well as hopelessness, interpersonal, and acquired capability/volitional variables. Participants were divided into NSSI only (controls), NSSI + Ideation, and NSSI + Suicide Attempt groups. Results A one-way ANOVA evaluated group differences on the theoretical factors. There were significant differences between NSSI controls and both the ideation and attempt groups, who did not differ from each other, on hopelessness and interpersonal factors. No significant differences were observed across groups for the volitional factors except for impulsivity, which differed between the NSSI controls and ideation group. Conclusion Results suggest suicide ideation-to-action theories may have applicability to understanding the presence of suicide ideation among those with NSSI but may lack specificity for understanding risk for suicide attempts.

Experiences With Outpatient Nutrition Services Among Caregivers of Youth With Type 1 Diabetes

Many children with type 1 diabetes do not meet nutritional guidelines. Little is known about how caregivers perceive the necessity of registered dietitian (RD) visits or how satisfied they are with nutrition care. This study aimed to evaluate nutrition experiences and perceptions of care among caregivers of children with type 1 diabetes at an academic medical center. We analyzed 159 survey responses. Using multivariable logistic regression, we assessed factors associated with the perception of need for annual nutrition visits, satisfaction with RD care, and encouragement from a nurse or doctor to meet with an RD. Covariates included age (&amp;lt;13 vs. ≥13 years), type 1 diabetes duration (≤3 vs. &amp;gt;3 years), sex, race/ethnicity, and insulin pump and continuous glucose monitoring use. More than half of caregivers (56%) considered annual visits necessary. Shorter type 1 diabetes duration (odds ratio [OR] 1.92, 95% CI 1.02–3.63) was associated with this finding. Less than half (46.5%) reported satisfaction with nutrition care; higher satisfaction was also correlated with shorter type 1 diabetes duration (OR 2.20, 95% CI 1.17–4.15). Although 42% reported meeting with an RD in the past year, less than two-thirds (62%) reported receiving a medical provider recommendation for nutrition care. Leading reasons for not meeting with an RD were: “I am knowledgeable in nutrition and do not need to see an [RD]” (41%) and “I had a past visit with an [RD] that was not helpful” (40%). Our findings suggest that satisfaction with and perceived need for nutrition care may wane with longer type 1 diabetes duration. Improved strategies for therapeutic alliance between caregivers and RDs and engagement of families at later stages of type 1 diabetes are needed.

Examining the role of alcohol and cannabis use patterns in bystander opportunity and behavior for sexual and relationship aggression.

This study aimed to investigate the association between alcohol and cannabis use patterns and bystander intervention for sexual and relationship violence risk among college students who have used cannabis in the past year. The study tested two hypotheses: (1) reports of bystander opportunities will differ based on participants' alcohol and cannabis use patterns, and (2) among those who report bystander opportunities, reports of bystander behaviors will differ based on their alcohol and cannabis use patterns. Participants were 870 students recruited from two large, minority-serving universities in the United States who reported past year cannabis use. Participants reported about their typical alcohol and cannabis use patterns and bystander opportunities and behaviors. Students were grouped for analysis based on their reported average substance use into four groups: alcohol and cannabis use on the same day, alcohol use only, cannabis use only, or no use. Students who reported alcohol and cannabis use on the same day, compared with those who reported alcohol use only, reported more bystander opportunities and behaviors in situations at risk for sexual and relationship violence. Compared with alcohol use only, students who reported only using cannabis or no use reported fewer bystander opportunities and behavior related to keeping others safe in party settings. Alcohol and cannabis use patterns are associated with bystander intervention, emphasizing the need to include knowledge about cannabis and co-use in bystander programming that aims to reduce sexual and relationship violence.

Drug use and its correlated factors among university students in Tehran

ABSTRACT Objective This study aimed to investigate the prevalence of lifetime, last year, and last month use of illicit drugs and associated factors among the first to fourth-year students at the Tehran University of Medical Sciences in Iran. Method Sampling method was multi-stage cluster sampling. Anonymous self-administered questionnaires were distributed to 1050 students. We provided prevalence of lifetime, last 12 months, last month, and daily use for the main classes of drugs. Using the bivariate and multivariate logistic regression model, we evaluated correlated factors of any drug use in the past 12 months. Results Overall, 945 students participated in this study. A total of 6.6% reported any illicit drug use in the past 12 months (11.2% among males vs. 3.1% among females) Cannabis was the most used drug in the past year, reported by 4.9% of the participants, followed by methylphenidate (2.9%). There was an association between illicit drug use in the past 12 months with smoking cigarettes and using alcohol in the past 12 months and drug use among friends or family members. Conclusions The prevalence of drug use among the students at Tehran University of Medical Sciences has increased compared to similar previous studies, which call for preventive measures.

Highlights on Fluorine-Containing Drugs Approved by U.S. FDA in 2023.

Fluorine continues to show its potential applications in drug discovery and development, as reflected by twelve drugs being fluorinated out of the fifty-five approved by the FDA in 2023. This concise review highlights the discovery of each of these fluorine-containing drugs in the past year, including its brand name, date of approval, composition, sponsors, indication, and mechanism of action. The relevant future trend is also briefly discussed.

Impact of impaired awareness of hypoglycemia on glucose decline during and after exercise in T1D: The T1DEXI Study.

To assess whether impaired awareness of hypoglycemia (IAH) affects exercise-associated hypoglycemia in adults with type 1 diabetes (T1D). We compared continuous glucose monitoring (CGM)-measured glucose during exercise and for 24-hours following exercise from 95 adults with T1D and IAH (Clarke score ≥4 or ≥1 severe hypoglycemic event within the past year) to 95 'Aware' adults (Clarke score ≤2 and no severe hypoglycemic event within the past year) matched on sex, age, insulin delivery modality, and HbA1c. A total of 4,236 exercise sessions, and 1,794 exercise days and 839 sedentary days, defined as 24-hours following exercise or a day without exercise, respectively, were available for analysis. Participants with IAH exhibited a non-significant trend towards greater decline in glucose during exercise compared to 'Aware' (-21 ± 44 vs. -19 ± 43 mg/dL [-1.17 ± 2.44 vs. -1.05 ± 2.39 mmol/L], adjusted group difference of -4.2 [95% CI: -8.4 to 0.05] mg/dL [-0.23 95% CI: -0.47 to 0.003 mmol/L], P = 0.051). Individuals with IAH had higher proportion of days with hypoglycemic events <70 mg/dL[3.89 mmol/L] (≥15 minutes <70 mg/dL[<3.89 mmol/L]) both on exercise days (51% vs. 43%, P = 0.006) and sedentary days (48% vs. 30%, P = 0.001). The increased odds of experiencing a hypoglycemic event <70 mg/dL[<3.89 mmol/L] for individuals with IAH compared to 'Aware' did not differ significantly between exercise and sedentary days (interaction P = 0.36). Individuals with IAH have a higher underlying risk of hypoglycemia than 'Aware' individuals. Exercise does not appear to differentially increase risk for hypoglycemia during the activity, or in the subsequent 24-hours for IAH compared to Aware individuals with T1D.

Experience and impact of inappropriate patient sexual behaviors within a large VA healthcare system.

Inappropriate patient sexual behaviors (IPSBs) can negatively impact work performance, job satisfaction, and the psychological well-being of clinicians and staff. Although the Veterans Health Administration (VHA) is the largest integrated healthcare system in the United States, the rate of IPSBs in VHA hospitals is unknown. The unique demographic and cultural characteristics of military populations may be associated with IPSBs. To evaluate the extent and impact of IPSBs within a large VA healthcare system (VAHS), a survey was disseminated to all staff. Among the 32% of staff who responded (N = 1359), over half (n = 789; 58.1%) of participants reported at least one instance of IPSB during the past year; this included 67.9% (n = 644) of staff who identified as women and 33.4% (n = 126) of staff who identified as men. There was a significantly greater impact of IPSBs for women, as compared to men, on psychological well-being (X2 1  = 60.4, p < .001, odds ratio [OR] = 4.55, 95% confidence interval [CI]: [3.08, 6.79]), work satisfaction (X2 1  = 43.0, p < .001, OR = 3.51, 95% CI: [2.40, 5.18]), and workplace practices (X2 1  = 48.9, p < .001, OR = 4.02, 95% CI: [2.69, 6.11]). The results of this project highlight the need for overcoming barriers to reducing the pervasiveness and impact of these experiences.

Analysis of factors associated with needlestick injuries of clinical nurses by applying a human factor analysis and classification system: A nationwide cross-sectional survey.

This study aims to investigate the current situation of needlestick injuries (NSIs) of clinical nurses and identify associated factors by using the theoretical framework of the human factors analysis and classification system (HFACS). A nationwide cross-sectional survey was conducted. Multi-stage sampling was used to investigate 3336 nurses in 14 Chinese hospitals. Descriptive statistics and univariate and multivariate logistic regression were employed to reveal the rate of NSIs and their associated factors. A total of 970 nurses (29.1%) reported having experienced at least one NSI in the past year. The multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that good hospital safety climate and clinical nurses in intensive care unit (ICU) and emergency department had protective effects against NSIs compared with nurses in internal medicine department. The nurse, senior nurse, and nurse in charge have significantly increased the risk for NSIs compared with the associate chief nurse or above. Patients with poor vision but wearing glasses and poor vision but not wearing glasses were more prone to have NSIs. Working in the operating room compared with internal medicine, average weekly working time of >45 h compared with ≤40 h and poor general health led to increased risk of NSIs. The rate of NSIs in clinical nurses was high in China. Individual factors including professional title, department, visual acuity and general mental health and organisational factors including weekly working hours and hospital safety atmosphere were significantly correlated with the occurrence of NSIs. Nursing managers should focused on physical and psychological conditions of clinical nurses, and organisational support is required to enhance the hospital safety atmosphere. Contributions from patients or the public are irrelevant because this study aims to explore current situation and factors associated with NSIs in clinical nurses.

Trends in council spending on services for vulnerable children

Latest figures show that the amount spent by local authorities on children's services has accelerated over the past year. Andrew Rome summarises the key drivers of change and offers advice on how commissioners can respond to spending trends

Associations Between Psychological Factors and Adherence to Health Behaviors After Percutaneous Coronary Intervention: The Role of Cardiac Rehabilitation.

Cardiac rehabilitation (CR) participation after percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) for coronary heart disease lowers the disease burden and risk of recurrent cardiac events. Examining psychological factors may improve post-PCI health behavior adherence. To determine whether psychological factors are associated with post-PCI health behavior adherence, and the role of CR participation. Data from 1,682 patients (22.1% female, Mage = 64.0, SDage = 10.5 years) from the THORESCI cohort were included. Adjusted mixed models were used to examine associations between psychological factors and the 1-year course of health behaviors, using interactions to test for moderation by CR participation. Psychological factors were associated with the trajectories of adherence to medical advice, exercise, and diet. The strongest association found was between optimism and the trajectory of dietary adherence (B: = -0.09, p = .026). Patients with high optimism levels had a worse trajectory of dietary adherence compared to patients with low to middleoptimism levels. Participation in CR buffered the associations of high anxiety, pessimism, and low to middle resilience, but strengthened the associations of high stress in the past year with the probability of smoking. Psychological factors are associated with post-PCI health behavior adherence, but the pattern of associations is complex. Patients with high levels of anxiety, pessimism, and low to middle resilience levels may disproportionately benefit from CR. Cardiac rehabilitation programs could consider this to improve post-PCI health behavior adherence. NCT02621216.