Reliable Criteria Research Articles

Behavior, Risk Perception and Misinformation Monitoring Tool: Adaptation of the WHO Approach to the Ukrainian Context

Risk communication is a process aimed at supporting stakeholders in identifying threats, assessing vulnerabilities and promoting collective resilience. According to WHO recommendations, one of the priority directions for improvement of Ukraine’s emergency response capabilities is the forming and/or implementation of a system for collecting and analyzing information on risk perception, behavior and misinformation, problems and fears of society. The objective: to determine the validity and reliability of the developed Behavior, Risk Perception and Misinformation Monitoring Tool, which was created on the basis of WHO Europe’s Behavioral Insights tool. Materials and methods. The analyzed cohort of 56 adults living in different regions of Ukraine differ in gender, level of education, and field of activity. At the initial stage (T1), risk perception, behavior and misinformation were assessed. A repeat survey (T2) was conducted after 17 days to determine the reliability of the proposed Tool. Results. The Tool demonstrated adequate or high reliability in most of the proposed questions (ICC ≥ 0.6). Some questions that did not meet the established reliability criteria (ISS < 0.4) were excluded from the final version of the questionnaire. The shortened version of the questionnaire contains 131 questions. Conclusions. Given that in each block of questions, most of them were found to be reliable, and the deletions did not affect the structure and main purpose of the questionnaire, the Behavior, Risk Perception and Misinformation Monitoring Tool has potential for use in health care practice as a means of assessing behavioral risk perception and misinformation of the adult population. Systemic monitoring of behavioral variables is an important component of building Ukraine’s emergency response capabilities, which becomes especially important in wartime.

Validation of four optimization evolutionary algorithms combined with artificial neural network (ANN) for landslide susceptibility mapping: A case study of Gilan, Iran

Landslides, the most significant geohazards in Iran, adversely affect the region's socioeconomic conditions and the environment. Landslide susceptibility mapping is crucial for proactive risk management, sustainable development, and protecting human lives, infrastructure, and the environment. It enables decision-makers to make informed choices, implement appropriate mitigation measures, and plan for potential landslide events, leading to safer and more resilient communities. Using a recommended subdivision methodology, this research has developed a landslide susceptibility map for a significant Gilan, Iran region. The production of the map involved utilizing an artificial neural network (ANN) model. This model incorporated sixteen causal components from several characteristics, including topographic and geomorphologic features, geological factors, land use patterns, hydrological aspects, and hydrogeological properties. Three hundred seventy instances were identified using multiple verified sources and analyzing aerial photographs to create the landslide inventory map. Examining and verifying the weights assigned to the causal elements were conducted per accepted mathematical standards, incorporating sensitivity analysis, earlier research, and empirical data on landslides. The area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUROC) was used to compare the various models. The study's findings indicated that the best swarm size value for COA-MLP11Cuckoo Optimization Algorithm (COA). is equal to 450, and the accuracy indices for this algorithm were 0.998 and 0.995 in training and testing datasets, respectively. Similarly, the AUC22Area under the curve (AUC). for the HS-MLP,33Harmony Search Algorithm (HS). SFS-MLP,44Stochastic Fractal Search (SFS). and TLBO-MLP55Teaching- Learning-Based Optiization (TLBO). were 0.997, 0.999, and 0.999 in training and 0.995, 0.996, and 0.995 in the testing dataset, respectively. Therefore, the use of optimization algorithms leads to an increase in the performance and accuracy of the neural network, and the high accuracy of the SFS-MLP model demonstrates the existence of a dependable criterion for delineating the susceptibility zones about forthcoming landslide occurrences. The model is a cost-effective and potentially indispensable tool for urban planners in growing cities and municipalities. Its effectiveness is demonstrated by comparisons with previous susceptibility analyses conducted in the region.

Exploring the Relationship between E-Cadherin and β-Catenin Cell Adhesion Proteins and Periacinar Retraction Clefting in Prostatic Adenocarcinoma.

Periacinar retraction clefts represent a histopathological criterion supporting the diagnosis of prostatic adenocarcinoma. The origin of these clefts in prostatic adenocarcinoma remains unclear. Exploring the established functions of E-cadherin and β-catenin as intercellular adhesion proteins, and aiming to elucidate the origin of periacinar retraction clefting, we conducted a correlation study between the immunohistochemical expression of E-cadherin and β-catenin and the presence of periacinar retraction clefts in prostatic adenocarcinoma. We examined 53 cases of morphologically diagnosed prostatic adenocarcinoma, assessing both the neoplastic and adjacent nonneoplastic prostatic tissues for the existence and degree of periacinar retraction clefts. Additionally, we analyzed the immunohistochemical expression of E-cadherin and β-catenin proteins in prostatic tissue and explored their correlation with periacinar retraction clefts, and Gleason score, Grade Group, preoperative serum prostate specific-antigen (sPSA) levels, surgical margin status, and Tumor, Node, Metastasis (TNM) stage in prostatic adenocarcinoma. Our study confirms that periacinar retraction clefting is significantly more extensive in prostatic adenocarcinoma than in nonneoplastic prostatic tissue (p < 0.001). We report a decreased expression of E-cadherin and β-catenin immunostaining in prostatic adenocarcinoma and a negative correlation with Gleason score and Grade Group. Periacinar retraction clefting positively correlated with E-cadherin and β-catenin ((rho = 0.350; p = 0.010) and (rho = 0.340; p = 0.012)) immunostaining in prostatic adenocarcinoma. Periacinar retraction clefts stand out as a dependable criterion in the diagnosis of prostatic adenocarcinoma. E-cadherin and β-catenin proteins are potential markers indicative of tumor progression and invasiveness in prostatic adenocarcinoma. Our discovery of a positive correlation between immunostaining of E-cadherin and β-catenin proteins and periacinar retraction clefts in prostatic adenocarcinoma aligns with the notion that periacinar retraction clefting is more characteristic of Gleason Grade3 pattern in prostatic adenocarcinomas, whereas the immunohistochemical expression of E-cadherin and β-catenin shows a decrease with increasing histopathological tumor grade.

Urinary incontinence in health workers as a predisposing factor for presenteeism in Chile: A mixed-methods exploratory study.

Urinary incontinence negatively impacts the quality of life and can harm work activities, causing presenteeism in health professionals and decreasing the quality of care and patient safety. The objective of this study is to explore the self-perception of health workers who suffer from urinary incontinence as a predisposing factor for presenteeism. Mixed study of an exploratory-descriptive nature. The sample was selected in a non-probabilistic and intentional way by criterion and convenience with a size of 14 volunteers, considering the saturation of the information. Reliability criteria defined by Guba for the process and analysis of thematic data were considered. The sample had a mean age of 38.9 + 7.1 years and a mean SPS-6 score of 15.8 + 3.5 points, showing alteration in the dimension of avoiding deconcentration. The narratives in the case study provide relevant information on how urinary incontinence affects the work performance of health workers through the interruption in their day, decreases the quality of clinical care, and increases their anxiety regarding their environment. Urinary incontinence and presenteeism are subjective, and multidimensional experiences affect work performance. Therefore, further studies are recommended to identify predictor variables and the economic losses associated with this condition to establish improvements in the work environment and the self-care of female employees seeking greater benefits and better levels of efficiency in the organization.

Influence of plant habitus traits on formation of seed productivity in flax

The studies were carried out at the Institute of Oilseed Crops of the National Academy of Agrarian Sciences of Ukraine in 2019/2020. The material of the study was interspecific hybrids of the second generation obtained in the system of dialel crosses with the participation of two wild annual homostylic species L. angustifolium and L. hispanicum with n = 15 and three accessions of cultivated flax: L 5 (Czech Republic), L 6 (India), M 32/2 (Ukraine). Correlation analysis of habitus traits of a flax plant with the number of bolls was carried out. As a result of studies between the height of the plant and the number of stems on the plant, there is no relationship; between the height of the plant with the number of lateral shoots and the number of bolls, weak and medium correlations, and sometimes their absence, were established (r = +0.218…+0.559; r = +0.253…+0.698, respectively). Medium and strong correlations were found between the number of stems on a plant with the number of side shoots and the number of bolls (r = +0.334…+0.892; r = +0.482…+0.818). Exceptionally strong and stable over the years correlations were observed between the number of lateral shoots on the plant and the number of bolls (r = +0.700…+0.922). The main trait of the habitus of a flax plant, which significantly affects the number of bolls on them, is the number of lateral shoots. This trait can be used as a reliable criterion for selecting plants for breeding for high seed productivity.

DESIGN OF QUICK-ASSEMBLY MODULAR BUILDINGS FOR THE NEEDS OF UKRAINIAN DISPLACED PERSONS

Problem statement. From time to time, natural or man-made disasters (floods, fires) occur in various parts of the world, during which residential and infrastructure objects are completely or partially destroyed. Due to the destruction of houses, detached or multi-storey, as a result of hostilities, people are forced to leave their destroyed buildings and look for temporary accommodation. Unfortunately, due to the open military aggression of the Russian Federation that began in February 2014 on the territory of the Republic of Crimea and the Donetsk and Luhansk regions and the second, more intensive phase of military operations from February 2022 on the territory of ten regions of Ukraine (Donetsk, Luhansk, Zaporizhzhia, Kherson, Mykolaiv, Kharkiv, Sumy, Chernihiv, Zhytomyr, Kyiv regions). In the territory of the specified regions, during the hostilities, the housing stock of some cities and villages suffered significant destruction (Mariupol, Irpin, Gostomel, Bucha), in addition, there are a large number of families who are forced migrants fleeing from the temporarily occupied territories. At present, it is important to design a separate residential modular building from the available building materials on the Ukrainian market and in accordance with current building, climatological and sanitary norms of Ukraine. The aim of this work is to design an economical autonomous modular building from publicly available building materials, which will meet state building standards for reliability, energy efficiency and sanitation. Conclusions. A modular building has been designed that meets all the necessary modern reliability criteria. Local public building materials are used for the construction of the building, which significantly reduces the total cost. The construction of the house is made in factory conditions, and the erection is carried out on site within 2 days. The building is designed to be collapsible, which allows it to be moved for repeated use. The cost of a modular house is UAH 146,808. (as of May 2022). The low cost of construction is relevant in the period of weakening of the economic capacities of the state.

Nonaneurysmal perimesencephalic subarachnoid hemorrhage on noncontrast head CT: An accuracy, inter-rater, and intra-rater reliability study

Background and purposeTo evaluate the reliability and accuracy of nonaneurysmal perimesencephalic subarachnoid hemorrhage (NAPSAH) on Noncontrast Head CT (NCCT) between numerous raters. Materials and methods45 NCCT of adult patients with SAH who also had a catheter angiography (CA) were independently evaluated by 48 diverse raters; 45 raters performed a second assessment one month later. For each case, raters were asked: 1) whether they judged the bleeding pattern to be perimesencephalic; 2) whether there was blood anterior to brainstem; 3) complete filling of the anterior interhemispheric fissure (AIF); 4) extension to the lateral part of the sylvian fissure (LSF); 5) frank intraventricular hemorrhage; 6) whether in the hypothetical presence of a negative CT angiogram they would still recommend CA. An automatic NAPSAH diagnosis was also generated by combining responses to questions 2–5. Reliability was estimated using Gwet's AC1 (κG), and the relationship between the NCCT diagnosis of NAPSAH and the recommendation to perform CA using Cramer's V test. Multi-rater accuracy of NCCT in predicting negative CA was explored. ResultsInter-rater reliability for the presence of NAPSAH was moderate (κG = 0.58; 95%CI: 0.47, 0.69), but improved to substantial when automatically generated (κG = 0.70; 95%CI: 0.59, 0.81). The most reliable criteria were the absence of AIF filling (κG = 0.79) and extension to LSF (κG = 0.79). Mean intra-rater reliability was substantial (κG = 0.65). NAPSAH weakly correlated with CA decision (V = 0.50). Mean sensitivity and specificity were 58% (95%CI: 44%, 71%) and 83 % (95%CI: 72 %, 94%), respectively. ConclusionNAPSAH remains a diagnosis of exclusion. The NCCT diagnosis was moderately reliable and its impact on clinical decisions modest.

Phenotypic variants of occupational bronchial asthma (immune profile, cytokines, diagnosis and prognosis)

Currently, occupational bronchial asthma is considered as a phenotypically and genotypically heterogeneous disease. The assessment of immunological characteristics opens up new opportunities in assessing the disease development, predicting the characteristics of the course, and establishing a personalized approach to pharmacotherapy of occupational asthma, as well as in developing an individual strategy for its prevention. The purpose of the study is to determine immunological markers of the risk of developing occupational bronchial asthma under conditions of exposure to sensitizing substances for various phenotypes of this disease. Materials and methods. The study included 170 patients with various phenotypes of occupational asthma and 50 participants in the control group. The levels of immunoglobulins A, M, and G in serum were determined by the Mancini technique (radial immunodiffusion). The determination of the levels of cytokines IL-1β, IL-4, IL-6, IL-8, IL-10, IL-17, TNF-α, MCP- 1, and IFN-γ, total IgE, C-reactive protein, and fibronectin in blood serum was carried out by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay using kits and reagents (OOO Proteinovy Kontur, Vektor-Best, Diateks-E, DIA-plus, Pharmacia diagnostika). To study the content of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) in blood serum, we used a sandwich-type enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay with a set of reagents from eBioscience. Genotyping was performed by real-time polymerase chain reaction using primers and probes developed with the PrimerQuest program (Integrated DNA Technologies, Inc.). Results. For the first time, the study has established the features of immunological manifestations in allergic and non-allergic phenotypes of occupational bronchial asthma, as well as the phenotypes of the combination of occupational asthma with occupational chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and metabolic syndrome. The features of the formation, pathogenesis, and prognosis of various phenotypes of occupational bronchial asthma have been identified. This allows recommending the determination of these immunological parameters during in-depth periodic medical examinations of workers exposed to sensitizing and irritating substances for differential diagnosis of various occupational asthma phenotypes in a specialized inpatient examination. Limitations of the study. The study has regional (Samara Region) and professional (in terms of detailing working conditions in the studied comparison groups) limitations. Conclusion. The identified immunological features in various phenotypes of occupational bronchial asthma and the established profiles of occupational asthma genotypes can optimize the approach to early diagnosis, prognosis, prevention, and pharmacotherapy of this disease, as well as expand the list of immunological research indicators used during preliminary and periodic medical examinations, in-depth examination of patients with occupational asthma in occupational disease clinics and occupational pathology centers, and the use of new reliable criteria for predicting the course of the disease.

Hydrate formation due to moisture, occuring by mixing natural gas streams of dewatering different degrees

The key problem during transporting natural gas through gas pipelines is to ensure reliable, safe transportation and supply of gas to consumers. Reliable operation of the main gas pipeline depends on transported gas quality. Under production conditions, gas is saturated with moisture vapor to an equilibrium state, and when thermodynamic conditions (pressure, temperature) change, its condensation occurs. Due to the heterogeneity of the fields, the problem of gas quality control is the key reliability criterion, especially such as the moisture content in the gas. The main complication is the formation of hydrate plugs, which lead to an increase in hydraulic resistance and a decrease in pipeline capacity, which contributes to the occurrence of emergency situations. Therefore, before supplying natural gas to main gas pipelines, the gas is dried to its dew point, which prevents condensation of water from the gas.

Starting with 24-h levodopa carbidopa intestinal gel at initiation in a large cohort of advanced Parkinson’s disease patients

Continuous intra-jejunal infusion of levodopa-carbidopa intestinal gel (LCIG) is a long-term proven and effective treatment in advanced Parkinson’s Disease (APD). Efficacy and safety of 16-h administration of LCIG has already been established. Additional benefits of 24-h LCIG administration have been reported in several case series and small clinical studies. The aim of this retrospective study was to compare the characteristics of patients who needed 24-h LCIG from the beginning of the DAT (device-aided treatment) with those who remained with the standard 16-h LCIG treatment and to identify particular motives if any. We initiated LCIG in 150 patients out of which in case of 62 patients (41,3%) due to unsatisfactory initial clinical benefits continuous 24-h LCIG was deemed necessary. Despite the subjective complaints and more severe clinical condition, at baseline evaluation we found statistically significant differences between 16-h LCIG cohort and 24-h LCIG cohort only in case of incidence of freezing (47% vs 65%, p = 0.03) and sudden off (32% vs 48%, p = 0.04). Wake hours/daytime LCIG does not always sufficiently improve the patient's quality of life in some patients due to persistent nighttime troublesome symptoms. Instead of labeling the patient as a non-responder, it is worth trying the 24-h LCIG dosage in a carefully selected group of patients, as there is currently no consensus on reliable criteria that serve the decision in these patients.

Next‐generation species delimitation and taxonomy: Implications for biogeography

AbstractAn accurate species‐level taxonomy is paramount for biogeographical research, and conversely, biogeographical data are of importance for species delimitation. We here review recent developments and future perspectives of taxonomy of direct relevance for biogeographers. The understanding that species are independently evolving segments of population‐level lineages, the rise of integrative approaches to delimit such lineages, and the advent of high‐throughput sequencing have considerably renewed the discipline of taxonomy. Using genome‐scale molecular datasets, the extent of admixture across hybrid zones can now be effectively assessed and the evolutionary independence of lineages inferred, leading to more reliable and comparable species delimitation criteria. Substantially divergent but admixing phylogeographical lineages can conveniently be named as subspecies, thus avoiding taxonomic oversplitting and taxonomic inflation. At the same time, comprehensive DNA barcoding and DNA metabarcoding efforts are uncovering an enormous proportion of undiscovered biotic diversity, and we encourage the development of bioinformatic pipelines that combine high‐throughput species discovery and delimitation with diagnosis and scientific naming, to approach a biotic inventory of the globe without abandoning the established Linnaean system.

A Unified Picture of Aggregate Formation in a Model Polymer Semiconductor during Solution Processing

AbstractOne grand challenge for printed organic electronics is the development of a knowledge platform that describes how polymer semiconductors assemble from solution, which requires a unified picture of the complex interplay of polymer solubility, mass transport, nucleation and, e.g., vitrification. One crucial aspect, thereby, is aggregate formation, i.e., the development of electronic coupling between adjacent chain segments. Here, it is shown that the critical aggregation temperatures in solution (no solvent evaporation allowed) and during film formation (solvent evaporation occurring) are excellent pointers to i) establish reliable criteria for polymer assembly into desired aggregates, and ii) advance mechanistic understanding of the overall polymer assembly. Indeed, important insights are provided on why aggregation occurs via a 1‐ or 2‐step process depending on polymer solubility, deposition temperature and solvent evaporation rate; and the selection of deposition temperatures for specific scenarios (e.g., good vs bad solvent) is demystified. Collectively, it is demonstrated that relatively straightforward, concurrent in situ time‐resolved absorbance and photoluminescence spectroscopies to monitor aggregate formation lead to highly useful and broadly applicable criteria for processing functional plastics. In turn, improved control over their properties and device performance can be obtained toward manufacturing sensors, energy‐harvesting devices and, e.g., bioelectronics systems at high yield.

Factor analysis for udder and teat type traits in Sahiwal and Karan Fries cows

Selecting female cows for productivity based on udder and teat traits is essential in field due to lack of available records. The objective of the present study was to reduce the dimensionality of the 17 udder and teat traits and to analyse their impact on milk productivity. The data on 256 cattle comprising 133 Sahiwal and 123 Karan Fries cows were used in this study over the years 2017-2019 from Livestock Research Centre (LRC) of ICAR-National Dairy Research Institute, Karnal. The 17 udder and teat traits were fore udder attachment (FUA), rear udder width (RUW), rear udder height (RUH), udder balance (UB), udder depth (UD), udder length (UL), udder width (UW), udder circumference (UC), central ligament/udder cleft (CL), teat circumference (TC), fore teat length (FTL), rear teat length (RTL), distance between fore and rear teat (DFR), distance between left and right teat (DLR), shortest distance from floor to fore teat (SDFT), shortest distance from floor to rear teat (SDRT) and teat diameter (TD). In the factor analysis, first five latent factors accounted for 62.22% of total variance in udder and teat measurements for Sahiwal cows and 65.67% in Karan Fries (KF) cows, respectively. In Sahiwal cows F1 represented better udder support and wideness (wide udders, udders were supported by strong suspensory ligament), whereas in KF cows, first factor reflected better udder dimension and distance between teats (longer length, width of udder and well placed teats). Factor analysis could reduce the multicollinearity of the data. It can be concluded that inclusion of udder and teat measurements in selection index can be a reliable criteria for selecting cows for higher milk yield.

Market Design for the 21st Century: Recommendations for Alberta’s Power Market

Alberta’s electricity system is in transition. From a system dominated by coal generation less than a decade ago, Alberta’s electricity is now largely supplied by natural gas generation with an increasing share of variable wind and solar energy. Falling clean technology costs, federal clean electricity regulations and a rising carbon price will further shift Alberta’s supply mix away from unabated fossil fuels into one more reliant on a mix of renewables and new technologies, such as carbon-captured natural gas, small modular nuclear reactors and hydrogen generation. In this report, we consider future market designs fit for purpose for this changing electricity mix. We assess market design options based on the criteria of reliability, affordability, investor confidence and complexity. At the heart of the matter is the question of which approach is best able to deliver reliable and low emission supply at low cost to Alberta consumers. Importantly, we consider market designs suitable for the changing nature of 21st century grids with more variability on the supply side and more flexibility on the demand side. If the grid of the past involved forecasting demand and dispatching supply, increasingly grids of the future will flip this upside down by forecasting supply and dispatching demand. Alberta’s market design needs to both reflect and enable this new reality.

Evaluating the reliability of environmental concentration data to characterize exposure in environmental risk assessments.

Environmental risk assessments often rely on measured concentrations in environmental matrices to characterize exposure of the population of interest-typically, humans, aquatic biota, or other wildlife. Yet, there is limited guidance available on how to report and evaluate exposure datasets for reliability and relevance, despite their importance to regulatory decision-making. This paper is the second of a four-paper series detailing the outcomes of a Society of Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry Technical Workshop that has developed Criteria for Reporting and Evaluating Exposure Datasets (CREED). It presents specific criteria to systematically evaluate the reliability of environmental exposure datasets. These criteria can help risk assessors understand and characterize uncertainties when existing data are used in various types of assessments and can serve as guidance on best practice for the reporting of data for data generators (to maximize utility of their datasets). Although most reliability criteria are universal, some practices may need to be evaluated considering the purpose of the assessment. Reliability refers to the inherent quality of the dataset and evaluation criteria address the identification of analytes, study sites, environmental matrices, sampling dates, sample collection methods, analytical method performance, data handling or aggregation, treatment of censored data, and generation of summary statistics. Each criterion is evaluated as "fully met," "partly met," "not met or inappropriate," "not reported," or "not applicable" for the dataset being reviewed. The evaluation concludes with a scheme for scoring the dataset as reliable with or without restrictions, not reliable, or not assignable, and is demonstrated with three case studies representing both organic and inorganic constituents, and different study designs and assessment purposes. Reliability evaluation can be used in conjunction with relevance evaluation (assessed separately) to determine the extent to which environmental monitoring datasets are "fit for purpose," that is, suitable for use in various types of assessments. Integr Environ Assess Manag 2024;20:981-1003. © 2024 Society of Environmental Toxicology & Chemistry (SETAC). This article has been contributed to by U.S. Government employees and their work is in the public domain in the USA.

Coping trajectories of intensive care nurses as second victims: A grounded theory

A qualitative study that provides evidence of the institutional support required by intensive care unit (ICU) nurses as second victims of adverse events (AEs). BackgroundThe phenomenon of second victims of AE in healthcare professionals can seriously impact professional confidence and contribute to the ongoing occurrence of AEs in hospitals. ObjectivesThe objective of this study was to describe the coping trajectories of second victims among nurses working in ICUs in public hospitals in Chile. MethodsConducting qualitative research through the grounded theory method, this study focused on high-complexity hospitals in Chile, using theoretical sampling. The participants consisted of 11 nurses working in ICUs. Techniques used included in-depth interviews conducted between March and May 2023, as well as a focus group interview. Analysis, following the grounded theory approach proposed by Strauss and Corbin, involved constant comparison of data. Open, axial, and selective coding were applied until theoretical data saturation was achieved. The study adhered to reliability and authenticity criteria, incorporating a reflexive process throughout the research. Ethical approval was obtained from the ethics committee, and the study adhered to the consolidated criteria for reporting qualitative research. ResultsFrom the interviews, 29 codes were identified, forming six categories: perception of support when facing an AE, perception of helplessness when facing an AE, initiators of AE, responses when facing an AE, professional responsibility, and perception of AE. The perception of support when facing an AE emerged as the main category, determining whether the outcome was stagnation or overcoming of the phenomenon after the AE. ConclusionsFor the coping process of ICU nurses following an AE, the most crucial factor is the support from colleagues and supervisors.

Low complexity post-distorter based on extended kernel recursive least squares for visible light communications

In visible light communication (VLC) systems, the data transmission quality could be deteriorated by the nonlinear distortion, which stems from the inherent characteristic of light-emitting diode. In order to eliminate the influence of nonlinearity, reproducing kernel Hilbert space based post distortion technology is an effective solution. As a kind of kernel methods, extended kernel recursive least squares (EX-KRLS) has played a role in providing linear approximation ability and adapting to environment with fast speed. Due to the fact that the implementation of EX-KRLS algorithm relies on constantly growing dictionaries, it leads to high computational complexity. To solve this problem, the approximate linear dependency (ALD) and coherence sparsification criteria (CALD) are introduced in this paper, forming the EX-KRLS-ALD/CALD post-distortions. Simulation results show that compared with the original EX-KRLS, the dictionary size of EX-KRLS-ALD is reduced by 52.6 %, while the size of EX-KRLS-CALD can be reduced by about 77 %, with the same bit error rate performance. The numerical results prove that the proposed strategy meets the expectations in suppressing the dictionary size and reducing the computational costs.

A Follow-up Study on Coping Strategies and its Association with Relapse Among Alcohol-dependent Patients.

Alcohol Dependence Syndrome is a chronic illness that is relapsing in nature. Past research has shown that coping strategies that are specific to alcohol dependence are useful in preventing long-term relapse. This follow-up study is, therefore, an attempt to understand the coping styles and strategies that are associated with relapse among individuals dependent on alcohol. We aimed to cross-sectionally assess the severity of alcohol dependence and coping styles of Alcohol dependent individuals. One hundred and twenty-seven consecutive patients who satisfied the International Classification of Diseases Tenth Edition (ICD 10) criteria for alcohol dependence and who were above the age of 18 years were included. This study was conducted in the de-addiction outpatient services of a Tertiary care center in South India between April 2019 and June 2020. Our Institutional Ethical Committee granted the approval for this study. We used a self-designed proforma for collecting the socio-demographic details. The Severity of Alcohol Dependence Questionnaire (SADQ) and Coping Orientation to Problems Experienced Inventory (Brief - COPE) were administered. Patients were followed up for six months. Motivation Enhancement Therapy was given to all our participants during their monthly follow-up visit. Descriptive analysis was performed using mean and standard deviation. We used the student t-test and chi-squared test to understand the differences in the coping strategies between relapsed and non-relapsed persons. Spearman's correlation was used to assess the correlation between the severity of alcohol dependence and coping strategies. A p value of <.05 was taken as significant. Non-relapsed individuals had significantly higher scores on active coping (p = .008), emotional support (p = .044), informational support (p = .017), planning (p < .001), acceptance (p = .030), and humor (p = .001). Relapsed individuals had statistically significant scores on denial (p = .005), substance use (p = .024), and self-blame (p = .012). We found a positive correlation between the severity of alcohol dependence and maladaptive coping strategies (p < .01). Relapsed individuals were found to have significantly higher maladaptive coping strategies. Non-relapsed individuals exhibited greater adaptive coping styles. Maladaptive coping strategies positively correlated with the severity of alcohol dependence.

Reliability Criteria for News Websites

Misinformation poses a threat to democracy and to people’s health. Reliability criteria for news websites can help people identify misinformation. But despite their importance, there has been no empirically substantiated list of criteria for distinguishing reliable from unreliable news websites. We identify reliability criteria, describe how they are applied in practice, and compare them to prior work. Based on our analysis, we distinguish between manipulable and less manipulable criteria and compare politically diverse laypeople as end-users and journalists as expert users. We discuss 11 widely recognized criteria, including the following 6 criteria that are difficult to manipulate: content, political alignment, authors, professional standards, what sources are used, and a website’s reputation. Finally, we describe how technology may be able to support people in applying these criteria in practice to assess the reliability of websites.

Confocal laser endomicroscopy in glial tumors-a histomorphological analysis.

The extent of resection and neurological outcome are important prognostic markers for overall survivalin glioma patients. Confocal laser endomicroscopy is a tool to examine tissue without the need for fixation or staining. This study aims to analyze gliomas in confocal laser endomicroscopy and identify reliable diagnostic criteria for glial matter and glial tumors. One-hundred-and-five glioma specimens were analyzed using a 670-nm confocal laser endomicroscope and then processed into hematoxylin-eosin-stained frozen sections. All confocal images and frozen sections were evaluated for the following criteria: presence of tumor, cellularity, nuclear pleomorphism, changes of the extracellular glial matrix, microvascular proliferation, necrosis, and mitotic activity. Recurring characteristics were identified. Accuracy, sensitivity, specificity, and positive and negative predictive values were assessed for each feature. All 125 specimens could be processed and successfully analyzed via confocal laser endomicroscopy. We found diagnostic criteria to identify white and grey matter and analyze cellularity, nuclear pleomorphism, changes in the glial matrix, vascularization, and necrosis in glial tumors. An accuracy of > 90.0% was reached for grey matter, cellularity, and necrosis, > 80.0% for white matter and nuclear pleomorphism, and > 70.0% for microvascular proliferation and changes of the glial matrix. Mitotic activity could not be identified. Astroglial tumors showed significantly less nuclear pleomorphism in confocal laser endomicroscopy than oligodendroglial tumors (p < 0.001). Visualization of necrosis aids in the differentiation of low grade gliomas and high grade gliomas (p < 0.002). Autofluorescence-based confocal laser endomicroscopy proved not only useful in differentiation between tumor and brain tissue but also revealed useful clues to further characterize tissue without processing in a lab. Possible applications include the improvement of extent of resection and the safe harvest of representative tissue for histopathological and molecular genetic diagnostics.