Change in care needs of people with severe mental illness with and without a non-Western migration background: are their needs equally served throughout treatment?

BACKGROUND: People with a non-Western migration background living in Western countries are more likely to experience psychiatric problems and have more severe symptoms when they do. Patients of non-Western origin also have more unmet needs for care. This study focuses on differences between Western and non-Western patients in care needs being met during the course of mental health treatment. METHODS: The care needs of 1099 patients, 39% with and 61% without a non-Western migration background, recorded between 2017 and 2020 in Flexible Assertive Community Treatment, were compared. RESULTS: Non-Western migrants more often received psychotic disorder diagnoses, had more socio-economic problems, met, unmet and total needs for care and experienced less reduction in unmet needs during treatment. This was specifically the case for the rehabilitation areas: daily activities, treatment information, basic education, paid work and meaningful life and recovery. After controlling for socio-economic factors and diagnosis, group differences in change in number of unmet needs were no longer significant. However, the reduction in unmet needs in the areas of basic education, paid work and meaningful life and recovery remained significantly smaller for non-Western patients. CONCLUSIONS AND IMPLICATIONS FOR PRACTICE: Except for the rehabilitation domains of basic education, paid work and meaningful life, the disadvantages in resolving the care needs of patients with a non-Western migration background do not remain significant after taking into account socioeconomic factors and diagnosis. Collaboration of mental health care and the social domain is warranted to improve socio-economic factors for patients with a non-Western migration background, to better address their unmet needs for care.

The I2 Test for Selection Bias Risk Assessment in Single Trials: Recommended Simulated Comparator Trial (SCT) Settings.

Selection bias in clinical trials is a form of systematic error and may be detected using the I² test with a 0/>0% threshold (bias: I² > 0%, no bias: I² = 0%). The test operates on the premise that effective randomisation eliminates in-between study heterogeneity beyond the play of chance in a baseline variable meta-analysis of all the trial's baseline variables. Since the I² statistic was originally designed to measure in-between study heterogeneity in meta-analyses, the test requires the generation of at least two simulated comparator trials (SCTs). During this process, three parameters are set: SCT sample size (NSCT), the minimum-maximum range of random values (RSCT), and the number of generated SCTs to be used (SCTN). Each of these parameters influences the 0/>0% threshold of the resulting I² point estimate, thereby affecting the test's sensitivity in indicating a positive result. The purpose of this technical report is to highlight the effect that SCT parameters have on the test's accuracy and to recommend appropriate parameter settings.

Medical appraisal of Chinese military aircrew with abnormal results of coronary computed tomographic angiography.

BACKGROUND: Coronary artery diseases can cause myocardial ischemia and hypoxia, angina pectoris, myocardial infarction, arrhythmia, and even sudden death led to inflight incapacitation of aircrew. As the main cause of grounding due to illness, they severe threats to the health and fighting strength of military aircrew. Early warning in an early and accurate manner and early intervention of diseases possibly resulting in inflight incapacitation are key emphases of aeromedical support in clinic. AIM: To figure out the flight factors and clinical characteristics of military aircrew with abnormal results of coronary artery computed tomographic angiography (CTA), thereby rendering theoretical references for clinical aeromedical support of military flying personnel. METHODS: The clinical data of 15 flying personnel who received physical examinations in a military medical center from December 2020 to June 2023 and were diagnosed with coronary artery diseases by coronary artery CTA were collected and retrospectively analyzed, and a descriptive statistical analysis was conducted on their onset age, aircraft type and clinical data. RESULTS: The 15 military flying personnel diagnosed with coronary artery diseases by coronary artery CTA were composed of 9 pilots, 1 navigator and 5 air combat service workers. Multi-vessel disease was detected in 9 flying personnel, among which 8 (88.9%) were pilots. Flying personnel with multi-vessel disease had higher content of cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol and apolipoprotein B than those with single-vessel disease. CONCLUSION: Coronary artery diseases are the major heart disease for the grounding of flying personnel due to illness, which can lead to inflight incapacitation. Coronary artery CTA is conducive to early detection and early intervention treatment of such diseases in clinic.

How does community health feature in Global Financing Facility planning documents to support reproductive, maternal, newborn, child and adolescent health and nutrition (RMNAH-N)? insights from six francophone West African countries.

BACKGROUND: Community health is key for improving Reproductive, Maternal, Newborn, Child, and Adolescent Health and Nutrition (RMNCAH-N). However, how community health supports integrated RMNCAH-N service delivery in francophone West Africa is under-researched. OBJECTIVE: We examined how six francophone West African countries (Burkina Faso, Côte d'Ivoire, Guinea, Mali, Niger, and Senegal) support community health through the Global Financing Facility for Women, Children and Adolescents (GFF). METHODS: We conducted a content analysis on Investment Cases and Project Appraisal Documents from selected countries, and set out the scope of the analysis and the key search terms. We applied an iterative hybrid inductive-deductive approach to identify themes for data coding and extraction. The extracted data were compared within and across countries and further grouped into meaningful categories. RESULTS: In country documents, there is a commitment to community health, with significant attention paid to various cadres of community health workers (CHWs) who undertake a range of preventive, promotive and curative roles across RMNCAH-N spectrum. While CHWs renumeration is mentioned, it varies considerably. Most community health indicators focus on CHWs' deliverables, with few related to governance and civil registration. Challenges in implementing community health include poor leadership and governance and resource shortages resulting in low CHWs performance and service utilization. While some countries invest significantly in training CHWs, structural reforms and broader community engagement are lacking. CONCLUSIONS: There is an opportunity to better prioritize and streamline community health interventions, including integrating them into health system planning and budgeting, to fully harness their potential to improve RMNCAH-N.

Main findings: Although community health is a key component of the Investment Cases and the Project Appraisal Documents of most of the six francophone West African countries studied, the level of investment varies considerably between countries, and mostly skewed to community health workers, with very little left over for broader community engagement and oversight processes.Added knowledge: The study describes community health actors, community health interventions and monitoring within a global health initiative, how they fit into the wider health system, the challenges and weaknesses they face and the measures taken to mitigate them, and how they are budgeted.Global health impact for policy and action: There is a need to adopt a holistic community health systems approach, rather than one focused mainly on CHWs, to fully harness community health's potential to improve reproductive, maternal, newborn, child, and adolescent health and nutrition.

Mobilization mechanisms and spatial distribution of arsenic in groundwater of western Bangladesh: Evaluating water quality and health risk using EWQI and Monte Carlo simulation.

Arsenic (As) contamination in groundwater is emerging as a significant global concern, posing serious risks to the safety of drinking water and public health. To understand the release mechanisms, mobilization processes, spatial distribution, and probabilistic health risks of As in western Bangladesh, forty-seven samples were collected and analyzed using an atomic absorption spectrometer (AAS). The As concentrations in groundwater ranged from 1.97 to 697.4 µg L⁻1 (mean: 229.9), significantly exceeding recommended levels. The dominant hydrochemistry of As-enriched groundwater was Ca-Mg-HCO3, with the primary sources of arsenic in groundwater being the dissolution of arsenic-bearing minerals in sediment and the recharge of aquifers from the Ganges River Basin. The assessment using the Entropy Water Quality Index revealed that the groundwater is unsuitable for drinking, with 89.36% (n = 42) of the samples surpassing the WHO's limit for arsenic. Rock-water interactions, including calcite dissolution and silicate weathering within the confined aquifer, predominantly influenced hydrochemical properties. The significant relationships among Fe, Mn, and As indicate that the reductive dissolution of FeOOH and/or MnOOH considerably contributes to the release of As from sediment into groundwater. Geochemical modeling analysis revealed that siderite and rhodochrosite precipitate into aquifer solids, suggesting a weak to moderate relationship among As, Fe, and Mn. The long residence time of groundwater, combined with the presence of a clayey aquitard, likely controls the mobilization of arsenic in the aquifer. For the first time, Monte Carlo simulations have been used in arsenic-prone areas to assess the severity of arsenic contamination in western Bangladesh. The analysis indicates that out of 100,000 people, 10 may develop cancer as a result of drinking arsenic-contaminated water, with children being more susceptible than adults.

The impact of digital leadership on safety performance - a moderated mediation model.

Objectives. In light of the profound influence of digital advancements on business management, digital leadership has emerged as an indispensable element for organizations to effectively navigate this transformative wave. While the influence of traditional leadership on safety performance has been extensively scrutinized, the impact of digital leadership on safety performance has regrettably been overlooked. Drawing from the job demand-resource model, this study analyzes the influence of digital leadership on safety performance, encompassing safety compliance and safety participation. Additionally, the study explores the mediating role of challenge appraisal and the moderating effect of role overload. Methods and Results. Using data from 341 employees at two time points, this study finds that: digital leadership promotes employees' safety performance; digital leadership enhances employees' safety performance by fostering challenge appraisal; and the positive effect of digital leadership on employees' safety performance through challenge appraisal diminishes as role overload increases. Conclusions. The findings of this study contribute to the existing body of literature concerning the antecedents of safety performance. Additionally, this study offers practical recommendations for enhancing employees' safety performance in the digital era.

Fast-and-frugal decision tree for the rapid critical appraisal of systematic reviews.

Conducting high-quality overviews of reviews (OoR) is time-consuming. Because the quality of systematic reviews (SRs) varies, it is necessary to critically appraise SRs when conducting an OoR. A well-established appraisal tool is A Measurement Tool to Assess Systematic Reviews (AMSTAR) 2, which takes about 15-32 min per application. To save time, we developed two fast-and-frugal decision trees (FFTs) for assessing the methodological quality of SR for OoR either during the full-text screening stage (Screening FFT) or to the resulting pool of SRs (Rapid Appraisal FFT). To build a data set for developing the FFT, we identified published AMSTAR 2 appraisals. Overall confidence ratings of the AMSTAR 2 were used as a criterion and the 16 items as cues. One thousand five hundred and nineteen appraisals were obtained from 24 publications and divided into training and test data sets. The resulting Screening FFT consists of three items and correctly identifies all non-critically low-quality SRs (sensitivity of 100%), but has a positive predictive value of 59%. The three-item Rapid Appraisal FFT correctly identifies 80% of the high-quality SRs and correctly identifies 97% of the low-quality SRs, resulting in an accuracy of 95%. The FFTs require about 10% of the 16 AMSTAR 2 items. The Screening FFT may be applied during full-text screening to exclude SRs with critically low quality. The Rapid Appraisal FFT may be applied to the final SR pool to identify SR that might be of high methodological quality.

Overgeneralization of conditioned fear in patients with social anxiety disorder.

Introduction: While abnormal responses to threat, including overgeneralization to conditioned fear, have been postulated to play a critical role in pathological anxiety, the relevance of previous findings to social anxiety disorder (SAD) is unclear. We investigated conditioned and generalized fear responses in patients with SAD using socially relevant stimuli. Methods: A total of 26 patients with SAD and 25 healthy controls participated in a fear conditioning and generalization paradigm consisting of two neutral faces as conditioned stimuli (CS+ or CS-) and an angry face with contemptuous comments as unconditioned stimuli. Eight morphed faces of two conditioned stimuli in each continuum were given to test generalization. Behavioral data and physiological responses were acquired. Results: Successful conditioning was observed in the risk ratings for both groups, while only a marginal indication of conditioning was noted in physiological measures. During the generalization phase, patients rated the risk higher than CS- when the stimuli close to CS- contained a portion of CS+ features. Larger skin conductance responses to this stimulus were linked to higher fear of negative evaluation. In addition, patients spent a longer time evaluating safe and ambiguous stimuli than healthy controls and exhibited consistently high levels of subjective arousal. Discussion: Taken together, our findings suggest that SAD patients may exhibit a tendency towards overgeneralization of fear responses and show distinct patterns in processing generalized threat stimuli compared to healthy controls. Even though overgeneralization was not evident in physiological measures, it is necessary to consider this behavioral characteristic in the clinical management of patients with SAD.

Seeing others suffer and enjoying it? The Model of Individual and Social Appraisals of Misfortunes of others in media reception.

Suffering and misfortunes of other people are often portrayed in the media. Recipients react to these portrayals with different emotions. This article elucidates and clarifies schadenfreude (pleasure at the misfortune of others) and sympathy (feeling concern or sorrow over another person's distress) in media experiences. A thorough literature review provides in-depth insights into the formation of affective dispositions and schadenfreude from various psychological perspectives. This conceptual analysis leads to the "Model of Individual and Social Appraisals of Misfortunes of Others" (MISAM) which first reveals the determining intrapersonal factors within the emotional experience of schadenfreude and sympathy. Second, it discloses the social component vital for understanding the construction and regulation of these emotions. The model combines individual and social appraisal processes and identifies the factors involved in the elicitation and regulation of schadenfreude and sympathy in the media reception of misfortunes. With the aim of integrating different perspectives, we incorporated Affective Disposition Theory and recent work from social psychology and used an appraisal framework. The MISAM opens the path for further investigation of schadenfreude and sympathy in media reception, beyond entertainment experiences.

Characteristics of Medical Quality in Tertiary Traditional Chinese Medicine Hospitals by TOPSIS and RSR Methods.

Performance evaluation is important for improving medical quality and services. But, there is a lack of research for medical quality in traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) hospitals. This study examines the medical quality and various indicators of tertiary public traditional Chinese medicine hospitals in Gansu Province, to establish a foundation for improving the medical and management standards of these hospitals. This study collected performance assessment data from 10 tertiary TCM hospitals in Gansu Province from 2019 to 2022. Thirteen indicators with TCM characteristics were selected and categorized into 3 aspects: control of medical costs, internal operational dimensions, and comprehensive management. The level of medical quality in different hospitals and in different years were determined using the TOPSIS method for ranking and the RSR method for grading. Firstly, in terms of TCM characteristic indicators, hospital H had the highest control of medical costs and comprehensive management among different hospitals, with 45.87% and 24.20% respectively. The highest values for control of medical costs and comprehensive management were observed in 2020, with 40.65% and 18.69% respectively among different years. When evaluating the medical quality of different hospitals using the TOPSIS method, it was found that hospital H had the highest ranking from 2020 to 2022, with Ci values of 0.725, 0.778, and 0.667 respectively. Additionally, the RSR method indicated that hospital H had a high level of grading from 2020 to 2022, with Pi values of 0.687, 0.690, and 0.723 respectively. These findings suggest that the medical quality of hospital H is at a high and stable level of development. Based on the TOPSIS method to evaluate the performance appraisal results and ranking of different hospitals from 2019 to 2022. The results showed that the highest ranking was hospital B(Ci = 0.913) in 2019. The highest ranking was hospital C(Ci = 0.809)in 2020. The highest ranking was hospital D(Ci = 0.689) in 2021. The highest ranking was hospital J(Ci = 0.865) in 2022. The RSR method indicated that high grading level were hospitals B(Pi = 0.899),F(Pi = 0.795) in 2019. The highest grading level was hospital C(Pi = 0.809) in 2020. The highest grading level were hospitals A(Pi = 0.868), D(Pi = 0.813), E(Pi = 0.689), G(Pi = 0.873), J(Pi = 0.813), K(Pi = 0.842) in 2022. Based on the above results indicate that there is a large variation in the medical quality profile of different hospitals from 2019 to 2022. By comparing the results of TOPSIS and RSR method from 2019 to 2022, we found that the hospitals with identical ranking were D and J, and the hospitals with ≤2 difference in ranking was A,B,C,E in 2019, the hospitals with >2 ranking was A, F in 2020, the hospitals with >2 ranking were C, G in 2021, and the hospitals with identical ranking results were B,D,E,G,J in 2022. Comparing the ranking results of TOPSIS and RSR methods, showed that the hospitals with identical rankings were B, F from 2019 to 2022. The difference in ranking results ≤2 were A, C, D, E, G, H, J, K, indicating that high consistency between TOPSIS and RSR methods and credible results. The findings reveal significant fluctuations in medical quality across different years, while the overall level of medical quality remains relatively stable among the various hospitals. It is recommended that TCM hospitals focus on improving management efficiency, optimizing hospital operations, enhancing the utilization of medical resources, and fostering the efficient development of hospitals.

Potential types of bias when estimating causal effects in environmental research and how to interpret them.

To inform environmental policy and practice, researchers estimate effects of interventions/exposures by conducting primary research (e.g., impact evaluations) or secondary research (e.g., evidence reviews). If these estimates are derived from poorly conducted/reported research, then they could misinform policy and practice by providing biased estimates. Many types of bias have been described, especially in health and medical sciences. We aimed to map all types of bias from the literature that are relevant to estimating causal effects in the environmental sector. All the types of bias were initially identified by using the Catalogue of Bias (catalogofbias.org) and reviewing key publications (n = 11) that previously collated and described biases. We identified 121 (out of 206) types of bias that were relevant to estimating causal effects in the environmental sector. We provide a general interpretation of every relevant type of bias covered by seven risk-of-bias domains for primary research: risk of confounding biases; risk of post-intervention/exposure selection biases; risk of misclassified/mismeasured comparison biases; risk of performance biases; risk of detection biases; risk of outcome reporting biases; risk of outcome assessment biases, and four domains for secondary research: risk of searching biases; risk of screening biases; risk of study appraisal and data coding/extraction biases; risk of data synthesis biases. Our collation should help scientists and decision makers in the environmental sector be better aware of the nature of bias in estimation of causal effects. Future research is needed to formalise the definitions of the collated types of bias such as through decomposition using mathematical formulae.

Emotional processing in binge drinking, tobacco use disorder and their comorbidity in youth: A preregistered PRISMA scoping review.

BACKGROUND: Binge drinking (BD) and tobacco use disorder (TUD) are prevalent among youth, with significant social and health implications. However, research into the emotional impairments associated with BD and TUD during adolescence is sparse and lacks integration within a comprehensive model of emotional processes. Moreover, the impact of comorbid BD and TUD on emotional deficits remains largely unexplored. We propose the first review focused on the variation of emotional deficits in BD, TUD, or their comorbidity among adolescents and we systematically explore differences across various emotional abilities. METHODS: Following the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses Extension for Scoping Reviews guidelines (PRISMA-ScR), we conducted a preregistered review of existing literature on emotional processing impairments in BD and/or TUD among adolescents. From 481 papers initially identified, 7 were included in this review. Additionally, we proposed experimental avenues for future research based on identified shortcomings in current literature. RESULTS: Our scoping review indicates that emotional deficits are likely prevalent in both BD and TUD populations, affecting emotional appraisal/identification, response, and regulation. However, further investigation is necessary to ascertain the magnitude and scope of these deficits in adolescents and adults, as well as to delineate the distinct or combined influence of BD and TUD on emotional disturbances. CONCLUSION: While some emotional deficits are apparent, we contend that examining emotional deficits in BD and TUD separately, as well as together, would offer a more comprehensive understanding of their nature and inform the development of novel treatment strategies.

Neuroimaging evidence of disturbed self-appraisal in posttraumatic stress disorder: A systematic review.

BACKGROUND: The experience of self-hood in posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is altered cognitively and somatically. Dysfunctional negative cognitions about the self are a central mechanism of PTSD symptomatology and treatment. However, while higher-order brain models of disturbances in self-appraisal (i.e., cognitive processes relating to evaluating the self) have been examined in other psychiatric disorders, it is unclear how normative brain function during self-appraisal is impaired in PTSD. METHODS: This paper presents a PRISMA systematic review of functional neuroimaging studies (n = 5), to establish a neurobiological account of how self-appraisal processes are disturbed in PTSD. The review was prospectively registered with PROSPERO (CRD42023450509). RESULTS: Self-appraisal in PTSD is linked to disrupted activity in core self-processing regions of the Default Mode Network (DMN); and regions involved in cognitive control and emotion regulation, salience and valuation. LIMITATIONS: Because self-appraisal in PTSD is relatively under-studied, only a small number of studies could be included for review. Cross-study heterogeneity in analytic approaches and trauma-exposure history prohibited a quantitative meta-analysis. CONCLUSIONS: This paper proposes a mechanistic account of how neural dysfunctions may manifest clinically in PTSD and inform targeted selection of appropriate treatment options. We present a research agenda for future work to advance the field.

Medications Affecting Treatment Outcomes in Dentistry: Part 2.

Today, it is common for medically complex patients who are receiving multiple medications, to seek routine and emergent dental care. It is essential for the practitioner to recognize and comprehend the impact of such medications on the patient's ability to tolerate the planned dental treatment and on dental treatment outcomes. An active appraisal of current literature is essential to stay abreast of emerging findings and understand their treatment implications. This article outlines the process of such active critical appraisal, illustrating key paradigms of the models that describe the impact of medications on treatment outcomes.

Mediating effect of cognitive appraisal and coping on anticipatory grief in family caregivers of patients with cancer: a Bayesian structural equation model study.

BACKGROUND: Anticipatory grief is common among family caregivers of cancer patients and may be related to caregiver burden, family resilience, psychological capital, cognitive appraisal, and coping strategies. The purpose of this study was to examine the mediating role of cognitive appraisal and coping strategies in the relationship between caregiver burden, family resilience, psychological capital, and anticipatory grief among caregivers of cancer patients. METHODS: This study surveyed from January to September 2023 among 265 caregivers of lung and breast cancer patients in two public hospitals. They completed measures of caregiver burden, family resilience, psychological capital, cognitive appraisal, coping, and anticipatory grief. AMOS software was used to model the data with Bayesian structural equation modeling. RESULTS: Bayesian structural equation modeling results showed that caregiver burden had a direct effect on anticipatory grief. The chain mediating effects for cognitive appraisal tendency and coping tendency between caregiver burden, family resilience, psychological capital, and anticipatory grief, respectively. Coping tendency acted as a mediator between psychological capital and anticipatory grief. CONCLUSIONS: The relationships between caregiver burden, family resilience, and psychological capital with anticipatory grief are embedded in the mediating effects of cognitive appraisal and coping. Early identification and intervention for caregiver burden, family resilience, psychological capital, cognitive appraisal, and coping methods may prevent anticipatory grief in caregivers of cancer patients.

Evaluation of the Training Program on Participatory Rural Appraisal Methods Targeting Undergraduate Medical Students from the First Professional Phase.

Background: Participatory rural appraisal (PRA) methods have been acknowledged as important tools to involve members of the community in the process of identification of their problems, the factors contributing to the development of these problems, and ways by which these problems can be resolved. Materials and Methods: A quasi-experimental study will be conducted in two stages among first professional phase medical students. In the first stage, these students will be trained on PRA methods by the trained teachers, while in the second stage, these students will implement PRA methods in the local community. The entire training process and its different components will be evaluated using validated study tools (semi-structured questionnaire), which will be administered using Google Forms. The statistical analysis will be performed using frequency and percentages, and a paired t-test will be used to compare the change in knowledge before and after training. Conclusion: In conclusion, first professional phase medical students must be trained in PRA methods and subsequently supervised to monitor their change in behavior. However, as the success of the entire program will depend on the quality of training imparted to medical students, the training program must be evaluated from the perspective of students, community, and teachers.

The Challenge-Hindrance-Threat Appraisal Framework and the Differential Effects on Employees' Work Well-Being and Behaviors.

Considering the current economic and employment landscape, marked by high levels of uncertainty and challenges, this study introduces the challenge-hindrance-threat appraisal (CHTA) framework to examine workplace stress, with a particular focus on the often-overlooked role of threat appraisal. Across three studies using independent samples and multi-wave survey data, our research provides evidence supporting the CHTA framework and reveals the differential effects of three types of stress appraisals on the work-related well-being and behaviors of individuals. Specifically, Study 1 establishes the three-factor structure of CHTA, confirming its robust psychometric properties in each appraisal dimension. Study 2 demonstrates that threat appraisals offer unique insights into stress-related outcomes, beyond challenge and hindrance appraisals. Study 3 reveals that challenge appraisals foster learning behavior through enhancing work engagement and reduce turnover intentions through alleviating emotional exhaustion. Conversely, threat appraisals escalate turnover intentions through intensifying emotional exhaustion. Interestingly, hindrance appraisals exhibit no significant effect on either work engagement or emotional exhaustion, precluding any indirect influence on learning behavior or turnover intentions. In conclusion, this research underscores the importance of differentiating between the three types of cognitive appraisals of stress-namely, challenge, hindrance, and threat appraisals-in stress management in order to enhance employee well-being and organizational effectiveness.

Benchmarking Human-AI collaboration for common evidence appraisal tools.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: It is unknown whether large language models (LLMs) may facilitate time- and resource-intensive text-related processes in evidence appraisal. The objective was to quantify the agreement of LLMs with human consensus in appraisal of scientific reporting (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic reviews and Meta-Analyses [PRISMA]) and methodological rigor (A MeaSurement Tool to Assess systematic Reviews [AMSTAR]) of systematic reviews and design of clinical trials (PRagmatic Explanatory Continuum Indicator Summary 2 [PRECIS-2]) and to identify areas where collaboration between humans and artificial intelligence (AI) would outperform the traditional consensus process of human raters in efficiency. STUDY DESIGN AND SETTING: Five LLMs (Claude-3-Opus, Claude-2, GPT-4, GPT-3.5, Mixtral-8x22B) assessed 112 systematic reviews applying the PRISMA and AMSTAR criteria and 56 randomized controlled trials applying PRECIS-2. We quantified the agreement between human consensus and (1) individual human raters; (2) individual LLMs; (3) combined LLMs approach; (4) human-AI collaboration. Ratings were marked as deferred (undecided) in case of inconsistency between combined LLMs or between the human rater and the LLM. RESULTS: Individual human rater accuracy was 89% for PRISMA and AMSTAR, and 75% for PRECIS-2. Individual LLM accuracy was ranging from 63% (GPT-3.5) to 70% (Claude-3-Opus) for PRISMA, 53% (GPT-3.5) to 74% (Claude-3-Opus) for AMSTAR, and 38% (GPT-4) to 55% (GPT-3.5) for PRECIS-2. Combined LLM ratings led to accuracies of 75%-88% for PRISMA (4%-74% deferred), 74%-89% for AMSTAR (6%-84% deferred), and 64%-79% for PRECIS-2 (29%-88% deferred). Human-AI collaboration resulted in the best accuracies from 89% to 96% for PRISMA (25/35% deferred), 91%-95% for AMSTAR (27/30% deferred), and 80%-86% for PRECIS-2 (76/71% deferred). CONCLUSION: Current LLMs alone appraised evidence worse than humans. Human-AI collaboration may reduce workload for the second human rater for the assessment of reporting (PRISMA) and methodological rigor (AMSTAR) but not for complex tasks such as PRECIS-2.

Coping, connection appraisal, and well-being during COVID-19 in the U.S., Japan, and Mexico.

Introduction: The COVID-19 pandemic has affected nearly every facet of life, constituting a "new normal" and prompting an ongoing collective psychological crisis. People's ways of coping with the pandemic and corresponding well-being are of particular research interest; however, these constructs have largely been examined using deductive quantitative approaches, deficit-based lenses, and mononational samples. Methods: The current mixed-methods study used inductive-sequential (QUAL → QUAN) approaches to explore positive coping strategies (approach coping style and COVID-related connection appraisal) and well-being (loneliness, distress, and happiness) across individuals from the United States, Japan, and Mexico. Qualitative data were gathered from N = 141 U.S., Japanese, and Mexican adults to examine how people perceived connection during the pandemic. Results: Qualitative analyses illuminated common themes in which people appraised the pandemic as an opportunity for connection and strengthened interpersonal relationships. Quantitative measures, including a newly-developed questionnaire on COVID-related connection appraisal, were then administered to a separate sample of N = 302 adults in the U.S, Japan, and Mexico to assess associations among approach coping style, COVID-related connection appraisal, and well-being outcomes (loneliness, distress, happiness). Quantitative analyses found significant associations among approach coping style, COVID-related connection appraisal, and all well-being outcomes. Of note, these associations did not differ by country. COVID-related connection appraisal mediated the relationship between approach coping style and two well-being outcomes (loneliness and happiness). Discussion: Findings point to approach coping style and connection appraisal as pathways for resilience and growth in the face of global suffering.

Forgotten fish habitats: Developing a conceptual framework for evaluating intermittent waterways and flood channels as native fish habitats: Insights from two freshwater catchments in Australia.

The ability to correctly identify Potential Key Fish Habitats (PKFH) before undertaking development assessments or stream restoration projects is a critical step for determining appropriate management interventions and offset strategies to minimize damage to all life stages of fish. However, there are no rapid, low-cost tools that can be universally utilised to identify PKFH in perennial streams and ephemeral streams in particular. We propose a conceptual framework for developing a rapid field appraisal based on a range of physical fish habitat-supporting features. Four steps are involved in developing the framework: 1) understand fish habitat features using published literature and sub-set model selection using actual data, 2) collect field data, 3) develop the conceptual framework, and 4) classify sites. We tested eight fish habitat-supporting features in the assessment and proposed a decision tree that guided the rapid appraisals at 104 ephemeral sites in southeast Australia. Out of 104 sites, 86% were identified as PKFH, 10% as likely key fish habitats and 4% as unlikely key fish habitats. The rapid field appraisal is cost-effective, simple to implement and does not require expert knowledge of fish habitats. Despite some limitations in the conceptual framework, this appraisal has great potential as a screening technique for PKFH in freshwater streams, particularly ephemeral streams in Australia and other overseas jurisdictions.