Search Results (653)

Overtaking situations are commonly encountered in maritime navigation, and the overtaking process involves various risk factors that significantly contribute to collision incidents. It is crucial to conduct research on the maneuvering behaviors and decision-making processes associated with ship overtaking. This paper proposes a method based on the analysis of ship maneuvering performance to investigate overtaking behaviors in navigational channels. A relative motion model is established for both the overtaking and the overtaken vessels, and the inter-vessel distance is calculated, taking into account the psychological perceptions of the ship’s driver. A decision-making model for ship overtaking is presented to provide a safety protocol for overtaking maneuvers. Applying this method to overtaking data from the South Channel shows that it effectively characterizes both the permissible overtaking space and the driver’s overtaking desire. Additionally, it enables the prediction of optimal overtaking timing and strategies based on short-term trajectory forecasts. Thus, this method not only offers a safe overtaking plan for vessels but also provides auxiliary information for decision making in intelligent ship navigation. Full article

This study examines the impact of “quiet quitting” during digital transformation on job satisfaction, affective commitment, and turnover intention. A time-lagged survey was conducted over six months with two waves of data collection from full-time employees in South Korea, resulting in 258 valid responses. Using the PROCESS macro for analysis, the findings reveal that quiet quitting significantly reduces job satisfaction and affective commitment, which, in turn, increases turnover intention. Furthermore, psychological safety serves as a critical moderator, buffering the negative effects of quiet quitting on these outcomes. The study confirms that the influence of quiet quitting on turnover intention operates through the mediating roles of job satisfaction and affective commitment, and organizations with higher psychological safety are better equipped to mitigate these adverse effects. Grounded in Withdrawal Progression Theory, this study empirically demonstrates the progression of quiet quitting into turnover intention and provides strategic insights for organizations to prevent employee turnover and maintain employee engagement during digital transformation. Full article

Background/Objectives/Methods: Atopic dermatitis (AD) impacts various aspects of patients’ lives including personal life, psychological aspects/disturbances (e.g., depression, anxiety, or even suicidal thoughts), school, and work-related activities, including career advancement. The aim of this narrative review is to present the latest information available on how to best approach AD patient management, as well as decisions regarding standard/advanced systemic therapy, by gathering evidence from the relevant medical literature (PubMed and other prominent medical databases). Results: Thus, AD patient management and decisions regarding advanced/systemic therapy are complex, requiring the consideration of multiple disease-related factors: age; disease severity; patient medical history and comorbidities; previous topical therapy use and any adverse reactions; treatment efficacy concerns; patient preferences, expectations and fears; pregnancy planning; ability and willingness to adhere to the treatment regimen; impact on related risks; and any associated psychological or psychiatric issues. Current guidelines and systematic reviews support the safety and efficacy of systemic therapy including conventional drugs (cyclosporine, methotrexate, and azathioprine), biologics (dupilumab and tralokinumab), and JAK inhibitors (baricitinib, upadacitinib, and abrocitinib) recommended for treating moderate and severe AD. Recently, additional biologics have been evaluated in clinical trials, including lebrikizumab, nemolizumab, eblasakimab, and OX40/OX40L, among others. Conclusions: The most recently suggested approach to treating AD patients suggests focusing on therapy that targets and achieves minimal disease activity (MDA), where therapy decisions are informed by both the patient and the clinician. Available data also indicate the importance of a personalized, stepwise, and multidisciplinary approach. This type of approach promotes patient compliance, satisfaction with therapy, and increased engagement, which all lead to better patient outcomes. Full article

Urban surfaces such as rooftops, facades, and infrastructure offer significant potential for solar energy integration, contributing to energy efficiency and sustainability in cities. This article introduces an advanced multi-criteria assessment (MCA) framework designed to evaluate the suitability of various urban surfaces for solar energy deployment. The framework extends beyond traditional economic, environmental, and technological factors to include social, political, legal, health and safety, cultural, and psychological dimensions, providing a comprehensive evaluation of photovoltaic (PV) applications in urban contexts. By synthesizing existing literature and applying this holistic MCA framework, this research offers valuable insights for urban planners, architects, and policymakers, enabling strategic optimization of solar energy integration in urban environments. The findings underscore the importance of sustainable urban development and climate resilience, highlighting key factors influencing solar technology deployment and proposing actionable recommendations to address existing challenges. Full article

Bus drivers have an important role in ensuring road safety, as their driving circumstances fluctuate due to the combined influence of physiological, psychological, and environmental dynamics, which can cause complex and varied driving dangers. Quantifying and assessing drivers’ risk characteristics under various scenarios, as well as finding the best fit with their work schedules, is critical for enhancing bus safety. This research first uses the entropy weight method, which is based on historical warning data, to examine the risk characteristics of bus drivers in various complicated contexts. It then creates an objective function targeted at minimizing the operational risk for a specific bus route. This function uses the quasi-Vogel approach and an improved simulated annealing algorithm to optimize and restructure the scheduling table, taking individual driver risk characteristics into account. Finally, the analysis is confirmed and examined with actual operational data from the Zhenjiang Bus Line 3. The data show that enhanced bus operations resulted in a 7.22% gain in overall safety and a 33.76% improvement in balancing levels. These insights provide valuable theoretical guidance as well as practical references for the safe operation and administration of public buses. Full article

The Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2), has prompted a massive global vaccination campaign, leading to the rapid development and deployment of several vaccines. Various COVID-19 vaccines are under different phases of clinical trials and include the whole virus or its parts like DNA, mRNA, or protein subunits administered directly or through vectors. Beginning in 2020, a few mRNA (Pfizer-BioNTech BNT162b2 and Moderna mRNA-1273) and adenovirus-based (AstraZeneca ChAdOx1-S and the Janssen Ad26.COV2.S) vaccines were recommended by WHO for emergency use before the completion of the phase 3 and 4 trials. These vaccines were mostly administered in two or three doses at a defined frequency between the two doses. While these vaccines, mainly based on viral nucleic acids or protein conferred protection against the progression of SARS-CoV-2 infection into severe COVID-19, and prevented death due to the disease, their use has also been accompanied by a plethora of side effects. Common side effects include localized reactions such as pain at the injection site, as well as systemic reactions like fever, fatigue, and headache. These symptoms are generally mild to moderate and resolve within a few days. However, rare but more serious side effects have been reported, including allergic reactions such as anaphylaxis and, in some cases, myocarditis or pericarditis, particularly in younger males. Ongoing surveillance and research efforts continue to refine the understanding of these adverse effects, providing critical insights into the risk-benefit profile of COVID-19 vaccines. Nonetheless, the overall safety profile supports the continued use of these vaccines in combating the pandemic, with regulatory agencies and health organizations emphasizing the importance of vaccination in preventing COVID-19’s severe outcomes. In this review, we describe different types of COVID-19 vaccines and summarize various adverse effects due to autoimmune and inflammatory response(s) manifesting predominantly as cardiac, hematological, neurological, and psychological dysfunctions. The incidence, clinical presentation, risk factors, diagnosis, and management of different adverse effects and possible mechanisms contributing to these effects are discussed. The review highlights the potential ambivalence of human response post-COVID-19 vaccination and necessitates the need to mitigate the adverse side effects. Full article

As mental health issues become increasingly prominent, social anxiety is prevalent among university students and significantly affects their social behaviors and environmental preferences. With the increasing reliance on social media, understanding how these behaviors shape preferences for physical social environments is crucial for designing supportive campus spaces. This study investigates the relationship between social anxiety, social media usage, and environmental preferences in campus settings. We aim to identify the key environmental factors that can promote healthier social interactions for students with varying levels of social anxiety and social media use. Data were collected from university students through a structured questionnaire assessing demographic characteristics, online and offline behavior, social media usage intensity, social anxiety level, and environmental preferences. Using K-means clustering, participants were grouped into four clusters based on their social media usage and social anxiety levels. ANOVA and Multivariate Multiple Regression (MMR) were conducted to examine differences in environmental preferences across these clusters. Significant differences in environmental preferences were observed across the four clusters. Gender and grade influenced social anxiety levels, with females and undergraduate students reporting greater anxiety. Individuals with high social media use, regardless of their anxiety levels, generally exhibited stronger preferences for various environmental dimensions, including openness, convenience, facility provision, safety/comfort, and cultural landscape. However, individuals with higher social anxiety tended to prefer enclosed, facility-rich, and more controlled environments. The relationship between social anxiety and preferences for convenience, safety/comfort, and cultural landscape was minimal or non-significant. This study highlights the importance of considering both behavioral and psychological factors when designing university social environments. By identifying specific environmental preferences of students with high social anxiety, the findings offer evidence-based recommendations for creating more inclusive and supportive campus spaces that promote positive social interactions and well-being. Full article

Background: The Second Victim Phenomenon (SVP) significantly impacts the well-being of healthcare professionals and patient safety. While the SVP has been explored in various healthcare settings, there are limited data on its prevalence and associated factors among nurses in Austria. This study investigates the prevalence, symptomatology, and preferred support measures for SVP among Austrian nurses. Methods: A nationwide, cross-sectional, anonymous online survey was conducted September to December 2023 using the SeViD questionnaire (Second Victims in German-speaking Countries), which includes the Big Five Inventory-10 (BFI-10). Statistical analyses included binary logistic regression and multiple linear regression using the bias-corrected and accelerated (BCa) bootstrapping method based on 5000 bootstrap samples. Results: A total of 928 participants responded to the questionnaire with a response rate of 15.47%. The participants were on average 42.42 years old and were mainly women (79.63%). Among the respondents, 81.58% (744/912) identified as Second Victims (SVs). The primary cause of becoming an SV was aggressive behavior from patients or relatives. Females reported a higher symptom load than males, and higher agreeableness was linked to increased symptom severity. Notably, 92.47% of SVs who sought help preferred support from colleagues, and the most pronounced desire among participants was to process the event for better understanding. Conclusions: The prevalence of SVP among Austrian nurses is alarmingly high, with aggressive behavior identified as a significant trigger. The findings emphasize the necessity for tailored support strategies, including peer support and systematic organizational interventions to mitigate the impact of SVP on nurses and to improve overall patient care. Further research should focus on developing and implementing effective prevention and intervention programs for healthcare professionals in similar settings. Full article

Human–robot collaboration (HRC) has become increasingly prevalent due to innovative advancements in the automation industry, especially in manufacturing setups. Although HRC increases productivity and efficacy, it exposes human workers to psychological stress while interfacing with collaborative robotic systems as robots may not provide visual or auditory cues. It is crucial to comprehend how HRC impacts mental stress in order to enhance occupational safety and well-being. Though academics and industrial interest in HRC is expanding, safety and mental stress problems are still not adequately studied. In particular, human coworkers’ cognitive strain during HRC has not been explored well, although being fundamental to sustaining a secure and constructive workplace environment. This study, therefore, aims to monitor the mental stress of factory workers during HRC using behavioural, physiological and subjective measures. Physiological measures, being objective and more authentic, have the potential to replace conventional measures i.e., behavioural and subjective measures, if they demonstrate a good correlation with traditional measures. Two neuroimaging modalities including electroencephalography (EEG) and functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS) have been used as physiological measures to track neuronal and hemodynamic activity of the brain, respectively. Here, the correlation between physiological data and behavioural and subjective measurements has been ascertained through the implementation of seven different machine learning algorithms. The results imply that the EEG and fNIRS features combined produced the best results for most of the targets. For subjective measures being the target, linear regression has outperformed all other models, whereas tree and ensemble performed the best for predicting the behavioural measures. The outcomes indicate that physiological measures have the potential to be more informative and often substitute other skewed metrics. Full article

Inflammatory acne vulgaris (IAV) is a common skin condition characterized by the presence of reddish, inflamed, and painful lesions on the skin. IAV can drastically affect individuals, specifically their self-esteem, psychological health, and quality of their life in general. Despite new advances in the field, traditional treatment modalities withstand many challenges. Hence, in the current study, we sought to assess the efficacy and safety of a new pulsed wave mode of the fractional microneedling radiofrequency device in the treatment of IAV. This advanced technique employs insulated microneedles to administer energy to the deep dermis without causing damage to the epidermis. Eighty patients (40 males, 40 females, age 21 ± 3, Fitzpatrick skin type III and IV), with acne severity ranging from moderate to severe, were employed in this trial. They were randomly assigned into two groups, 40 patients each. The treated group (A) underwent four sessions of fractionated microneedle RF, 1.5-month apart, whereas group B was designated as the control group that received placebo treatment. Six months following the last session, the degree of improvement assessed by the quantity of IAV lesions and the overall skin appearance in terms of facial pores, sebum excretion, scar, skin tone, and texture. The RF-treated group showed significant improvement compared to the control group after the follow-up period (p-value = 0.0071). Regarding safety, very mild adverse effects were reported, such as discomfort during the session, pinpoint hemorrhage, and erythema, with no major side effects such as burns, scarring, hyperpigmentation, or hypopigmentation were reported. Thus, our data suggest a potential role of the fractional microneedling radiofrequency device in IAV treatment that is both effective and safe. Full article

Aims: To investigate the road safety concerns associated with pet dogs in New Zealand. Methods: An online survey was developed and offered to New Zealanders via SurveyMonkey© from 8 January 2019 to 31 March 2019) using New Zealand residents aged ≥ 18 years. Questions about the demographics of respondents and their number of pet dogs along with those about dog transportation and dog roaming were asked. Results: Of 2744 respondents who completed the online survey, 1494 (65%) owned a dog. Of the total respondents, 1511 completed the question about how their dog or dogs travel in vehicles. Of these, 2% (n = 29) let their dog sit on the driver’s knee, and 12% (n = 179) allowed their dog to sit on the passenger’s knee. Only 7% (n = 105) allowed the dog to roam free throughout the vehicle, while 44% (n = 663) allowed their dogs to roam free in the backseat area only and 19% (n = 280) put their dog in the boot/hatchback area. A minority of respondents (2%, n = 22) indicated they let their dog travel unrestrained on the deck of a ute or truck. Approximately half, 51% (n = 767), of the respondents indicated that they restrained or crated their dogs in or on the vehicle. Respondents also expressed concerns about roaming dogs being a road safety hazard with the themes of responsible ownership, physical and psychological harm, and the dangers of rescue altruism emerging. Conclusions: Increased awareness about proper pet restraints during transportation and preventing dogs from roaming, especially near and on roads, is crucial to ensure traffic safety for humans and dogs. Full article

Health systems around the world continue to experience healthcare workforce shortages, including shortages of nurses. This results in staff experiencing prolonged shifts and other stressors, which are linked to burnout, yet burned-out staff are then entrusted with the provision of patient care, despite healthcare facilities being regarded as safety-critical areas. It is assumed that the situation may have been worsened by the COVID-19 pandemic. This scoping review aims to identify the prevalence of burnout among nurses in Europe before and during the pandemic, the factors associated with this burnout, and its impact on patient safety. A literature search was conducted in the MEDLINE database; search terms included Nurse and Burnout and Patient Safety and their synonyms. The search limits used were English language, 2013 to 2023 publication years, original published research only (excluding review papers, dissertations, and unpublished reports), and studies conducted in European countries. A total of 16 papers were included for analysis: four indicated burnout levels of study participants, while 11 gave scores for individual burnout symptoms. Almost all studies indicated factors that were linked to burnout or individual dimensions of burnout. A few papers touched on the implications of these factors on patient safety. The review findings concluded that the few studies providing burnout levels on study participants could not give a clear picture of the burnout prevalence among nurses across Europe, either in general, before, or during the pandemic; therefore, this objective was not achieved and more research is required to establish this. Several factors thematically classified as sociodemographic, personal, organizational, and patient/client-related were linked to burnout. However, there were some contradictions in sociodemographic factors. Low personal accomplishment was the most common symptom of burnout before the pandemic, followed by emotional exhaustion and lastly depersonalization. Emotional exhaustion took the lead during the COVID-19 pandemic, followed by low personal accomplishment, and depersonalization remained the least common. More research is needed to establish the relationship between burnout and these factors. Full article

Psychological safety has recently emerged as a central construct, strictly implicated in mental health and emotional well-being. The Neuroception of Psychological Safety Scale (NPSS) is the first scale designed to assess feelings of psychological safety from a multidimensional perspective. However, the robustness of its factorial structure requires further examination in large community samples, and evidence of construct validity along with measurement invariance across genders is scarce. The present study aimed to address these gaps through a comprehensive cross-validation approach. A community sample of 660 Italian adults, aged 18–65, completed self-report questionnaires including the NPSS, the Compassionate Engagement and Action Scale (CEAS), the Sussex-Oxford Compassion for Others (SOCS), and the Body Perception Questionnaire (BPQ). A three-factor model, i.e., Social Engagement, Compassion, and Bodily Sensations, demonstrated a good fit to the data in two random subsamples. Moreover, the measurement model was factorially invariant across genders. Model-based omega coefficients supported the internal consistency of the NPSS scores (ω ranged between 0.879 and 0.918). Zero-order correlations between NPSS subscales and CEAS, SOCS, and BPQ provided construct validity evidence. Additionally, inter-correlations between latent factors and Harman’s single-factor test supported the discriminant validity of the NPSS dimensions. Overall, this study provided compelling evidence regarding the psychometric properties of the NPSS, demonstrating for the first time the invariance of its factorial structure across gender. Full article

Background/Objectives: Psychological distress is a significant concern among cancer patients, negatively affecting their quality of life and adherence to treatment. The Cancer Patient Empowerment Program (CancerPEP) was developed as a comprehensive, home-based intervention aimed at reducing psychological distress by incorporating physical activity, dietary guidance, and social support. This study aimed to evaluate the feasibility, accrual and attrition rates, safety, and effectiveness of the CancerPEP intervention, with and without the biofeedback device, on psychological distress from baseline to 6 months, specifically focusing on the effects of group randomization and the difference between pre- and post-intervention results. Methods: This single-site, crossover randomized clinical trial included 104 cancer patients who were randomized to receive the CancerPEP intervention, with or without a Heart Rate Variability (HRV) biofeedback monitor. At 6 months, participants who did not receive the device were allowed to use one until the end of the year, while those who did receive the device were followed up to 12 months. Randomization was stratified by the presence or absence of clinically significant psychological distress and metastatic status. Psychological distress was assessed using the Kessler Psychological Distress Scale (K10) at baseline, 6 months, and 12 months. The primary endpoint was the presence of nonspecific psychological distress, as measured by the K10 scale at 6 months from the trial start, based on group randomization. A secondary exploratory analysis assessed psychological distress at baseline, 6 months, and 12 months for both groups, while controlling for group randomization and prognostic covariates. Prognostic covariates included age; comorbidities; time between diagnosis and randomization; treatment modality; relationship status; and use of prescribed medications for anxiety, depression, or both. An exploratory sub-analysis was conducted for the breast cancer subgroup, based on the sample size available after recruitment. The trial is registered at ClinicalTrials.gov (NCT05508412). Results: The provision of the HRV biofeedback monitor in conjunction with the CancerPEP intervention did not significantly affect the primary outcome in either the full sample or the breast cancer subgroup, indicating that the HRV biofeedback provision was not beneficial in this trial. No self-reported or otherwise discovered adverse events at the 6-month mark were observed. About 10% of participants were lost to follow-up in both the early and late HRV monitor provision groups. Participation in the CancerPEP program led to a significant reduction in psychological distress over time. The odds of psychological distress were significantly higher at the start of the trial than at the end of the intervention (aOR = 2.64, 95% CI: 1.53–4.56) or 6 months after the intervention (aOR = 2.94, 95% CI: 1.62–5.30). Similarly, in the breast cancer subgroup, distress was higher at the trial’s start than at 6 months, i.e., after the intervention (aOR = 2.25, 95% CI: 1.24–4.08), or at the end of the trial at 12 months (aOR = 2.73, 95% CI: 1.35–5.52). Conclusions: CancerPEP significantly reduces psychological distress in cancer patients, with consistent improvements noted across various cancer types and stages, including benefits specifically for breast cancer patients. These findings build upon the success of the Prostate Cancer Patient Empowerment Program (PC-PEP), indicating that a similar comprehensive intervention can be advantageous for all cancer patients and may be further tailored to address specific needs. With its holistic approach—encompassing physical, dietary, and psychosocial support—CancerPEP shows promise as a vital component of survivorship care. Ongoing 24-month evaluations will yield critical data on its long-term benefits. Additionally, a randomized trial with a control group (usual care without intervention) for breast cancer patients is currently under way and could potentially guide the integration of CancerPEP into standard oncology care to enhance patient outcomes and quality of life. Full article

Background: The possible interactions between anger and fear have not been widely explored in the psychological literature. Fear and anger are currently beginning to be studied by looking at their interrelationships, rather than seeing them as simply opposing emotions. Furthermore, there is a tendency to think that anger is more typical of men and fear of women. Our contribution proposes a particular perspective of affective neuroscience. The objectives of the study are as follows: (1) to assess possible differences in affective systems, and states and traits of anger in relation to biological sex; (2) to assess correlations between ANGER, FEAR, and SADNESS, as well as state and trait anger in both a female and male sample; (3) to assess possible differences in basic affective systems in relation to different levels of ANGER, FEAR, and SADNESS, state and trait anger, in female and male samples. Methods: A non-clinical sample of 339 females and 99 males completed the ANPS 3.1 to assess basic affective states and the STAXI-2 to assess anger states and traits. Results: No significant differences were found for ANGER and FEAR scores and for state and trait scores between the male and female samples. Clear correlations emerged (p < 0.01) between SADNESS and FEAR in both the female and male samples. Among the differences that emerged in the affective systems, we emphasise that in the female group, the highest scores on the SEEKING and PLAY scales are expressed by the group of women who have the lowest scores in FEAR; PLAY and CARE also vary in relation to different scores in SADNESS. Discussion: Given the importance of the SEEKING and PLAY variables, it is of paramount importance to monitor the environmental and relational situations to guarantee that women, too, are provided with the conditions of safety and protection that are prerequisites for their well-being and the positive expression of their resources. Full article