Quantitative Analysis Software Research Articles

Integrating Lean Construction with Sustainable Construction: Drivers, Dilemmas and Countermeasures

Sustainable construction (SC) has become a primary objective of the building and construction industry due to the growing demand for reduced environmental impacts and more efficient resource use. Simultaneously, lean construction (LC), which focuses on minimizing waste and maximizing productivity, offers an opportunity to achieve greater sustainability in the construction process. This study explores the integration of LC and SC through a systematic literature review, employing VOSviewer software for quantitative analysis alongside qualitative analysis in conjunction with a comprehensive literature review. The findings reveal substantial synergies between LC and SC, including cost savings, waste reduction, and enhanced safety. However, challenges such as cost conflicts, environmental trade-offs, and worker welfare concerns act as barriers to effective integration. To address these challenges, this study proposes leveraging dynamic capabilities (DCs)—such as change management, organizational learning, organizational flexibility, and continuous improvement and innovation—as strategies for the successful integration of LC and SC. These insights contribute to academic research and industry practice, providing a practical framework for integrating LC and SC to improve sustainability and efficiency in construction projects.

Central artery pulse pressure, not central arterial stiffness impact on all-cause mortality in patients with viral pneumonia infection

ObjectivesCOVID-19 viral pneumonia can result in increased arterial stiffness, along with cardiac and systemic inflammatory responses. This study aimed to investigate the association between arterial stiffness, inflammation severity, and all-cause mortality in patients with COVID-19.MethodsIn this study, anthropometric data, pneumonia infection severity, and blood tests were analyzed. Arterial stiffness was assessed using the non-invasive assessment indices, including arterial velocity pulse index (AVI) and central arterial pulse pressure (CAPP). Infection volumes and percentages for the whole lungs, most lobes, and most segments were extracted from CT images using artificial intelligence-based quantitative analysis software. The relationship between arterial stiffness, central hemodynamics, and all-cause mortality was investigated.ResultsIn multivariable Cox regression analysis, high CAPP was significantly associated with all-cause mortality (hazard ratio: 0.263, 95% CI, 0.073–0.945, p = 0.041). Whole lung infection percentages were independently associated with high CAPP, with an area under the curve (AUC) of 0.662 and a specificity of 89.09%.ConclusionsHigh CAPP, but not high AVI, demonstrated independent prognostic value for all-cause mortality in patients due to COVID-19 pneumonia infection. Evaluating this parameter could help in risk assessment and improve diagnostic and therapeutic strategies in viral pneumonia infections.

A Study on the Influence of Social Support and Work Engagement on Secondary Teachers’ Occupational Well-being in Sulaymaniyah-Iraq

The educational system in Sulaymaniyah, Iraq, faces significant challenges due to political instability, economic hardships, and conflict. These factors contribute to the stress and burnout experienced by secondary school teachers, affecting their occupational well-being. This research aims to investigate the relationship between social support and work engagement on teachers' occupational well-being, with the objectives of understanding how these factors interact and proposing strategies to enhance teachers' occupational well-being. Employing a mixed-methods approach, the study utilized the Norbeck Social Support Questionnaire, the NIOSH Questionnaire, and the Utrecht Work Engagement Scale to collect quantitative data from 120 secondary school teachers in Sulaymaniyah. Qualitative data were gathered through semi- structured interviews with a subset of 15 participants. The data were analyzed using SPSS 25 software for quantitative analysis and thematic analysis for qualitative insights. The results revealed a positive correlation between social support and work engagement with teachers' occupational well-being. Work engagement was found to mediate the relationship between social support and occupational well-being. Teachers expressed that a supportive work environment, opportunities for professional growth, and recognition contribute significantly to their job satisfaction and overall well-being. To promote teachers' occupational well-being, it is recommended that schools and policymakers focus on creating a supportive work culture, providing opportunities for professional development, and recognizing teachers' efforts. Implementing mentorship programs, facilitating collaborative learning communities, and offering incentives can further enhance teachers' work engagement and occupational well-being.

Evaluating the Efficacy of CortexID Quantitative Analysis in Localization of the Epileptogenic Zone in Patients with Temporal Lobe Epilepsy.

There remains a critical need for precise localization of the epileptogenic foci in individuals with drug-resistant epilepsy (DRE). 18F-Fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography (FDG-PET) imaging can reveal hypometabolic regions during the interval between seizures in patients with epilepsy. However, visual-based qualitative analysis is time-consuming and strongly influenced by physician experience. CortexID Suite is a quantitative analysis software that helps to evaluate PET imaging of the human brain. Therefore, we aimed to evaluate the efficacy of CortexID quantitative analysis in the localization of the epileptogenic zone in patients with temporal lobe epilepsy (TLE). A total of 102 patients with epilepsy who underwent 18F-FDG-PET examinations were included in this retrospective study. The PET visual analysis was interpreted by two nuclear medicine physicians, and the quantitative analysis was performed automatically using CortexID analysis software. The assumed epileptogenic zone was evaluated comprehensively by two skilled neurologists in the preoperative assessment of epilepsy. The accuracy of epileptogenic zone localization in PET visual analysis was compared with that in CortexID quantitative analysis. The diagnostic threshold for the difference in the metabolic Z-score between the right and left sides of medial temporal lobe epilepsy (MTLE) was calculated as 0.87, and that for lateral temporal lobe epilepsy (LTLE) was 2.175. In patients with MTLE, the area under the curve (AUC) was 0.922 for PET visual analysis, 0.853 for CortexID quantitative analysis, and 0.971 for the combined diagnosis. In patients with LTLE, the AUC was 0.842 for PET visual analysis, 0.831 for CortexID quantitative analysis, and 0.897 for the combined diagnosis. These results indicate that the diagnostic efficacy of CortexID quantitative analysis is not inferior to PET visual analysis (p > 0.05), while combined analysis significantly increases diagnostic efficacy (p < 0.05). Among the 23 patients who underwent surgery, the sensitivity and specificity of PET visual analysis for localization were 95.4% and 66.7%, and the sensitivity and specificity of CortexID quantitative analysis were 100% and 50%. The diagnostic efficacy of CortexID quantitative analysis is comparable to PET visual analysis in the localization of the epileptogenic zone in patients with TLE. CortexID quantitative analysis combined with visual analysis can further improve the accuracy of epileptogenic zone localization.

Visual analysis of research hotspots and trends in traditional Chinese medicine for depression in the 21st century: a bibliometric study based on Citespace and VOSviewer

Background and ObjectivesDepression long been a key concern for scholars worldwide; however, the field of depression has not received sufficient attention in traditional Chinese medicine. It was not until the 21st century that research into depression gradually entered a period of rapid development, with an increasing number of academic studies published in major journals. However, one limitation of this field is that no scholars have yet summarised the development process and key research issues. Therefore, the present study aimed to summarise the research trends and progress in this field, providing relevant information and presenting potential future research directions for subsequent researchers. MethodsLiterature in this field was searched from 1 January 2000 to 20 April 2024 in the Web of Science Core Collection database, to analyse the current status of the literature and publication trends. Bibliographic information, including study authors, organisations, keywords, countries, references, citations, and co-citations, was extracted using CiteSpace and VOSviewer software for quantitative analysis, visual mapping, and scientific evaluation. ResultsA total of 921 papers were included, with a significant increase in the number of publications from 2017 to 2021, and a stable number of more than 140 publications between 2022 and 2023, with publications in these two years accounting for 31.38% of the total. The Journal of Ethnopharmacology had the highest number of publications (97) and citations (2067), as well as the highest number of co-citations (1369). China (847 publications, 13256 citations), Beijing University of Chinese Medicine (90 publications, 1232 citations), and Qin Xuemei (30 publications, 759 citations) were the most prolific and influential countries, organisations, and authors in the field, respectively. Keyword clustering co-occurrence analysis revealed nine different clusters with good homogeneity. The top three clusters were randomised controlled trials, traditional Chinese medicine, and hippocampal neurogenesis. In the timeline analysis of keywords, from 2000 to 2010, keywords in this field were concentrated on hippocampal neurology and forced swimming test as clustering axes of Traditional Chinese Medicine. From 2010 to 2020, the research hotspots focused on randomised controlled trials and hippocampal neurogenesis. After 2020, keywords became more focused on network pharmacology. In addition, the occurrence time of explosive keywords were distributed before 2010 and after 2020. Before 2010, these keywords included the forced swimming test, Tail Suspension Test, Chronic Cold Stress, Neural Regeneration, and Banxia Houpu Decoction. Conversely, network Pparmacology and Molecular Docking arose as key buzzwords starting in 2020. ConclusionsThis study comprehensively analysed and summarised the research hotspots and trends in this field of research in the 21st century from a bibliometric perspective, further generating a series of visual graphs to help researchers understand the current research status, potential collaborators, collaborating institutions, and potential future research hotspots in this field.

Application value of ultrasonic contrast imaging and ultrasonic parameters in post-transplant renal surgery.

Utilize VUEBOX quantitative analysis software to perform quantitative analysis dynamic ultrasound contrast images of post-transplant renal patients were assessed quantitatively five parameters of ultrasonic contrast and two-dimensional ultrasound are examined to explore their six value in Diagnosing Renal Graft Dysfunction. A retrospective analysis was conducted on 73 post-transplant renal patients who underwent ultrasound contrast examinations at Yiyang Central Hospital from July 2022 to December 2023, They were diagnosed clinically and pathologically. Based on pathological and clinical diagnostic results, the patients were divided into three groups: 47 cases in the stable renal function group, 18 cases in the acute rejection (AR) group, and 8 cases in the delayed graft function (DGF) group. All patients underwent routine ultrasound and ultrasound contrast examinations post-transplantation. By comprehensively assessing renal function test results, clinical course, and pathological findings, differences in ultrasonic contrast quantitative parameters were analyzed. Additionally, ROC curves were constructed to evaluate the diagnostic efficacy of ultrasound contrast in discriminating between transplant renal rejection reactions and delayed renal function recovery. Statistically significant differences in characteristics, such as renal segmental artery resistance index, were observed among the stable renal function group, AR group, and DGF group (all P < 0.05), while peak systolic velocity showed no statistical significance (P > 0.05). Differences in cortical time to peak (TTP), medullary time to peak(TTP), main renal artery rise time (RT), main renal artery(TTP), and main renal artery fall time (FT) were statistically significant among the stable renal function group, AR group, and DGF group (P < 0.05). ROC curve analysis demonstrated that the accuracy of quantitative parameters for the DGF group and AR group was as follows: Renal artery TTP = Renal artery RT > Renal artery FT > Medulla TTP > Cortex TTP (with respective area under the curve values of 0.828, 0.828, 0.758, 0.742, 0.719). Among these, Renal artery TTP and Renal artery RT exhibited larger AUC values, with sensitivities of 87.5% each and specificities of 81.2 and 87.5%, respectively. There are discernible differences in VUEBOX quantitative parameters between post-transplant AR and DGF cases, thereby providing imaging references for diagnosing of acute rejection and functional impairment following renal transplantation.

Relationship between gut microbiota and multiple sclerosis: a scientometric visual analysis from 2010 to 2023.

Numerous studies have investigated the relationship between gut microbiota (GM) and multiple sclerosis(MS), highlighting the significant role of GM in MS. However, there is a lack of systematic Scientometric analyses published in this specific research area to provide an overall understanding of the current research status. Perform a scientometric analysis on research conducted between 2010 and 2023 concerning the link between GM and MS using quantitative and visual analysis software (CiteSpace and VOSviewer.). From January 1, 2010, and December 31, 2023, a total of 1019 records about GM and MS were retrieved. The number of publications exhibited a consistent upward trend annually. The United States led in publications, showed the strongest level of collaboration among countries. The University of California, San Francisco stands as the top institution in terms of output, and the most prolific and cited authors were Lloyd H. Kasper and Javier Ochoa-Reparaz from the USA. The research in this field primarily centers on investigating the alterations and associations of GM in MS or EAE, the molecular immunological mechanisms, and the potential of GM-based interventions to provide beneficial effects in MS or EAE. The Keywords co-occurrence network reveals five primary research directions in this field. The most frequently occurring keywords are inflammation, probiotics, diet, dysbiosis, and tryptophan. In recent years, neurodegeneration and neuropsychiatric disorders have been prominent, indicating that the investigation of the mechanisms and practical applications of GM in MS has emerged as a current research focus. Moreover, GM research is progressively extending into the realm of neurodegenerative and psychiatric diseases, potentially becoming future research hotspots. This study revealed a data-driven systematic comprehension of research in the field of GM in MS over the past 13 years, highlighted noteworthy research within the field, provided us with a clear understanding of the current research status and future trends, providing a valuable reference for researchers venturing into this domain.

SPSS vs. AMOS: A Comparative Approach to Analyzing Moderators in Behavioral Research

Many researchers face confusion in selecting appropriate software for quantitative data analysis due to the lack of comparative studies in this area (1). This study examines the moderator analysis results conducted using AMOS and SPSS software. Moderator analysis assesses the extent to which the independent variable influences the dependent variable through a moderator variable. The research utilized data from a questionnaire completed by 383 adolescents in Ahvaz, Iran. The independent variables included the impact of COVID-19, parental attachment, and peer attachment, while emotional intelligence served as the dependent variable, with online networking acting as the moderator. Analysis using SPSS indicated that online networking moderated the relationship between all independent and dependent variables. Conversely, results obtained from AMOS revealed no significant moderating effect between the independent and dependent variables. Descriptive data indicated that students experienced low internet connectivity during the COVID-19 pandemic, suggesting that online networking may have had a limited capacity to moderate these relationships. Consequently, the findings derived from AMOS are regarded as more reliable than those from SPSS. The novelty of this research lies in its comparative analysis of AMOS and SPSS, alongside its pioneering examination of moderation within developmental psychology studies using AMOS. The results underscore AMOS's superior accuracy and reliability, as demonstrated by its alignment with the descriptive data and ability to provide clearer visualizations of variable relationships. This study strongly advocates for the application of AMOS in psychological research, particularly for complex interaction effects.

Educating the Adult Learners: Development of Digital Marketing Strategies for Local Community Products of Pasakngam Village, Chiang Mai, Thailand

This study aimed to educate adult learners by addressing marketing challenges faced by Pasakngam Village, Chiang Mai. The objectives were 1) examine current marketing management procedures and the needs for community products 2) analyze and develop a digital marketing strategy model, and 3) educate the adult villagers on digital marketing strategies. This research employed a participatory phenomenological method to collect both quantitative and qualitative data including public hearings, in-depth interviews with village and product group leaders, focus group meetings with 34 village members and surveys with 215 tourists. Analytical tools included statistical analysis with SPSS software for quantitative data and content analysis for qualitative data. The research findings disclosed a lack of structured marketing management and digital, as well as insufficient public relations plans. The community attempts to promote products via a Facebook page were lacked proper supervision. The research introduced practical workshops based on the Reach, Act, Convert, Engage (RACE) to teach digital marketing to the community members. The villagers learned to operate digital marketing strategies by creating and sharing promotional videos on digital platforms such as YouTube and Facebook, aiming to increase tourist visits and product visibility. The digital marketing strategies improved community engagement and product promotion, highlighting the need for ongoing training and strategy refinement. The research underscores the importance of equipping local communities with digital marketing skills to enhance economic resilience and sustainable development. The study's comprehensive approach provides a replicable model for similar communities seeking to leverage digital marketing for local product promotion.

Quantitative evaluation of 67Ga-citrate scintigraphy in the management of nephritis

In 67Ga-citrate scintigraphy (Ga-S), visual assessment is used by evaluating renal-uptake comparison with liver and spine and is simple and objective. We adopted the standardized uptake value (SUV) for 67Ga-citrate and proposed two quantitative indices, active nephritis volume (ANV) and total nephritis uptake (TNU). This study clarified the utility of new Ga-S-based quantitative indices in nephritis management. Before SUV measurement, the Becquerel calibration factor of 67Ga-citrate was obtained using a phantom experiment. Seventy patients who underwent SPECT/CT imaging were studied. SUV, ANV, and TNU were calculated using a quantitative analysis software for bone SPECT. SUVmean, ANV, and TNU were analyzed using the (1) threshold method (set 40%) and constant-value method for (2) vertebral SUVmax, and (3) vertebral SUVmean. ROC analysis was used to evaluate SUV, ANV, and TNU diagnostic abilities to distinguish nephritis presence and absence as well as interstitial nephritis (IN) and non-IN. The area under the curve (AUC) for nephritis presence or absence had a good value (0.80) for SUVmean (1), ANV (3), and TNU (3). The AUC for differentiation between IN and non-IN groups had a good value (0.80) for SUVmean (1). Thus, the new Ga-S-based quantitative indices were useful to evaluate nephritis and distinguish IN and non-IN.

Healthcare Workers' Knowledge and Attitude Towards COVID-19 and Its Effect on Their Mental Health in England

Background: Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) is a highly infectious disease that is presently a global public health concern. Evidence from previous disease outbreaks, along with early evidence from the COVID-19 pandemic, suggests that these events have significant short and long-term effects on the mental health of healthcare workers. All healthcare stakeholders should create short and long-term plans to support the mental health of workers during and after the COVID-19 pandemic. This research examines the knowledge and attitude of healthcare workers towards the COVID-19 crisis, investigates the impact on their mental health. Methods: The study used a cross-sectional quantitative design with a closed ended structured anonymous questionnaire as a tool to explore data online from healthcare workers at the study site in selected hospitals in England. The quantitative data analysis software SPSS was used to analyse the data using inferential statistics and cross tabulation. Results: Data from this quantitative study was collected using a questionnaire and analysed using SPSS and inferential statistics. Findings show that 80% of the respondents significantly have general good knowledge of COVID-19 and 11% had moderate and poor knowledge respectively. A good attitude towards COVID-19 was found among 73% of respondents while a poor attitude among 27%. An increase in death rate (10.9%), close contact with the patient (10.9%), and getting infected thereby transmitting the virus to family were most of the factors linked to the effect on their mental health. Accepting responsibility (9.9%), escaping evidence to relieve stress (9.7%), and calling a friend (9.6%) were methods adopted by the respondents as a coping strategy. Conclusion: Healthcare workers’ mental well-being has been negatively affected by the COVID-19 pandemic, resulting in depression, anxiety, and stress. It is recommended that healthcare authorities ensure that they provide necessary assistance, proper information, and training and substantiate practical resources. Self-care is one of the important needs during mental disorders thus it is recommended that healthcare workers should focus on taking time out to mentally relax themselves during work.

Quantitative Microvascular Change Analysis Using a Semi-Automated Software in Macula-off Rhegmatogenous Retinal Detachment Assessed by Swept-Source Optical Coherence Tomography Angiography.

Objective: To analyze the performance of custom semi-automated software for quantitative analysis of retinal capillaries in eyes with macula-off rhegmatogenous retinal detachment (RRD) and the role of these microvascular measures as potential biomarkers of postoperative visual outcomes. Methods: A prospective, observational, and single-center study was conducted on consecutive patients who underwent 25G pars-plana vitrectomy for primary uncomplicated macula-off RRD. Optical coherence tomography angiography (OCTA) was performed in the fellow and RRD eyes before surgery and in months 1, 3, and 6 after surgery. The preoperative values of the fellow eyes were used as surrogates of macula-off ones. The primary endpoints were the mean vessel diameter index (VDI); vessel area density (VAD); and vessel skeleton density (VSD) at month 6. Results: Forty-four eyes (44 patients) were included in the study. Considering the fellow eyes as a surrogate of preoperative values of macula-off eyes, VDI in superficial (SCP) and deep (DCP) capillary plexuses was significantly reduced at month 6 (p = 0.0087 and p = 0.0402, respectively); whereas VSD in SCP increased significantly from preoperative values (p = 0.0278). OCTA built-in software parameters were significantly reduced from month 1 to month 6 in both SCP and DCP (p values ranged between 0.0235 and <0.0001). At month 6, 25 (56.8%) eyes achieved a best-corrected visual acuity BCVA ≥ 0.3 (LogMAR). The greater the preoperative BCVA, the greater the probability of achieving good visual outcomes (Odds ratio: 11.06; p = 0.0037). However, none of the OCTA parameters were associated with the probability of achieving a BCVA improvement ≥ 0.3. Conclusions: Quantitative evaluation of capillary density and morphology through OCTA and semi-automated software represents a valuable tool for clinical assessment and managing the disease comprehensively.

The Effect of Microteaching Lectures in Improving Nine Basic Teaching Skills for University Students

The microteaching course is a course that is obligated to students of the Islamic Religious Education study program at Universitas Negeri Padang. This course aims to train students to master basic teaching skills while implementing them in the classroom. This research aims to analyze whether the microteaching course is effective to improve students' ability to master nine basic teaching skills before and after taking the microteaching course. This research uses quantitative methods with a correlational approach. Data sources were taken from active students of the Islamic Religious Education study program at Universitas Negeri Padang batch 2020. All research data was processed statistically using quantitative analysis software IBM SPSS Version 29 For Mac. The results of the analysis show that the microteaching course is effective in improving the ability of Islamic Religious Education students to master nine basic teaching skills before and after taking the microteaching course according to student perceptions. The results of this research can be used as initial data for future researchers in studying this problem in different contexts and issues.

Knowledge Graph Analysis for Chronic Diseases Nursing based on Visualization Technology and Literature Big Data

The use of knowledge graph analysis for chronic disease nursing based on visualization technology and literature big data is an unexplored area of research in this field of study. To uncover research hotspots and developmental trends in the field of chronic disease nursing, and to provide a scholarly reference, we employed mathematical and statistical methods along with CiteSpace literature visualization analysis software for quantitative analysis of extensive literature data from the Web of Science Core Collection. We examined aspects such as publication trends, journals, author collaborations, research institutions, national and regional distributions, keyword co-occurrence, clustering, time zones, emergence, literature co-citations, and more. These analyses identified the current hotspots and future directions for research. Notably, scholars' interest in chronic disease nursing exhibited a consistent upward trajectory. In particular, the field of artificial intelligence technology application in nursing yielded $3,610$ published papers in $141$ journals with more than or equal to $10$ published papers on the topic, accounting for $58.41 \%$ of the total number of published papers in this field of study. Furthermore, the top three publishers were the “Journal of Clinical Nursing,” “Journal of Advanced Nursing,” and “BMC Health Services Research.” Among authors, Hu, Frank B., Willett, Walter C., and Rimm, Eric B., ranked as the top three, and 12 authors had more than 10 publications. The most active research institutions included Harvard University, Harvard Medical School, Brigham &amp; Women’s Hospital, University of California System, University of London, US Department of Veterans Affairs, Veterans Health Administration (VHA), Harvard T. H. Chan School of Public Health, University of Sydney, and the University of Toronto. The United States, Australia, England, China, Canada, Netherlands, Spain, Italy, Sweden, and Germany emerged as the leading countries in terms of research output, while emerging hotspots encompassed topics such as incidence, rheumatoid arthritis, qualitative research, burnout, kidney transplantation, critical illness, COVID-19, Sars-COV-2, public health, and the well-being of medical staff. These findings present valuable insights for prospective research endeavors.

COVID-19 lockdown impacts on eating patterns and lifestyle behaviours of residents of Western Sydney: Fact not Fiction

Lockdown measures imposed in Australia to slow the transmission of COVID-19 protected most Australians from the virus(1). In some areas in NSW, specifically Western Sydney areas, more stringent lockdown regulations were implemented from July to September 2021, referred to as local governmental areas (LGAs) of concern(2). Preliminary evidence showed that people’s lifestyle such as dietary and physical activity behaviours and mental health during lockdown were altered from before lockdown(3). However, intermediate and longer-term impacts on nutrition and physical health are unclear, especially in LGAs of concern. We aimed to examine the impacts of the lockdown on nutritional behaviour of residents of Western Sydney. Mixed methods were employed including quantitative surveys such as ASA-24 and qualitative focus groups, using R software for quantitative analysis. Data was collected from 523 survey participants in addition to 42 focus group participants. The sample was representative of age, gender, county of birth and area of residence. Sixty-two percent reported decreases in their physical activity level post-lockdown compared with pre-lockdown, and 15% reported increases in their physical activity level post-lockdown compared with pre-lockdown. Sixty-nine percent reported increases in their physical activity levels post-lockdown compared with during the lockdown, and 12% reported decreases. Self-reported weight increased in 50% of the participants post-lockdown compared with pre-lockdown and decreased in 13% of the participants. Forty percent self-reported a decrease in their body weight post-lockdown compared with during the lockdown while 16% self-reported an increase in their body weight post-lockdown compared with during the lockdown. Food security status was reported as much worse in seven percent of the participants post-lockdown compared with pre-lockdown while being unvaried in 93% of the participants. Food security status remained unvaried post-lockdown compared with during the lockdown in 93% of the participants but much better in six percent. Eating habits were self-reported as much worse by 52% of the participants post-lockdown compared with pre-lockdown and much better by nine percent. Forty-eight percent of the participants self-reported their eating habits as much better post-lockdown compared with during the lockdown and 10% as much worse. COVID-19 lockdown negatively impacted eating behaviours, physical activity and body weight of Western Sydney residents with minimal impacts on food security. Further analyses are required to examine the associations between eating patterns, physical activity, body weight and food security and age, gender, country of birth and area of residence of participants. These findings can later be used to draft policies that can be put in practice in case of future pandemics in Australia, or in the case of other common natural disasters, such as bushfires and floods.

Using Infographics as An Educational Technology Tool in EFL Writing: University of Baghdad Case Study

Infographics have the capability to organize and display information in a way that is easy for viewers to retrieve and make observations. While infographics have been successful in various fields, their potential benefits in composition writing have not been explored. The primary objective of this study is to investigate the perspectives of Iraqi EFL students who used infographics as an educational technology tool in composition writing, and to identify how gender influences students’ performance when using infographics in EFL writing classes. The significance of this study lies in its integration of infographics as an educational technology tool for teaching writing, aligning with the current trend of technology integration in education and meeting the demands of the 21st century. A pre-tests, post-tests, and questionnaires have been used to collect data. The questionnaire consisted of 28 close-ended items structured on a Likert rating scale, with responses ranging from Strongly Agree to Strongly Disagree. The responses were analyzed using Google Sheets and SPSS software for quantitative analysis. The conclusions indicate that a significant proportion of students consider using infographics to promote cooperative learning and teamwork. Furthermore, these results showed significant gender differences, with female students using infographics more frequently than male students. This demonstrates the substantial interest among women in utilizing technology in learning, highlighting the potential for investment in English language skills development and educational technology. Finally, it is recommended to incorporate infographics into teaching practices across disciplines to enhance students’ learning experiences and foster essential skills required in the 21st century.

Evaluating imaging repeatability of fully self-service fundus photography within a community-based eye disease screening setting

PurposeThis study aimed to investigate the imaging repeatability of self-service fundus photography compared to traditional fundus photography performed by experienced operators.DesignProspective cross-sectional study.MethodsIn a community-based eye diseases screening site, we recruited 65 eyes (65 participants) from the resident population of Shanghai, China. All participants were devoid of cataract or any other conditions that could potentially compromise the quality of fundus imaging. Participants were categorized into fully self-service fundus photography or traditional fundus photography group. Image quantitative analysis software was used to extract clinically relevant indicators from the fundus images. Finally, a statistical analysis was performed to depict the imaging repeatability of fully self-service fundus photography.ResultsThere was no statistical difference in the absolute differences, or the extents of variation of the indicators between the two groups. The extents of variation of all the measurement indicators, with the exception of the optic cup area, were below 10% in both groups. The Bland–Altman plots and multivariate analysis results were consistent with results mentioned above.ConclusionsThe image repeatability of fully self-service fundus photography is comparable to that of traditional fundus photography performed by professionals, demonstrating promise in large-scale eye disease screening programs.

Stability of standardized uptake values for quantitative bone SPECT for jawbone lesions: a single-center cross-sectional study

BackgroundThe long time required for bone uptake of radiopharmaceutical material after injection for bone scintigraphy is a burden for patients with poor health. Thus, to assess whether the uptake time could be reduced for single-photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) of the jawbone, this study evaluated differences in maximum standardized uptake values (SUVmax) within patients using SPECT imaging at 2 and 3 hours after radiopharmaceutical injection.MethodsA total of 33 patients undergoing treatment or in post-treatment follow-up for medication-related osteonecrosis of the jaw, who visited our hospital between July 2020 and August 2021 and could receive SPECT twice on the same day, were enrolled in the study. Patients were injected with technetium-99 m hydroxymethylene diphosphonate (Tc-99 m HMDP) intravenously. The SUVmax for healthy parietal bones and jawbone lesions were calculated from the SPECT images using quantitative analysis software, and the SUVmax were compared between 2- and 3-hour uptake times.ResultsAfter exclusion, 30 patients were included in the study. In the 2-hour and 3-hour images, the median SUVmax of the parietal bones were 1.90 and 1.81, respectively, and those of the jawbone lesions were 9.25 and 9.39, respectively. The limits of agreement (LOA) ranged from − 0.33 to 0.25 in the parietal bones, and the %LOA ranged from − 9.8 to 17.3% in the jawbone lesions, showing high equivalence between the two uptake durations. The SUVmax showed no clinical differences between the 2- and 3-hour uptake durations for Tc-99 m HMDP SPECT of the jawbone.ConclusionsThe results of this study justify a 2–3-hour uptake window when performing quantitative SPECT of the jawbone. Therefore, the minimum uptake time can potentially be reduced to only 2 hours.

Combined visual and quantitative assessment of somatostatin receptor scintigraphy for staging and restaging of neuroendocrine tumors.

Somatostatin receptor scintigraphy (SRS) using 111In-DTPA-DPhe1-octreotide (pentetreotide) has become an integral part of neuroendocrine neoplasm management. The lack of precise quantification is a disadvantage of SRS. This study aimed to adapt the standardized uptake value (SUV) to SRS, establish the SUV range for physiological uptake in the liver, kidney, and spleen, and elucidate the utility of combined visual and quantitative SRS assessment for staging and restaging of neuroendocrine tumors (NETs). This study included 21 patients with NETs who underwent 111In-pentetreotide SRS. The SUV of physiological and pathological uptake was calculated using bone single-photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) quantitative analysis software (GI-BONE). For visual analysis, the primary and metastatic lesions were scored visually on planar and SPECT images using a five-point scale. We assessed the relationships between the SUVs of the liver, kidney, and spleen in the dual phase, and among quantitative indices, visual score, and pathological lesions classification. Sixty-three NEN lesions were evaluated. The mean ± standard deviation maximum SUVs (SUVmax) were liver: 4h, 2.6 ± 1.0; 24h, 2.2 ± 1.0; kidney: 4h, 8.9 ± 1.8; 24h, 7.0 ± 2.0; and spleen; 4h, 11.3 ± 4.5; 24h, 11.5 ± 7.6. Higher SUVmax was significantly associated with higher visual scores on dual-phase SPECT (4h, p < 0.001; 24h, p < 0.001) (4h: scores 3 and 4, p < 0.05; scores 3 and 5: p < 0.01; scores 4 and 5: p < 0.01; 24h: scores 3 and 4, p = 0.0748; scores 3 and 5: p < 0.01; scores 4 and 5: p < 0.01). We adapted the SUV to SRS and established the range of SUV for physiological uptake in the liver, kidney, and spleen. Combined visual and quantitative assessment is useful for imaging individual lesions in greater detail, and may serve as a new tumor marker of SRS for staging and restaging of NETs.

MAARS Software for Automatic and Quantitative Analysis of Mitotic Progression.

In this chapter, we describe a software called MAARS (Mitotic Analysis And Recording System) that enables automatic and quantitative analysis of mitotic progression on an open-source platform. This computer-assisted analysis of cell division allows the unbiased acquisition of multiple parameters such as cell shape or size, metaphase or anaphase delays, as well as various mitotic abnormalities. This chapter describes the power of such an expert system to highlight the complexity of the mechanisms required to prevent mitotic chromosome segregation errors, leading to aneuploidy.