• Journal of the Korea Computer Graphics Society
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• v.30 no.3
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• pp.61-69
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• 2024

Mixed reality(MR) technology combines the advantages of virtual reality(VR) and augmented reality(AR) technology, allowing MR users to interact with virtual objects against the background of the real world. In addition, since virtual objects interact with the real world, users can experience a higher immersion. This study proposes electric circuit practical training content using Meta Quest Pro to produce immersive MR content based on reality. To this end, first, the development process for producing MR content by linking Meta Quest Pro equipment with the Unity 3D engine is organized. Then, based on the traditional electric circuit practical training method used in elementary school science classes, virtual electric circuit practical training content with the same training method and operation process is produced based on MR. Finally, survey experiments are conducted to analyze the presence and experience of the MR-based educational environment provided using the produced content. Through this, the usability of the proposed practical training content is evaluated and future research directions are suggested.

• Journal of the Korea Computer Graphics Society
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• v.30 no.3
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• pp.71-79
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• 2024

This study organizes an immersive content production pipeline using Meta Quest Pro as an asymmetric virtual environment where mixed reality(MR) and virtual reality(VR) users participate and interact together. Based on this, we compare and analyze the differences in presence and experience provided by the user's experience environment. The proposed production process is to build an integrated development environment using Meta XR All-in-One SDK based on the Unity 3D engine. This includes a real space analysis method using the Room Model function for organic and accurate interaction between MR users in the real world and VR users based on virtual scenes at fixed coordinates. Based on this, this study produces immersive table tennis content where MR and VR users participate together. Finally, we conduct survey experiments to compare and analyze the effects of differences in platform and participation methods on presence and experience using the produced content. As a result, this study confirmed that all users can feel a satisfactory presence and experience within an experience environment where real and virtual correspond.

• Safety and Health at Work
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• v.12 no.4
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• pp.536-543
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• 2021

Background: Sickness absenteeism is an area of concern in nursing and is more concerning given the recent impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on healthcare. This study is one of two meta-analyses that examined sickness absenteeism in nursing. In this study, we examined demographic, lifestyle, and physical health predictors. Methods: We reviewed five databases (CINAHL, ProQuest Allied, ProQuest database theses, PsycINFO, and PubMed) for our search. We registered the systematic review (CRD de-identified) and followed the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses. Additionally, we used the Population/Intervention/Comparison/Outcome Tool to improve our searches. Results: Following quality testing, 17 articles were used for quantitative synthesis. Female employees were at higher risks of sickness absenteeism than their male counterparts (OR = 1.73; 95% CI: 1.33-2.25). Nursing staff who rated their health as poor had a greater likelihood of experiencing sickness absence (OR = 1.38; 95% CI: 1.19-1.60). Also, previous sick leave predicted future leaves (OR = 3.35; 95% CI: 1.37-8.19). Moreover, experiencing musculoskeletal pain (OR = 2.41 95% CI: 1.77-3.27) increased the likelihood of sickness absence with greater odds when it is a back pain (OR = 3.05; 95% CI: 1.66-5.62). Increased age, physical activity, and sleep were not associated with sick leave. Conclusion: Several variables were statistically associated with the occurrence of sickness absenteeism. One primary concern is the limited research in this area despite alarming rates of sick leave in healthcare. More research is required to identify predictors of sickness absence, and thereby, implement preventative measures.

• Clinical and Experimental Pediatrics
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• v.64 no.6
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• pp.286-292
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• 2021

Background: The effect of exposure to environmental factors on autism spectrum disorders (ASD), especially during pregnancy, is unclear. Purpose: This meta-analysis investigated the association between exposure to pesticides and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) during pregnancy and ASD risk among children. Methods: We searched Scopus, PubMed, Web of Science, and ProQuest for articles published through September 2019. Random-effects models were used to examine the association among studies using pooled odds ratios (ORs) and their 95% confidence intervals (CI). I2 tests were used to measure interstudy heterogeneity. Results: The pooled OR indicated a significant association between PCB and pesticide exposure during pregnancy and ASD risk among children (OR, 1.80; 95% CI, 1.26-2.34; and OR, 1.20; 95% CI, 1.02-1.39), respectively. Conclusion: Findings of the present study indicate that exposure to pesticides and PCBs during pregnancy may affect the risk of ASD among children.

• Educational Technology International
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• v.23 no.2
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• pp.207-237
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• 2022

As technological changes continue to accelerate every day, meeting the needs of a shifting educational landscape requires leaving an exclusively "in-person" education behind. Gamified learning environments should be carefully designed in light of conflicting studies to suit students' needs. The purpose of this meta-analysis is to draw conclusive results regarding the application of the most commonly used game elements in education, i.e., badges and leaderboards, through a comprehensive analysis of their impact on academic performance in online learning. Review Manager (RevMan 5.4) was used to analyze eligible studies selected from Emerald, SAGE, ERIC, EBSCO, and ProQuest between January 2011 and January 2022. Analyzing 37 studies found that using leaderboards and badges in online education enhanced academic performance when compared to traditional learning without gamification (SMD = 0.39). The badge-only intervention showed a larger effect size (SMD = 0.33) than the leaderboard-only intervention (SMD = 0.27). Badges and leaderboards together exhibited a larger effect size (SMD = 0.48) than individual game elements (SMD = 0.40). The impact of the game elements on academic performance was greater in the humanities (SMD = 0.51) than in STEM fields (SMD = 0.32) and was greater for K-12 students (SMD = 0.63) than for college students (SMD = 0.31). This study contributes to a timely discussion of the use of badges and leaderboards in COVID-19 online learning trends and provides relevant data for designing integrations of online education and gamification models.

• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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• v.50 no.6
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• pp.347-360
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• 2017

Objectives: This meta-analysis aimed to evaluate congenital malformations in infants conceived by assisted reproductive techniques (ART), compared with infants conceived spontaneously. Methods: In this study, available resources searched to find relevant articles included PubMed, ScienceDirect, Scopus, Google Scholar, Cochrane, ProQuest, Iranmedex, Magiran, and Scientific Information Database. After extracting the necessary information from evaluated articles, meta-analysis on the articles' data was performed using Stata version 11.2. Results: In this study, from a total of 339 articles, extracted from the initial investigation, ultimately 30 articles were selected for meta-analysis that assessed the use of ART on the risk of congenital abnormalities and some birth complications on 5 470 181 infants (315 402 cases and 5 154 779 controls). The odds ratio (95% confidence interval [CI]) for low birth weight was 1.89 (95% CI, 1.36 to 2.62), preterm labor 1.79 (95% CI, 1.21 to 2.63), cardiac abnormalities 1.43 (95% CI, 1.27 to 1.62), central nervous system abnormalities 1.36 (95% CI, 1.10 to 1.70), urogenital system abnormalities 1.58 (95% CI, 1.28 to 1.94), musculoskeletal disorders 1.35 (95% CI, 1.12 to 1.64), and chromosomal abnormalities in infants conceived by ART was 1.14 (95% CI, 0.90 to 1.44), which were all statistically significant, except chromosomal abnormalities. Conclusions: The risk of congenital abnormalities and some birth complications were significantly higher in ART than normal conception, while chromosomal abnormalities were not; therefore, the application of ART should be selected individually for patients by detailed assessment to reduce such risks in the population.

• Clinical and Experimental Pediatrics
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• v.63 no.2
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• pp.34-43
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• 2020

Phenylketonuria is a disease caused by congenital defects in phenylalanine metabolism that leads to irreversible nerve cell damage. However, its detection in the early days of life can reduce its severity. Thus, many countries have started disease screening programs for neonates. The present study aimed to determine the worldwide prevalence of classic phenylketonuria using the data of neonatal screening studies.The PubMed, Web of Sciences, Sciences Direct, ProQuest, and Scopus databases were searched for related articles. Article quality was evaluated using the Joanna Briggs Institute Critical Appraisal Evaluation Checklist. A random effect was used to calculate the pooled prevalence, and a phenylketonuria prevalence per 100,000 neonates was reported. A total of 53 studies with 119,152,905 participants conducted in 1964-2017 were included in this systematic review. The highest prevalence (38.13) was reported in Turkey, while the lowest (0.3) in Thailand. A total of 46 studies were entered into the meta-analysis for pooled prevalence estimation. The overall worldwide prevalence of the disease is 6.002 per 100,000 neonates (95% confidence interval, 5.07-6.93). The meta-regression test showed high heterogeneity in the worldwide disease prevalence (I²=99%). Heterogeneity in the worldwide prevalence of phenylketonuria is high, possibly due to differences in factors affecting the disease, such as consanguineous marriages and genetic reserves in different countries, study performance, diagnostic tests, cutoff points, and sample size.

• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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• v.55 no.1
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• pp.37-48
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• 2022

Objectives: Depression is a frequent complication of type 2 diabetes mellitus. This study aimed to investigate the relationship between low social support and risk for depression in people with type 2 diabetes through a meta-analysis. Methods: PubMed, ProQuest, SpringerLink, ScienceDirect, Scopus, the Cochrane Library, Embase, and Google Scholar were searched for English-language articles published up to 2021. Pooled adjusted odds ratios (aORs) were calculated using a random-effect model with 95% confidence intervals (CIs). Heterogeneity was evaluated by using the Cochrane Q test and I² statistics. The risk of publication bias was estimated using a funnel plot, the Egger test, and the Begg test. The Joanna Briggs Institute Critical Appraisal Tools were used to assess the quality of evidence and the risk of bias. Results: Eleven studies were included in this meta-analysis, containing a total of 3151 people with type 2 diabetes mellitus. The pooled analysis showed that people with type 2 diabetes mellitus who had low social support had twice as high a risk of depression as those with high social support (aOR, 2.02; 95% CI, 1.51 to 2.70; p<0.001). A random-effect model was used because the heterogeneity was high (I² = 87%). Conclusions: Low social support was found to increase the risk of depression among people with type 2 diabetes mellitus. Further investigation into factors that may moderate this relationship is required.

• Journal of Dental Anesthesia and Pain Medicine
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• v.18 no.3
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• pp.129-142
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• 2018

Introduction: This systematic review evaluated the use of buffered versus non-buffered lidocaine to increase the efficacy of inferior alveolar nerve block (IANB). Materials and Methods: Randomized, double-blinded studies from PubMed, Web of Science, Cochrane Library, Embase, and ProQuest were identified. Two of the authors assessed the studies for risk of bias. Outcomes included onset time, injection pain on a visual analog scale (VAS), percentage of painless injections, and anesthetic success rate of IANB. Results: The search strategy yielded 19 references. Eleven could be included in meta-analyses. Risk of bias was unclear in ten and high in one study. Buffered lidocaine showed 48 seconds faster onset time (95% confidence interval [CI], -42.06 to -54.40; P < 0.001) and 5.0 units lower (on a scale 0-100) VAS injection pain (95% CI, -9.13 to -0.77; P=0.02) than non-buffered. No significant difference was found on percentage of people with painless injection (P = 0.059), nor success rate (P = 0.290). Conclusion: Buffered lidocaine significantly decreased onset time and injection pain (VAS) compared with non-buffered lidocaine in IANB. However due to statistical heterogeneity and low sample size, quality of the evidence was low to moderate, additional studies with larger numbers of participants and low risk of bias are needed to confirm these results.

• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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• v.57 no.3
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• pp.197-211
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• 2024

Objectives: Recovery from drug addiction often poses challenges for the recovering person. The coping mechanisms employed by these individuals to resist temptations and manage stress play a key role in the healing process. This study was conducted to explore the coping strategies or techniques that individuals with addiction use to handle stress and temptation while undergoing treatment. Methods: A qualitative meta-synthesis approach was utilized to critically evaluate relevant qualitative research. The Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) 2020 guidelines were used for article selection, with these standards applied to 4 academic databases: Scopus, PubMed, ProQuest, and CINAHL. The present review included studies published between 2014 and 2023, selected based on pre-established inclusion criteria. The quality of the studies was assessed using the Critical Appraisal Skills Programme Qualitative Studies Checklist. This review was registered with the International Prospective Register of Systematic Reviews (PROSPERO) under the registration number CRD42024497789. Results: The analysis of 13 qualifying qualitative articles revealed 5 major themes illustrating the coping mechanisms employed in the pursuit of recovery by individuals who use drugs. These themes include seeking social support, as well as psychological coping strategies, spiritual experiences, professional interventions, and the enhancement of awareness. Conclusions: Among individuals with drug addiction, coping mechanisms are crucial for resisting stress and temptations throughout the recovery process. Healthcare professionals, as medical specialists, can establish more thorough and effective plans to support these patients on their path to recovery.