Religiousness and preoperative anxiety: a correlational study

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Major life changes are among factors that cause anxiety, and one of these changes is surgery. Emotional reactions to surgery have specific effects on the intensity and velocity as well as the process of physical disease. In addition, they can cause delay in patients recovery. This study is aimed at determining the relationship between religious beliefs and preoperative anxiety.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>This survey is a correlational study to assess the relationship between religious beliefs and preoperative anxiety of patients undergoing abdominal, orthopaedic, and gynaecologic surgery in educational hospitals. We used the convenience sampling method. The data collection instruments included a questionnaire containing the Spielberger State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI), and another questionnaire formulated by the researcher with queries on religious beliefs and demographic characteristics as well as disease-related information. Analysis of the data was carried out with SPSS software using descriptive and inferential statistics. Results were arranged in three tables.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>The findings showed that almost all the subjects had high level of religiosity and moderate level of anxiety. In addition, there was an inverse relationship between religiosity and intensity of anxiety, though this was not statistically significant.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>The results of this study can be used as evidence for presenting religious counselling and spiritual interventions for individuals undergoing stress. Finally, based on the results of this study, the researcher suggested some recommendations for applying results and conducting further research.</p

Patient-Reported Outcomes and Socioeconomic Status as Predictors of Clinical Outcomes after Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation: A Study from the Blood and Marrow Transplant Clinical Trials Network 0902 Trial

This secondary analysis of a large, multi-center Blood and Marrow Transplant Clinical Trials Network (BMT CTN) randomized trial assessed whether patient-reported outcomes (PROs) and socioeconomic status (SES) before hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HCT) are associated with each other and predictive of clinical outcomes including time to hematopoietic recovery, acute graft-versus-host disease, hospitalization days, and overall survival (OS) among 646 allogeneic and autologous HCT recipients. Pre-transplant Cancer and Treatment Distress (CTXD), Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI), and mental and physical component scores (MCS and PCS) of the SF-36 were correlated with each other and with SES variables. PROs and SES variables were further evaluated as predictors of clinical outcomes, with the PSQI and CTXD evaluated as OS predictors (p<.01 considered significant given multiple testing). Lower attained education was associated with increased distress (p=.002); lower income was related to worse physical functioning (p=.005) and increased distress (p=.008); lack of employment pre-transplant was associated with worse physical functioning (p<.01); unmarried status was associated with worse sleep (p=.003). In this large heterogeneous cohort of HCT recipients, while PROs and SES variables were correlated at baseline, they were not associated with any clinical outcomes. Future research should focus on HCT recipients at greater psychosocial disadvantage

Distracted Driving Detection System

In 2020, distracted driving claimed 3,142 lives in the United States[1]. Using current technology, our project aims to prototype a device that uses computer vision to crack down on this dangerous behavior while working with insurance agencies that provide incentives for customers to adopt the device. At the heart of this project is a deep learning algorithm trained to classify images on a set of 10 classes: safe driving, texting - right, talking on the phone - right, texting - left, talking on the phone - left, operating the radio, drinking, reaching behind, hair and makeup, and talking to passenger. This algorithm is deployed onto a microcontroller, which is mounted above the passenger side window with a connected camera and power supply, taking images like the one shown above. In short, the algorithm classifies periodically taken images and determines the motorist’s safe-driving performance. The driver\u27s performance is then sent to the insurance company through a mobile application. From there, the insurance company will adjust the user’s insurance rate based on their safe driving performance. Thus, an incentive for drivers is made to adopt the product and practice safe driving more thoroughly

Impact of platinum group element emissions from mining and production activities

South Africa and Russia are the world’s leading platinum group elements (PGE) producers with over 80 % of the global PGE output. Studies performed in the Bushveld Igneous Complex in South Africa and on the Kola Peninsula in Russia show that PGE mining and production activities are important regional PGE sources. Elevated PGE concentrations have been found in snow, soil, road dust, grass, moss and humus collected near PGE mining and production sites. The occurrence of elevated PGE concentrations near mining sites raises concern over environmental effects and exposure of the local population. Studies on the occurrence of PGE in remote environments also suggest that emissions from PGE production activities contribute to the global biogeochemical cycle of the PGE. The loss of PGE during metal production could be as much as 5 % of the global supply and represents a substantial economic loss. Studies on the impact of PGE mining and production activities are few. Further research is needed to better assess the environmental impact of PGE emissions from mining and production activities

9th International Symposium on High-Temperature Metallurgical Processing organized in conjunction with the Annual Meeting and Exhibition, TMS 2018

The proceedings contain 83 papers. The special focus in this conference is on High-Temperature Metallurgical Processing. The topics include: CFD modeling of flow and chemical reactions in a submerged lance copper smelting furnace; numerical simulation of ultrasound-induced cavitation bubbling in a calcium ferrite melt; synthesis of nanocrystalline carbide ceramics via reduction of anion-loaded activated carbon precursors; production of lithium-ion cathode material for automotive batteries using melting casting process; degradation mechanisms of refractories in a bottom blown copper smelting furnace; reaction routes of CaO–FeO–TiO and calcium ferrite–TiO system in continuous heating process; thermodynamic calculations on electric furnace smelting separation of chromium-bearing vanadium titanium magnetite; preparation for high activity degree lime and effect on desulfurization of hot metal pretreatment; pyrometallurgical processing of secondary lead material: An industry overlook; techno-economic analysis of energy recovery from plastic waste; recovery of aluminium and its compounds with hydro and pyrometalurgical methods from non-metallic residue; purification of molten zinc chloride-alkali chloride by cementation reaction; thermodynamic analysis of smelting of spent catalysts for recovery of platinum group metals; preparation of titanium foams through direct electrolysis of the sintered CaO-TiO in molten salt CaCl ; experimental study on oxidative desulfurization and selective reduction of molten copper slag; recycling SiO and AlO from the laterite nickel slag in molten sodium hydroxides; removal of sulfur from copper dross generated by refining lead; recovery of Fe–Cu alloys from copper slag; physicochemical properties of high alumina blast furnace slag; effect of cooling rate on the acidolysis of titania slag