Search Results (349)

Background/Objectives: Most patients with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) receive chemo- and/or immunotherapy, which can be associated with adverse events including fatigue. Affected patients may not be able to receive the complete chemo- and/or immunotherapy as planned. In this context, patients may benefit from maintaining their physical activity, which can be challenging. An app reminding patients to perform a certain number of steps may have a positive effect on physical activity during chemo- and/or immunotherapy. Such an app is under development and will be tested in a prospective trial. The current APACHIE-01 study (NCT06993896) is required for proper sample size calculation and design of the planned trial. Methods: The main goal of the APACHIE-01 study is to evaluate patterns and predictors of physical activity during chemo- and/or immunotherapy for locally advanced or metastatic NSCLC. The primary endpoint is the assessment of the mean number of steps per week during the first three cycles of chemo- and/or immunotherapy for lung cancer. The baseline value is represented by the mean number of steps during the last week prior to chemotherapy and/or immunotherapy. Secondary endpoints include associations between mean number of steps per week and a pain score, a distress score, and a fatigue score. The recruitment of the required 38 patients should be completed within 4 months and the treatment period will be 9–10 weeks (three cycles of chemo- and/or immunotherapy), resulting in a total running time of approximately 6 months. The APACHIE-01 study will contribute to the optimal design of a subsequent prospective trial. Full article

A vast majority of survivors of intimate partner violence (IPV) experience economic abuse, including but not limited to, employment sabotage. The purpose of this study is to further understand IPV by testing a technology-inclusive abuser-initiated workplace disruption measurement in an exploratory factor analysis (EFA) so that future researchers can better examine and address economic abuse. Using a sample of survivors (N = 312) employed in the nursing profession in the United States, who may be uniquely impacted by technology, we used complete data to examine experiences of abuser-initiated workplace disruptions, including those that utilized cellphones (e.g., excessive texting, harassment of coworkers, preventing educational advancement). The results revealed a two-factor structure: one containing a variety of direct and indirect workplace disruptions relevant to the nursing profession (73% of variance) and a second containing only cell-phone related harassment (9% of variance). Implications for healthcare employers seeking to protect employees from IPV, as well as policymakers, are included. Full article

In the era of homogenized competition, brand knowledge has become a critical factor that influences consumer purchasing decisions. However, traditional single-layer network models fail to capture the multi-dimensional semantic relationships embedded in brand-related textual data. To address this gap, this study proposes a BKMN framework integrating TF-IDF and TextRank algorithms for comprehensive brand knowledge discovery. By analyzing 19,875 consumer reviews of a mobile phone brand from JD website, we constructed a tri-layer network comprising TF-IDF-derived keywords, TextRank-derived keywords, and their overlapping nodes. The model incorporates co-occurrence matrices and centrality metrics (degree, closeness, betweenness, eigenvector) to identify semantic hubs and interlayer associations. The results reveal that consumers prioritize attributes such as “camera performance”, “operational speed”, “screen quality”, and “battery life”. Notably, the overlap layer exhibits the highest node centrality, indicating convergent consumer focus across algorithms. The network demonstrates small-world characteristics (average path length = 1.627) with strong clustering (average clustering coefficient = 0.848), reflecting cohesive consumer discourse around key features. Meanwhile, this study proposes the Mul-LSTM model for sentiment analysis of reviews, achieving a 93% sentiment classification accuracy, revealing that consumers have a higher proportion of positive attitudes towards the brand’s cell phones, which provides a quantitative basis for enterprises to understand users’ emotional tendencies and optimize brand word-of-mouth management. This research advances brand knowledge modeling by synergizing heterogeneous algorithms and multilayer network analysis. Its practical implications include enabling enterprises to pinpoint competitive differentiators and optimize marketing strategies. Future work could extend the framework to incorporate sentiment dynamics and cross-domain applications in smart home or cosmetic industries. Full article

(1) Background: There has been an ongoing concern for several decades that radiofrequencies emitted from mobile phones are related to brain cancer risk. We calculated temporal trends in brain cancer incidence rates in adults and children and compared them to mobile phone subscription data over the same time period. (2) Methods: We analyzed the Surveillance, Epidemiology and End Results (SEER 22) cancer database between 2000 and 2021. Age-standardized incidence rates (ASR) per 100,000 people were calculated and the annual percentage change (APC) for malignant and benign brain cancer and vestibular schwannomas (acoustic neuromas of the 8th cranial nerve) was established. The total number of mobile phone subscriptions in the United States was plotted for the period 1985–2024. (3) Results: The APC for adolescents and adults was −0.6 (p = 0.0004) for malignant tumors, −0.06 (p = 0.551) for temporal lobe tumors, and 1.9 (p = 0.00003) for benign tumors. The APC for benign acoustic neuroma was 0.09 (p = 0.8237), suggesting that mobile phone use is unlikely to be associated with this tumor type. There was a 1200-fold increase in the number of cell phone subscriptions during this period. (4) Conclusions: These findings suggest that mobile phone use does not appear to be associated with an increased risk of brain cancer, either malignant or benign. Full article

Thermal stress due to high temperatures has different negative effects on citizens as it generates a decrease in physical capacity and causes cardiovascular and respiratory alterations, which is especially true for pedestrians. In this paper, using a drone, routes for pedestrians with the best thermal comfort were traced between the different headquarters of the Simón Bolívar University (Barranquilla, Colombia). Maps were created for three time intervals, from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m., from 1 to 2 p.m. and from 2 to 3 p.m., and variations in temperature and relative humidity of both natural and artificial shadow areas were identified. The routes with the best thermal comfort were those with natural shade that presented ca. 3 °C less than the unshaded areas. The predominant trees’ genera in most of the traced pedestrian routes were Arecaceae (palm), Tabebuia (purple oak), Mangifera (mango), and Delonix (red acacia). Some of them lose their leaves between March and June, which gives rise to an increase in the temperature along those routes. The developed cell phone application allows for the selection of walking environments with the best thermal comfort, favoring the mobility of the pedestrians along the considered area. Full article

Mobile technology advancements have led to cellphone bans in some school jurisdictions. The basis of these bans is judging their utilization by students as unhealthy, antisocial, and educationally controversial. Banning student cellphones neglects the positive mental health of cellphone use that comes from self-directed learning in students using them in the co-creation of virtual worlds through online communities. This scoping review examines peer-reviewed research from 2021–2025 demonstrating positive mental health value in self-directed mobile technology use through co-creating virtual worlds. The searches are of seven primary databases and one supplementary database, using the keywords “self-directed learning AND mobile technology AND co-creation AND virtual worlds”. Excluded are reviews, book chapters, abstracts, and conference proceedings. The assessment of the findings is that cellphone use promotes a combination of self-directed learning and consensus decision-making, and provides mental health benefits when virtual worlds are co-created by students permitted their use. Appraising these results—regarding self-directed learning, consensus decision-making, and student mental health—the conclusion is that in contemplating the school cellphone use of mobile technology, educators rethink banning their classroom use. The aim would be to support the co-creation of virtual worlds to promote increased self-direction, consensus decision-making, and positive mental health. Full article

Dual-task paradigms that combine cognitive and motor tasks offer a valuable lens for detecting subtle impairments in cognitive and physical functioning, especially in older adults. This study used artificial neural network (ANN) modeling to predict clinical, cognitive, and psychosocial outcomes from integrated gait, speech-linguistic, demographic, physiological, and psychological data collected during single- and dual-task conditions. Forty healthy adults (ages 20–84) completed physical, cognitive, and psychosocial assessments and a dual-task walking task involving cell phone use. ANN models were optimized using hyperparameter tuning and k-fold cross-validation to predict outcomes such as the Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MOCA), Trail Making Tests (TMT A and B), Activities-Specific Balance Confidence (ABC) Scale, Geriatric Depression Scale (GDS), and measures of memory, affect, and social support. The models achieved high accuracy for MOCA (100%), ABC (80%), memory function (80%), and social support satisfaction (75%). Feature importance analyses revealed key predictors such as speech-linguistic markers and sensory impairments. First-person plural pronoun used and authenticity of internal thoughts during dual-task emerged as strong predictors of MOCA and memory. Models were less accurate for complex executive tasks like TMT A and B. These findings support the potential of ANN models for the early detection of cognitive and psychosocial changes. Full article

The primary objective of this investigation is to assess the influence of a mandible implant on the electric field distribution and the specific absorption rate (SAR) within the cell phone user’s head. The procedure is based on numerically solving the electromagnetic propagation equation. This is an effective technique for the assessment of electric field distribution and the energy levels absorbed by the organs inside the head. In order to accomplish this, realistic three-dimensional head, implant, and mobile phone models are developed. The frequency applied in the simulations is 2600 MHz. Electric field strength and SAR distributions within the head are presented and examined. A comparative analysis was performed on both models, with and without a titanium mandible implant, to assess the influence of the implant on neighboring biological tissues. The results indicate that both values rise inside biological tissues close to the mandible implant. Face-to-phone safe distances are identified when the values of the electric field and SAR are under the allowable levels set by regulations. Full article

The aim of the present study was to analyze the association of bullying and cyberbullying with the level of Internet, cell phone, and video game use in children and adolescents. In total, 677 Spanish students (53.03% girls) aged 10 to 16 years (13.81 ± 1.56) participated. The association between variables and risk of exposure was carried out by analysis of covariance (ANCOVA) and binary logistic regression (odds ratio = OR), respectively. The effects of both victimization and perpetration in bullying and cyberbullying were analyzed separately to identify differences by role. All analyses were performed separately for boys and girls and adjusted for age, body mass index, mother’s education, and average weekly physical activity. The results showed that both victims and perpetrators of bullying and cyberbullying present a significant increase in and risk of abusive and inappropriate use of the Internet, cell phones, and video games. Girls involved in bullying/cyberbullying behaviors reached the highest levels of inappropriate use of the Internet, cell phones, and video games with respect to peers not affected by bullying behaviors. In all cases, girls, both victims and perpetrators of bullying and cyberbullying, multiplied the risk of harmful use of these devices by at least 3 times. It is suggested to implement educational policies to prevent situations, especially cyberbullying, in both victims and perpetrators, prioritizing student safety. Full article

Background and Objectives: Oral appliances (OAs) are commonly used to manage sleep-disordered breathing conditions, including primary snoring, and offer an alternative treatment for individuals with obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) who cannot tolerate continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) therapy. Our study analyzed the possible factors associated with higher snoring rates compared with those associated with lower snoring rates. Materials and Methods: A customized dental brace with a tongue compressor was the essential part of the Lin OA (LOA). The compressor is available in various lengths, ranging from 0.5 to 3.0 cm across different versions. The participants wore the LOA throughout the night while sleeping. Their snoring rates were recorded using the SnoreClock app on their cell phones. Results: The analysis included 36 participants, comprising 30 males and 6 females. The participants had a mean age of 44.91 ± 9.96 years, a mean BMI of 26.18 ± 3.50 kg/m², and an average recording duration of 398.27 ± 77.56 min per session. In total, 4052 sleep recordings were analyzed. The number of files for females was less than that for males (563 vs. 3489). In this study, individuals belonging to the highest one-third based on the baseline snoring rate (H group) experienced a significant reduction in snoring, approximately 84.8%, when using the LOA-3 cm device equipped with a 3 cm tongue compressor. The individuals who belonged to the lower two-thirds based on the baseline snoring rate were classified as the L group. Among male participants, snoring decreased by approximately 66.4%. Similarly, among female participants in the L group, snoring decreased by approximately 69.3% when using the LOA-3 cm. Conclusions: In this study, we observed a significant reduction in snoring for the two groups of participants wearing the LOA-3 cm, with the rate decrements ranging from 66.4% to 84.8%. This reduction was more pronounced in the H group than in the male participants in the L group. Further studies are needed to explore the reasons for these findings. Full article

Background/Objectives: Influenza poses a significant risk for young children, particularly those under five. Cell culture-derived influenza vaccines offer advantages in reducing adaptive changes and mitigating egg allergy concerns. SKYCellflu^® quadrivalent has been in use since 2015, and this study aimed to assess its safety and influenza infections in children aged 6–35 months in South Korea. Methods: A prospective cohort, non-interventional, multi-center post-marketing surveillance study was conducted from 2020 to 2024. This study presents data from the 2023–2024 influenza season on safety and influenza infections in children aged 6–35 months following SKYCellflu^® vaccination. Safety was assessed based on adverse events (AEs) within 28 days post-vaccination, and influenza infections were assessed via phone calls or medical record screening. Results: Among 333 safety set participants, 54.4% reported at least one AE, with most being mild to moderate. The cumulative incidence of influenza infections among 247 ad hoc subsets was 4.5%, and the incidence rate was 1.3 per 100 person-months (95% CI, 0.7–2.4) during the 2023–2024 influenza season. The two-dose regimen in vaccine-naïve infants aged 6–11 months showed a lower cumulative incidence of influenza infection rate (0.8% vs. 3.8%) and incidence rate (0.3 vs. 0.9 per 100 person-months) than the one-dose group (3.8%). No influenza-related hospitalizations occurred within the ad hoc subset. Conclusions: This study demonstrated a tolerable safety profile and the pattern of influenza infections following SKYCellflu^® vaccination. Additionally, the two-dose regimen was associated with a lower incidence of influenza infections, suggesting potential benefits in enhancing protection among infants aged 6–11 months. Full article

Greenhouse farming has brought a revolution in agriculture as it provides a climate favorable to crops all year round. Besides securing the production of foods of higher quality, it also extends the growing seasons and protects crops from pests and harsh weather. The greenhouse is centrally controlled by the user due to the technological advancements of devices such as cell phones and a control system of temperature, which is important for the plant. To realize remote real-time automated monitoring of the greenhouse based on the user settings, an Android app was developed in this study. Full article

Background: After the end of the COVID-19 pandemic, abusive use of the internet and new information and communication technologies (ICT) among university students was detected. Our research questions were as follows: what has been the impact on the academic performance of university students, and how did the pandemic affect students’ relationship with ICTs? The aim of this research was to explore the use of cell phones and the internet in students from different cultures (Spanish and Japanese) after the pandemic. Methods: This descriptive and exploratory study analysed 206 university students from Spanish and Japanese cultures to understand their perceptions of academic performance after the pandemic, their general use of ICT, and their abusive use of the internet and mobile phones. Instruments included the Internet Overuse Scale (IOS) and the Cell-Phone Overuse Scale (COS), adapted for both Spanish and Japanese populations. Differences between quantitative variables were analyzed using the non-parametric Mann–Whitney U test for independent samples (Spanish and Japanese students or by sex). Contingency tables were created to record and analyse relationships between qualitative variables using the chi-squared test, with statistical significance set at p < 0.05. Results: Approximately 29.6% of participants displayed excessive internet use, while 25.2% showed pathological mobile phone use. A strong association was found between high internet and mobile phone usage. Significant cultural and gender differences were observed, with higher problematic use among Japanese students and female participants. Conclusions: Excessive ICT use remains a concern in university settings, with gender and cultural factors playing key roles. These findings highlight the need for targeted digital well-being interventions. Full article

The recent fast advances in consumer electronics, especially in cell phones and displays, have led to the development of ultra-thin, hence flexible, glasses. Once available, such flexible glasses have proven to be of great interest and usefulness in other fields, too. Flexible photonics, for instance, has quickly taken advantage of this new material. At first sight, “flexible glass” appears to be an oxymoron. Glass is, by definition, fragile and highly breakable; its structure has puzzled scientists for decades, but it is evident that in most conditions it is a rigid material, so how can it bend? This possibility, however, has aroused the interest of artists and craftsmen since ancient times; thus, in Roman times the myth of flexible glass was born. Furthermore, the myth appeared again in the Middle Age, connected to a religious miracle. Today, however, flexible glass is no more a myth but a reality due to the fact that current technology permits us to produce micron-thick glass sheets, and any ultra-thin material can be bent. Flexibility is coming from the present capability to manufacture glass sheets at a tens of microns thickness coupled with the development of strengthening methods; it is also worth highlighting that, on the micrometric and nanometric scales, silicate glass presents plastic behavior. The most significant application area of flexible glass is consumer electronics, for the displays of smartphones and tablets, and for wearables, where flexibility and durability are crucial. Automotive and medical sectors are also gaining importance. A very relevant field, both for the market and the technological progress, is solar photovoltaics; mechanical flexibility and lightweight have allowed solar cells to evolve toward devices that possess the advantages of conformability, bendability, wearability, and moldability. The mature roll-to-roll manufacturing technology also allows for high-performance devices at a low cost. Here, a brief overview of the history of flexible glass and some examples of its application in solar photovoltaics are presented. Full article