Results of a brief online group application of the unified protocol for the prevention of emotional disorders in university students: a pilot study with multiple baseline experimental design / Resultados de una aplicación grupal breve en línea del protocolo unificado para la prevención de trastornos emocionales en estudiantes universitarios: un estudio piloto con diseño experimental de línea base múltiple

Los trastornos emocionales (TEs) son los trastornos más comunes entre la población joven. El desarrollo de programas preventivos de los TEs es fundamental para evitar su posible aparición. Los programas de prevención transdiagnósticos podrían presentar una ventaja sobre los existentes para mejorar las estrategias de regulación emocional. Así, el objetivo de este estudio ha sido determinar la viabilidad y eficacia preliminar de un programa breve basado en el Protocolo Unificado (PU). El proyecto consistió en un estudio piloto utilizando un diseño experimental de línea base múltiple. Nueve estudiantes universitarios recibieron un programa de 5 sesiones basado en el PU en formato grupal online. Se encontraron diferencias significativas después de la intervención en la regulación de las emociones, el apoyo social percibido y la evitación, con tamaños del efecto moderados-grandes (r de Cohen = .49 - .59). Estas mejoras mostraron aumentos en los seguimientos al mes y a los 3 meses. Esos resultados están en línea con los que muestran que los programas preventivos transdiagnósticos breves podrían ser útiles para la prevención de los TEs en población universitaria.(AU)

Emotional disorders (EDs) are the most common disorders among the young population. The development of preventive programs for EDs is essential to avoid their possible appearance. Transdiagnostic prevention programs could present an advantage over existing ones to im-prove emotional regulation strategies. Thus, the objective of this study has been to determine the preliminary feasibility and effectiveness of a brief program based on the Unified Protocol (UP). The project consisted of a pilot study using a multiple baseline experimental design. Nine university students received a 5-session program based on the UP in online-group format. Significant differences were found after the intervention for emo-tion regulation, perceived social support and avoidance, with moderate-large effect sizes (Cohen's r= .49-.59). These improvements showed in-creases at 1-month and 3-month follow-ups. Those results are in line with those showing that brief transdiagnostic preventive programs could be use-ful for the prevention of EDs in the university population.(AU)

Social media uses amongst adolescents: motives, minority stress and eudaimonic well-being / Uso de redes sociales en adolescentes: motivación, estrés de minorías y bienestar eudaimónico

Introduction: The scientific evidence regarding the effects of online social media use on the well-being of adolescents is mixed. In gen-eral, passive uses (receiving, viewing content without interacting) and more screen time are related to lower well-being when compared with active uses (direct interactions and interpersonal exchanges). Objectives:This study ex-amines the types and motives for social media usage amongst adolescents, differentiating them by gender identity and sexual orientation, as well as its effects on eudaimonic well-being and minority stress. Method: A cross-sectional study was conducted with 1259 adolescents, aged 14 to 19 (M= 16.19; SD= 1.08), analysing the Scale of Motives for Using Social Net-working Sites, eudaimonic well-being, the Sexual Minority Adolescent Stress Inventory, screen time and profile type. Results:The results found that longer use time is related to finding partners, social connection and friendships; that gay and bisexual (GB) adolescents perceive more distal stressors online;and that females have higher levels of well-being. Discus-sion: The public profiles of GB males increase self-expression, although minority stress can be related to discrimination, rejection or exclusion. Dif-ferentiated socialization may contribute to a higher level of well-being in females, with both active and passive uses positively effecting eudaimonic well-being in adolescents.(AU)

Introduction: The scientific evidence regarding the effects of online social media use on the well-being of adolescents is mixed. In general, passive uses (receiving, viewing content without interacting) and more screen time are related to lower well-being when compared with active uses (direct interactions and interpersonal exchanges). Objectives: This study examines the types and motives for social media usage amongst adolescents, differentiating them by gender identity and sexual orientation, as well as its effects on eudaimonic well-being and minority stress. Method: A cross-sectional study was conducted with 1259 adolescents, aged 14 to 19 (M = 16.19; SD = 1.08), analysing the Scale of Motives for Using Social Networking Sites, eudaimonic well-being, the Sexual Minority Adolescent Stress Inventory, screen time and profile type. Results: The results found that longer use time is related to finding partners, social connection and friendships; that gay and bisexual (GB) adolescents perceive more distal stressors online; and that females have higher levels of well-being. Discussion: The public profiles of GB males increase self-expression, although minority stress can be related to discrimination, rejection or exclusion. Differentiated socialization may contribute to a higher level of well-being in females, with both active and passive uses positively effecting eudaimonic well-being in adolescents.(AU)

[The application of artificial intellect in health care: prospects and challenges for science and clinical medicine].

The paper analyses publications data related to issues of application of AI and machine learning systems in medical science and practice. The particular attention is paid to key points of AI application in health care: diagnostics, telemedicine, development of new medications, medical rehabilitation and management decision-making process. Despite broad perspectives of applying the given systems in clinical practice and pharmaceutical industry, there are a number of such unsolved problems as ensuring information security, risk of making erroneous decisions and necessity to change existing normative legal base of health care.

Similarities and differences in the psychological factors associated with generalised problematic internet use, problematic social media use, and problematic online gaming.

Problematic online behaviours are a concern among university students. Although previous research has identified that psychological distress, cognitive distortions, conscientiousness and neuroticism traits, motor impulsivity, and emotion regulation strategies have a significant direct effect on generalised problematic Internet use (GPIU), problematic social media use (PSMU), and problematic online gaming (POG), it is still necessary to determine the extent to which these psychological factors, taken together, are associated with each of the problematic online behaviours. In a sample of 690 Spanish university students, the present study examined the relationship of these psychological factors with GPIU, PSMU, and POG. Correlation and regression analyses were performed. Results reported that (1) high psychological distress, low conscientiousness trait and high motor impulsivity were common associated factors of GPIU and PSMU, but not of POG; (2) high levels of cognitive distortions and cognitive reappraisal were common associated factors of GPIU, PSMU and POG; and (3) expressive suppression and neuroticism trait had no effect on any of the three problematic online behaviours. The findings will help to develop effective prevention and intervention strategies for each problematic online behaviour in the university context.

Conducting Developmental Research Online vs. In-Person: A Meta-Analysis.

An increasing number of psychological experiments with children are being conducted using online platforms, in part due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Individual replications have compared the findings of particular experiments online and in-person, but the general effect of data collection method on data collected from children is still unknown. Therefore, the goal of the current meta-analysis is to estimate the average difference in effect size for developmental studies conducted online compared to the same studies conducted in-person. Our pre-registered analysis includes 211 effect sizes calculated from 30 papers with 3282 children, ranging in age from four months to six years. The estimated effect size for studies conducted online was slightly smaller than for their counterparts conducted in-person, a difference of d = -.05, but this difference was not significant, 95% CI = [-.17, .07]. We examined several potential moderators of the effect of online testing, including the role of dependent measure (looking vs verbal), online study method (moderated vs unmoderated), and age, but none of these were significant. The literature to date thus suggests-on average-small differences in results between in-person and online experimentation.

Virtual Education in Urogynecology: Enhancing Understanding and Management of Pelvic Fistulas.

Introduction: Pelvic fistulas affect a significant number of patients globally, with a relatively low prevalence in the United States. Virtual education offers an effective, scalable solution to bridge this educational gap and lead to a deeper understanding of more common conditions, such as urinary and fecal incontinence. Methods: We developed two virtual cases on rectovaginal and vesicovaginal/ureterovaginal fistulas to enhance medical students' exposure, knowledge, and confidence regarding assessment of pelvic fistulas. The cases could be completed in approximately 30 minutes, asynchronously, and at students' own pace. The cases were integrated into an OB/GYN clerkship. We conducted a survey among students receiving the cases to gather feedback on usability, acceptability, and educational value, which guided subsequent improvements. Results: Forty medical students, ranging from first to third year, participated in the urogynecology elective; 21 (53%) completed the survey. Ninety-one percent agreed or strongly agreed they were satisfied with the cases. All respondents found the format easy to use and appropriate for their level of learning. Most reported the cases improved their confidence in nonsurgical and surgical management options for pelvic fistulas. Discussion: Offering virtual and interactive patient cases on e-learning platforms represents an innovative approach to increasing clinical exposure to urogynecologic disorders. By providing medical students with the opportunity to interact with pelvic fistulas virtually, these cases can help bridge a gap in clinical education. Future exploration is valuable for examining knowledge deficiencies and developing cost-effective, self-paced, easily accessible educational resources to advance medical training and optimize patient care.

Evaluation and Assessment of the ABATE Framework to Enhance Implicit Bias Training for Virtual Interviews in Medical Schools.

Introduction: The influence of implicit biases in virtual interviews must be addressed to ensure equity within the admissions process. ABATE is a mnemonic framework of five specific categories of implicit bias (affinity-based, backdrop-based, appearance-based, technology and media-based, and enunciation-based biases) that should be anticipated and mitigated for faculty, staff, health professionals, and medical students who conduct virtual interviews at medical schools. Methods: A 60-minute workshop was developed to educate medical school admissions interviewers about the ABATE model and strategies to mitigate implicit bias during virtual interviews. Four workshops were held over 1 year totaling 217 individual attendees. The workshops were evaluated using a single-group, pre-post questionnaire designed with the Kirkpatrick evaluation model. Results: Attendees reported that they found the ABATE workshop useful and relevant to improving their ability to minimize implicit bias during virtual interviews. Significant improvements were found in attendee reactions to the utility of implicit bias training (M pre = 2.6, M post = 3.1, p = .002). Significant changes were also reported in attendees' attitudes about interviewing confidence (M pre = 3.0, M post = 3.2, p = .04), bias awareness (M pre = 3.0, M post = 3.4, p = .002), and identifying and applying bias mitigation solutions (M pre = 2.5, M post = 3.0, p = .003). Knowledge specific to backdrop-based biases also significantly increased (M pre = 3.2, M post = 3.4, p = .04). Discussion: The ABATE workshop demonstrates promise in mitigating implicit bias in virtual medical school interviews.

Building Interprofessional Competencies Through a Collaborative Prescribing Activity With Osteopathic, Pharmacy, and Physician Assistant Students.

Introduction: Medication errors can lead to significant adverse events. Nearly 50% of medication errors occur during the prescription-writing stage of the medication use process, and effective interprofessional collaboration and communication are key to reducing error in this process. Methods: We developed a three-part, 60-minute, interprofessional education activity providing medical, physician assistant, and pharmacy students the opportunity to practice collegial interprofessional communication surrounding prescribing practices. Learners met virtually initially as a large group and divided into small groups facilitated by a health professional. Part 1 involved reviewing two prescriptions prepared by learners; part 2 was a discussion about the education, roles, and responsibilities of each profession; and part 3 focused on identifying prescription errors in examples provided by faculty. Students completed a post-pre survey measuring their perception of learning the Interprofessional Collaborative Competency Attainment Survey (ICCAS) areas. Results: Of 317 participants (151 doctor of osteopathy, 68 master of physician assistant studies, and 98 doctor of pharmacy students), 286 completed the post-pre survey, for a 90% response rate. Students reported statistically significant (p < .001) increases in all 20 questions spanning the six ICCAS areas. Discussion: The virtual format allowed multiple institutions to participate from various locations. It broadened the learners' experience by fostering interaction among those with varied perspectives and allowed collaboration between locations and programs that otherwise could not have participated. The activity introduced students to virtual collaboration and key telehealth skills, enhancing their confidence and familiarity with virtual interactions in a professional setting.

Investigating the effectiveness of web-based HIV self-test distribution and linkage to HIV treatment and PrEP among groups at elevated risk of HIV in Viet Nam provinces: a mixed-methods analysis of implementation from pilot to scale-up.

INTRODUCTION: In Viet Nam, key populations (KPs) face barriers accessing HIV services. Virtual platforms can be leveraged to increase access for KPs, including for HIV self-testing (HIVST). This study compares reach and effectiveness of a web-based HIVST intervention from pilot to scale-up in Viet Nam. METHODS: A mixed-methods explanatory sequential design used cross-sectional and thematic analysis. The pilot launched in Can Tho in November 2020, followed by Hanoi and Nghe An in April 2021. Scale-up included Can Tho and Nghe An, with 21 novel provinces from April to December 2022. After risk assessment, participants registered on the website, receiving HIVST (OraQuick®) by courier, peer educator or self-pick-up. Test result reporting and completing satisfaction surveys were encouraged. Intervention reach was measured through numbers accessing the testing, disaggregated by demographics, and proportion of individuals reporting self-testing post-registration. Effectiveness was measured through numbers reporting self-test results, testing positive and linking to care, and testing negative and using HIVST to manage pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) use. Thematic content analysis of free-text responses from the satisfaction survey synthesized quantitative outcomes. RESULTS: In total, 17,589 participants registered on the HIVST website; 11,332 individuals ordered 13,334 tests. Participants were generally young, aged <25 years (4309/11,332, 38.0%), male (9418/11,332, 83.1%) and men who have sex with men (6437/11,332, 56.8%). Nearly half were first-time testers (5069/11,332, 44.9%). Scale-up participants were two times more likely to be assigned female at birth (scale-up; 1595/8436, 18.9% compared to pilot; 392/3727, 10.5%, p < 0.001). Fewer test results were reported in scale-up compared with pilot (pilot: 3129/4140, 75.6%, scale-up: 5811/9194, 63.2%, p < 0.001). 6.3% of all tests were reactive (pilot: 176/3129, 5.6% reactive compared to scale-up: 385/5811, 6.6% reactive, p = 0.063); of which most linked to care (509/522, 97.5%). One-fifth of participants with a negative test initiated or continued PrEP (pilot; 19.8%, scale-up; 18.5%, p = 0.124). Thematic analysis suggested that community delivery models increased programmatic reach. Live chat may also be a suitable proxy for staff support to increase result reporting. CONCLUSIONS: Web-based self-testing in Viet Nam reached people at elevated risk of HIV, facilitating uptake of anti-retroviral treatment and direct linkage to PrEP initiations. Further innovations such as the use of social-network testing services and incorporating features powered by artificial intelligence could increase the effectiveness and efficiency of the approach.

Medical students' preferences for asynchronous online or face-to-face learning strategies in learning gross anatomy and neuroanatomy during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Gross anatomy and neuroanatomy are fundamental subjects in medical education. However, learning different anatomical terms and understanding the complexity of the subjects are often challenging for medical students. At National Taiwan University, the 2020-2021 cohort adopted a face-to-face (F2F) learning strategy for gross anatomy and neuroanatomy lecture and laboratory courses until May 17, 2021. After the aforementioned date, the same cohort learned the rest of the gross anatomy and neuroanatomy courses via asynchronous online learning. This study aimed to evaluate the benefits of and students' preferences for F2F and asynchronous online learning strategies in learning gross anatomy and neuroanatomy. A survey with closed-ended and open-ended questions was used to quantitatively and qualitatively explore medical students' learning preferences for two teaching strategies in gross anatomy and neuroanatomy. The results identified different learning preferences among students in learning gross anatomy and neuroanatomy-satisfied with both learning strategies, satisfied with only F2F learning strategy, satisfied with only asynchronous online learning strategy, and satisfied with neither learning strategy. The survey results with closed-ended and open-ended questions showed that medical students preferred F2F learning for anatomical laboratory courses but favored asynchronous online learning for neuroanatomical laboratory courses. In addition, medical students considered peer discussion more critical in learning gross anatomy than neuroanatomy. These findings provide valuable information about medical students' preference for gross anatomy and neuroanatomy courses, which anatomy teachers can consider when planning to enhance their curriculum in the future.

Online vs. face-to-face interactive communication education using video materials among healthcare college students: a pilot non-randomized controlled study.

BACKGROUND: This study aimed to examine whether online interactive communication education using video materials was as effective as face-to-face education among healthcare college students. METHODS: The participants were healthcare college students who were enrolled in study programs to obtain national medical licenses. They participated in lectures and exercises on healthcare communication, both online (n = 139) and face-to-face (n = 132). Listening skills, understanding, and confidence in healthcare communication were assessed using a self-assessed tool. RESULTS: From the two-way ANOVA result, the interaction effects between group (online, face-to-face) and time (Time 1, Time 2, Time 3) were not statistically significant. The main effect of time increased significantly from Time1 to Time 3 on understanding of communication with patients (Hedges'g = 0.51, 95%CI 0.27-0.75), confidence in communication with patients (g = 0.40, 95%CI 0.16-0.64), and confidence in clinical practice (g = 0.49, 95%CI 0.25, 0.73), while the score of listening skills had no significant change (Hedges'g = 0.09, 95%CI - 0.03 to 0.45). CONCLUSIONS: The results show that online communication education with video materials and active exercises is as effective in improving students' confidence as face-to-face. It will be necessary to modify the content of this educational program to improve skills as well as confidence in communication. TRIAL REGISTRATION: Not Applicable.

Derivation and validation of the first web-based nomogram to predict the spontaneous pregnancy after reproductive surgery using machine learning models.

Objective: Infertility remains a significant global burden over the years. Reproductive surgery is an effective strategy for infertile women. Early prediction of spontaneous pregnancy after reproductive surgery is of high interest for the patients seeking the infertility treatment. However, there are no high-quality models and clinical applicable tools to predict the probability of natural conception after reproductive surgery. Methods: The eligible data involving 1013 patients who operated for infertility between June 2016 and June 2021 in Yantai Yuhuangding Hospital in China, were randomly divided into training and internal testing cohorts. 195 subjects from the Linyi People's Hospital in China were considered for external validation. Both univariate combining with multivariate logistic regression and the least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO) algorithm were performed to identify independent predictors. Multiple common machine learning algorithms, namely logistic regression, decision tree, random forest, support vector machine, k-nearest neighbor, and extreme gradient boosting, were employed to construct the predictive models. The optimal model was verified by evaluating the model performance in both the internal and external validation datasets. Results: Six clinical indicators, including female age, infertility type, duration of infertility, intraoperative diagnosis, ovulation monitoring, and anti-Müllerian hormone (AMH) level, were screened out. Based on the logistic regression model's superior clinical predictive value, as indicated by the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC) in both the internal (0.870) and external (0.880) validation sets, we ultimately selected it as the optimal model. Consequently, we utilized it to generate a web-based nomogram for predicting the probability of spontaneous pregnancy after reproductive surgery. Furthermore, the calibration curve, Hosmer-Lemeshow (H-L) test, the decision curve analysis (DCA) and clinical impact curve analysis (CIC) demonstrated that the model has superior calibration degree, clinical net benefit and generalization ability, which were confirmed by both internal and external validations. Conclusion: Overall, our developed first nomogram with online operation provides an early and accurate prediction for the probability of natural conception after reproductive surgery, which helps clinicians and infertile couples make sensible decision of choosing the mode of subsequent conception, natural or IVF, to further improve the clinical practices of infertility treatment.

Recovery and Renewal of Co-Design Approaches in Health: Protocol for a Realist Synthesis.

BACKGROUND: The COVID-19 pandemic significantly transformed the landscape of work and collaboration, impacting design research methodologies and techniques. Co-design approaches have been both negatively and positively affected by the pandemic, prompting a need to investigate and understand the extent of these impacts, changes, and adaptations, specifically in the health sector. Despite the challenges that the pandemic imposed on conducting co-design and related projects, it also encouraged a re-evaluation of co-design practices, leading to innovative solutions and techniques. Designers and researchers have explored alternative ways to engage stakeholders and end users, leveraging digital workshops and participatory digital platforms. These adaptations have the potential to enhance inclusivity, allowing for a wider range of individuals to contribute their perspectives and insights through co-design and thus contribute to healthcare change. OBJECTIVE: This study aims to explore the impacts of the pandemic on co-design and related practices, focusing on co-design practices in healthcare that have been gained, adapted, or enhanced, with a specific focus on issues of equity, diversity, and inclusion. METHODS: The study uses a realist synthesis methodology to identify and analyze the effects of the pandemic on co-design approaches in health, drawing on a range of sources including first-person experiences, gray literature, and academic literature. A community of practice in co-design in health will be engaged to support this process. RESULTS: By examining the experiences and insights of professionals, practitioners, and communities who were actively involved in co-design and have navigated the challenges and opportunities of the pandemic, we can gain a deeper understanding of the strategies, tools, and techniques that have facilitated effective co-design during the pandemic, contributing to building resilience and capacity in co-design in health beyond the pandemic. CONCLUSIONS: By involving community partners, community of practice (research), and design practitioners, we expect closer proximity to practice with capacity building occurring through the realist process, thus enabling rapid adoption and refinement of new techniques or insights that emerge. Ultimately, this research will contribute to the advancement of co-design methodologies and inform the future of co-design in health. INTERNATIONAL REGISTERED REPORT IDENTIFIER (IRRID): DERR1-10.2196/58318.

The impact of gambling advertising and marketing on online gambling behavior: an analysis based on Spanish data.

OBJECTIVES: Online platforms have transformed gambling into a daily activity for many, raising concerns about its potential harm. Notably, marketing strategies play a crucial role in influencing gambling behaviors and normalizing gambling. This study aims to explore the relationship between monthly marketing expenditure by the gambling industry, the online amount of money bet, and the number of online accounts (active and new) in Spain. A secondary goal is to assess the impact of marketing restrictions under the Spanish Royal Decree 958/2020 on the relationship between marketing and online gambling behavior. STUDY DESIGN: Longitudinal study. METHODS: Data covering January 2013 to December 2023. Dependent variables included: new accounts, active accounts, gambler deposits, and the total money bet. Independent variables included: expenditure on advertising, bonuses, affiliate marketing, and sponsorship. A Seasonal Autoregressive Integrated Moving Average (SARIMA) model was employed to assess marketing's impact on online gambling behavior. RESULTS: Findings show that investment in advertising (P ≤ 0.025), promotions (P < 0.001), and sponsorships (P ≤ 0.004) significantly increase the number of new and active accounts, deposits, and total money bet. For instance, it has been estimated that, for every €1 invested in bonuses and sponsorship, gamblers deposit €1.6 and €4 into their accounts, respectively. Moreover, the Spanish law regulating gambling advertising has seemingly weakened the link between marketing expenditure and gambling behavior, with the notable exception of bonuses, where the impact has intensified. CONCLUSIONS: These results underline the importance of ongoing monitoring and regulation of gambling behavior in Spain, emphasizing the need for strict adherence to regulations.

A visual approach to facilitating conversations about supportive care options in the context of cognitive impairment.

BACKGROUND: Persons with cognitive impairment may experience difficulties with language and cognition that interfere with their ability to communicate about health-related decision making. OBJECTIVE: We developed a visual elicitation technique to facilitate conversations about preferences concerning potential future supportive care needs and explored the utility of this technique in a qualitative interview study. METHODS: We conducted 15 online interviews with persons with mild cognitive impairment and mild to moderate dementia, using storytelling and a virtual tool designed to facilitate discussion about preferences for supportive care. Interviews were transcribed verbatim and analyzed using an inductive qualitative data analysis method. We report our findings with respect to several main themes. First, we considered participants' perspectives on supportive care. Next, we examined the utility of the tool for engaging participants in conversation through two themes: cognitive and communicative processes exhibited by participants; and dialogic interactions between the interviewer and the participant. RESULTS: With respect to participants' perspectives on supportive care, common themes included considerations relating to informal caregivers such as availability and burden, and the quality of care options such as paid caregivers. Other themes, such as the importance of making decisions as a family, considerations related to facing these challenges on one's own, and the fluid nature of decision making, also emerged. Common communicative processes included not being responsive to the question and unclear responses. Common cognitive processes included uncertainty and introspection, or self-awareness, of their cognitive abilities. Last, we examined dialogic interactions between the participant and the interviewer to better understand engagement with the tool. The interviewer was active in using the visualization tool to facilitate the conversation, and participants engaged with the interface to varying degrees. Some participants expressed greater agency and involvement through suggesting images, elaborating on their or the interviewer's comments, and suggesting icon labels. CONCLUSION: This article presents a visual method to engage older adults with cognitive impairment in active dialogue about complex decisions. Though designed for a research setting, the diverse communication and participant-interviewer interaction patterns observed in this study suggest that the tool might be adapted for use in clinical or community settings.

Peer creation and sharing of mnemonics in collaborative documents for pathology education: a pilot study.

BACKGROUND: Mnemonic techniques are memory aids that could help improve memory encoding, storage, and retrieval. Using the brain's natural propensity for pattern recognition and association, new information is associated with something familiar, such as an image, a structure, or a pattern. This should be particularly useful for learning complex medical information. Collaborative documents have the potential to revolutionize online learning because they could increase the creativity, productivity, and efficiency of learning. The purpose of this study was to investigate the feasibility of combining peer creation and sharing of mnemonics with collaborative online documents to improve pathology education. METHODS: We carried out a prospective, quasi-experimental, pretest-posttest pilot study. The intervention group was trained to create and share mnemonics in collaborative documents for pathological cases, based on histopathological slides. The control group compared analog and digital microscopy. RESULTS: Both groups consisted of 41 students and did not reveal demographic differences. Performance evaluations did not reveal significant differences between the groups' pretest and posttest scores. Our pilot study revealed several pitfalls, especially in instructional design, time on task, and digital literacy, that could have masked possible learning benefits. CONCLUSIONS: There is a gap in evidence-based research, both on mnemonics and on CD in pathology didactics. Even though, the combination of peer creation and sharing of mnemonics is very promising from a cognitive neurobiological standpoint, and collaborative documents have great potential to promote the digital transformation of medical education and increase cooperation, creativity, productivity, and efficiency of learning. However, the incorporation of such innovative techniques requires meticulous instructional design by teachers and additional time for students to become familiar with new learning methods and the application of new digital tools to promote also digital literacy. Future studies should also take into account validated high-stakes testing for more reliable pre-posttest results, a larger cohort of students, and anticipate technical difficulties regarding new digital tools.

Novel online enfacement illusion for investigating self-perception in mental disorders: an experimental study protocol.

BACKGROUND: Remote research methods and interventions for mental health disorders have become increasingly important, particularly for conditions like eating disorders (EDs). Embodiment illusions, which induce feelings of ownership over another person?s body or body parts, offer valuable insights into the mechanisms underlying self-perception issues in EDs and potential interventions. However, existing research using these illusions has been limited to face-to-face settings. We illustrate a novel online protocol to induce the enfacement illusion (embodiment illusion principles applied to one's face) in an ED-based sample. METHODS: Participants complete a 2-hr virtual session with a researcher. First, baseline trait/state ED psychopathology measures and a self-face recognition task occur. Second, participants experience two testing blocks of the enfacement illusion involving synchronously and asynchronously mimicking a pre-recorded actor's facial expressions. After each block, subjective and objective enfacement illusion measures occur alongside state ED psychopathology reassessment. DISCUSSION: Successfully inducing enfacement illusions online could provide an affordable, accessible virtual approach to further elucidate the mechanistic role of self-perception disturbances across psychopathologies such as EDs. Moreover, this protocol may represent an innovative, remotely-delivered intervention strategy, as 'enfacement' over another face could update negative self-representations in a cost-effective, scalable manner.

A most aggressive bear: Safari videos document sloth bear defense against tiger predation.

Sloth bears are non-carnivorous yet they attack more people than any other bear. They often stand up and charge explosively if a person mistakenly gets too close. Here, we argue that their aggression toward humans is an extension of their behavior toward tigers, which are their only natural predator. Interactions between sloth bears and tigers have not previously been studied because scientists have rarely observed such events. We collected and examined 43 videos or photo documentations of sloth bear-tiger interactions posted on the internet or social media from 2011 to 2023, mainly by tourists visiting tiger parks in India. We observed that sloth bears were most likely to stand up and charge if they first became aware of the tiger at close range (<3 m away). This aggressive-defensive strategy, intended to dissuade the tiger from attacking, appeared to be successful, in that 86% of interactions ended with no contact, whereas four (9%) culminated in the bear's death. We propose that a myrmecophagous diet led to this species' aggressive behavior: (1) their long, blunt front claws, well adapted for digging termites and ants, hamper their ability to climb trees for escape, and (2) they walk with their head down focused on scents underground, and make considerable noise digging and blowing soil, enabling tigers to approach quite closely without being detected. Sloth bears have coexisted with tigers or other (now extinct) large felid predators for their entire evolutionary history. Whereas their aggressive behavior has served them well for millions of years, more recently, people's fear of and retaliation against sloth bears represents a major threat to their survival. Understanding how sloth bears react to tigers provides guidance for reducing attacks on humans, thereby contributing to sloth bear conservation. Our investigation was made possible by passive citizen scientists, who unknowingly collected valuable data.

Navigating the Web of Influence: A Bibliometric Analysis of Social Media Addiction.

Social media addiction is a behavioral dependency characterized by excessive and compulsive use of social media platforms, leading to negative impacts on various aspects of an individual's life. Bibliometric analysis is a research method used to quantitatively analyze academic literature, such as articles, books, and conference papers. It involves the application of statistical and mathematical tools to study the patterns and trends in scientific publications. This bibliometric study provides a comprehensive analysis of the literature on social media addiction, revealing patterns and dynamics within the field. Utilizing Web of Science for bibliographic data, the study employs advanced bibliometric tools like Biblioshiny and CiteSpace to map the scientific landscape. Annual scientific production, top contributing authors, key sources, trending topics, and thematic maps were identified using Biblioshiny. Additionally, network visualizations, such as co-citation networks of authors, time zone network visualizations of keyword co-occurrence, and timeline network visualizations of country collaborations, were created using CiteSpace. Our findings present an increasing trend in publications over the years, highlighting a growing recognition of social media addiction's significance. We detail the most relevant authors and sources, pinpointing key contributors and influential journals that shape the discourse. Trend topics analysis uncovers the prevalent themes, with "internet addiction" and "adolescents" at the forefront, reflecting the field's concentration on the younger population. The thematic map categorizes the research into motor themes (driving research areas), basic themes (fundamental and well-established areas), and niche themes (specialized and emerging topics), providing insight into the central and evolving topics. The study also delves into the co-occurrence of all keywords and the co-citation of authors, illustrating the interconnected nature of the research community. A timeline network visualization of country collaborations underscores the global scope of research efforts. Importantly, the study identifies critical research gaps such as underexplored demographics and emerging digital concerns and discusses practical implications, including the need for targeted intervention programs and informed policy-making. Collectively, this study charts the trajectory of social media addiction research and lays a foundation for future explorations to address identified lacunae.