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Psycho-oncology Dec 2022Demoralization is a prevalent psychological problem among cancer patients and reflects a sense of subjective incompetence. This systematic review aims to identify... (Review)
Review
OBJECTIVE
Demoralization is a prevalent psychological problem among cancer patients and reflects a sense of subjective incompetence. This systematic review aims to identify factors influencing demoralization among cancer patients.
METHODS
Eleven databases were systematically searched from database inception to 31 December 2020. Google Scholar and relevant reference lists were supplementarily searched. Studies reporting demoralization measured by Demoralization Scale and its influencing factors among cancer patients were included. A qualitative synthesis was conducted owing to the heterogeneity of the study outcome.
RESULTS
A total of 49 studies involving 10,712 participants were included in this review. The results showed substantial effect size variation, but the psychological factors showed the strongest magnitude of association. Among the biological factors, the number of physical symptoms (mean r values [rs]: 0.331) was associated with increased demoralization. Among the psychological factors, negative psychological factors include hopelessness (mean rs: 0.633), desire for death (mean rs: 0.620), dignity-related distress (mean rs: 0.595), depression (mean rs: 0.593), anxiety (mean rs: 0.589), psychological distress (mean rs: 0.465), and suicidal ideation (mean rs: 0.460) were related to increased demoralization; whereas positive psychological factors including hope (mean rs: -0.565), attachment security (mean rs: -0.530), and sense of coherence (mean rs: -0.453) were related to decreased demoralization. Among the social factors, social support (mean rs: -0.330) was negatively related to demoralization, and the demographic factors were still controversial. Quality of life was considered to be at the intersection of biopsychosocial factors and negatively associated with demoralization (mean rs: -0.599).
CONCLUSIONS
Demoralization is a consequence of the interaction of physical, psychological, and social factors among cancer patients. Factors with a significant effect should not be overlooked when designing an intervention to reduce demoralization. It is necessary to distinguish demoralization from other negative psychological states and further explore positive psychological factors influencing demoralization among cancer patients.
Topics: Humans; Demoralization; Quality of Life; Stress, Psychological; Anxiety; Neoplasms
PubMed: 36016470
DOI: 10.1002/pon.6023 -
Genes, Chromosomes & Cancer Jan 1995Human telomeres consist of arrays of the sequence TTAGGG up to 15-20 kb in length, which are essential for the maintenance of normal chromosomal stability. It has been...
Human telomeres consist of arrays of the sequence TTAGGG up to 15-20 kb in length, which are essential for the maintenance of normal chromosomal stability. It has been suggested that genomic instability observed in tumours may be due to loss of telomere sequences. Somatic cells that are dividing continuously appear to progressively lose telomere sequences, and it would therefore be anticipated that cell type specific differences in mean telomere length may exist within an individual. Previous reports have suggested that mean telomere length may be different in human neoplasia when compared to control. Basal cell carcinomas are epidermal derived tumours and in order therefore to make valid cell type specific comparisons we have measured mean telomere length in 20 basal cell carcinomas as well as in both adjacent epidermis and dermis. Mean telomere length was significantly reduced in epidermis in comparison with dermis, from clinically normal skin immediately adjacent to the tumours (mean difference 2.5 kb). This result is not related to the presence of the tumour as similar results were obtained from skin samples of healthy volunteers. Basal cell carcinomas showed increased mean telomere length in 13/20 samples in comparison with matched epidermis (mean difference 3.1 kb), whereas in 7/20 mean telomere length was reduced (mean difference 2.2 kb). These results showing that mean telomere length varies from cell type to cell type underpin the importance of performing cell type specific controls when assessing changes in tumour telomeres.
Topics: Base Sequence; Carcinoma, Basal Cell; Humans; Molecular Sequence Data; Skin Neoplasms; Telomere
PubMed: 7534110
DOI: 10.1002/gcc.2870120108 -
Statistical Methodology May 2010Multifarious psychological constructs are indexed by the mean latency difference (MLD), the within-subject difference between mean response latency on two tasks. Two...
Multifarious psychological constructs are indexed by the mean latency difference (MLD), the within-subject difference between mean response latency on two tasks. Two associations consistently emerge in mean latency data. Firstly, across subjects, mean latencies on distinct tasks are positively correlated. This correlation arises from individual differences in general rates of information processing that are a shared influence on response latency in diverse tasks. Secondly, across tasks, the mean and variance of mean latency are positively correlated. Compared to a simple task, a complex task has both a larger average mean latency and a larger variance of mean latency, across subjects. Taken together, these associations make the interpretation of the MLD problematic by biasing correlations between the MLD and (a) task mean latencies, (b) the average of the mean latencies, (c) external criteria, and (d) other MLDs. A variety of mean latency transformations were evaluated and, while they differed in their effectiveness, they did not satisfactorily rectify MLD biases. An alternative approach, focusing on scale invariant contrasts of within-subject response latency distributions, is introduced in the conclusion.
PubMed: 20526445
DOI: 10.1016/j.stamet.2009.10.004 -
BJR Open 2023The objective of this review was to examine the impact of previous mammogram availability on radiologists' performance from screening populations and experimental... (Review)
Review
OBJECTIVE
The objective of this review was to examine the impact of previous mammogram availability on radiologists' performance from screening populations and experimental studies.
MATERIALS AND METHODS
A search of the literature was conducted using five databases: MEDLINE, PubMed, Web of Science, ScienceDirect, and CINAHL as well as Google and reference lists of articles. Keywords were combined with "AND" or "OR" or "WITH" and included "prior mammograms, diagnostic performance, initial images, diagnostic efficacy, subsequent images, previous imaging, and radiologist's performance". Studies that assessed the impact of previous mammogram availability on radiologists' performance were reviewed. The Standard for Reporting Diagnostic Accuracy guidelines was used to critically appraise individual sources of evidence.
RESULTS
A total of 15 articles were reviewed. The sample of mammogram cases used across these studies varied from 36 to 1,208,051. Prior mammograms did not affect sensitivity [with priors: 62-86% (mean = 73.3%); without priors: 69.4-87.4% (mean = 75.8%)] and cancer detection rate, but increased specificity [with priors: 72-96% (mean = 87.5%); without priors: 63-87% (mean = 80.5%)] and reduced false-positive rates [with priors: 3.7 to 36% (mean = 19.9%); without priors 13.3-49% (mean = 31.4%)], recall rates [with priors: 3.8-57% (mean = 26.6%); without priors: [4.9%-67.5% (mean = 37.9%)], and abnormal interpretation rate decreased by 4% with priors. Evidence for the associations between the availability of prior mammograms and positive-predictive value, area under the curve (AUC) from the receiver operating characteristic curve (ROC) and localisation ROC AUC, and positive-predictive value of recall is limited and unclear.
CONCLUSION
Availability of prior mammograms reduces recall rates, false-positive rates, abnormal interpretation rates, and increases specificity without affecting sensitivity and cancer detection rate.
PubMed: 37942498
DOI: 10.1259/bjro.20230038 -
Echocardiography (Mount Kisco, N.Y.) May 1997Echocardiographic assessments of ventricular function derived from estimates of the mean dP/dt during isovolumetric contraction (mean dP/dt(ic)) were compared with those...
Echocardiographic assessments of ventricular function derived from estimates of the mean dP/dt during isovolumetric contraction (mean dP/dt(ic)) were compared with those obtained from measurements of the shortening fraction and the stress-velocity index (SVI). Mean dP/dt(ic) correlated well with the shortening fraction, r = 0.74, P < 0.0001. Furthermore, 10 out of 11 patients with mean dP/dt(ic) below 800 had a shortening fraction < 0.28, whereas all patients with a mean dP/dt(ic) > 1000 mmHg/sec had a shortening fraction > 0.28. A good correlation also existed between mean dP/dt(ic) and the SVI, r = 0.73, P < 0.0001. Nine out of 11 patients with a mean dP/dt(ic) < 800 mmHg/sec had an SVI > 2 standard deviations below normal, whereas all patients with mean dP/dt(ic) > 1000 mmHg/sec had normal or increased SVI. The correlation between mean dP/dt(ic) and the SVI was strengthened when mean dP/dt(ic) was adjusted for heart rate and preload. Hence, assessments of ventricular function derived from measurements of mean dP/dt(ic) appear to agree well with those provided by the shortening fraction and SVI. Because the determination of mean dP/dt(ic) is not hampered by unusual anatomy or wall motion (conditions which compromise the validity of the shortening fraction and SVI), mean dP/dt(ic) may be a good index of ventricular function in cases where measurements of the shortening fraction and SVI would be unreliable.
PubMed: 11174946
DOI: 10.1111/j.1540-8175.1997.tb00713.x -
Bulletin of the National Research Centre 2023The stay-at-home conditions due to the COVID-19 pandemic significantly alter the Malaysian lifestyle, and all Malaysians faced difficulties adopting the new lifestyle. A...
BACKGROUND
The stay-at-home conditions due to the COVID-19 pandemic significantly alter the Malaysian lifestyle, and all Malaysians faced difficulties adopting the new lifestyle. A hypothetico-deductive technique has been conducted in this study, to find out what kind of changes the COVID-19 has brought about in the behavior of Malaysians and how they are coping with the changing lifestyles. According to G* Power 3.1 sample size determination in Malaysia, the entire sample of 112 was sufficient to provide the value for the medium effect size for the computation of the F-tests and the findings were reliable (The Cronbach's alpha values were all above 0.70.). To calculate the mean of the lifestyle during COVID-19, the mean scores range between 1.00 and 5.00 marks indicating much reduced to much increased.
RESULTS
It seemed that the jobs traveling (mean 1.80) and outdoor sports time (mean = 1.94) were somewhat reduced. In contrast, indoor sports activities (mean = 3.01), online games (mean = 2.76), physical exercises (mean = 2.63), and the number of staycations (mean = 2.46) during the pandemic stayed the same. However, religious activities (mean = 3.73), body mass index (mean = 3.54), online shopping (mean = 3.90), sleeping time (mean = 3.43), amount of anxiety (mean = 3.38), amount of caffeine (mean = 3.15), medical consumption (mean = 3.10), watching movies (mean = 3.26), and watching drama series (mean = 3.37) during COVID-19 were somewhat increased. In addition, respondents' time spent on social media (mean = 4.27) and online meetings (mean = 4.37) during COVID-19 were much increased. We found no significant differences in the means of the dependent variables (lifestyle of COVID-19) among all demographic characteristics except age and employment status.
CONCLUSIONS
New behavioral changes bring new challenges. Malaysians should need to adopt some precautions to minimize the negative effect of new behavioral changes in post-COVID-19 life. The results will help policymakers to make the right decisions about improving the quality of life after COVID-19.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION
The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s42269-023-00979-1.
PubMed: 36624728
DOI: 10.1186/s42269-023-00979-1 -
European Heart Journal Oct 1985Measurement of the mean pressure gradient provides an important estimation of the severity of mitral stenosis. However, determination of the mean pressure gradient from...
Measurement of the mean pressure gradient provides an important estimation of the severity of mitral stenosis. However, determination of the mean pressure gradient from Doppler recordings has been unsatisfactory using previously described methods. In this study, a new method calculating the mean pressure gradient, the integral method is described. It was developed from mathematical analysis of Doppler velocity curves. Doppler echocardiography and cardiac catheterisation were performed in 23 patients with mitral stenosis to evaluate the accuracy of three current mathematical methods of determining the mean pressure gradient. The mean pressure gradients calculated by the three methods correlated highly with that measured by catheterisation (r = 0.93). However, the mean pressure gradients calculated by the previously described mean velocity square method and the arithmetical average method underestimated significantly that measured by cardiac catheterisation. In contrast, there was no significant difference between the mean pressure gradients calculated by the integral method and measured by cardiac catheterisation. These results confirm the usefulness of Doppler echocardiography for determining the mean pressure gradient in mitral stenosis and demonstrate that among current methods, the integral method provides the most accurate calculations of the mean pressure gradient.
Topics: Adult; Aged; Blood Pressure; Echocardiography; Female; Humans; Male; Middle Aged; Mitral Valve; Mitral Valve Stenosis
PubMed: 4076197
DOI: 10.1093/oxfordjournals.eurheartj.a061773 -
JMIR MHealth and UHealth Nov 2023Digital technologies, especially contact tracing apps, have been crucial in monitoring and tracing the transmission of COVID-19 worldwide. China developed health code... (Review)
Review
BACKGROUND
Digital technologies, especially contact tracing apps, have been crucial in monitoring and tracing the transmission of COVID-19 worldwide. China developed health code apps as an emergency response to the pandemic with plans to use them for broader public health services. However, potential problems within privacy policies may compromise personal information (PI) protection.
OBJECTIVE
We aimed to evaluate the compliance of the privacy policies of 30 health code apps in the mainland of China with the Personal Information Protection Law (PIPL) and related specifications.
METHODS
We reviewed and assessed the privacy policies of 30 health code apps between August 26 and September 6, 2023. We used a 3-level indicator scale based on the information life cycle as provided in the PIPL and related specifications. The scale comprised 7 level-1 indicators, 26 level-2 indicators, and 71 level-3 indicators.
RESULTS
The mean compliance score of the 30 health code apps was 59.9% (SD 22.6%). A total of 13 (43.3%) apps scored below this average, and 6 apps scored below 40%. Level-1 indicator scores included the following: general attributes (mean 85.6%, SD 23.3%); PI collection and use (mean 66.2%, SD 22.7%); PI storage and protection (mean 63.3%, SD 30.8%); PI sharing, transfer, disclosure, and transmission (mean 57.2%, SD 27.3%); PI deletion (mean 52.2%, SD 29.4%); individual rights (mean 59.3%, SD 25.7%); and PI processor duties (mean 43.7%, SD 23.8%). Sensitive PI protection compliance (mean 51.4%, SD 26.0%) lagged behind general PI protection (mean 83.3%, SD 24.3%), with only 1 app requiring separate consent for sensitive PI processing. Additionally, 46.7% (n=14) of the apps needed separate consent for subcontracting activities, while fewer disclosed PI recipient information (n=13, 43.3%), safety precautions (n=11, 36.7%), and rules of PI transfer during specific events (n=10, 33.3%). Most privacy policies specified the PI retention period (n=23, 76.7%) and postperiod deletion or anonymization (n=22, 73.3%), but only 6.7% (n=2) were committed to prompt third-party PI deletion. Most apps delineated various individual rights: the right to inquire (n=25, 83.3%), correct (n=24, 80%), and delete PI (n=24, 80%); cancel their account (n=21, 70%); withdraw consent (n=20, 60%); and request privacy policy explanations (n=24, 80%). Only a fraction addressed the rights to obtain copies (n=4, 13.3%) or refuse advertisement of automated decision-making (n=1, 3.3%). The mean compliance rate of PI processor duties was only 43.7% (SD 23.8%), with significant deficiencies in impact assessments (mean 5.0%, SD 19.8%), PI protection officer appointment (mean 6.7%, SD 24.9%), regular compliance audits (mean 6.7%, SD 24.9%), and complaint management (mean 37.8%, SD 39.2%).
CONCLUSIONS
Our analysis revealed both strengths and significant shortcomings in the compliance of privacy policies of health code apps with the PIPL and related specifications considering the information life cycle. As China contemplates the future extended use of health code apps, it should articulate the legitimacy of the apps' normalization and ensure that users provide informed consent. Meanwhile, China should raise the compliance level of relevant privacy policies and fortify its enforcement mechanisms.
Topics: Humans; Privacy; Mobile Applications; Guideline Adherence; COVID-19; Computer Security
PubMed: 37990813
DOI: 10.2196/48714 -
Sports Medicine (Auckland, N.Z.) Feb 2018Swimming is a popular and potentially health-enhancing exercise, but has received less scientific attention compared with other exercise modes. (Meta-Analysis)
Meta-Analysis Review
BACKGROUND
Swimming is a popular and potentially health-enhancing exercise, but has received less scientific attention compared with other exercise modes.
OBJECTIVE
The objective of the study was to determine the chronic (long-term) effect of pool swim training on physiological outcomes in non-elite or non-competitive swimming participants.
DESIGN
This study was a systematic review with a meta-analysis.
DATA SOURCES
We searched the electronic databases PubMed, EMBASE and CENTRAL from inception to March 2017.
ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA
The eligibility criteria included randomised controlled trials, quasi-randomised controlled trials and controlled trials of chronic (long-term) swimming interventions in non-elite or non-competitive swimming participants, with a physiological outcome measure.
RESULTS
Our search of 6712 records revealed 29 eligible studies. Swimming had a significant and clinically meaningful effect on maximal oxygen uptake compared with the control in an analysis including multiple populations (mean difference 6.32 mL/kg/min; 95% confidence interval 4.33-8.31), and subgroup analyses of healthy children/adolescents (mean difference 7.93 mL/kg/min; 95% confidence interval 3.31-12.55) and those with asthma (mean difference 9.67 mL/kg/min; 95% confidence interval 5.84-13.51) and healthy adults (mean difference 5.87 mL/kg/min; 95% confidence interval 2.93-8.81). Swimming also resulted in significant improvements in other cardiorespiratory fitness-related outcomes such as maximal minute ventilation (mean difference 0.61 L/min; 95% confidence interval 0.17-1.05), submaximal exercise performance (standardised mean difference 0.64; 95% confidence interval 0.14-1.13) and total exercise test time (mean difference 4.27 min; 95% confidence interval 2.11-6.42). Compared with the control, swimming had significant favourable effects on body mass (mean difference - 2.90 kg, 95% confidence interval - 5.02 to - 0.78), body fat percentage in multiple populations (mean difference - 1.92%; 95% confidence interval - 3.25 to - 0.60) and healthy children/adolescents (mean difference - 1.92%; 95% confidence interval - 4.64 to - 0.80) and lean mass (mean difference 1.96 kg; 95% confidence interval 0.21-3.71), but negative effects on waist circumference in a pooled analysis of two studies involving adults with hypertension (mean difference 4.03 cm; 95% confidence interval 2.58-5.49). Regarding lung function, significant effects of swimming vs. the control were found only for peak expiratory volume in analyses including children/adolescents combined with healthy adults (mean difference 58.74 L/min; 95% confidence interval 29.70-87.78) and children/adolescents with asthma alone (mean difference 63.49 L/min; 95% confidence interval 25.01-101.97). Based on limited data, swimming had similar effects to other exercise modes, except for higher post-intervention body mass index values with swimming vs. running in healthy adults (mean difference 1.18 kg/m; 95% confidence interval 0.54-1.81).
CONCLUSIONS
Swimming may offer robust beneficial effects on cardiorespiratory fitness and body composition across multiple populations and effects may be comparable to other exercise modes. Future randomised controlled trials are required to establish the effectiveness of swimming on physiological outcomes in healthy populations and those with non-communicable disease.
Topics: Adolescent; Adult; Body Composition; Body Mass Index; Cardiorespiratory Fitness; Child; Humans; Hypertension; Oxygen Consumption; Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic; Swimming
PubMed: 29086218
DOI: 10.1007/s40279-017-0805-0 -
Physical Review. E, Statistical,... Sep 2011Equilibrium properties of long-range interacting systems on lattices are investigated. There was a conjecture by Cannas et al. [Phys. Rev. B 61, 11521 (2000)] that the...
Equilibrium properties of long-range interacting systems on lattices are investigated. There was a conjecture by Cannas et al. [Phys. Rev. B 61, 11521 (2000)] that the mean-field theory is exact for spin systems with nonadditive long-range interactions. This is called "exactness of the mean-field theory." We show that the exactness of the mean-field theory holds for systems on a lattice with nonadditive two-body long-range interactions in the canonical ensemble with unfixed order parameters. We also show that in a canonical ensemble with fixed order parameters, exactness of the mean-field theory does not hold in one parameter region, which we call the "non-mean-field region." In the non-mean-field region, an inhomogeneous configuration appears, in contrast to the uniform configuration in the region where the mean-field theory holds. This inhomogeneous configuration is not the one given by the standard phase separation. Therefore, the mean-field picture is not adequate to describe these states. We discuss phase transitions between the mean-field region and the non-mean-field region. Exactness of the mean-field theory in spin glasses is also discussed.
PubMed: 22060349
DOI: 10.1103/PhysRevE.84.031128