Measuring influencing factors affecting mortality rates during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Background: The COVID-19 pandemic has revealed clear deficiencies in global public health policies and healthcare systems when confronted with the emergence of a novel and deadly infectious disease.

Objectives: With 4 years elapsed since the onset of the pandemic, ample data now exist to analyse the associations between the implementation of diverse public health policies, sociodemographic factors and COVID-19 mortality rates.

Methods: This study utilised the dataset compiled by 'Our World in Data' spanning the period of the COVID-19 pandemic from 2020 to 2022.

Comparison of double chevron-cut and biplanar distal femoral osteotomy techniques: A biomechanical study.

Objective: This study aimed to compare the stability and mechanical properties of the double chevron-cut (DCC) and biplanar (BP) distal femoral osteotomy (DFO) techniques, along with analyzing their respective contact surface areas.

Methods: Biomechanical testing was performed using sawbone and 3D modeling techniques to assess axial and torsional stability, torsional stiffness, and maximum torque of both osteotomy configurations. Additionally, 3D models of the sawbone femur were created to calculate and compare the contact surface area of the DCC, BP, and conventional single-plane DFO techniques.

A clinical observational study of effectiveness of a solid coupling medium in extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy.

This study aimed to investigate clinical effectiveness of stone disintegration by using isolation coupling pad ("icPad") as coupling medium to reduce trapped air pockets during extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy (ESWL). Patients underwent ESWL between Oct. 2017 and May 2018 were enrolled in this clinical observational study.

Developing a reading concentration monitoring system by applying an artificial bee colony algorithm to e-books in an intelligent classroom.

A growing number of educational studies apply sensors to improve student learning in real classroom settings. However, how can sensors be integrated into classrooms to help instructors find out students' reading concentration rates and thus better increase learning effectiveness? The aim of the current study was to develop a reading concentration monitoring system for use with e-books in an intelligent classroom and to help instructors find out the students' reading concentration rates. The proposed system uses three types of sensor technologies, namely a webcam, heartbeat sensor, and blood oxygen sensor to detect the learning behaviors of students by capturing various physiological signals.

Effects of bone morphogenetic protein-6 on periodontal wound healing in a fenestration defect of rats.

Background: Bone morphogenetic proteins (BMPs) may play significant roles in bone formation. The ability of BMP-6 to promote wound healing has been chosen as the subject of this investigation. In this study, a synthetic rat BMP-6 polypeptide was applied to a periodontal fenestration defect in rats to elucidate the effects of BMP-6 on periodontal wound healing.

Development of extended release dosage forms using non-uniform drug distribution techniques.

Development of an extended release oral dosage form for nifedipine using the non-uniform drug distribution matrix method was conducted. The process conducted in a fluid bed processing unit was optimized by controlling the concentration gradient of nifedipine in the coating solution and the spray rate applied to the non-pareil beads. The concentration of nifedipine in the coating was controlled by instantaneous dilutions of coating solution with polymer dispersion transported from another reservoir into the coating solution at a controlled rate.