Compound motor action potentials in transient and persistent phrenic nerve injury - metanalysis.

Background: The right phrenic nerve is vulnerable to injury (rPNI) during cryoballoon ablation (CBA) isolation of the right pulmonary veins. The complication can be transient or persistent. The reported incidence of rPNI fluctuates from 4.73% to 24.7% depending on changes over time, CBA-generation, and selected protective methods. Methods: Through September 2019, a database search was performed on MEDLINE, EMBASE, and Cochrane Database. In the selected articles, the references were also extensively searched. The study provides a comprehensive meta-analysis of the overall prevalence of rPNI, assesses the transient to persistent PNI-ratio, the outcome of using compound motor action potentials (CMAP), and estimated average time to nerve recovery. Results: From 2008 to 2019, 10,341 records from 48 trials were included. Out of 783 eighty- PNI (7.7%), 589 (5.7%) were transient, and 194 (1.9%) were persistent. CMAP caused a significant reduction in the risk of persistent PNI from 2.3% to 1.1% (p = 0.05; odds ratio [OR] 2.13) in all CBA groups. The mean time to rPNI recovery extended beyond the hospital discharge was significantly shorter in CMAP group at three months on average versus non CMAP at six months (p = 0.012). CMAP (in contrast to non-CMAP procedures) detects PNI earlier from 4 to 16 sec (p < 0.05; I2 = 74.53%) and 3 to 9º (p < 0.05; I2 = 97.24%) earlier. Conclusions: rPNI extending beyond hospitalization is a relatively rare complication. CMAP use causes a significant decrease in the risk of prolonged injury and shortens the time to recovery

A Qualitative Study on Emergency Healthcare Worker (EHCW) Perception towards COVID-ACLS Simulation Training in Resuscitating Suspected COVID-19 Patients

The emergence of COVID-19 pandemic has caused difficulty to emergency-HCW (EHCW) in resuscitating high-risk patients. We set out to explore EHCW’s perception after undergoing COVID-ACLS resuscitation training and address their anxiety of working in this pandemic. A qualitative case study using focused group discussion was conducted among EHCW who have undergone COVID-ACLS training. Five semi-structured questions exploring respondent’s confidence level, anxiety factors, areas of improvement for COVID-ACLS and if this COVID-ACLS training is sufficient. Inductive and deductive thematic analysis approach was done to analyse the result. 20 EHCW participated in this study. Out of 4 themes, 11 subthemes were identified based on the respondents. They were acquired new knowledge, self-precaution, method of delivery, concerns of self and family members, stigmatisation, insufficient protective methods, underappreciation, regular training sessions, other modalities for learning, course duration; and unsatisfactory reading material. New knowledge and self-precaution were noted to be an important aspect that boosts confidence among EHCW. The main factor that increased anxiety was safety issues and disease spreading to family members, colleagues, and society. In conclusion, COVID-ACLS training is able to boost EHCW confidence in resuscitating high-risk patients. Factors leading to anxiety among EHCW should also be addressed during this pandemic to ensure psychological welfare and mental health are not affected. Regular training and utilisation of other teaching modalities such as video are perceived as a helpful adjunct in boosting their confidence. The utilisation of new training approach should be explored in enhancing EHCW’s knowledge and confidence.

Attitudes and Behaviors That Impact Skin Cancer Risk among Men

Despite substantially higher skin cancer risks, little research has investigated men’s attitudes about skin cancer and how those attitudes relate to their risks of developing skin cancer. This study aims to close the gap in research, regarding men’s perceptions and behaviors about skin cancer, sun exposure, and tanning. This study utilized a cross-sectional survey of 705 men recruited from Amazon Mechanical Turk (MTurk), reporting attitudes and behaviors towards sun exposure, tanning, and sun protection. While the majority of men reported large daily outdoor activities, that their skin frequently burns with sun exposure, and riskier perceptions of tanning, only a minority reported daily use of sunscreen or most other sun protective behaviors. More sun protection methods were associated with more frequent use of sunscreen and less positive tanning perceptions. Men consistently engaged in high-risk behaviors for developing skin cancer, but they did not engage highly in protective behaviors to mitigate their risk. The findings can help improve clinical and public health interventions to lower men’s risk of skin cancer with strong messages about sunscreen use and sun protective methods.

Potato Pests In Uzbekistan

More than 10 kinds of the basic pests have been revealed in the territory of various soil-climatic zones of the Republic. Among them are adventive kinds –the Colorado potato beetle, the whitefly and the potato moth. Biological features of kinds and seasonal dynamics of their development are established; the general tactic of protective methods with application of progressive means and receptions is developed. Precautionary receptions of potato tubers’ protection against potato moth are established and recommended.

CLEANING OF INDOOR GASES WITH SUPERIONICS

This article shows the possible dangerous effects of the Taldykorgan lead battery plant in Almaty region on the environment and human health.At the same time, protective methods against harmful lead dust emanating from the plant are analyzed by using especially pure oxygen obtained by superionics.

Vaccine-hesitant parents' reasons for choosing alternative protection methods in Turkey

Background Parents use alternative protective methods instead of having their children vaccinated because of their various concerns. Aims The aim of this study is to examine the processes by which the parents preferred alternative methods rather than the vaccines to strengthen their child's immune system. Methods Semi-structured, qualitative interviews were conducted with 22 parents who had vaccine hesitancy. The study sample consisted of parents whose children were between the ages of 0 and 18 years and who experienced vaccine hesitancy and lived in Turkey. The interviews with individuals were conducted online and aimed to be representative of the population of Turkey. Results The factors that caused parental vaccine hesitancy were various, such as vaccine contents, distrust of healthcare workers and false information about vaccines. Because of these factors, parents resorted to natural nutrition, vitamin support and some other precautions, such as avoiding takeaway food or preparing homemade food, rather than having their children vaccinated. Conclusions In recent years, it is thought that parents need education about vaccination; outbreaks may be caused by immigrant children who cannot be registered, and therefore cannot be vaccinated, in Turkey, which has received immigration at a high rate.

Residential districts of the socialist realism period in Poland (1949−1956). Analysis, comparison and protection

The article analyzes four residential districts from the period of Socialist Realism in Poland: Marszałkowska Residential District in Warsaw, Kościuszkowska Residential District in Wrocław, residential Nowa Huta in Cracow and Downtown Residential District in Szczecin. These districts are analyzed in terms of urban layout, architectural forms, building intensity, and green areas. Common features of these housing complexes, characteristic for socialist realism architecture in Poland, were also examined. The authors also consider the protective methods of individual housing complexes. Each of the examined residential districts is considered in two aspects - the urban layout and architecture as well as the form of protection and it condition of the present day. For each analyzed housing complex, a map was prepared showing the scale of the urban layout and the percentage share of pre-war buildings, buildings from the period under study, and buildings erected in later years.

A Case Report of Vaginal Delivery at Home Due to Fear of Covid-19

Introduction: Childbirth can be a normal and nonintervention process, but sometimes the process gets out of normal and requires immediate medical intervention. Thus, home delivery cannot be considered safe without coordination with the treatment staff. Sometimes fear of Covid-19 epidemic prevents mothers to go to the hospital for childbirth and they decide to do it in an unsafe condition, which puts the health of the mother and the neonate at risk. Presentation Case: Our case was a pregnant woman with a negative blood group (A-) who did not come to the hospital because of fear of contracting Covid-19 from the hospital and decided to give birth at home without medical and midwifery support. After giving birth at home, she called the midwife who was taking care of her pregnancy. But she was still afraid to go to the medical center for postpartum care. The midwife informed the mother and her husband that they would be transferred to the midwifery clinic for further care and follow-up, with the necessary counseling and assurance of protective care to control Covid 19 transmission. Conclusion: Counseling and training of protective methods during pregnancy can reduce the concerns of pregnant women. It is also recommended that pregnant women avoid unnecessary travel, public places, use of public transportation and contact with sick people, and most importantly, observe personal and public health issues. Some pregnant women may experience severe anxiety and depression during epidemics such as Covid 19, which require educational psychological counseling and continuous psychological support to prevent unintended consequences.

Measuring the level of knowledge and awareness about COVID-19 among the community of a college in Dubai: A comparative study between participants of health sciences and non-health sciences backgrounds. (Preprint)

BACKGROUND COVID-19 which has resulted worldwide pandemic, prompted various healthcare organisations to take meticulous measures to stop or slow down the spread of it. This included: locking down of cities, physical distancing and using various protective methods. Adherence to these measures requires the whole society to amend their behaviour, which cannot be done without having sufficient knowledge and awareness about the pandemic. Since the outbreak is a viral infection, it is expected that people with health backgrounds would have more knowledge and awareness about COVID-19. Therefore, this study aims to compare the level of knowledge and awareness of health sciences to non-health sciences faculty, staff and students at a Females College in Dubai towards COVID-19. OBJECTIVE This study aims to compare the level of knowledge and awareness of health sciences to non-health sciences faculty, staff and students at a Females College in Dubai towards COVID-19. METHODS A cross-sectional observational descriptive study was conducted using a self-administered online questionnaire to test the hypothesis. Participants were recruited via emails and/ or during their virtual lectures randomly. Results were then analyzed using Chi-square or Fisher Exact test for categorical data to compare the differences in proportion. RESULTS Findings brought to light that in general there was a high level of knowledge and awareness amongst participants irrespective of their background. The most popular source of information was the social media. Level of knowledge was significantly higher amongst the health sciences participants regarding the source of pathogen, and certain protective techniques, while they both were aware of the incubation period, symptoms, transmission routes, recovery and mortality rates. CONCLUSIONS Overall, there was a high level of knowledge and awareness amongst participants irrespective of their background. Yet, there were some areas where the knowledge of health sciences group was higher than the non-health sciences group. Assessing knowledge and awareness was important to ensure that people understand and consequently change their behaviour to mitigating the spread of COVID-19.