scholarly journals Trends in scientific editing and good research practices: what do researchers-nurses know?

Author(s):  
Álvaro Francisco Lopes de Sousa ◽  
Maria Helena Palucci Marziale ◽  
Evelin Capellari Cárnio ◽  
Carla Aparecida Arena Ventura ◽  
Sara Soares Santos ◽  
...  

Abstract Objective: To verify researchers-nurses’ knowledge about trends in scientific publishing and good research practices. Method: A descriptive study carried out through an online survey with 197 nurses holding master’s and/or doctoral degrees from all Brazilian regions. To raise knowledge, a validated, self-administered and anonymous questionnaire with 18 questions on the subject was used. Descriptive and inferential analyzes were performed on researchers’ scores (Mann-Whitney test). Results: Among the specific questions, the mean of correct answers was 7.1: 6.4 for master’s and 7.4 for doctoral degree holders. There was a significant difference in the mean of correct answers between masters and doctors (p = 0.025), and between productivity scholarship holders and non-scholarship holders (p = 0.021), according to mean difference tests. Questions about predatory editorial practices were those in which researchers had the worst knowledge. Conclusion: We identified that, regardless of the education level (master’s or doctoral degree), nurses have little knowledge about the topics studied, which can compromise the quality of production and the scientific vehicles used to disseminate this knowledge.

Author(s):  
H Eyigor ◽  
E A Cetinkaya ◽  
D T Coban ◽  
G Ozturk ◽  
Ö Erdem

Abstract Objective External dacryocystorhinostomy is thought to cause mucociliary dysfunction by damaging the mucosa, in turn affecting ciliary activity and mucus quality. This study investigated the effect of external dacryocystorhinostomy on sinonasal function. Methods Patients scheduled for unilateral external dacryocystorhinostomy who underwent endoscopic nasal examination and paranasal sinus computed tomography were included in this study. A saccharine test was performed on the planned surgical side and the mucociliary clearance time was determined. The sinonasal quality of life was measured in all patients, pre-operatively and at six months post-operatively, using the Sino-Nasal Outcome Test-22. The Lund–Kennedy endoscopic score was also determined in all patients, both pre- and post-operatively. Results The study comprised 28 patients (22 females and 6 males). A statistically significant difference was found between the pre- and post-operative saccharine test results (p = 0.006), but not between the pre- and post-operative Sino-Nasal Outcome Test-22 scores (p > 0.05). Conclusion This study is one of only a few to investigate the effect of external dacryocystorhinostomy on sinonasal function. The results showed that external dacryocystorhinostomy impairs mucociliary clearance. The surgical procedure is well tolerated and does not significantly change nasal symptom scores.


Author(s):  
Tasneem Arsiwala ◽  
Nuzhat Afroz ◽  
Kattayoun Kordy ◽  
Christel Naujoks ◽  
Francesco Patalano

Abstract Objective To provide an assessment of the quality of the most frequently used self-reported, generic patient-reported outcome measures (PROMs) that measure health-related quality of life (HRQoL) in children against the good research practices recommended by ISPOR task force for the pediatric population. Method Literature search was conducted on OvidSP database to identify the generic pediatric PROMs used in published clinical studies. The quality of PROMs used in more than ten clinical studies were descriptively evaluated against the ISPOR task force’s good research practices. Results Six PROMs were evaluated, namely Pediatric Quality-of-Life inventory 4.0 (PedsQL), Child Health Questionnaire (CHQ), KIDSCREEN, KINDL, DISABKIDS and Child Health and Illness Profile (CHIP). All PROMs, except KIDSCREEN, had versions for different age ranges. Domains of physical, social, emotional health and school activities were common across all the instruments, while domains of family activities, parent relations, independence, and self-esteem were not present in all. Children’s input was sought during the development process of PROMs. Likert scales were used in all the instruments, supplemented with faces (smileys) in instruments for children under 8 years. KIDSCREEN and DISABKIDS were developed in a European collaboration project considering the cross-cultural impact during development. Conclusion The comparison of the instruments highlights differences in the versions for different pediatric age groups. None of the PROMs fulfill all the good research practices recommended by the ISPOR task force. Further research is needed to define which age-appropriate domains are important for older children and adolescents.


2020 ◽  
Vol 8 (2) ◽  
pp. e001268
Author(s):  
Angela Koipuram ◽  
Sandra Carroll ◽  
Zubin Punthakee ◽  
Diana Sherifali

IntroductionPersons of South Asian descent have a higher prevalence of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). The management of T2DM in the South Asian community has required the support of adult children, potentially impacting the quality of life, diabetes-related knowledge, and risk perception among these caregivers.Research design and methodsTo investigate diabetes-related knowledge, quality of life, risk perception, and actual risk of developing diabetes among South Asian young adults whose parents are living with T2DM. A cross-sectional study was conducted (n=150). An online survey was administered. Data were analyzed with descriptive and inferential statistics.ResultsThere was a statistically significant difference in diabetes-related knowledge between males and females (p<0.001). Males (in comparison to females) had a lower risk perception of developing diabetes (p=0.06). Further, risk perception and diabetes-related knowledge were positively associated with caregiver’s physical health (p=0.002).ConclusionFindings highlight the importance of providing gender-specific and culturally tailored diabetes educational interventions.


2021 ◽  
pp. 263183182110274
Author(s):  
Deblina Roy ◽  
Sujita Kumar Kar ◽  
SM Yasir Arafat ◽  
Pawan Sharma ◽  
Russell Kabir

Background: The COVID-19 pandemic and lockdown measures have affected the sexuality and emotional bonding among the couple across the world. Objectives: We aimed to assess the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic and lockdown on the married people’s emotional bonding and sexual relationships in 3 south Asian counties (Bangladesh, India, and Nepal). Methods: A cross-sectional online survey was conducted among Bangladesh, India, and Nepal residents from April 3 to April 15, 2020. The survey was designed in English. The participants were selected through convenience sampling technique, the link of the online questionnaire was shared with the participants. Only participants older than 18 years and above, married, and living with their spouses were included in the study. Results: A total number of 120 respondents were included finally for analysis from the participating countries (India, Nepal, and Bangladesh). The mean age of the participants was 35.42 (±5.73) years; the majority were males under the age of 40 years and had completed postgraduation as their qualification. Among the study participants, more than half (53.8%) of the women reported being sexually active during the lockdown, whereas 41% of the men reported being sexually active. Among the sexually active participants, most women (57.7%) reported that they perceived positive emotional bonding with their partners. Nevertheless, there was no significant difference observed when compared with men. There are variations in responses. However, no significant association was identified. Conclusion: There are a few insights from the study, that is, there was no significant difference found in almost 3 countries in emotional intimacy. There had been a trend that there is improved emotional bonding with their partners, although no significant difference was observed.


2021 ◽  
Vol 21 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Tilahun Fufa Debela ◽  
Zerihun Asefa Hordofa ◽  
Aster Berhe Aregawi ◽  
Demisew Amenu Sori

Abstract Background The consequences of obstetric fistula on affected women are more than the medical condition. It has extensive physical, psychological, social, and economic consequences on them. Obstetric fistula affects the entire health and entire life of women. Women suffering from obstetric fistula are often abandoned by her partner, relatives, and the community. This study aimed to determine the quality of life of obstetrics fistula patients before and after surgical repair. Methods Institutional-based prospective, before and after study design was conducted in the Jimma University Medical Center from November 1, 2019–October 30, 2020. A face-to-face interview was conducted with fistula patients who visited Jimma University Medical center, fistula clinic during the study period. All fistula patients were included in the study. Accordingly, 78 women who underwent surgical repair were interviewed. The means and the standard deviation were computed using conventional statistics formulas. The unpaired t-test was used to compare two independent means, and one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) was used to compare the quality of life before repair and after a successful repair. Linear regression analysis was done for identifying determinants of quality of life. A P value of 0.05 will be considered statistical significance. Result The overall quality of life of women was 58.17 ± 7.2 before the surgical repair and 71.20 ± 10.79 after surgical repair. The result indicates there is a significant difference in the mean value of pre and post-operative (P < 0.001). The overall satisfaction of women with their health status before the surgical repair was 22.5 ± 1.30and it has increased to 53.0 ± .90after surgical repair. The physical health dimension score was 16.51 ± 5.27 before the surgical repair while it has increased to 21.77 ± 5.38 after the surgical repair. The score of the social domain before the surgical repair was 5.19 ± 1.34 and it has increased to 7.13 ± 3.67 after the surgical repair. The score of the environmental health domain was 17.41 ± 2.89 before the surgery while it also increased to 21.65 ± 4.04 after the surgical repair. The results have shown there was a significant difference in the mean values of pre and post-operatives in both social and environmental scores (P < 0.001). The score of the psychological health domain before the surgery was 19.06 ± 1.46 and it was increased to 19.84 ± 3.21 after the surgical repair. The result showed there is a significant difference in mean value pre and post-operative (P = 0.048), though it is a slight improvement compared to other domains. Conclusion The overall quality of life of the patient with fistula was improved after successful surgical repair. Although all domains of quality of life had shown significant improvement after successful surgical repair, the psychological domain showed slight improvement.


2021 ◽  
Vol 36 (Supplement_1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Julia Colombijn ◽  
Anna Bonenkamp ◽  
Anita Van Eck van der Sluijs ◽  
Alferso C Abrahams ◽  
Joost Bijlsma ◽  
...  

Abstract Background and Aims Dialysis patients are often prescribed a large number of medications to improve metabolic control and manage co-existing comorbidities. However, several studies suggest that a large number of medications can also detrimentally affect their health-related quality of life (HRQoL). Therefore, this study aims to provide insight in the association between the number of medications and various aspects of HRQoL in dialysis patients. Method A multicentre study was conducted among dialysis patients from Dutch dialysis centres three months after initiation of dialysis as part of the ongoing prospective DOMESTICO study. The number of medications, defined as the number of concomitantly prescribed types of drugs, was obtained from electronic patient records. Primary outcome was HRQoL measured with the Physical Component Summary (PCS) score and Mental Component Summary (MCS) score (range 0-100) of the Short Form 12. Secondary outcomes were number of symptoms (range 0-30) measured with the Dialysis Symptoms Index and self-rated health (range 0-100) measured with the visual analogue scale of the EuroQol-5D-5L. Data were analysed using linear regression and adjusted for possible confounders, including age, sex, dialysis modality, and comorbidity. Analyses for MCS and number of symptoms were performed after categorising patients in tertiles according to their number of medications because assumptions of linearity were violated for these outcomes. Results A total of 162 patients were included. Mean age of patients was 58 ± 17 years, 35% were female, and 80% underwent haemodialysis. The mean number of medications was 12.2 ± 4.5. Mean PCS and MCS were 36.6 ± 10.2 and 46.8 ± 10.0, respectively. The mean number of symptoms was 12.3 ± 6.9 and mean self-rated health 60.1 ± 20.6. In adjusted analyses, PCS was 0.6 point lower for each additional medication (95%CI -0.9 – -0.2; p=0.002). MCS was 4.9 point lower (95%CI -8.8 – -1.0; p=0.01) and 1.0 point lower (95%CI -5.1 – 3.1; p=0.63) for the highest and middle tertiles of medications, respectively, compared to the lowest tertile. Patients in the highest tertile of medications reported 4.1 more symptoms compared to the lowest tertile (95%CI 1.5 – 6.6; p=0.002) but no significant difference in the number of symptoms was observed between the middle and lowest tertile. Self-rated health was 1.5 point lower for each medication (95%CI -2.2 – -0.7; p&lt;0.001). Conclusion After adjustment for comorbidity and other confounders, a higher number of medications was associated with a lower PCS, MCS, and self-rated health in dialysis patients and with more symptoms. This suggests that it may be relevant to weigh expected therapeutic benefits of medication against their possible harmful effects on HRQoL. An unfavourable balance between expected benefits and impact on HRQoL might be ground to deviate from clinical guidelines, especially for patients with a limited life-expectancy and for whom a kidney transplant is unattainable.


2016 ◽  
Vol 46 (6) ◽  
pp. 1014-1018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Charline Zaratin Alves ◽  
Lennis Afraire Rodrigues ◽  
Carlos Henrique Queiroz Rego ◽  
Josué Bispo da Silva

ABSTRACT: Crambe is a rapeseed with high oil content and can be used as a winter cover or as a source of raw material for the production of biodiesel, however espite the growing interest in the culture, research on the subject is still incipient, especially concerning the seed production and analysis technology. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the physiological quality of crambe seeds, 'FMS Brilhante' cultivar, by testing the pH of exudate. Five seed lots were submitted to the determination of water content and the tests of germination and vigor (first count, emergence and tetrazolium). In the conduction of pH exudate test, temperatures (25 and 30oC), and periods of seed imbibition in water (15, 30 and 45 minutes) were tested. The experiment was conducted in a completely randomized manner, with four replicates, and the mean values were compared by the Tukey test at 5% probability; Pearson correlation between the pH of the exudate and initial tests was also made. Testing the pH of exudate is promising for separating lots of crambe seeds and the following combinations of 25°C/30 minutes or 30°C/45 minutes can be used.


2020 ◽  
Vol In Press (In Press) ◽  
Author(s):  
Mahnaz Zarshenas ◽  
Mozhgan Sorkhenezhad ◽  
Marzieh Akbarzadeh

Background: Uterine leiomyomas are considered as a major source of complications and the most common cause of hysterectomy. Objectives: The aim of this study was to compare the quality of life in women with and without uterine leiomyoma referred to gynecology clinics of Shiraz University of Medical Sciences in 2018. Methods: In this cross-sectional study, a total of 126 patients who referred to the clinics of Shiraz University of Medical Sciences were selected and divided into equal groups according to uterine leiomyoma, 1 - 7 cm uterine leiomyoma group and non-uterine leiomyoma group by convenience sampling. The World Health Organization Quality of Life and Healthy Lifestyle questionnaires were used for data collection. Independent t-test was used to analyze the data. Results: The mean quality of life of women with uterine leiomyoma was 47.20 ± 12.41 and women without uterine leiomyoma had a significant difference (51.11 ± 11.23, t = 3.93, P = 0.041). The mean lifestyle of women with uterine leiomyoma was 114.18 ± 25.48 and women without uterine leiomyoma had 149.11 ± 23.81 (t = 4.01, P = 0.029). Conclusions: The mean score of quality of life and lifestyle were significantly different in women with and without uterine leiomyoma. Therefore, it is necessary to improve the quality of life of women by improving their lifestyle and providing psychological counseling.


2021 ◽  
Vol 8 (4) ◽  
pp. 492-500
Author(s):  
Manish Kumar Singh ◽  
Pragya Verma ◽  
Sarita Singh ◽  
Gyan P Singh ◽  
Hemlata Verma

Patients suffering from advanced upper abdominal malignancies have pain as predominant symptom affects their quality of life and survival. USG guided coeliac plexus neurolysis become benevolence in these patients on part of their pain management and quality of life improvement. To compare the efficacy of USG guided coeliac plexus neurolysis for pain relief in upper abdominal malignancies by using different concentration of alcohol (50% vs 75%).This Prospective, comparative, randomised double blinded study was conducted during Sep 2019 – Aug 2020 at our tertiary care centre. Total 60 cases were taken as per following inclusion and exclusion criteria and randomly divided into 2 groups i.e. 30 each group, we compare Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) score, quality of life (QOL) and need of rescue analgesia profile between the groups to know the efficacy of USG guided coeliac plexus block. In our study, we observed that the baseline mean VAS score in group I was 8.26±0.78 while in group II was 8.03±0.76. No significant difference was found in mean VAS score at this time between the groups (p=0.24). The baseline mean QOL score in group-I was 77.46±3.40 while for the cases of group II the mean QOL score was 77.36±3.33. No significant difference was found in mean QOL score at baseline between the groups (p=0.90). The baseline mean morphine consumption in group-I was 113.33±39.24 mg while for the cases of group-II the mean morphine consumption was 120.33±38.37mg. No significant difference was found in mean morphine consumption at this time between the groups (p=0.48).Both groups having 50% alcohol and 75% alcohol decreases the VAS score from baseline in patients having upper abdominal malignancies along with QOL and dosages of rescue analgesia whereas no significant difference in VAS score in patients of both groups.


2021 ◽  
Vol 55 (1-2) ◽  
pp. 125-131
Author(s):  
SWATI SOOD ◽  
CHHAYA SHARMA

Maintaining the quality of their final paper-based food packaging products at a high and constant level is a key issue for food packaging manufacturers to meet the customer demands. In the present study, in order to analyze the present status of quality of paper-based food packages in India, the fiber furnishes of different common paper- and paperboard-based food packages were studied by the Graff “C” staining test and their fiber morphological properties – by MorFi analysis. The staining test results showed that all the samples contained fiber furnish made either by the chemical or by the mechanical pulping process. Tea bags, dry fruit boxes and egg trays were made of 4 different fiber components, while sugar sachets and juice boxes contained 3 fiber components. It was also observed that all the samples contained hardwood and softwood chemical fibers. MorFi analysis determined the morphological properties of the fibers, including the mean fiber length and width, coarseness, kink angle, kinked fibers %, curl % and fines elements % in total analyzed fibers. The results thus obtained confirmed that both these techniques are very reliable and feasible tools to study the quality of paper-based food packages.


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