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Biotechnology and Bioengineering Jun 2024The extensive use of chemical pesticides has significantly boosted agricultural food crop yields. Nevertheless, their excessive and unregulated application has resulted... (Review)
Review
The extensive use of chemical pesticides has significantly boosted agricultural food crop yields. Nevertheless, their excessive and unregulated application has resulted in food contamination and pollution in environmental, aquatic, and agricultural ecosystems. Consequently, the on-site monitoring of pesticide residues in agricultural practices is paramount to safeguard global food and conservational safety. Traditional pesticide detection methods are cumbersome and ill-suited for on-site pesticide finding. The systematic review provides an in-depth analysis of the current status and perspectives of nanobiosensors (NBS) for pesticide detection in the agricultural arena. Furthermore, the study encompasses the fundamental principles of NBS, the various transduction mechanisms employed, and their incorporation into on-site detection platforms. Conversely, the assortment of transduction mechanisms, including optical, electrochemical, and piezoelectric tactics, is deliberated in detail, emphasizing its advantages and limitations in pesticide perception. Incorporating NBS into on-site detection platforms confirms a vital feature of their pertinence. The evaluation reflects the integration of NBS into lab-on-a-chip systems, handheld devices, and wireless sensor networks, permitting real-time monitoring and data-driven decision-making in agronomic settings. The potential for robotics and automation in pesticide detection is also scrutinized, highlighting their role in improving competence and accuracy. Finally, this systematic review provides a complete understanding of the current landscape of NBS for on-site pesticide sensing. Consequently, we anticipate that this review offers valuable insights that could form the foundation for creating innovative NBS applicable in various fields such as materials science, nanoscience, food technology and environmental science.
PubMed: 38853643
DOI: 10.1002/bit.28764 -
Age and Ageing Jun 2024Problematic polypharmacy is the prescribing of five or more medications potentially inappropriately. Unintentional prescribing cascades represent an under-researched...
INTRODUCTION
Problematic polypharmacy is the prescribing of five or more medications potentially inappropriately. Unintentional prescribing cascades represent an under-researched aspect of problematic polypharmacy and occur when an adverse drug reaction (ADR) is misinterpreted as a new symptom resulting in the initiation of a new medication. The aim of this study was to elicit key stakeholders' perceptions of and attitudes towards problematic polypharmacy, with a focus on prescribing cascades.
METHODS
qualitative one-to-one semi-structured interviews were conducted with predefined key stakeholder groups. Inductive thematic analysis was employed.
RESULTS
Thirty-one stakeholders were interviewed: six patients, two carers, seven general practitioners, eight pharmacists, four hospital doctors, two professional organisation representatives and two policymakers. Three main themes were identified: (i) ADRs and prescribing cascades-a necessary evil. Healthcare professionals (HCPs) expressed concern that experiencing an ADR would negatively impact patients' confidence in their doctor. However, patients viewed ADRs pragmatically as an unpredictable risk. (ii) Balancing the risk/benefit tipping point. The complexity of prescribing decisions in the context of polypharmacy made balancing this tipping point challenging. Consequently, HCPs avoided medication changes. (iii) The minefield of medication reconciliation. Stakeholders, including patients and carers, viewed medication reconciliation as a perilous activity due to systemic communication deficits.
CONCLUSION
Stakeholders believed that at a certain depth of polypharmacy, the risk that a new symptom is being caused by an existing medication becomes incalculable. Therefore, in the absence of harm, medication changes were avoided. However, medication reconciliation post hospital discharge compelled prescribing decisions and was seen as a high-risk activity by stakeholders.
Topics: Humans; Polypharmacy; Qualitative Research; Male; Attitude of Health Personnel; Female; Aged; Inappropriate Prescribing; Middle Aged; Stakeholder Participation; Drug-Related Side Effects and Adverse Reactions; Practice Patterns, Physicians'; Interviews as Topic; Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; Medication Reconciliation; Aged, 80 and over; Caregivers; Risk Assessment; Perception; Pharmacists
PubMed: 38851215
DOI: 10.1093/ageing/afae116 -
PloS One 2024Stereopsis is a critical visual function, however clinical stereotests are time-consuming, coarse in resolution, suffer memorization artifacts, poor repeatability, and... (Comparative Study)
Comparative Study
PURPOSE
Stereopsis is a critical visual function, however clinical stereotests are time-consuming, coarse in resolution, suffer memorization artifacts, poor repeatability, and low agreement with other tests. Foraging Interactive D-prime (FInD) Stereo and Angular Indication Measurement (AIM) Stereo were designed to address these problems. Here, their performance was compared with 2-Alternative-Forced-Choice (2-AFC) paradigms (FInD Stereo only) and clinical tests (Titmus and Randot) in 40 normally-sighted and 5 binocularly impaired participants (FInD Stereo only).
METHODS
During FInD tasks, participants indicated which cells in three 4*4 charts of bandpass-filtered targets (1,2,4,8c/° conditions) contained depth, compared with 2-AFC and clinical tests. During the AIM task, participants reported the orientation of depth-defined bars in three 4*4 charts. Stereoscopic disparity was adaptively changed after each chart. Inter-test agreement, repeatability and duration were compared.
RESULTS
Test duration was significantly longer for 2-AFC (mean = 317s;79s per condition) than FInD (216s,18s per chart), AIM (179s, 60s per chart), Titmus (66s) or RanDot (97s). Estimates of stereoacuity differed across tests and were higher by a factor of 1.1 for AIM and 1.3 for FInD. No effect of stimulus spatial frequency was found. Agreement among tests was generally low (R2 = 0.001 to 0.24) and was highest between FInD and 2-AFC (R2 = 0.24;p<0.01). Stereoacuity deficits were detected by all tests in binocularly impaired participants.
CONCLUSIONS
Agreement among all tests was low. FInD and AIM inter-test agreement was comparable with other methods. FInD Stereo detected stereo deficits and may only require one condition to identify these deficits. AIM and FInD are response-adaptive, self-administrable methods that can estimate stereoacuity reliably within one minute.
Topics: Humans; Depth Perception; Adult; Male; Female; Young Adult; Vision, Binocular; Middle Aged; Vision Tests; Aged
PubMed: 38848392
DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0305036 -
Journal of Refractive Surgery... May 2024To assess the visual and refractive outcomes of patients implanted with a toric extended depth-of-focus (EDOF) intraocular lens (IOL) following cataract surgery.
PURPOSE
To assess the visual and refractive outcomes of patients implanted with a toric extended depth-of-focus (EDOF) intraocular lens (IOL) following cataract surgery.
METHODS
A total of 44 eyes implanted with the EDOF LuxSmart toric IOL were evaluated 4 to 6 months postoperatively. The main outcomes measurements evaluated were refractive error, rotational stability, distance, intermediate, and near visual acuities, defocus curve, photopic and mesopic contrast sensitivity, wavefront aberrations, and modulation transfer function, and the Catquest-9SF-questionnaire.
RESULTS
The mean postoperative spherical equivalent and cylinder were -0.02 ± 0.26 and -0.17 ± 0.29 diopters (D), respectively. A total of 90.45% and 100% of the eyes had a postoperative spherical equivalent within ±0.50 and ±1.00 D, respectively (this being 93.18% and 100% for the refractive cylinder). The mean rotational stability was 0.61 ± 1.61 degrees. The mean binocular corrected distance visual acuity (CDVA), corrected distance intermediate visual acuity (CDIVA), and corrected distance near visual acuity (CDNVA) were -0.02 ± 0.06, 0.07 ± 0.08, and 0.26 ± 0.09 logMAR, respectively. The CDVA was 20/25 or better in 95.45% of patients, CDIVA was 20/25 or better in 72.73%, and CDNVA was 20/40 or better in 72.73%. The defocus curve showed good visual acuity at distance and intermediate vergences. The contrast sensitivity and optical quality outcomes were good with mean higher order, spherical, and coma aberration values of 0.161 ± 0.155, -0.019 ± 0.048, and 0.080 ± 0.065 µm, respectively. A total of 90.9% of patients were either fairly satisfied or very satisfied with their vision after the surgery, and 77.7% of patients reported no difficulties when reading text in newspapers.
CONCLUSIONS
Implantation of the toric pure refractive EDOF technology IOL provides good refractive, optical, and visual quality at different distances, with high levels of patient satisfaction being reported. .
Topics: Humans; Visual Acuity; Lenses, Intraocular; Female; Male; Middle Aged; Aged; Contrast Sensitivity; Phacoemulsification; Lens Implantation, Intraocular; Pseudophakia; Refraction, Ocular; Corneal Wavefront Aberration; Depth Perception; Vision, Binocular; Prosthesis Design; Surveys and Questionnaires; Prospective Studies; Patient Satisfaction; Aged, 80 and over; Treatment Outcome
PubMed: 38848057
DOI: 10.3928/1081597X-20240501-02 -
Journal of Refractive Surgery... May 2024To discuss factors influencing corneal aberrations that might influence the optical quality after intraocular lens (IOL) implantation. (Review)
Review
PURPOSE
To discuss factors influencing corneal aberrations that might influence the optical quality after intraocular lens (IOL) implantation.
METHODS
PubMed and Scopus were the main resources used to search the medical literature. An extensive search was performed to identify relevant articles concerning factors influencing the level of corneal aberrations as of August 27, 2023. The following keywords were used in various combinations: corneal, aberrations, defocus, astigmatism, spherical aberration, coma, trefoil, quadrafoil, intraocular lens, and IOL.
RESULTS
Conclusive evidence is lacking regarding the correlation between age and changes in corneal aberrations. Patients with astigmatism have greater corneal higher-order aberrations than those with minimal astigmatism, particularly concerning trefoil and coma. Increased levels of corneal higher-order aberrations are noted following contact lens wear, in patients with dry eye disease, and with pterygium. Increased higher-order aberrations have been reported following corneal refractive surgery and for 3 months following trabeculectomy; regarding intraocular lens surgery, the results remain controversial.
CONCLUSIONS
Several factors influence the level of corneal higher-order aberrations. Multifocal and extended depth-of-focus IOLs can share similarities in their optical properties, and the main difference arises in their design and performance with respect to spherical aberration. Preoperative evaluation is critical for proper IOL choice, particularly in corneas with risk of high levels of aberrations. .
Topics: Humans; Corneal Wavefront Aberration; Risk Factors; Lens Implantation, Intraocular; Visual Acuity; Refraction, Ocular; Multifocal Intraocular Lenses; Depth Perception; Corneal Topography; Cornea
PubMed: 38848055
DOI: 10.3928/1081597X-20240416-01 -
Frontiers in Public Health 2024Healthcare workers play a central role in communicating information to the public regarding vaccines. Most of the literature has focused on healthcare workers' hesitancy...
Vaccine communication strategies among healthcare workers as a reflection of the Israeli Ministry of Health's communication strategies before and after the COVID-19 pandemic.
BACKGROUND
Healthcare workers play a central role in communicating information to the public regarding vaccines. Most of the literature has focused on healthcare workers' hesitancy and doubts about getting the flu vaccine themselves. However, few studies have dealt with how they perceive their role in communicating information regarding vaccines, especially following the COVID-19 pandemic.
OBJECTIVES
(1) To identify the communication strategies used by the Israeli Ministry of Health regarding vaccines during epidemic crises (before and after the COVID-19 pandemic); (2) To identify the communication strategies used by healthcare workers regarding vaccines before and after the COVID-19 pandemic.
METHODS
A qualitative study based on in-depth interviews was conducted among healthcare workers and used a semi-structured protocol as a research tool. A total of 18 healthcare workers were sampled using purposeful and snowball sampling.
RESULTS
Despite healthcare workers' perception that there has been a decrease in trust in the Israeli Ministry of Health among the public following the COVID-19 outbreak, they still rely on the Israeli Ministry of Health as their primary source of information and use the same communication strategies (such as fear appeals and correcting information) as of the Israeli Ministry of Health to communicate with the public, healthcare providers, and other relevant stakeholders.
CONCLUSION
Healthcare workers have been shaped by the professional socialization processes within the health system, leading to a predominant reliance on established communication strategies and informational channels. This reliance underscores the importance of evolving these methods to better engage with the public. To address this, there is a compelling need to innovate and adopt new communication techniques that emphasize effective dialogue and transparent interactions. By doing so, healthcare professionals can ensure that their outreach is not only informative but also responsive to the diverse needs and preferences of the community.
Topics: Humans; Israel; COVID-19; Health Personnel; Qualitative Research; Female; Male; Adult; COVID-19 Vaccines; Middle Aged; Communication; Trust; SARS-CoV-2; Pandemics; Health Communication; Interviews as Topic
PubMed: 38846621
DOI: 10.3389/fpubh.2024.1377393 -
Indian Journal of Palliative Care 2024For patients with diabetes and cancer at the end-of-life and their families, the safety sought in end-of-life care leads them to opt for home care. In developing...
OBJECTIVES
For patients with diabetes and cancer at the end-of-life and their families, the safety sought in end-of-life care leads them to opt for home care. In developing countries where palliative care is not yet effectively integrated into public health policies, factors such as long distances to hospital referrals, lack of adequate infrastructure and shortage of specialised health professionals create a sense of insecurity for people seeking end-of-life care. The present study explored the factors that reinforce the feeling of security and insecurity of family members who have opted to accompany their relatives with diabetes and/or advanced cancer at the end-of-life at home in Togo.
MATERIALS AND METHODS
This was an ethnographic approach based on observations and in-depth semi-structured interviews with people with the following characteristics: family members (bereaved or not) with experience of caring for a patient with diabetes and cancer at home at the end-of-life. The data were analysed using content and thematic analysis. This was done to identify categories and subcategories using the qualitative analysis software Nvivo12.
RESULTS
The results show that of the ten relatives interviewed, eight had lived with the patient. Factors contributing to the feeling of security in the accompaniment of end-of-life care at home by the family members were, among others: 'Informal support from health-care professionals,' 'social support' from relatives and finally, attitudes and predispositions of the family members (presence and availability to the patient, predisposition to respect the patient's wishes at the place of end-of-life care and predisposition to talk about death with the dying person).
CONCLUSION
The 'informal support of health-care professionals', the 'perception of the home as a safe space for end-of-life care' and the 'social support' of family members contributed most to the feeling of safety among family members accompanying their diabetic and cancer patient family members at the end-of-life at home in Togo. Therefore, palliative and end-of-life care must be rethought in public health policies in Togo to orientate this care toward the home while providing families/caregivers with the knowledge and tools necessary to strengthen care.
PubMed: 38846130
DOI: 10.25259/IJPC_66_2023 -
Acta Paediatrica (Oslo, Norway : 1992) Jun 2024To evaluate health- and vision-related quality of life (HR- and VR-QoL) and perceptual visual dysfunction (PVD) in adolescents with hydrocephalus surgically treated in...
AIM
To evaluate health- and vision-related quality of life (HR- and VR-QoL) and perceptual visual dysfunction (PVD) in adolescents with hydrocephalus surgically treated in infancy.
METHODS
In total, 23 adolescents (15 males and 8 females; median age 14.9 years) with hydrocephalus and 31 controls were evaluated using validated instruments to measure HR-QoL and VR-QoL. PVDs were reported by history taking in five areas: recognition, orientation, depth, movement and simultaneous perception.
RESULTS
Adolescents with hydrocephalus and the parent proxy reports showed lower mean total Paediatric Quality of Life Inventory 4.0 scores (75.8 and 63.7, respectively) compared with controls (87.6 and 91.5), p = 0.016 and p < 0.0001. Parent-reported scores were lower than self-reported scores (p = 0.001). Adolescents with myelomeningocele (n = 10) showed lower physical health scores (p = 0.001). No VR-QoL difference was found between groups. PVDs were reported in ≥1 area by 14/23 hydrocephalus participants and 2/31 controls (p < 0.0001). Associations were found in the hydrocephalus group between VR-QoL and HR-QoL (r = 0.47, p = 0.026) and number of PVD areas (r = -0.6, p = 0.003).
CONCLUSION
Adolescents with hydrocephalus and their parents reported lower HR-QoL and more PVDs. These problems indicate the need for not only ophthalmological follow-ups but also evaluation of QoL and PVDs in individuals with infantile hydrocephalus.
PubMed: 38845568
DOI: 10.1111/apa.17315 -
ENeuro Jun 2024In measurement, a reference frame is needed to compare the measured object to something already known. This raises the neuroscientific question of which reference frame...
In measurement, a reference frame is needed to compare the measured object to something already known. This raises the neuroscientific question of which reference frame is used by humans when exploring the environment. Previous studies suggested that, in touch, the body employed as measuring tool also serves as reference frame. Indeed, an artificial modification of the perceived dimensions of the body changes the tactile perception of external object dimensions. However, it is unknown if such a change in tactile perception would occur when the body schema is modified through the illusion of owning a limb altered in size. Therefore, employing a virtual hand illusion paradigm with an elongated forearm of different lengths, we systematically tested the subjective perception of distance between two points [tactile distance perception (TDP) task] on the corresponding real forearm following the illusion. Thus, the TDP task is used as a proxy to gauge changes in the body schema. Embodiment of the virtual arm was found significantly greater after the synchronous visuotactile stimulation condition compared with the asynchronous one, and the forearm elongation significantly increased the TDP. However, we did not find any link between the visuotactile-induced ownership over the elongated arm and TDP variation, suggesting that vision plays the main role in the modification of the body schema. Additionally, significant effect of elongation found on TDP but not on proprioception suggests that these are affected differently by body schema modifications. These findings confirm the body schema malleability and its role as a reference frame in touch.
Topics: Humans; Female; Male; Virtual Reality; Touch Perception; Young Adult; Adult; Illusions; Distance Perception; Proprioception; Body Image; Forearm
PubMed: 38844346
DOI: 10.1523/ENEURO.0244-23.2024 -
Journal of Vision Jun 2024Infant primates see poorly, and most perceptual functions mature steadily beyond early infancy. Behavioral studies on human and macaque infants show that global form...
Infant primates see poorly, and most perceptual functions mature steadily beyond early infancy. Behavioral studies on human and macaque infants show that global form perception, as measured by the ability to integrate contour information into a coherent percept, improves dramatically throughout the first several years after birth. However, it is unknown when sensitivity to curvature and shape emerges in early life or how it develops. We studied the development of shape sensitivity in 18 macaques, aged 2 months to 10 years. Using radial frequency stimuli, circular targets whose radii are modulated sinusoidally, we tested monkeys' ability to radial frequency stimuli from circles as a function of the depth and frequency of sinusoidal modulation. We implemented a new four-choice oddity task and compared the resulting data with that from a traditional two-alternative forced choice task. We found that radial frequency pattern perception was measurable at the youngest age tested (2 months). Behavioral performance at all radial frequencies improved with age. Performance was better for higher radial frequencies, suggesting the developing visual system prioritizes processing of fine visual details that are ecologically relevant. By using two complementary methods, we were able to capture a comprehensive developmental trajectory for shape perception.
Topics: Animals; Form Perception; Photic Stimulation; Pattern Recognition, Visual; Macaca mulatta; Male; Female
PubMed: 38843389
DOI: 10.1167/jov.24.6.6