Search Results (8,904)

Financial digitization is an irreversible phenomenon. The objective of this study is to construct the Digital Financial Capability Scale (DFCS). Starting with the development of a definition, we created a multidimensional scale composed of digital financial knowledge, digital financial behavior, and digital financial confidence. The validation process involved a qualitative stage, consisting of focus groups, expert validation, and pre-testing, and a quantitative stage, with exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses and structural equation modeling. The DFCS assesses an individual’s perception of their ability to apply financial knowledge, adopt appropriate financial behaviors, and feel confident in making financial decisions in a digital environment. The final version of the DFCS consists of a set of 33 items divided into the three dimensions. The scale can be very useful for researchers who wish to study financial capability in the digital environment, for financial agents to evaluate clients, and for assessing the outcomes of public policies aimed at enhancing the financial capability of the population. Full article

The experiences of Black students in Canadian higher education shed light on the societal and institutional challenges that influence their social and economic aspirations. In today’s societal and economic context, obtaining a postsecondary education degree is not just preferred but essential for securing the employment opportunities that most young people desire. For Black communities in particular, a university degree is often seen as the primary pathway to upward social mobility. However, Black students’ journeys toward higher education are frequently hindered by systemic barriers and institutional challenges. While there is extensive literature detailing the systemic forces that obstruct access to higher education for Black Canadians, there is limited academic focus on how these forces continue to affect Black students once they enter higher education. This article addresses this gap by investigating the educational experiences of Black students in Canadian universities, emphasizing the challenges posed by systemic racism and institutional barriers. Utilizing data from interviews and focus groups with Black undergraduate and graduate students from a university in the Greater Toronto Area (GTA), the study explores how historical and contemporary issues of anti-Black racism shape their academic journeys. It discusses the broader implications of these experiences and highlights the need for comprehensive institutional reforms to create genuinely inclusive and equitable educational environments. By centering the voices of Black students, this research aims to contribute to the ongoing dialog on racial equity in higher education. Full article

Background/Objectives: Physical trauma may cause long-term disabilities. The importance of place of residence in the return to work after injuries is little researched. The primary aims of this study were to describe return to work or school (RTW) at 6 and 12 months after moderate to severe traumatic injury and to investigate demographic and injury-related predictors for RTW with an initial focus on geographic centrality of residency. The secondary aim was to investigate the association between RTW and functioning. Methods: A prospective cohort study conducted at two Norwegian trauma centres. Inclusion criteria: age 18 to 70 years, at least a two-day hospital stay and a New Injury Severity Score > 9. Information about centrality, demographics, injuries, and return to work were collected. Associations between possible predictors and RTW were assessed using binary logistic regression. Results: Of the 223 participants, 68% had returned to work after 6 months and 77% after 12 months. Twelve-month RTW was 89% after thorax/abdomen injuries, 78% after extremity/spine injuries and 73% after head injuries. More central residency was a significant predictor for RTW in univariable but only within the extremity/spine injury subgroup in multivariable analysis. Negative factors were age, having a blue-collar job, number of injuries and rehabilitation complexity. Function 12 months post-injury was associated with RTW in the multivariable model. Conclusions: RTW after one year was high in all major trauma groups. Demographic and injury-related factors were more important predictors of RTW than centrality of residency. Blue-collar workers and patients with multiple injuries and high rehabilitation complexity should be given special attention to support RTW. Full article

Background/Objectives: The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of lifelong team handball/football training on regional bone health and body composition in elderly women. Methods: Seventeen elderly women team handball/football players (65.9 ± 5.7 years) and twenty-one untrained age-matched women (controls) (67.7 ± 5.1 years) participated. Whole-body and regional dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry scans of arms, legs, and lower spine (L1–L4) were performed. Results: We observed 8% and 9% higher bone mineral density (BMD) and bone mineral content (BMC), respectively, at the whole-body level and in the legs and 11.5% higher BMC in the legs in team handball/football players compared to untrained age-matched controls (p < 0.05). Higher total and leg lean body mass (p < 0.05), along with lower total body fat percentage (p < 0.05) and higher T- and Z-scores, markers of fragility risk fracture (0.294 ± 1.461 vs. −0.538 ± 1.031; 1.447 ± 1.278 vs. 0.724 ± 0.823, respectively), were also found in team handball/football players compared to controls (p < 0.05). No significant differences in nutritional habits were observed between groups. Conclusions: Our study suggest that the beneficial effects of lifetime handball/football practice on bone preservation in elderly women occur independently from nutritional intake, which emphasize the potential role of team sports in osteoporosis prevention. Future studies should focus on the cofounding factors and causative mechanisms mediated by team sport practice in osteoporosis prevention. Full article

Vietnam is a country most at risk for experiencing climate change effects, especially increasing temperatures. Agricultural production is one of the biggest contributors to Vietnam’s economy. Recent research has explored how climate change will impact agriculture in Vietnam. However, the impact of climate change to the health, safety, and wellbeing of Vietnamese farmers is often overlooked. In this study, we conducted five focus groups with 46 farmers representing three provinces of Vietnam. We used a convergent mixed-methods design and a Total Worker Health^® framework to assess how farmers in Vietnam experience climate-change-related hazards and describe how famers associate these hazards with impacts to their health, safety, and wellbeing. Multi-dimensional scaling suggests farmers conceptualize hazards separately from health, safety, and wellbeing outcomes, but a thematic analysis of our data indicated that farmers perceive both direct and indirect impacts of climate change to their health, safety, and wellbeing. Direct impacts of climate change described included physical health effects such as heat stress. Indirect impacts included mental health stressors due to productivity demands. Gaps in available health and safety trainings for farmers were also identified. This project demonstrates the need to co-develop safety and health trainings with farmers. System-level approaches both at the societal and community levels are needed. The local governments, cooperatives, Women’s Unions, and Farmers’ Unions are trusted sources of information that could implement and disseminate these trainings. Full article

Simplicity in information found online is in demand from diverse user groups seeking better text comprehension and consumption of information in an easy and timely manner. Readability assessment, particularly at the sentence level, plays a vital role in aiding specific demographics, such as language learners. In this paper, we research model evaluation metrics, strategies for model creation, and the predictive capacity of features and feature sets in assessing readability based on sentence complexity. Our primary objective is to classify sentences as either simple or complex, shifting the focus from entire paragraphs or texts to individual sentences. We approach this challenge as both a classification and clustering task. Additionally, we emphasize our tests on shallow features that, despite their simplistic nature and ease of use, seem to yield decent results. Leveraging the TextStat Python library and the WEKA toolkit, we employ a wide variety of shallow features and classifiers. By comparing the outcomes across different models, algorithms, and feature sets, we aim to offer valuable insights into optimizing the setup. We draw our data from sentences sourced from Wikipedia’s corpus, a widely accessed online encyclopedia catering to a broad audience. We strive to take a deeper look at what leads to greater readability classification in datasets that appeal to audiences such as Wikipedia’s, assisting in the development of improved models and new features for future applications with low feature extraction/processing times. Full article

This paper proposes an unusual method for the dissemination of geological sciences and the promotion of geotourism: a scientific documentary, where a representative itinerary of geological and geomorphological evolution of the Umbria and Marche regions was presented. The considerations that led to the identification of the geological route proposed to the editorial staff of FOCUS TV are presented in detail. At each stop, there was an explanation by academic professors and researchers, mainly from the Geology Division of the University of Camerino (MC), who explained the outcrops in detail. During the episode, insights were also given into the anthropogenic frequentation of the epigean caves in Frasassi (AN), ancient places of frequentation and worship thanks to their suggestiveness and the sense of magnificence that they can elicit. In addition to the illustration of the individual stops, the article offers further insights into the geomorphology of the most important geosites depicted, all of which are in natural parks or protected areas and characterized by a high landscape value. The result was the production of an episode of the television program ‘Geological Wonders of Italy: the Marche and Umbria Regions’, which was broadcast in October 2022 by the Italian national Mediaset group. Full article

Stigmatisation is the process by which an individual is devalued based on their attributes, characteristics, and/or behaviour, with this often leading to prejudice, social and health-related harms, active discrimination, and microaggressions. The aim of this paper is to show how social harms can occur and how stigma is damaging to the health and wellbeing of a person in recovery. To do so, we focus on the harms that arise from the internalisation of labels that mothers who use drugs encounter in a treatment and recovery setting whilst in active recovery, and how this stigmatisation can manifest negative self-beliefs. Qualitative data was used from two semi-structured focus groups involving females with lived experience of substance use (n = 13). A reflexive thematic analysis approach was used to analyse the interview transcripts, and three themes were identified: (1) the enduring nature of stigma; (2) gender disparity and the need for mothers- and women-only spaces; and (3) stigma as a barrier to services and wellbeing. Findings revealed the enduring nature of stigma amongst mothers who were in active recovery, with women feeling judged more harshly than men and experiencing pressure to live up to a “good mother” ideal whilst in recovery. This paper demonstrates that mothers in recovery are still stigmatised and, as a consequence, approach services with increased sensitivity, with stigma often resulting in disengagement or reluctance to access healthcare settings. We conclude that staff in health, social, and primary care settings need to develop a strong therapeutic alliance with mothers in recovery and promote anti-stigma approaches in their practice, in order to mitigate stigma and reduce harms to health and wellbeing. Full article

Background/Objectives: This study investigated the impact of the FLUYE school-based intervention on children’s lifestyle behaviors, Mediterranean diet adherence, and emotional well-being in Spain. The objective was to promote healthy habits through nutrition education, physical activity, and emotional support within the school environment, with a focus on addressing the needs of both normal-weight and overweight/obese children. Methods: A total of 552 children aged 3 to 12 years participated in the study, with data collected at baseline (T0) and follow-up (T1). The intervention was designed to integrate health education into the school curriculum, emphasizing the development of personal competencies in diet, physical activity, and emotional well-being. The analysis included changes in dietary habits, screen time, physical activity, and psychosocial outcomes, with comparisons made between the normal-weight and overweight/obese groups. Results: Significant improvements were observed in water consumption and reductions in sugar-sweetened beverage intake across both weight groups. However, an increase in screen time, particularly among normal-weight children, highlighted ongoing challenges in reducing sedentary behavior. Adherence to the Mediterranean diet improved more significantly in the overweight/obese group, suggesting the program’s effectiveness in promoting healthier eating patterns among at-risk children. Emotional well-being and self-esteem also saw significant enhancements, with children reporting increased feelings of pride and positivity post-intervention. Conclusions: The FLUYE program effectively improved various aspects of children’s lifestyle behaviors, particularly in dietary habits and emotional well-being. These findings underscore the importance of comprehensive, school-based interventions that address both physical and psychosocial aspects of health, especially for children at higher risk for obesity. Full article

Background: In China’s expanding dairy industry, a lack of oversight regarding antimicrobial use and increasing antimicrobial resistance are evident. Selective treatments of dairy cows for clinical mastitis or dry cow therapy are proposed to promote judicious antimicrobial use without adversely impacting cattle health. These approaches have been successfully implemented on farms in other countries. Methods: On 28 October 2023, a 2-day in-person seminar was held in Beijing, China, on selective antimicrobial treatments of dairy cows for clinical mastitis or dry cow therapy on large Chinese dairy farms. Concurrently, a qualitative study involving 15 technical managers from the 13 largest Chinese dairy groups used focus group discussions and questionnaires to explore perspectives on selective treatments of dairy cows for clinical mastitis or dry cow therapy. The main outcomes assessed were opinions and concerns regarding implementing selective antimicrobial treatments. Results: Although there was diversity of cognition on AMR and selective treatments, the technical managers were generally positive regarding adoption of selective treatments. However, they expressed a need for more evidence and tools, including anticipated economic impacts, effects of delaying treatment until diagnosis, accurate interpretation of milk recording data, safe use of internal teat sealants, and spread of pathogens. Participants stressed the need for awareness, staff training, farm management, and China-specific standards, suggesting large-scale trials to assess efficacy of selective treatments. Conclusion: The findings revealed key challenges and barriers currently impeding selective AMU practices. These insights could inform efforts to promote judicious AMU on farms through targeted treatment regimens, reducing mounting selective pressure driving resistance. Full article

We consider authenticating multicast messages in the case of extremely narrow communication channels, such as underwater acoustic communication, with devices such as mobile sensors creating a self-organizing autonomous network. Channel characteristics in this scenario prevent the application of digital signatures (and asymmetric cryptography in general), as it would consume too much of the available bandwidth. As communication is relatively sparse, standard symmetric methods such as TESLA have limited application in this scenario as well. Driven by real-world requirements, we focus on tiny networks of only a few nodes. This paper discusses two issues: (a) strategies of key predistribution enabling flexible creation of multicast groups; (b) authenticating multicast messages in a way that prevents an attacker impersonating the sender by subverting one or more receiver nodes and learning the symmetric keys stored by these nodes. For tiny networks, we show that scalable and asymptotically efficient solutions might be useless, and that specially tailored combinatorial approaches may confer some advantage. Full article

Background: Advancements in genomic technologies are rapidly evolving, with the potential to transform laboratory diagnostics by enabling high-throughput analysis of complex biological data, such as microbiome data. Large Language Models (LLMs) have shown significant promise in extracting actionable insights from vast datasets, but their application in generating microbiome findings reports with clinical interpretations and lifestyle recommendations has not been explored yet. Methods: This article introduces an innovative framework that utilizes LLMs to automate the generation of findings reports in the context of microbiome diagnostics. The proposed model integrates LLMs within an event-driven, workflow-based architecture, designed to enhance scalability and adaptability in clinical laboratory environments. Special focus is given to aligning the model with clinical standards and regulatory guidelines such as the In-Vitro Diagnostic Regulation (IVDR) and the guidelines published by the High-Level Expert Group on Artificial Intelligence (HLEG AI). The implementation of this model was demonstrated through a prototype called “MicroFlow”. Results: The implementation of MicroFlow indicates the viability of automating findings report generation using LLMs. Initial evaluation by laboratory expert users indicated that the integration of LLMs is promising, with the generated reports being plausible and useful, although further testing on real-world data is necessary to assess the model’s accuracy and reliability. Conclusions: This work presents a potential approach for using LLMs to support the generation of findings reports in microbiome diagnostics. While the initial results seem promising, further evaluation and refinement are needed to ensure the model’s effectiveness and adherence to clinical standards. Future efforts will focus on improvements based on feedback from laboratory experts and comprehensive testing on real patient data. Full article

This study investigated the efficacy and safety of a propolis–mangosteen extract complex (PMEC) on gingival health in patients with gingivitis and incipient periodontitis. A multicentered, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial involving 104 subjects receiving either PMEC or placebo for eight weeks was conducted. The primary focus was on the changes in inflammatory biomarkers from gingival crevicular fluid (GCF), with clinical parameters as secondary outcomes. The results revealed that the PMEC group showed a significantly reduced expression of all measured GCF biomarkers compared to the placebo group (p < 0.0001) at 8 weeks, including substantial reductions in IL-1β, PGE2, MMP-8, and MMP-9 levels compared to the baseline. While clinical parameters trended towards improvement in both groups, the intergroup differences were not statistically significant. No significant adverse events were reported, indicating a favorable safety profile. These findings suggest that PMEC consumption can attenuate gingival inflammation and mitigate periodontal tissue destruction by modulating key inflammatory mediators in gingival tissue. Although PMEC shows promise as a potential adjunctive therapy for supporting gingival health, the discrepancy between biomarker improvements and clinical outcomes warrants further investigation to fully elucidate its therapeutic potential in periodontal health management. Full article

Although various chemically synthesized materials are essential in medicine, food, and agriculture, they can exert unexpected side effects on the environment and human health by releasing certain toxic chemicals. Therefore, eco-friendly and biocompatible biomaterials based on natural resources are being actively explored. Recently, biosilica derived from diatoms has attracted attention in various biomedical fields, including drug delivery systems (DDS), due to its uniform porous nano-pattern, hierarchical structure, and abundant silanol functional groups. Importantly, the structural characteristics of diatom biosilica improve the solubility of poorly soluble substances and enable sustained release of loaded drugs. Additionally, diatom biosilica predominantly comprises SiO₂, has high biocompatibility, and can easily hybridize with other DDS platforms, including hydrogels and cationic DDS, owing to its strong negative charge and abundant silanol groups. This review explores the potential applications of various diatom biosilica-based DDS in various biomedical fields, with a particular focus on hybrid DDS utilizing them. Full article

Registered nurses in the operating room require specialized competencies that surpass basic educational training. Existing national and international documents attempt to outline these competencies but often lack comprehensive details. To address this, a repertoire of technical and professional competencies for operating room nurses, aligned with European and National Qualifications Frameworks, is proposed. Aim: Develop a repertoire of technical and professional competencies for perioperative and perianesthesiological specialist nursing roles. Methods: An at-home ethnography design was employed, utilizing participant observation, interviews to the double, and focus groups. Convenience sampling included 46 participants from a university and a public hospital in northern Italy. Data were collected from September 2021 to June 2023 and analyzed using inductive content analysis and data triangulation. Results: Identified 17 specialized technical professional competencies for perioperative and perianesthesiological nursing, divided into 6 areas of activity. These competencies encompass 19 learning outcomes, 152 tasks, 222 knowledge elements, and 218 skills. Conclusions: This competency repertoire aids in the public recognition of qualifications and serves as a valuable tool for identifying, validating, and certifying competencies. Future research should focus on exploring the competencies of central sterilization nurses and transversal competencies. Full article