Category: Nevin Manimala

J Safety Res. 2023 Jun;85:242-253. doi: 10.1016/j.jsr.2023.02.008. Epub 2023 Feb 18.

ABSTRACT

INTRODUCTION: Construction practitioners are at a disproportionately higher risk of fatal and nonfatal injuries compared to practitioners from other industries. The absence of and inappropriate use of personal protective equipment (PPE), hereinafter referred to as PPE non-compliance, are major causes of fatal and nonfatal injuries at construction workplaces.

METHOD: Accordingly, a robust 4-step research methodology was employed to investigate and assess factors that contribute to PPE non-compliance. As a result, 16 factors were identified utilizing literature review and ranked utilizing fuzzy set theory and K-means clustering. Top among them: inadequate safety supervision, poor risk perception, lack of climate adaptation, lack of safety training, and lack of management support.

RESULTS: Managing construction safety in a proactive manner is vital to eliminate or minimize construction hazards and improve overall site safety. Thus, proactive measures to address these 16 factors were identified utilizing a focus group methodology. The validation of the statistical findings with that of the focus groups of industry professionals provides validation of the findings as both practical and actionable.

PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS: This study significantly contributes to construction safety knowledge and practice which, in turn, aids academic researchers and construction practitioners in their continuous efforts to reduce fatal and nonfatal injuries among construction workers.

PMID:37330874 | DOI:10.1016/j.jsr.2023.02.008

J Safety Res. 2023 Jun;85:210-221. doi: 10.1016/j.jsr.2023.02.005. Epub 2023 Feb 16.

ABSTRACT

INTRODUCTION: The rates of road traffic injuries and fatalities in developing countries are significantly higher than in developed countries. This study examines the differences in driving behavior, road safety attitudes, and driving habits between a developed country (the Netherlands) and a developing country (Iran), which bear major differences in terms of crash involvement per population.

METHOD: In this context, this study assesses the statistical association of crash involvement with errors, lapses, aggressive driving incidents, and non-compliance with traffic rules, attitudes, and habits. Structural equation modeling was used to evaluate data obtained from 1,440 questionnaires (720 samples for each group).

RESULTS: The results revealed that more insecure attitudes toward traffic-regulation observance, negative driving habits, and risky behaviors, such as traffic rule violations act as influential factors of crash involvement. Iranian participants showed a greater likelihood to get involved in violations and driving habits with a higher level of risk. In addition, lower levels of safety attitudes toward traffic-regulation observance were observed. On the other hand, Dutch drivers were more likely to report lapses and errors. Dutch drivers also reported safer behavior in terms of unwillingness to engage in risky behaviors such as violations (speeding and no-overtaking). The structural equation models for crash involvement based on behaviors, attitudes, and driving habits were also evaluated for their accuracy and statistical fit using relevant indicators.

PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS: Finally, the findings of the present study point out the need for extensive research in some areas to foster policies that can effectively enhance safer driving.

PMID:37330871 | DOI:10.1016/j.jsr.2023.02.005

J Safety Res. 2023 Jun;85:192-199. doi: 10.1016/j.jsr.2023.02.003. Epub 2023 Feb 13.

ABSTRACT

INTRODUCTION: This study examined changes in product-related injury morbidity among under-20 Americans between 2001 and 2020.

METHOD: Product-related injury morbidity data came from the National Electronic Injury Surveillance System (NEISS). Using age-standardized morbidity rates, the authors performed Joinpoint regression models to identify time periods with significant changes between 2001 and 2020 and quantified the annual magnitude of morbidity changes with annual percent changes (APCs) in rates and 95 % confidence intervals (CIs).

RESULTS: Age-standardized product-related injury morbidity declined consistently among under-20 Americans from 2001 to 2020 (from 7449.3 to 4023.5 per 100,000 persons; APC = -1.5 %, 95 % CI: -2.3 %, -0.7 %), with the most striking morbidity drop in 2019-2020 (-1576.8 per 100,000 persons). Sports and recreation equipment and home were the most common product and location, respectively, for nonfatal pediatric product-related injuries. Large morbidity differences and varying spectrum by product and by occurring location existed across sex and age groups.

CONCLUSIONS: Product-related injury morbidity declined significantly among under-20 Americans between 2001 and 2020, but large variations remained across sex and age groups.

PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS: Further research is recommended to understand causal factors contributing to the observed decrease in product-related injury morbidity over the past 20 years and to understand product-related injury morbidity disparities across sex and age groups. Understanding of causal factors could lead to implementation of additional interventions to reduce product-related injury among children and adolescents.

PMID:37330869 | DOI:10.1016/j.jsr.2023.02.003

J Safety Res. 2023 Jun;85:157-171. doi: 10.1016/j.jsr.2023.01.015. Epub 2023 Feb 8.

ABSTRACT

INTRODUCTION: Spatiotemporal correlations have been widely recognized in single-vehicle (SV) crash severity analysis. However, the interactions between them are rarely explored. The current research proposed a spatiotemporal interaction logit (STI-logit) model to regression SV crash severity using observations in Shandong, China.

METHOD: Two representative regression patterns-mixture component and Gaussian conditional autoregression (CAR)-were employed separately to characterize the spatiotemporal interactions. Two existing statistical techniques-spatiotemporal logit and random parameters logit-were also calibrated and compared with the proposed approach with the aim of highlighting the best one. In addition, three road types-arterial road, secondary road, and branch road-were modeled separately to clarify the variable influence of contributors on crash severity.

RESULTS: The calibration results indicate that the STI-logit model outperforms other crash models, highlighting that comprehensively accommodating spatiotemporal correlations and their interactions is a recommended crash modeling approach. Additionally, the STI-logit using mixture component fits crash observations better than that using Gaussian CAR and this finding remains stable across road types, suggesting that simultaneously accommodating stable and unstable spatiotemporal risk patterns can further strengthen model fit. According to the significance of risk factors, there is a significant positive correlation between distracted diving, drunk driving, motorcycle, dark (without street lighting), and collision with fixed object and serious SV crashes. Truck and collision with pedestrian significantly mitigate the likelihood of serious SV crashes. Interestingly, the coefficient of roadside hard barrier is significant and positive in branch road model, but it is not significant in arterial road model and secondary road model.

PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS: These findings provide a superior modeling framework and various significant contributors, which are beneficial for mitigating the risk of serious crashes.

PMID:37330866 | DOI:10.1016/j.jsr.2023.01.015

J Safety Res. 2023 Jun;85:101-113. doi: 10.1016/j.jsr.2023.01.010. Epub 2023 Feb 3.

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVE: Complex environmental, social, and individual factors contribute to unintentional childhood injury events. Understanding context-specific antecedents and caregiver attributions of childhood injury events can inform the development of locally-targeted interventions to reduce injury risk in rural Uganda.

METHODS: Fifty-six Ugandan caregivers were recruited through primary schools and completed qualitative interviews regarding 86 unintentional childhood injury events. Descriptive statistics summarized injury characteristics, child location and activity, and supervision at time of injury. Qualitative analyses informed by grounded theory identified caregiver attributions of injury causes and caregiver actions to reduce injury risk.

RESULTS: Cuts, falls, and burns were the most common injuries reported. At the time of injury, the most common child activities were farming and playing and the most common child locations were the farm and kitchen. Most children were unsupervised. In cases where supervision was provided, the supervisor was typically distracted. Caregivers most often attributed injuries to child risk-taking but also identified social, environmental, and chance factors. Caregivers most often made efforts to reduce injury risk by teaching children safety rules, but also reported efforts to improve supervision, remove hazards, and implement environmental safeguards.

CONCLUSION: Unintentional childhood injuries have a significant impact on injured children and their families, and caregivers are motivated to reduce child injury risk. Caregivers frequently perceive child decision-making a primary factor in injury events and respond by teaching children safety rules. Rural communities in Uganda and elsewhere may face unique hazards associated with agricultural labor, contributing to a high risk of cuts. Interventions to support caregiver efforts to reduce child injury risk are warranted.

PMID:37330860 | DOI:10.1016/j.jsr.2023.01.010

Food Res Int. 2023 Sep;171:113065. doi: 10.1016/j.foodres.2023.113065. Epub 2023 May 29.

ABSTRACT

To elucidate the nutritional quality of peanut under different farming methods, we selected two cultivars, “jihua13” and “jihua4”, to grow in organic and conventional environments, respectively. After harvest, we measured physiological parameters and differential metabolites. Metabolomics showed that most of the amino acids, carbohydrates, and secondary metabolites in organically grown jihua4 were downregulated, which was completely the opposite in jihua13. Fatty acids associated with heart disease and hypertension are reduced in organically grown peanuts. In particular, the highly statistically significant tryptophan betaine seems to be used as a reference to distinguish between organic and conventional cultivation. Mechanisms leading to differences in crop chemical composition are explained by transcriptome analysis. The results of the transcriptome analysis indicated that organic cultivation largely affects the synthesis of amino acids and carbohydrates in jihua13. Combined analysis of transcriptome and metabolomics found that variety jihua13 is more sensitive to farming methods and produces more unsaturated fatty acids than jihua4.

PMID:37330858 | DOI:10.1016/j.foodres.2023.113065

Food Res Int. 2023 Sep;171:113085. doi: 10.1016/j.foodres.2023.113085. Epub 2023 Jun 4.

ABSTRACT

Hazelnut is a commodity that has gained interest in the food science community concerning its authenticity. The quality of the Italian hazelnuts is guaranteed by Protected Designation of Origin and Protected Geographical Indication certificates. However, due to their modest availability and the high price, fraudulent producers/suppliers blend, or even substitute, Italian hazelnuts with others from different countries, having a lower price, and often a lower quality. To contrast or prevent these illegal activities, the present work investigated the application of the Gas Chromatography-Ion mobility spectrometry (GC-IMS) technique on the hazelnut chain (fresh, roasted, and paste of hazelnuts). The raw data obtained were handled and elaborated using two different ways, software for statistical analysis, and a programming language. In both cases, Principal Component Analysis and Partial Least Squares-Discriminant Analysis models were exploited, to study how the Volatile Organic Profiles of Italian, Turkish, Georgian, and Azerbaijani products differ. A prediction set was extrapolated from the training set, for a preliminary models’ evaluation, then an external validation set, containing blended samples, was analysed. Both approaches highlighted an interesting class separation and good model parameters (accuracy, precision, sensitivity, specificity, F1-score). Moreover, a data fusion approach with a complementary methodology, sensory analysis, was achieved, to estimate the performance enhancement of the statistical models, considering more discriminant variables and integrating at the same time further information correlated to quality aspects. GC-IMS could be a key player as a rapid, direct, cost-effective strategy to face authenticity issues regarding the hazelnut chain.

PMID:37330839 | DOI:10.1016/j.foodres.2023.113085

Food Res Int. 2023 Sep;171:113074. doi: 10.1016/j.foodres.2023.113074. Epub 2023 Jun 3.

ABSTRACT

This study aimed to evaluate the potential application of Tenebrio Molitor rennet (TMR) in Cheddar cheese production, and to use gas chromatography-ion mobility spectrometry (GC-IMS) to monitor flavor compounds and fingerprints of cheese during ripening. The results indicated that Cheddar cheese prepared from TMR (T_F) has fat content significantly lower than that of commercial rennet (C_F) (p < 0.05). However, the results of the sensory evaluation showed that there were no statistically significant differences between the two kinds of cheese (p > 0.05). Both cheeses were rich in free amino acids and free fatty acids. Compared to the C_F cheese, gamma-aminobutyric acid and Ornithine contents of the T_F cheese reached 187 and 749 mg/kg, respectively, during 120 days of ripening. Moreover, GC-IMS provided information on the characteristics of 40 flavor substances (monomers and dimers) in the T_F cheese during ripening. Only 30 flavor substances were identified in the C_F cheese. The fingerprint of the two kinds of cheese during ripening can be established by GC-IMS and principal component analysis based on the identified flavor compounds. Therefore, TMR has potential application in Cheddar cheese production. GC-IMS might be applied for the quick, accurate and comprehensive monitoring of cheese flavor during ripening.

PMID:37330834 | DOI:10.1016/j.foodres.2023.113074

J Bodyw Mov Ther. 2023 Jul;35:84-90. doi: 10.1016/j.jbmt.2023.04.021. Epub 2023 Apr 28.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Motor recovery of the upper extremity is one of the most common challenging outcomes after stroke.

OBJECTIVE: To find out the combined effects of Brunnstrom hand rehabilitation (BHR) and functional electrical stimulation for improving hand functions in patients with chronic stroke.

STUDY DESIGN: Randomized controlled trial.

METHOD: 25 participants, both male (n = 11) and female (n = 14), age group between 40 and 70 years were randomly divided into control group (n = 12) and experimental group (n = 13). The treatment protocol was continued 5 days per week, for 4 weeks. The experimental group received Brunnstrom hand training and functional electrical stimulation (FES) along with conventional physiotherapy. The control group received only conventional physiotherapy. Participants were evaluated at baseline and after 4 weeks of intervention.

OUTCOME MEASURES: Fugl Meyer Assessment scale-upper extremity, Modified Ashworth scale, Handheld Dynamometer, and Jabsen Taylor Hand Function Test. Paired t-test was used to compare within-group variables and an independent t-test was used for between-group comparisons. P-value was set as 0.05 to minimize type-1 error.

RESULTS: Statistically significant difference was obtained in favor of the experimental group undergoing FMA (p < .001), MAS (p = .004), JTHF (p = .018), and HHD (p < .001) in between-group analysis. However, both groups showed significant improvement [experimental group; FMA-UE (p < .001), MAS (p < .001); JTHF (p < .001), and HHD (p < .001), and control group; FMA-UE (p < .001), MAS (p < .001), JTHF (p < .001) and HHD (p < .001)] in within-group analysis at post-intervention.

CONCLUSION: Brunnstrom hand rehabilitation and FES in combination were found to be more effective in improving hand function than conventional physiotherapy treatment.

CLINICAL TRIAL REGISTRATION: URL: http://www.ctri.nic.in. No: CTRI/2019/06/019,905.

PMID:37330808 | DOI:10.1016/j.jbmt.2023.04.021

J Bodyw Mov Ther. 2023 Jul;35:49-56. doi: 10.1016/j.jbmt.2023.04.069. Epub 2023 Apr 17.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: The relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS) is the most common type of MS with prevalence rate 20-60 patients/100.000 individuals in Egypt. Poor postural control and cognitive dysfunctions are well-established complications of RRMS without potent remedy yet. The latest evidence highlighted the potential and independent immune-modulating effects of vitamin D₃ and ultraviolet radiation in the management of RRMS.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the efficacy of broadband ultraviolet B radiation (UVBR) versus moderate loading dose of vitamin D₃ supplementation in improving postural control and cognitive functions.

DESIGN: Pretest-posttest randomized controlled study.

SETTING: Multiple sclerosis outpatient unit of Kasr Al-Ainy Hospital.

PARTICIPANTS: Forty-seven patients with RRMS were recruited from both genders, yet only 40 completed the study.

INTERVENTIONS: Patients were randomized into two groups: UVBR group involved 24 patients, received sessions for 4 weeks and vitamin D₃ group involved 23 patients, took vitamin D₃ supplementation (50 000 IU/week) for 12 weeks.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Overall balance system index (OSI) and symbol digit modalities test (SDMT).

RESULTS: Highly significant decrease (P < 0.001) of the OSI in both groups post-treatment, indicating improved postural control. Moreover, highly significant improvement in the SDMT scores was noted, indicating information processing speed enhancement. Nonetheless, no statistically significant (P ≥ 0.05) differences were evident between the two groups post-treatment in all tested measures.

CONCLUSION: Both therapeutic programs were statistically equal in improving postural control and cognitive functions. However, clinically, UVBR therapy was more convenient owing to its shorter treatment time and higher percentage of change for all tested measures.

PMID:37330802 | DOI:10.1016/j.jbmt.2023.04.069