Search Results (1,704)

Background: The legalization of euthanasia in Belgium in 2002 positioned nurses as possible participants in the euthanasia process. However, ethical and legal dilemmas necessitate clear definitions of their roles and competencies in this context. Given that general practitioners (GPs) are the primary medical professionals performing euthanasia, understanding their perspectives on the roles of nurses is crucial. Aim: This study aims to describe GPs’ perceptions of the roles and competencies of nurses during the euthanasia process. The research question addressed is as follows: “What are GPs’ views on the roles and competencies of nurses in euthanasia?”. Methods: A quantitative cross-sectional survey was conducted among licensed GPs in Flanders, Belgium. Data were collected via an online survey using Qualtrics and analyzed with SPSS Statistics. Ethical approval was obtained from the Medical Ethics Committee of the university. Results: The study included responses from 237 GPs. GPs value the roles and competencies of nurses, recognizing euthanasia as a multidisciplinary process. They acknowledge the critical support nurses provide to patients and their families. GPs assert that the administration of euthanasia medication should remain the exclusive responsibility of the GP. The analysis further indicated that demographic factors did not significantly influence the results. Discussion/Conclusions: GPs in Belgium generally rated the roles and competencies of nurses positively. Enhancing multidisciplinary collaboration, legislating the roles of nurses, and incorporating practical euthanasia training in nursing curricula, e.g., via simulations, are recommended. Full article

The accurate modelling of video memorability, or the intrinsic properties that render a piece of audiovisual content more likely to be remembered, will facilitate the development of automatic systems that are more efficient in retrieving, classifying and generating impactful media. Recent studies have indicated a strong correlation between the visual semantics of video and its memorability. This underscores the importance of developing advanced visual comprehension abilities to enhance model performance. It has been demonstrated that Large Vision–Language Models (LVLMs) demonstrate exceptional proficiency in generalist, high-level semantic comprehension of images and video, due to their extensive multimodal pre-training on a vast scale. This work makes use of the vast generalist knowledge of LVLMs and explores efficient adaptation techniques with a view to utilising them as memorability predictors. In particular, the Quantized Low-Rank Adaptation (QLoRA) technique is employed to fine-tune the Qwen-VL model with memorability-related data extracted from the Memento10k dataset. In light of existing research, we propose a particular methodology that transforms Qwen-VL from a language model to a memorability score regressor. Furthermore, we consider the influence of selecting appropriate LoRA hyperparameters, a design aspect that has been insufficiently studied. We validate the LoRA rank and alpha hyperparameters using 5-Fold Cross-Validation and evaluate our best configuration on the official testing portion of the Memento10k dataset, obtaining a state-of-the-art Spearman Rank Correlation Coefficient (SRCC) of 0.744. Consequently, this work represents a significant advancement in modelling video memorability through high-level semantic understanding. Full article

(1) Background: Institutionalized older adults represent a vulnerable population. It is important to understand that higher levels of physical activity in older adults are associated with less risk of cardiovascular diseases, better cognition, and lower inflammaging and sarcopenia levels. The main objective was to evaluate the differences in health parameters in institutionalized older adults who perform different levels of weekly physical activity. The secondary objective was to analyze if weekly physical activity levels are a predictor of health parameters. (2) Methods: A cross-sectional observational study was conducted in nursing homes with adults over 75 years of age. A total of 76 participants was divided into three groups based on their weekly physical exercise frequency (1 day/week, 2 days/week, and 3 days/week). We measured demographic and anthropometric variables, along with cognitive level through the Mini Exam of Lobo. Handgrip strength, leg muscle strength, and power were also evaluated, and C-reactive protein levels were assessed through blood tests. Physical performance was measured using the Short Physical Performance Battery and walking speed. (3) Results: Significant differences were found in body mass index (p < 0.01; ES = 0.96), muscular strength (p < 0.01; ES = 0.70), and power (p < 0.01; ES = 1.09), Short Physical Performance Battery (p < 0.01; ES = 1.46) and walking speed (p < 0.01; ES = 0.87), cognitive function (p < 0.01; ES = 1.21), and C-reactive protein levels (p < 0.01; ES = 1.73), favoring the group who performed 3 days/week of physical activity. (4) Conclusions: Institutionalized older adults with three days per week of physical activity have greater physical and muscle function and less cognitive decline. Three days of weekly physical activity is associated with systemic inflammation and better cognitive status in institutionalized older adults. Full article

Snakes are stimuli inducing an ancestral fear response in humans and other primates. Certain snakes evoke more subjective fear than others. True vipers are high-fear-eliciting snakes for both African and European respondents. This can be explained by the evolutionary experience of human ancestors in Africa. The question arises as to how snakes living in the Americas and Australia, with which humans have no evolutionary experience, will be evaluated. While these snakes belong to broader taxonomic groups that have distant relatives in the Old World, they have evolved independently for tens of millions of years. We prepared a set of 32 pictures depicting eight American pit vipers, eight Australian elapids, eight constrictors, and eight colubrids and asked the respondents to rank these stimuli according to the fear these snakes evoke. Here, we show a high cross-cultural agreement between evaluations by African and European respondents. Snakes characterized by a robust body shape, such as American pit vipers, Australian death adders, pythons, and boas, were the most fear-evoking. The body width was the strongest predictor of evoked fear. The contribution of coloration and pattern of the stimulus to the fear response was not proved. This supports the view that the patterns of fear are not dependent on direct experience, but its underlying mechanisms are shared cross-culturally. Full article

Smart cities are confronted with a variety of disaster threats. Among them, natural fires pose a serious threat to human lives, the environment, and asset security. In view of the fact that existing research mostly focuses on the analysis of accident precursors, this paper proposes a dynamic risk-modeling method based on Stochastic Petri Nets (SPN) and Bayesian theory to deeply explore the evolution mechanism of urban natural fires. The SPN model is constructed through natural language processing techniques, which discretize the accident evolution process. Then, the Bayesian theory is introduced to dynamically update the model parameters, enabling the accurate assessment of key event nodes. The research results show that this method can effectively identify high-risk nodes in the evolution of fires. Their dynamic probabilities increase significantly over time, and key transition nodes have a remarkable impact on the emergency response efficiency. This method can increase the fire prevention and control efficiency by approximately 30% and reduce potential losses by more than 20%. The dynamic update mechanism significantly improves the accuracy of risk prediction by integrating real-time observation data and provides quantitative support for emergency decision making. It is recommended that urban management departments focus on strengthening the maintenance of facilities in high-risk areas (such as fire alarm systems and emergency passages), optimize cross-departmental cooperation processes, and build an intelligent monitoring and early-warning system to shorten the emergency response time. This study provides a new theoretical tool for urban fire risk management. In the future, it can be extended to other types of disasters to enhance the universality of the model. Full article

In view of the fact that the specification does not specify the calculation model for the temperature gradient of the concrete box-shaped arch rib without wing plates, and there is also a lack of relevant research on the temperature model of this type of arch rib, this paper carries out research on the impact of sunshine temperature on a section of concrete box arch rib without a flange plate based on the 355 m Shuiluohe Bridge. Firstly, a temperature experiment of the arch rib without flange plates was conducted. According to the experimental data, the temperature distribution and changing rules of the arch rib cross-section were analyzed. Then, according to the measured temperature data, a calculation mode of the vertical temperature gradient of the arch rib was proposed and compared with the specification. Finally, in view of the most disadvantageous phases of the arch rib in the construction process, the influence of different gradient modes on the structural mechanical behavior was analyzed by means of a simulation model. The results show that along the span from the springing to L/2, the maximal temperatures of the top plate, web plate and bottom plate gradually increase. The temperature gradient of the box’s top plate is the largest, that of the web plate is the second largest, and that of the bottom plate is the smallest. The vertical temperature difference of the key section of the arch rib gradually increases from the springing to L/2, and the maximal temperature difference of the section at L/2 is 16.3 °C, which is 4.2 °C higher than that of the springing section. The vertical temperature gradient proposed in this paper is a four-fold nonlinear model. Compared with the temperature gradient distribution range specified in the specification, the vertical temperature gradient in this article has a wider distribution range in the cross-section height, and the temperature varies more quickly along the cross-section height. The temperature gradient model proposed has more adverse effects on the mechanical behavior of the structure. The temperature gradient model proposed in this paper not only fills the gap in the specification but also provides suggestions for the design and construction of bridges. Meanwhile, the temperature distribution model of this type of arch rib also lays a theoretical foundation for the further development of corresponding thermal insulation materials for concrete surfaces or new concrete materials. Full article

The observed scaling properties in the three aftershock sequences of the recent strong earthquakes of magnitudes M_w 6.1, M_w 6.4 and M_w 6.7, which occurred in the Ionian island region on the 26 January 2014 (onshore Cephalonia Island), 17 November 2015 (Lefkada Island) and 25 October 2018 (offshore Zakynthos Island), respectively, are presented. In the analysis, the frequency–magnitude distributions in terms of the Gutenberg–Richter scaling relationship are studied, along with the temporal evolution of the aftershock sequences, as described by the Omori–Utsu formula. The processing of interevent times distribution, based on non-extensive statistical physics, indicates a system in an anomalous equilibrium with long-range interactions and a cross over behavior from anomalous to normal statistical mechanics for greater interevent times. A discussion of this cross over behavior is given for all aftershock sequences in terms of superstatistics. Moreover, the common value of the Tsallis entropic parameter that was obtained suggests that aftershock sequences are systems with very low degrees of freedom. Finally, a scaling of the migration of the aftershock zones as a function of the logarithm of time is discussed regarding the rate strengthening rheology that governs the evolution of the afterslip process. Our results contribute to the understanding of the spatiotemporal evolution of aftershocks using a first principles approach based on non extensive statistical physics suggesting that this view could describe the process within a universal view. Full article

Global challenges in agriculture, in terms of water and nutrient loss control, require new approaches to maintaining or even increasing crop production. Promising materials, such as superabsorbent hydrogels of hybrid types obtained from natural polymers grafted with synthetic polymers, represent a viable solution to solve these problems and maintain a clean environment. In view of this, two types of hydrogels based on sodium alginate, acrylic acid and polyethylene oxide obtained using 5.5 MeV electron-beam irradiation were subjected to degradation through burial in the soil. Swollen hydrogels in two types of water (distilled and tap) and two types of nutrient solutions (synthetic nutrient solution and 100% natural organic nutrient solution), with different pHs of 5.40, 6.05, 7.45 and 7.66, were buried in soil for 30 and 60 days and then extracted and analyzed in terms of their mass loss, swelling behavior and cross-linking structure. The highest mass losses after both 30 and 60 days were recorded for the hydrogels buried in soils whose humidity was maintained by watering them with the basic solutions (tap water and the organic nutrient solution). Structural modifications associated with the degradation process were highlighted by decreases in the cross-link densities and increases in the mesh sizes and swelling. These results were confirmed using FTIR and SEM techniques. Full article

Objectives: This study aimed to evaluate the experiences of patients using a patient portal at a tertiary hospital in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, focusing on engagement, usability, and patient-generated data. Methods: A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted using an online survey distributed to 244 patients using the patient portal between September and December 2023. Data collected included sociodemographic characteristics, health literacy, internet and smartphone usage, and patient engagement with the portal. Results: Among the 244 respondents, 99.6% were smartphone users, and 85% reported using the patient portal. The most frequently used functionalities included scheduling appointments (60.1%) and viewing laboratory results. Significant associations were found between general satisfaction and perceptions of ease of login, information comprehension, and increased engagement (p < 0.05). High satisfaction was reported among those updating personal information (88.6%) and allergy status (78.1%) through the portal. Barriers to use included internet access limitations and privacy concerns. Age significantly influenced the need for training to enhance portal usage (p < 0.05). Conclusions: Patient engagement with the portal was high, indicating its potential as a tool for enhancing healthcare delivery. Improving usability, addressing identified barriers, and providing tailored training could further optimize patient engagement and utilization of health services. Full article

Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) play a crucial role in fostering economic growth and sustainability, requiring a deliberate emphasis on innovation and applying knowledge to navigate ever-changing markets. This study, grounded in resource-based view (RBV) theory, explores the synergy of entrepreneurial leadership and team diversity, exploring pathways to entrepreneurial success in Pakistan’s SMEs. This study employed a cross-sectional design, utilizing a non-probability convenience sampling approach to survey 350 owners, supervisors, managers, and employees of SMEs in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan. Data were gathered through a survey questionnaire and subsequently analyzed using SPSS and SMART-PLS to validate the measurement model and examine the hypotheses for moderated analysis. The results indicated a significant moderating influence. Entrepreneurial leadership accounted for 15.8% of the variation in entrepreneurial success, while team diversity contributed 8.5%. Moreover, the moderating influence of team diversity substantially affected ES (59.7%), underscoring the pivotal role of team diversity in the interplay between EL and ES. Drawing from RBV theory, this study advances the framework by acknowledging that team diversity is a crucial element that strengthens the connections between EL and ES. This study enhances the existing literature by clarifying the mechanisms by which leadership and diversity collaboratively promote entrepreneurial outcomes. This highlights the necessity for SME leaders and policymakers to utilize team diversity as a strategic asset to improve competitive advantage and ensure sustainable success. Full article

Background/Objectives: Peer popularity is often associated with children’s and adolescents’ Theory of Mind (ToM), as well as with self-perceptions. This paper describes two cross-sectional studies that investigate the individual differences and associations among peer popularity, ToM, and self-perceptions (i.e., several dimensions of self-esteem, including global, academic, or physical self-esteem). Methods: Study 1 involved 229 German children aged 5 to 8 years. Study 2 involved 127 Canadian adolescents aged 10 to 12 years. Participants in both studies completed measures of ToM, self-perceptions, and peer popularity. Results: Study 1 found significant associations among children’s ToM and self-perceptions (their global self-esteem) but found no associations with children’s peer popularity. Study 2 revealed significant positive associations between adolescents’ ToM and their peer popularity, as well as between ToM and self-perceptions (in particular, adolescents’ academic self-esteem). Conclusions: Our findings support the view that ToM matters for children’s and young adolescents’ self-perceptions and plays an increasingly important role in their everyday social life. Curricular implications for ToM, identity formation (self-perceptions), and peer relations are discussed. Full article

In recent years, weakly supervised semantic segmentation (WSSS) has garnered significant attention in remote sensing image analysis due to its low annotation cost. To address the issues of inaccurate and incomplete seed areas and unreliable pseudo masks in WSSS, we propose a novel WSSS method for remote sensing images based on the Siamese Affinity Network (SAN) and the Segment Anything Model (SAM). First, we design a seed enhancement module for semantic affinity, which strengthens contextual relevance in the feature map by enforcing a unified constraint principle of cross-pixel similarity, thereby capturing semantically similar regions within the image. Second, leveraging the prior notion of cross-view consistency, we employ a Siamese network to regularize the consistency of CAMs from different affine-transformed images, providing additional supervision for weakly supervised learning. Finally, we utilize the SAM segmentation model to generate semantic superpixels, expanding the original CAM seeds to more completely and accurately extract target edges, thereby improving the quality of segmentation pseudo masks. Experimental results on the large-scale remote sensing datasets DRLSD and ISPRS Vaihingen demonstrate that our method achieves segmentation performance close to that of fully supervised semantic segmentation (FSSS) methods on both datasets. Ablation studies further verify the positive optimization effect of each module on segmentation pseudo labels. Our approach exhibits superior localization accuracy and precise visualization effects across different backbone networks, achieving state-of-the-art localization performance. Full article

Background: End-of-life (EOL) care is an integral part of paramedic services, requiring not only medical expertise but also communication skills and emotional support. With the evolving role of paramedics in providing palliative care, understanding their attitudes toward EOL care and the impact of specialized training becomes crucial. Aim: This study aims to assess the attitudes of Saudi Arabian paramedics toward EOL care and evaluate the influence of prior EOL care training on these attitudes. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted among paramedics in Saudi Arabia using convenience and snowball sampling. Data were collected via an online survey distributed through emails and social networks, encompassing demographic information and attitudes toward EOL care. The survey was structured into two parts, with the second part developed from the relevant literature. Statistical analysis was performed using STATA version 18, employing chi-squared and Fischer exact tests for comparison. Results: The study involved 1049 paramedics, with the majority being aged 26–35 years (54.43%) and predominantly male (65.59%). About half of the participants (50.43%) had previously participated in EOL care courses. Paramedics who received EOL training demonstrated significantly more positive attitudes toward the role of EOL care in their jobs (98.49% versus 32.12%, p < 0.001) and were more comfortable discussing death with patients (51.42% versus 29.23%, p < 0.001). A significant majority viewed caring for a dying patient as a worthwhile experience (95.42%), and 95.33% agreed on the importance of involving the patient’s family in care. Conclusions: The findings highlight the positive impact of EOL care training on paramedics’ attitudes toward palliative care. Specialized training enhances paramedics’ comfort in discussing death and their perceptions of the role of EOL care, underscoring the need for integrating comprehensive palliative care education into paramedic training programs. Future research should focus on developing standardized EOL care courses to further explore their impact on paramedics’ knowledge, attitudes, and practices. Full article

Background/Objectives: Even with improvements in surgical techniques and the application of appropriate antibiotic prophylaxis, wound infections are still major public health problems in low- and middle-income countries. This study proposes the design of new particulate polymeric matrices based on chitosan (CS) for the controlled release of Metronidazole (MTZ), in order for it to be used for the treatment of Clostridium perfringens infections. Methods: The nanoparticles were prepared via inverse emulsion using tannic acid (TA) and sodium tripolyphosphate (TPP) as cross-linking agents. The ratio of CS to TPP, the concentration of CS solution, and the ratio of CS to TA were varied to optimize the synthesis procedure. Nanoparticles have been characterized based on several points of view in order to correctly correlate their properties with synthesis parameters. Results: The FTIR spectra of the analyzed nanoparticles confirmed both the formation of hydrogen bonds between CS and TA and the ionic cross-linking of CS with TPP. The average diameters of the nanoparticles ranged from 70 to 170 nm, whereas the zeta potential values were around 8 mV. Their swelling degree in a weak basic environment, as well as the drug loading/release capacity was influenced, as expected, by the synthesis parameters. The obtained nanoparticles were tested in vitro to evaluate their behavior in the blood environment, the cytotoxic effect, and the antimicrobial activity of nanoparticles loaded with MTZ against Clostridium perfringens cultures. Conclusions: The in vitro obtained results demonstrate that these non-hemolytic and non-cytotoxic particles can be efficient drug delivery systems for the treatment of Clostridium perfringens in wound infections. Full article

Bearing fault diagnosis is critical for the reliability and safety of rotating machinery in industrial applications. Traditional fault diagnosis methods and single-view deep learning models often fail to capture the complex, multi-dimensional nature of vibration signals, limiting their effectiveness in accurately identifying faults under varying conditions. To address this, we propose a novel multi-view framework that leverages complementary views—time, frequency, and wavelet domains—of vibration signals for robust fault diagnosis. Our framework integrates a cross-attention mechanism (CAM) that combines self-attention and cross-attention to capture both intra-view and inter-view dependencies, enabling the effective fusion of multi-domain information. By modeling the interactions between different views, the proposed approach enhances feature representation, leading to improved diagnostic accuracy even under noisy industrial conditions. Experimental results on public bearing datasets demonstrate the superior performance of our method compared to state-of-the-art approaches, with significant improvements in robustness and accuracy. This framework provides a promising solution for intelligent fault diagnosis in complex industrial environments. Full article