Description:
This paper aims to synthesise the literature on machine learning (ML) and big data applications for mental health, highlighting current research and applications in practice. We employed a scoping review methodology to rapidly map the field of ML in mental health. Eight health and information technology research databases were searched for papers covering this domain. Articles were assessed by two reviewers, and data were extracted on the article's mental health application, ML technique, data type, and study results. Articles were then synthesised via narrative review. Three hundred papers focusing on the application of ML to mental health were identified. Four main application domains emerged in the literature, including: (i) detection and diagnosis (ii) prognosis, treatment and support (iii) public health, and (iv) research and clinical administration. The most common mental health conditions addressed included depression, schizophrenia, and Alzheimer's disease. ML techniques used included support vector machines, decision trees, neural networks, latent Dirichlet allocation, and clustering. Overall, the application of ML to mental health has demonstrated a range of benefits across the areas of diagnosis, treatment and support, research, and clinical administration. With the majority of studies identified focusing on the detection and diagnosis of mental health conditions, it is evident that there is significant room for the application of ML to other areas of psychology and mental health. The challenges of using ML techniques are discussed, as well as opportunities to improve and advance the field.
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Lung inflammation and impaired alveolarization are hallmarks of bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD). We hypothesize that human amnion epithelial cells (hAECs) are anti-inflammatory and reduce lung injury in preterm lambs born after antenatal exposure to inflammation. Pregnant ewes received either intra-amniotic lipopolysaccharide (LPS, from E.coli 055:B5 4mg) or saline (Sal) on day 126 of gestation. Lambs were delivered by cesarean section at 128 d gestation (term ~150 d). Lambs received intravenous hAECs (LPS/hAECs: n = 7 30x10.sup.6 cells) or equivalent volumes of saline (LPS/Sal, n = 10 or Sal/Sal, n = 9) immediately after birth. Respiratory support was gradually de-escalated, aimed at early weaning from mechanical ventilation towards unassisted respiration. Lung tissue was collected 1 week after birth. Lung morphology was assessed and mRNA levels for inflammatory mediators were measured. Respiratory support required by LPS/hAEC lambs was not different to Sal/Sal or LPS/Sal lambs. Lung tissue:airspace ratio was lower in the LPS/Sal compared to Sal/Sal lambs (P<0.05), but not LPS/hAEC lambs. LPS/hAEC lambs tended to have increased septation in their lungs versus LPS/Sal (P = 0.08). Expression of inflammatory cytokines was highest in LPS/hAECs lambs. Postnatal administration of a single dose of hAECs stimulates a pulmonary immune response without changing ventilator requirements in preterm lambs born after intrauterine inflammation.
Description:
Lung inflammation and impaired alveolarization are hallmarks of bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD). We hypothesize that human amnion epithelial cells (hAECs) are anti-inflammatory and reduce lung injury in preterm lambs born after antenatal exposure to inflammation. Pregnant ewes received either intra-amniotic lipopolysaccharide (LPS, from E.coli 055:B5 4mg) or saline (Sal) on day 126 of gestation. Lambs were delivered by cesarean section at 128 d gestation (term ~150 d). Lambs received intravenous hAECs (LPS/hAECs: n = 7 30x10.sup.6 cells) or equivalent volumes of saline (LPS/Sal, n = 10 or Sal/Sal, n = 9) immediately after birth. Respiratory support was gradually de-escalated, aimed at early weaning from mechanical ventilation towards unassisted respiration. Lung tissue was collected 1 week after birth. Lung morphology was assessed and mRNA levels for inflammatory mediators were measured. Respiratory support required by LPS/hAEC lambs was not different to Sal/Sal or LPS/Sal lambs. Lung tissue:airspace ratio was lower in the LPS/Sal compared to Sal/Sal lambs (P<0.05), but not LPS/hAEC lambs. LPS/hAEC lambs tended to have increased septation in their lungs versus LPS/Sal (P = 0.08). Expression of inflammatory cytokines was highest in LPS/hAECs lambs. Postnatal administration of a single dose of hAECs stimulates a pulmonary immune response without changing ventilator requirements in preterm lambs born after intrauterine inflammation.
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This paper examines developmental outcomes for children prenatally exposed to methamphetamine through maternal use. PSYCHINFO, Scopus, PubMed and ERIC databases were systematically searched for studies up to December 2020. The search identified 38 articles examining cognitive, language, motor and neuroanatomical outcomes in children from birth to 16 years. Study quality was appraised using the Newcastle Ottawa Quality Assessment Scale. Findings from neuroanatomical studies suggested that prenatal methamphetamine exposure may alter whole brain microstructure and reduce subcortical volumes across multiple brain regions. Meta-analysis of 14 studies using a random-effects model revealed associations between exposure and poorer intellectual functioning (Cohen’s d = 0.89, 95 % CI: 0.47–1.30), problem solving skills (Cohen’s d = 0.82, 95 % CI: 0.07 −1.56), short-term memory (Cohen’s d = 0.91, 95 % CI: 0.38–1.43), and language development (Cohen’s d = 0.74, 95 % CI: 0.30–1.18). These results emphasise the significant impact of intrauterine methamphetamine exposure across multiple areas of child development, noting that limited total sample size, heterogeneity between studies and control for confounds suggested further studies are required. There is a need for further intervention studies to identify effective prevention and harm minimisation approaches. •Prenatal meth exposure relates to poorer intellectual functioning, memory, and language development.•Exposed children show persistent cognitive deficits across the lifespan.•In utero meth exposure is associated with whole brain microstructural alterations and reduced subcortical volumes.
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Abstract Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has placed huge strain on hospital staff around the world. The aim of the current longitudinal study was to investigate the resilience, stress and burnout of hospital staff located at a large, regional hospital in Victoria, Australia during the COVID-19 pandemic over time via cross-sectional surveys. The surveys were disseminated six times from August 2020 to March 2021, with the first three data collection points distributed during a state-wide lockdown. A total of 558 responses from various professional roles within the hospital over the survey period were included in the sample. Analysis of variance indicated significant main effects for the psychological variables across time, age, and workload. Hospital staff reported an increase in burnout levels throughout the eight-months. Significant negative relationships were observed between resilience and burnout, and between resilience and stress. A backward regression highlighted the contribution of resilience, stress, age, and nursing roles on burnout. Hierarchical regression analysis indicated that resilience contributed to the stress-burnout relationship. This study strengthens the evidence between resilience and burnout among healthcare workers and hospital staff and highlights the need for psychological wellbeing programs to be implemented for hospital staff impacted by a prolonged worldwide pandemic.
Description:
Abstract Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has placed huge strain on hospital staff around the world. The aim of the current longitudinal study was to investigate the resilience, stress and burnout of hospital staff located at a large, regional hospital in Victoria, Australia during the COVID-19 pandemic over time via cross-sectional surveys. The surveys were disseminated six times from August 2020 to March 2021, with the first three data collection points distributed during a state-wide lockdown. A total of 558 responses from various professional roles within the hospital over the survey period were included in the sample. Analysis of variance indicated significant main effects for the psychological variables across time, age, and workload. Hospital staff reported an increase in burnout levels throughout the eight-months. Significant negative relationships were observed between resilience and burnout, and between resilience and stress. A backward regression highlighted the contribution of resilience, stress, age, and nursing roles on burnout. Hierarchical regression analysis indicated that resilience contributed to the stress-burnout relationship. This study strengthens the evidence between resilience and burnout among healthcare workers and hospital staff and highlights the need for psychological wellbeing programs to be implemented for hospital staff impacted by a prolonged worldwide pandemic.
Description:
•Improved sharing of CBPP risk information increases CBPP vaccine up-take.•Demand increases by 1.5 and 2.3 per cent for improved access and information.•WTP for a 1 h reduction in travel duration is KES 54 (USD 0.52) per vaccine.•WTP for receipt of CBPP risk information is KES 52 (USD 0.67) per vaccine.•Controlling for attribute non-attendance improves model fit and estimates. The study estimates cattle owners' willingness-to-pay (WTP) for Contagious Bovine Pleuropneumonia (CBPP) vaccine in Samburu county, Kenya. Of particular policy relevance, the study presents findings on WTP for i) improved access to vaccines and ii) timely access to disease-risk information. The mean price for a CBPP vaccine was estimated at KES 66 (USD 0.64). This price relates to a CBPP vaccine that requires a 1.8 h commute, cattle owners' receipt of timely information that the CBPP disease risk is low-moderate and the vaccine lowers the risk of either tail-drop or post-vaccine abortion. The conditional WTP for mean travel duration and high-risk information are similar at KES 53.9 and KES 51.5. The marginal effect on demand for a 1 h additional travel duration and provision of CBPP disease risk information was estimated as a 1.5 per cent reduction and 2.3 increase. The results of this study indicate that cattle owners value greater levels of knowledge concerning the changing risk profile of CBPP in their community and improved access to CBPP vaccination services. Enhanced engagement with cattle owners concerning CBPP would likely result in a greater utilisation of available CBPP vaccines, conditional on the perceived CBPP disease risk.
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It is time to plant a flag in the White soil of academic journal publishing and declare, ‘This discourse includes the cultural voices of Indigenous peoples’. Indigenous peoples1 are almost invisible as academic authors in rural health journals. Occasionally, that indigeneity might be deduced from the institutional or organisational affiliation statements, or the acknowledgements, or the text of articles. Too frequently, it is not discernible in any way. In essence, Indigenous cultural identity is suppressed by the conventions of academic publishing. This sees author and subject credibility resting on Western views of provenance, including institutional affiliation, college membership, educational qualifications and disciplinary background. This research colonialism reflects a power imbalance that must end.
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[Display omitted] •Two-week postural training alone is not sufficient for improving posture in patients with LBP.•M1 a-tDCS can induce efficiency of postural training for improving balance in LBP patients.•Lasting effects of M1 a-tDCS and postural training on balance have shown in LBP patients. Changes in different regions of the brain due to postural disturbances were found in patients with chronic low back pain (LBP). The aims of the current study were to investigate the short- and long-term enhancing effects of concurrent postural training and primary motor cortex (M1) anodal transcranial direct current stimulation (a-tDCS) on balance, postural stability and pain in chronic LBP patients with postural impairment. In this clinical trial study, thirty eight patients with chronic LBP were randomly assigned to a-tDCS and training, sham a-tDCS and training,and training only groups. All groups received identical postural training for 20 min, three sessions per week for two weeks. The length of stimulation, which used concurrent with postural training in the active a-tDCS group was also 20 min. Before, immediately and one-month after the interventions, postural stability, balance and pain were assessed using Biodex Balance System, Berg Balance Scale (BBS) and Visual Analog Scale (VAS), respectively. The postural stability indices, BBS and VAS scores significantly improved immediately and one-month after the intervention in the a-tDCS and training group (P < 0.001), while there were significant differences between active a-tDCS and other two groups (P < 0.001). Postural stability indices, the BBS and VAS scores were not significantly different between the sham and training only groups after the interventions (P > 0.05). M1 a-tDCS significantly improves the effects of postural training on postural stability, balance and pain in patients with chronic LBP. Two-week postural training alone cannot improve postural impairment in patients with chronic LBP.
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ObjectivesThis study aimed to examine COVID-19 patients’ experiences in a Fangcang shelter hospital in China, to provide insights into the effectiveness of this centralised isolation strategy as a novel solution to patient management during emerging infectious disease outbreaks.DesignThis study adopted a qualitative descriptive design. Data were collected by individual semistructured interviews and analysed using thematic analysis.SettingThis study was undertaken in 1 of the 16 Fangcang shelter hospitals in Wuhan, China between 28 February 2020 and 7 March 2020. Fangcang shelter hospitals were temporary healthcare facilities intended for large-scale centralised isolation, treatment and disease monitoring of mild-to-moderate COVID-19 cases. These hospitals were an essential component of China’s response to the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic.ParticipantsA total of 27 COVID-19 patients were recruited by purposive sampling. Eligible participants were (1) COVID-19 patients (2) above 18 years of age and (3) able to communicate effectively. Exclusion criteria were (1) being clinically or emotionally unstable and (2) experiencing communication difficulties.ResultsThree themes and nine subthemes were identified. First, COVID-19 patients experienced a range of psychological reactions during hospitalisation, including fear, uncertainty, helplessness and concerns. Second, there were positive and negative experiences associated with communal living. While COVID-19 patients’ evaluation of essential services in the hospital was overall positive, privacy and hygiene issues were highlighted as stressors during their hospital stay. Third, positive peer support and a trusting patient–healthcare professional relationship served as a birthplace for resilience, trust and gratitude in COVID-19 patients.ConclusionsOur findings suggest that, while sacrificing privacy, centralised isolation has the potential to mitigate negative psychological impacts of social isolation in COVID-19 patients by promoting meaningful peer connections, companionship and support within the shared living space. To our knowledge, this is the first study bringing patients’ perspectives into healthcare service appraisal in emergency shelter hospitals.
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Validity in the context of qualitative research may take on many different definitions depending on the philosophical perspective. When a researcher conducts research within their place of employment, this will also influence the approach and interpretation. Insider research has been under scrutiny for the very fact that the insider is an actor within the setting. This paper explores my journey, conducting insider research and working as an occupational health and safety practitioner, by presenting an example of the methods used, including reflectivity and reflexivity, to address validity issues which may arise prior, during and post data collection.