Managing the Lactating Patient Receiving Anesthesia: An Innovative Educational Initiative.

Background: Breastfeeding has numerous health benefits for patients and their infants. There are inconsistencies in how anesthesia providers care for lactating patients undergoing anesthesia. Providers may be cautious and have patients "pump and dump" instead of following current evidence-based recommendations. Video-based education provides a novel reference for health care providers in their fast-paced work environments. This project evaluated the effectiveness of an online video module and resources accessed at the bedside for anesthesia providers caring for lactating patients. Materials and Methods: A preintervention survey was sent to anesthesia providers at a large academic institution to assess baseline knowledge of current recommendations for caring for lactating patients having anesthesia. A quick response code-linked video module and references were created and disseminated to all anesthesia providers. A postsurvey was sent to assess knowledge and satisfaction with the educational approach. Postsurvey data were compared with presurvey data. Results: All who watched the educational video found the education helpful to care for lactating patients undergoing surgery. In the posteducation group, 93% of providers selected the correct recommendation to continue breastfeeding or pumping after general anesthesia or sedation once the patient is awake and alert, compared with 48% in the pre-education group. After education, 92% would recommend preoperative feeding or pumping prior to transport to the operating room, compared with the 50% in the pre-education group. Conclusions: Video-based, just-in-time education is an effective way to deliver updated information to anesthesia providers. This format is conducive to just-in-time delivery, and there may be implications for other patient populations that present infrequently but require population-specific care.

Patient information videos via QR codes: An innovative and sustainable approach in ophthalmology.

BACKGROUND: We explore an innovative approach by transforming patient information leaflet (PILs) into Quick Response (QR) code linked patient information videos (PIVs) in ophthalmology. Our objectives are to assess the subjective utility of a PIV on glaucoma and analyse the use of QR codes as a delivery method. METHODS: A prospective study was conducted in Ninewells Hospital, NHS Tayside. A glaucoma PIV was created and linked to a QR code provided to 130 glaucoma patients. Pre- and post-video questionnaires evaluated the patients' perception of using a QR code and subjective improvement in their understanding of glaucoma. RESULTS: Out of 102 responses collected, 55% of patients had no prior experience with QR codes. However, 81% of patients were able to watch the PIV. The average view duration of the video was 3:26, with 82.5% view retention. Statistically significant improvement in glaucoma knowledge was observed across all six areas questioned (p < 0.001) using a 5-point Likert scale. Overall, 70% of patients preferred PIVs over PILs, and 77% acknowledged that PIVs could be a sustainable alternative. CONCLUSION: QR codes for delivering PIVs were well-received, with patients finding them easy to use. Our PIV on glaucoma effectively enhanced patients' understanding of the condition.

BEC Defender: QR Code-Based Methodology for Prevention of Business Email Compromise (BEC) Attacks.

In an era of ever-evolving and increasingly sophisticated cyber threats, protecting sensitive information from cyberattacks such as business email compromise (BEC) attacks has become a top priority for individuals and enterprises. Existing methods used to counteract the risks linked to BEC attacks frequently prove ineffective because of the continuous development and evolution of these malicious schemes. This research introduces a novel methodology for safeguarding against BEC attacks called the BEC Defender. The methodology implemented in this paper augments the authentication mechanisms within business emails by employing a multi-layered validation process, which includes a MAC address as an identity token, QR code generation, and the integration of timestamps as unique identifiers. The BEC-Defender algorithm was implemented and evaluated in a laboratory environment, exhibiting promising results against BEC attacks by adding an extra layer of authentication.

Study on the Printability of Starch-Based Films Using Ink-Jet Printing.

Starch-based films are a valuable alternative to plastic materials that are based on fossil and petrochemical raw resources. In this study, corn and potato starch films with 50% glycerol as a plasticizer were developed, and the properties of films were confirmed by mechanical properties, surface free energy, surface roughness, and, finally, color and gloss analyses. Next, the films were overprinted using ink-jet printing with quick response (QR) codes, text, and pictograms. Finally, the print quality of the obtained prints was determined by optical density, color parameters, and the visual evaluation of prints. In general, corn films exhibit lower values of mechanical parameters (tensile strength, elongation at break, and Young Modulus) and water transition rate (11.1 mg·cm-2·h-1) than potato starch film (12.2 mg·cm-2·h-1), and water solubility is 18.7 ± 1.4 and 20.3 ± 1.2% for corn and potato film, respectively. The results obtained for print quality on starch-based films were very promising. The overprinted QR codes were quickly readable by a smartphone. The sharpness and the quality of the lettering are worse on potato film. At the same time, higher optical densities were measured on potato starch films. The results of this study show the strong potential of using starch films as a modern printing substrate.

Ethical Reflection on the "QR code Dilemma" Faced by Older People During COVID-19 in China.

The widespread application of QR code technology is best represented by the health codes used in China's pandemic prevention and control. This technology has enhanced the country's ability to manage the pandemic by achieving higher efficiency and accuracy. Unfortunately, a certain segment of the older population has encountered difficulties in adapting and maintaining their daily activities. This indicates the limitations of QR code technology in achieving social isolation. This article argues that for a more comprehensive pandemic prevention and control policy system to be established, managing the implementation of this very technology should be done in a more humane fashion, i.e. under the guidance of three moral principles: benevolence, justice, and non-maleficence. By doing so, implementation of QR code technology is done in a way that is not only conducive to COVID-19 prevention and control but also mitigate marginalization of the older people. In the post-pandemic era, the socialization of digital technology will accelerate. Therefore, in the field of public health, we should direct attention not only to the fair distribution of resources but also to the issue of identity that arises due to digital divide.

A smartphone-based centrifugal mHealth platform implementing hollow daisy-shaped quick response chip for hematocrit measurement.

Due to the ever-increasing challenge of emerging and reemerging infections on global health, the development of POCT tools has been propelled. However, conventional point-of-care testing methods suffer from several limitations, including cumbersome operation, long detection times, and low accuracy, which hamper their widespread application. Compared to traditional disease diagnostic equipment, mobile health platforms offer several advantages, including portability, ease of operation, and automated analysis of detection results through recognition algorithms. Consequently, they hold great promise for the future. Here, we developed a smartphone-based centrifugal mHealth platform implementing daisy-shaped quick response chip for hematocrit measurement. The centrifugal microfluidic chip is combined with a smartphone through a back-clip-on mobile phone adapter whose control circuit is designed with low power consumption to enable the platform to operate without requiring a high-power source that is inconvenient to carry, thereby achieving the goal of portability. Concurrently, we designed a quick response chip featuring a unique hollow daisy structure that is in line with the properties of hematocrit detection. The distinctive configuration of the chip enables adequate centrifugal force to be supplied for hematocrit detection. Additionally, our customized quick response code recognition algorithm is able to recognize this chip, facilitating non-experts in performing hematocrit intelligent recognition with their smartphones.

FieldPrism: A system for creating snapshot vouchers from field images using photogrammetric markers and QR codes.

Premise: Field images are important sources of information for research in the natural sciences. However, images that lack photogrammetric scale bars, including most iNaturalist observations, cannot yield accurate trait measurements. We introduce FieldPrism, a novel system of photogrammetric markers, QR codes, and software to automate the curation of snapshot vouchers. Methods and Results: Our photogrammetric background templates (FieldSheets) increase the utility of field images by providing machine-readable scale bars and photogrammetric reference points to automatically correct image distortion and calculate a pixel-to-metric conversion ratio. Users can generate a QR code flipbook derived from a specimen identifier naming hierarchy, enabling machine-readable specimen identification for automatic file renaming. We also developed FieldStation, a Raspberry Pi-based mobile imaging apparatus that records images, GPS location, and metadata redundantly on up to four USB storage devices and can be monitored and controlled from any Wi-Fi connected device. Conclusions: FieldPrism is a flexible software tool designed to standardize and improve the utility of images captured in the field. When paired with the optional FieldStation, researchers can create a self-contained mobile imaging apparatus for quantitative trait data collection.

Two-level QR code scheme based on region matrix image secret sharing algorithm.

Quick response (QR) codes have become increasingly popular as a medium for quickly and easily accessing information through mobile devices. However, the open-source nature of QR code encoding poses a risk of information leakage and potential attacks, especially with the growing use of QR codes in financial services and authentication applications. To mitigate the risk of information leakage due to open-source QR code encoding, this paper proposes a two-level QR code scheme based on a region matrix image secret sharing algorithm. In this scheme, the first-level public information can be directly obtained by scanning with any standard QR code scanner, while the two-level secret information can only be accessed by overlaying the shared images. To enhance the robustness of joint secret information recovery using shared images, this article designs a progressive image secret sharing algorithm based on region matrices. This algorithm meticulously processes high-priority share regions and generates multiple substitute shares. In the event of attacks on key shares, substitute shares can be employed to recover the secret information. For an increased payload capacity of each QR code, an adaptive pixel depth adjustment algorithm is devised. This algorithm ensures that the recovery of two-level secret information maintains high clarity, while not affecting the scanning functionality of each shared QR code. Experimental results validate the feasibility of this scheme, which simplifies the construction matrix, reduces matrix redundancy, and exhibits priority partitioning and higher robustness. Furthermore, QR codes embedding secret shares can safeguard the two-level information, and the recovered images exhibit exceptional clarity.

Using an integrated social cognition model to identify the determinants of QR code check-in compliance behaviors in the COVID-19 pandemic.

In Australia, checking in while entering venues was a legal requirement during the COVID-19 pandemic to track potential infection sites. This two-wave correlational study used an integrated theory of planned behavior model including moral norms, anticipated regret, and habit to predict check-in compliance in a sample of 181 Victorians (Mean Age = 41.88, 56.4% female) and 162 Queenslanders (Mean Age = 43.26, 47.5% female). Habit and intention predicted behavior, while perceived behavioral control did not. Intention was predicted by baseline habit, attitude, subjective norm, and moral norm in the Victorian sample, while only baseline habit and moral norm predicted intention in the Queensland sample. This study has potential implications for reviewing previous strategies and for future pandemic preparedness, both by identifying the drivers of infection control compliance, and through the discussion of how differences in effects between states may be linked to each state's experience of the pandemic (e.g. infection rates, lockdown length).

Optometrist to Operation: Patients' Perspective on the Innovative Use of Quick Response (QR) Code-Linked Patient Information Video on Cataract Surgery.

Background This study aimed to explore patients' subjective utility for a patient information video (PIV) on cataract surgery and analyse the use of a quick response (QR) code as a mode of delivery of the PIV. Methods A total of 500 patients were included in the study. All patients were given a paper form of the patient information leaflet (PIL) as the standard of care (SoC) in addition to a digital QR code to access a supplementary PIV. The questionnaire explored the patients' understanding of cataracts, the risks and benefits of cataract surgery, and their experience accessing and using the QR code. Results A total of 321 responses were collected (64% response rate). The majority were female (55%), with a mean age of 75 years. Among these, 69% (n = 222/321) managed to watch the video. A statistically significant association was reported between prior experience with QR codes and the ability to watch the video (p<0.001). The most common reason for not watching the video was no device (n=54/99, 54%). Ninety-one percent of the patients who watched the video expressed a desire for additional healthcare videos in the future. Overall, most patients (n=170/222, 76%) acknowledged that the PIV was easier to understand when compared to paper-format information, with a minority of patients reporting the PIV missing information that was covered on paper (n=2/222). Conclusions The provision of PIV supplementation as a part of the cataract surgery referral pathway is an innovative method of providing patient information in a more interactive way, with positive feedback from patients.

4SQR-Code: A 4-state QR code generation model for increasing data storing capacity in the Digital Twin framework.

INTRODUCTION: The usage of Quick Response (QR) Codes has become widely popular in recent years, primarily for immense electronic transactions and industry uses. The structural flexibility of QR Code architecture opens many more possibilities for researchers in the domain of the Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT). However, the limited storage capacity of the traditional QR Codes still fails to stretch the data capacity limits. The researchers of this domain have already introduced different kinds of techniques, including data hiding, multiplexing, data compression, color QR Codes, and so on. However, the research on increasing the data storage capacity of the QR Codes is very limited and still operational. OBJECTIVES: The main objective of this work is to increase the data storage capacity of QR Codes in the IIoT domain. METHODS: In the first part, we have introduced a 4-State-Pattern-based encoding technique to generate the proposed 4-State QR (4SQR) Code where actual data are encoded into a 4SQR Code image which increases the data storage capacity more than the traditional 2-State QR Code. The proposed 4SQR Code consists of four types of patterns, including Black Square Box (BSB), White Square Box (WSB), Triangle, and Circle, whereas the traditional 2-State QR Codes consist of BSB and WSB. In the second part, the 4SQR Code decoding module has been introduced using the adaptive YOLO V5 algorithm where the proposed 4SQR Code image is decoded into the actual data. RESULTS: The proposed model is tested in a Digital Twin (DT) framework using randomly generated 3000 testing samples for the encoding module that converts into 4SQR Code images successfully and similarly for the decoding module that decodes the 4SQR Code images into the actual data. CONCLUSION: Experimental results show that this proposed technique offers increased data storage capacity two times than traditional 2-State QR Codes.

On-chip electromembrane extraction using deep eutectic solvent and red-green-blue analysis by quick-response code readable customized application on a smartphone for measuring salicylic acid in pharmaceutical and plasma samples.

The current work presents an on-chip electromembrane extraction (OC-EME) method using deep eutectic solvent followed by QR code-based red-green-blue (RGB) analysis for measuring salicylic acid (SA) in plasma and pharmaceutical samples. The RGB analysis was performed based on forming the SA-Fe3+ complex in the acceptor phase giving a purple solution. The QR code readable customized app provided rapid, easy, and cost-less qualification and quantification of SA with the aid of principal component analysis (PCA). Parameters affecting OC-EME, including the supported liquid membrane (SLM), pH of the donor and acceptor phases, applied voltage, and sample flow rate, were optimized. Also, the concentration of FeCl3, as a chromogenic reagent, and its reaction time with SA were investigated to find the best concentration-dependent signal. Under the optimized conditions, a good relationship was observed between the green intensity and SA concentration within the range of 1.0-100.0 mg l-1 (R2 = 0.9946) in water and 5.0-100.0 mg l-1 (R2 = 0.9902) in plasma. Intra- and inter-day RSDs% were obtained less than 4.7% and 7.7%, respectively. Finally, the method was successfully applied for measuring SA in foot corn treatment, Aspirin medicines, and human plasma, with relative recoveries between 89.0 and 129.2%.

Medical Device Safety Training by Using Quick Response Codes and Extended Reality-Based Technologies.

This article describes the results of three different study settings where the use of QR codes and XR technologies were tested for medical device training among 132 social and health care professionals. Data from three types of learning events and different contents of training indicated that the professionals considered these novel technologies both beneficial for learning and useful in their working environments for training safe use of medical devices. Based on the collected data, these technologies can be considered prospective options for medical device training.

Video Education Program for Proper use of Inhalation Devices in Elderly COPD Patients.

PURPOSE: This research investigated the utility of a QR code-based video pharmaceutical education program to guide the proper use of the inhalation device in elderly chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) patients. METHODS: The patients were recruited for this prospective study during a COPD hospitalization, with 96 patients in the control group (CG) receiving conventional hospital care and 93 patients in the intervention group (IG) receiving QR code-based video pharmaceutical education from hospitalization to six months after discharge to improve proper utilization of inhalation technology The outcome measures used to assess the effectiveness of the education program were the COPD Assessment Test (CAT), inhaler use accuracy, inhaler technique score, Beliefs about Medicines Questionnaire (BMQ) score and patient satisfaction. RESULTS: Compared with CG, inhaler use accuracy and inhaler use scores improved in the IG group, while BMQ-Concern and CAT scores were significantly lower (P<0.05). Improvements in patient quality-of-life and satisfaction were reported. CONCLUSIONS: This study revealed that the QR code-based video pharmaceutical education program can improve the quality of life and satisfaction of elderly COPD patients.

Model of ligand-triggered information transmission in G-protein coupled receptor complexes.

We present a model for the effects of ligands on information transmission in G-Protein Coupled Receptor (GPCR) complexes. The model is built ab initio entirely on principles of statistical mechanics and tenets of information transmission theory and was validated in part using agonist-induced effector activity and signaling bias for the angiotensin- and adrenergic-mediated signaling pathways, with in vitro observations of phosphorylation sites on the C tail of the GPCR complex, and single-cell information-transmission experiments. The model extends traditional kinetic models that form the basis for many existing models of GPCR signaling. It is based on maximizing the rates of entropy production and information transmission through the GPCR complex. The model predicts that (1) phosphatase-catalyzed reactions, as opposed to kinase-catalyzed reactions, on the C-tail and internal loops of the GPCR are responsible for controlling the signaling activity, (2) signaling favors the statistical balance of the number of switches in the ON state and the number in the OFF state, and (3) biased-signaling response depends discontinuously on ligand concentration.

Assessing the impact of providing digital product information on the health risks of alcoholic beverages to the consumer at point of sale: A pilot study.

INTRODUCTION: There is an ongoing policy debate in the European Union regarding the best method of providing information to consumers on the health risks of alcohol use. One of the proposed channels is via the provision of QR codes. This study tested the usage rate of QR codes placed on point-of-sale signs in a supermarket in Barcelona, Catalonia over a 1-week period. METHODS: Nine banners with beverage-specific health warnings in large text were prominently displayed in the alcohol section of a supermarket. Each banner provided a QR code of relatively large image size that linked to a government website providing further information on alcohol-related harms. A comparison was made between the number of visits to the website and the number of customers in the supermarket (number of unique sales receipts) in a single week. RESULTS: Only 6 out of 7079 customers scanned the QR code during the week, corresponding to a usage rate of 0.085%, less than 1 per 1000. The usage rate was 2.6 per 1000 among those who purchased alcohol. DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSIONS: Despite the availability of prominently displayed QR codes, the overwhelming majority of customers did not make use of the QR codes to obtain further information on alcohol-related harms. This corroborates the results from other studies investigating customers' use of QR codes to obtain additional product information. Based on the current evidence, providing online access to information through QR codes will likely not reach a significant portion of consumers.

QR code technology in individual identification training provides an introduction in hands-on forensic DNA genotyping to medical students.

BACKGROUND: Forensic biology is a subject in the field of forensic science that stresses practical teaching and training in laboratory skills. Visualization of deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) profiles is important in individual identification and is easily performed by well-trained examiners. Therefore, developing a novel training project for obtaining individual DNA profiles can improve the quality of teaching for medical students or trainees. DNA profiles based on quick response (QR) codes can also be applied to practical teaching and operation training for individual identification. METHODS: A novel training project was developed through an experimental course in forensic biology. Blood samples and buccal swabs with oral epithelial cells, as used in the forensic DNA laboratory, were obtained from medical students at Fujian Medical University. DNA was isolated, and a number of short tandem repeat (STR) loci were used as genetic markers to generate DNA profiles. The students converted DNA profiles and individual information into a QR code. The QR code could then be scanned by a mobile phone for consulting and retrieval. Gene identity cards with QR codes were produced and provided to every student. The participation rate and passing rate of students who participated in the novel training project were calculated and compared with those of students in the traditional experimental course, and a chi-square test was carried out by SPSS 23.0 software to evaluate the teaching effectiveness. p < 0.05 indicated significant differences. In addition, a survey was conducted to investigate the likelihood of using of gene identity cards with QR codes in the future. RESULTS: A total of 54 of 91 medical students who studied forensic biology participated in the novel training project in 2021. Only 31 of 78 students who studied forensic biology participated in the traditional experimental course in 2020. The participation rate in the novel training project was 24% higher than that of the traditional experimental course. The participants in the novel training project showed better performance in forensic biological handling techniques. The passing rate of the students in the forensic biology course with the novel training project was approximately 17% higher than that of the students in the former course. The participation rates and passing rates of the two groups were significantly different (χ = 6.452, p = 0.008 and χ = 11.043, p = 0.001). In the novel training project, all participants made 54 gene identity cards with QR codes. Furthermore, in the DNA profiles of four African students who participated, we found two rare alleles that were not discovered in Asians. The survey showed that the use of gene identity cards with QR codes was accepted by most participants, and the likelihood of future utilization was 78%. CONCLUSION: We established a novel training project to promote the learning activities of medical students in experimental forensic biology courses. The participants showed great interest in using gene identity cards with QR codes to store general individual identity information and DNA profiles. They also examined the genetic population differences between different races based on DNA profiles. Hence, the novel training project could be useful for training workshops, forensic experimental courses, and medical big data research.

Tablet Versus Quick Response Code: Difference in Research Participation Rates?

Conducting research with immunocompromised populations, especially within the context of a global pandemic, warrants consideration of alternative research methods and modes of administration to keep participants safe. Digital and internet-based research methods have been utilized to minimize the risk of harm with cancer patients; however, adolescents and young adults with cancer (AYAs) remain an under served and understudied population with high levels of unmet needs. The purpose of the current study was to examine differences in AYA research participation rates based on two digital survey administration methods (tablet versus QR code). AYAs were randomly assigned to complete an online survey using either a tablet or quick response (QR) code, and participation rates in each group were compared. The total participation rate was 22.9%, with 75% of completed surveys from the tablet group and 25% from the QR code group. While the use of a QR code allows for reduced costs for in-clinic recruitment and may be the most sanitary option during COVID-19, eligible patients in the current study showed trends of increased engagement using a sanitized tablet. It is important to consider how psychosocial research and electronic surveys are administered, as the method may impact recruitment and/or information obtained.