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Global, regional, and national burden of stroke and its risk factors, 1990–2021 : a systematic analysis for the Global Burden of Disease Study 2021
Get PDFBackground: Up-to-date estimates of stroke burden and attributable risks and their trends at global, regional, and national levels are essential for evidence-based health care, prevention, and resource allocation planning. We aimed to provide such estimates for the period 1990–2021. Methods: We estimated incidence, prevalence, death, and disability-adjusted life-year (DALY) counts and age-standardised rates per 100 000 people per year for overall stroke, ischaemic stroke, intracerebral haemorrhage, and subarachnoid haemorrhage, for 204 countries and territories from 1990 to 2021. We also calculated burden of stroke attributable to 23 risk factors and six risk clusters (air pollution, tobacco smoking, behavioural, dietary, environmental, and metabolic risks) at the global and regional levels (21 GBD regions and Socio-demographic Index [SDI] quintiles), using the standard GBD methodology. 95% uncertainty intervals (UIs) for each individual future estimate were derived from the 2·5th and 97·5th percentiles of distributions generated from propagating 500 draws through the multistage computational pipeline. Findings: In 2021, stroke was the third most common GBD level 3 cause of death (7·3 million [95% UI 6·6–7·8] deaths; 10·7% [9·8–11·3] of all deaths) after ischaemic heart disease and COVID-19, and the fourth most common cause of DALYs (160·5 million [147·8–171·6] DALYs; 5·6% [5·0–6·1] of all DALYs). In 2021, there were 93·8 million (89·0–99·3) prevalent and 11·9 million (10·7–13·2) incident strokes. We found disparities in stroke burden and risk factors by GBD region, country or territory, and SDI, as well as a stagnation in the reduction of incidence from 2015 onwards, and even some increases in the stroke incidence, death, prevalence, and DALY rates in southeast Asia, east Asia, and Oceania, countries with lower SDI, and people younger than 70 years. Globally, ischaemic stroke constituted 65·3% (62·4–67·7), intracerebral haemorrhage constituted 28·8% (28·3–28·8), and subarachnoid haemorrhage constituted 5·8% (5·7–6·0) of incident strokes. There were substantial increases in DALYs attributable to high BMI (88·2% [53·4–117·7]), high ambient temperature (72·4% [51·1 to 179·5]), high fasting plasma glucose (32·1% [26·7–38·1]), diet high in sugar-sweetened beverages (23·4% [12·7–35·7]), low physical activity (11·3% [1·8–34·9]), high systolic blood pressure (6·7% [2·5–11·6]), lead exposure (6·5% [4·5–11·2]), and diet low in omega-6 polyunsaturated fatty acids (5·3% [0·5–10·5]). Interpretation: Stroke burden has increased from 1990 to 2021, and the contribution of several risk factors has also increased. Effective, accessible, and affordable measures to improve stroke surveillance, prevention (with the emphasis on blood pressure, lifestyle, and environmental factors), acute care, and rehabilitation need to be urgently implemented across all countries to reduce stroke burden. Funding: Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. © 2024 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier Ltd. This is an Open Access article under the CC BY 4.0 license. **Please note that there are multiple authors for this article therefore only the name of the first 30 including Federation University Australia affiliate “Sheikh Alif, Balasankar Ganesan, Muhammad Aziz Rahman" is provided in this record**
Comparative investigation of spontaneous combustion of biomass, hydrochar, coal and their blends using Wits-Ehac and thermogravimetric analysis
Get PDFBiomass, hydrochar, coal and hydrochar/coal blends have been proposed as alternative energy sources to coal. Given that the new fuels are derived from biomass, which is highly reactive, it is necessary to investigate their potential for spontaneous combustion (SPONCOM). Through the characteristics of coal discard, biomass, hydrochar, and hydrochar mixed at different ratios with discard coal, this study examined the factors that contribute to SPONCOM. The SPONCOM liability of these fuels was examined using the thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) and the Wits-Ehac index. The physicochemical analysis revealed an increase in the energy characteristic of the hydrochar produced from biomass. All samples showed a transmittance of the C=O stretch, which promotes SPONCOM, according to the results of the Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR) analysis. The TGA findings revealed that biomass is highly reactive, while discard coal was found to be non-reactive. A significant correlation was seen between the (Formula presented.) index and the physiochemical properties of the samples. The Wits-Ehac results showed that biomass had the lowest SPONCOM liability index, while the 50% hydrochar/50% discard coal blend had the highest SPONCOM liability index. There was no correlation between the TGA and Wits-Ehac results, as the Wits-Ehac results showed some inconsistencies, particularly for samples derived from biomass. This study establishes the mechanism responsible for SPONCOM of hydrochar blended with coal in relation to their properties using the TGA. In addition, contributed to the understanding of techniques for predicting the SPONCOM of likely fuels for this application. © 2024 The Author(s). Published with license by Taylor & Francis Group, LLC
Physics-informed explainable continual learning on graphs
Get PDFTemporal graph learning has attracted great attention with its ability to deal with dynamic graphs. Although current methods are reasonably accurate, most of them are unexplainable due to their black-box nature. It remains a challenge to explain how temporal graph learning models adapt to information evolution. Furthermore, with the increasing application of artificial intelligence in various scientific domains, such as chemistry and biomedicine, the importance of delivering not only precise outcomes but also offering explanations regarding the learning models becomes paramount. This transparency aids users in comprehending the decision-making procedures and instills greater confidence in the generated models. To address this issue, this article proposes a novel physics-informed explainable continual learning (PiECL), focusing on temporal graphs. Our proposed method utilizes physical and mathematical algorithms to quantify the disturbance of new data to previous knowledge for obtaining changed information over time. As the proposed model is based on theories in physics, it can provide a transparent underlying mechanism for information evolution detection, thus enhancing explainability. The experimental results on three real-world datasets demonstrate that PiECL can explain the learning process, and the generated model outperforms other state-of-the-art methods. PiECL shows tremendous potential for explaining temporal graph learning in various scientific contexts. © 2012 IEEE
Global pattern, trend, and cross-country inequality of early musculoskeletal disorders from 1990 to 2019, with projection from 2020 to 2050
Get PDFBackground: This study aims to estimate the burden, trends, forecasts, and disparities of early musculoskeletal (MSK) disorders among individuals ages 15 to 39 years. Methods: The global prevalence, years lived with disabilities (YLDs), disability-adjusted life years (DALYs), projection, and inequality were estimated for early MSK diseases, including rheumatoid arthritis (RA), osteoarthritis (OA), low back pain (LBP), neck pain (NP), gout, and other MSK diseases (OMSKDs). Findings: More adolescents and young adults were expected to develop MSK disorders by 2050. Across five age groups, the rates of prevalence, YLDs, and DALYs for RA, NP, LBP, gout, and OMSKDs sharply increased from ages 15–19 to 35–39; however, these were negligible for OA before age 30 but increased notably at ages 30–34, rising at least 6-fold by 35–39. The disease burden of gout, LBP, and OA attributable to high BMI and gout attributable to kidney dysfunction increased, while the contribution of smoking to LBP and RA and occupational ergonomic factors to LBP decreased. Between 1990 and 2019, the slope index of inequality increased for six MSK disorders, and the relative concentration index increased for gout, NP, OA, and OMSKDs but decreased for LBP and RA. Conclusions: Multilevel interventions should be initiated to prevent disease burden related to RA, NP, LBP, gout, and OMSKDs among individuals ages 15–19 and to OA among individuals ages 30–34 to tightly control high BMI and kidney dysfunction. Funding: The Global Burden of Disease study is funded by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. The project is funded by the Scientific Research Fund of Sichuan Academy of Medical Sciences & Sichuan Provincial People's Hospital (2022QN38). © 2024 The Author **Please note that there are multiple authors for this article therefore only the name of the first 30 including Federation University Australia affiliate “Biswajit Banik” is provided in this record*
The interplay of CSR, stakeholder interest management, capital budgeting, and firm performance
No full textThis study examines the perspectives of corporate managers regarding corporate social responsibility (CSR), stakeholder interest management, firm performance, and their preferences in capital budgeting. It uses structural equation modelling (SEM) to test hypotheses. The analysis shows that capital budgeting serves as a mediator, diminishing the direct relationship between CSR and firm performance, and between the management of stakeholder interests and firm performance. The findings indicate that instrumental motives guide corporate managers in their capital budgeting decisions. The paper challenges perspectives that disproportionately emphasize the benevolent and moral dimensions of CSR, highlighting the significance of stakeholder interest management as a credible and essential business practice. © 2024 Elsevier B.V
Is there a relationship between somatosensory impairment and the perception of pain in stroke survivors? An exploratory study
No full textPain and somatosensory impairments are commonly reported following stroke. This study investigated the relationship between somatosensory impairments (touch detection, touch discrimination and proprioceptive discrimination) and the reported presence and perception of any bodily pain in stroke survivors. Stroke survivors with somatosensory impairment (N=45) completed the Weinstein Enhanced Sensory Test (WEST), Tactile Discrimination Test, and Wrist Position Sense Test for quantification of somatosensation in both hands and the McGill Pain Questionnaire, visual analog scale and the Neuropathic Pain Symptom Inventory (NPSI) for reporting presence and perception of pain. No relationship was observed between somatosensory impairment (affected contralesional hand) of touch detection, discriminative touch or proprioceptive discrimination with the presence or perception of pain. However, a weak to moderate negative relationship between touch detection in the affected hand (WEST) and perception of pain intensity (NPSI) was found, suggesting that stroke survivors with milder somatosensory impairment of touch detection, rather than severe loss, are likely to experience higher pain intensity [rho = -0.35; 95% confidence interval (CI), -0.60 to -0.03; P=0.03]. Further, a moderate, negative relationship was found specifically with evoked pain (NPSI) and touch detection in the affected hand (rho = -0.43; 95% CI, -0.72 to -0.02; P=0.03). In summary, our findings indicate a weak to moderate, albeit still uncertain, association, which prevents making a definitive conclusion. Nevertheless, our findings contribute to our understanding of the complexities surrounding the experience of pain in survivors of stroke and provide direction for future studies. Copyright © 2024 Wolters Kluwer Health, Inc. All rights reserved
The role of adaptive expertise in sustaining school-university partnerships in increasingly complex times
No full textAdaptive expertise is integral to the role teacher educators play in harnessing, framing, and extending work undertaken in school-university partnerships. Adaptive expertise encompasses the ability to be responsive to changing circumstances and to reflect on and expand knowledge in flexible and innovative ways (Bransford et al. in Darling-Hammond and Bransford (eds), Preparing teachers for a changing world. Jossey-Bass, 2005). Adaptive experts balance routine and adaptive approaches so that innovation and efficiency enable problem solving (Wetzel et al. in Reflective Practice 16:546-558, 2015). The authors of this chapter are teacher educators in an Australian regional university who work within a Master of Teaching (Secondary) course that has sustained unique partnership initiatives with a cluster of regional and rural schools for 17 years. Embedded partnerships have enabled core university units to be taught on-site in schools (McGraw et al. in Nuttall et al. (eds), Teacher education policy and practice: evidence of impact, impact of evidence. Springer, 2017); a focus on dispositions associated with resilience (McGraw and McDonough in The Australian Educational Researcher 46:589-605, 2019); and classroom intensives that involve pre-service teachers closely observing and interrogating classroom interactions (McGraw et al. in Brandenburg et al. (eds), Teacher education: innovations, interventions and impact. Springer, 2016). In this chapter the authors use narrative inquiry to explore the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and workforce shortages in schools on school-university partnership initiatives. They aim to illustrate the complexity of contemporary partnership work and to reflect upon the personal demands of being responsive to change. © The Editor(s) (if applicable) and The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Singapore Pte Ltd. 2024
Global, regional, and national burden of gout, 1990–2020, and projections to 2050 : a systematic analysis of the Global Burden of Disease Study 2021
Get PDFBackground: Gout is an inflammatory arthritis manifesting as acute episodes of severe joint pain and swelling, which can progress to chronic tophaceous or chronic erosive gout, or both. Here, we present the most up-to-date global, regional, and national estimates for prevalence and years lived with disability (YLDs) due to gout by sex, age, and location from the Global Burden of Diseases, Injuries, and Risk Factors Study (GBD) 2021, as well as forecasted prevalence to 2050. Methods: Gout prevalence and YLDs from 1990 to 2020 were estimated by drawing on population-based data from 35 countries and claims data from the USA and Taiwan (province of China). Nested Bayesian meta-regression models were used to estimate prevalence and YLDs due to gout by age, sex, and location. Prevalence was forecast to 2050 with a mixed-effects model. Findings: In 2020, 55·8 million (95% uncertainty interval 44·4–69·8) people globally had gout, with an age-standardised prevalence of 659·3 (525·4–822·3) per 100 000, an increase of 22·5% (20·9–24·2) since 1990. Globally, the prevalence of gout in 2020 was 3·26 (3·11–3·39) times higher in males than in females and increased with age. The total number of prevalent cases of gout is estimated to reach 95·8 million (81·1–116) in 2050, with population growth being the largest contributor to this increase and only a very small contribution from the forecasted change in gout prevalence. Age-standardised gout prevalence in 2050 is forecast to be 667 (531–830) per 100 000 population. The global age-standardised YLD rate of gout was 20·5 (14·4–28·2) per 100 000 population in 2020. High BMI accounted for 34·3% (27·7–40·6) of YLDs due to gout and kidney dysfunction accounted for 11·8% (9·3–14·2). Interpretation: Our forecasting model estimates that the number of individuals with gout will increase by more than 70% from 2020 to 2050, primarily due to population growth and ageing. With the association between gout disability and high BMI, dietary and lifestyle modifications focusing on bodyweight reduction are needed at the population level to reduce the burden of gout along with access to interventions to prevent and control flares. Despite the rigour of the standardised GBD methodology and modelling, in many countries, particularly low-income and middle-income countries, estimates are based on modelled rather than primary data and are also lacking severity and disability estimates. We strongly encourage the collection of these data to be included in future GBD iterations. Funding: Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and the Global Alliance for Musculoskeletal Health. © 2024 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier Ltd. This is an Open Access article under the CC BY 4.0 license **Please note that there are multiple authors for this article therefore only the name of the first 30 including Federation University Australia affiliate “Balasankar Ganesan” is provided in this record*
Mental health nurses' empathy towards consumers with dual diagnosis : a descriptive study
Get PDFAim: This study aimed to assess mental health nurses' empathy towards consumers with dual diagnosis in Australian mental health settings. The research question was What is mental health nurses' empathy towards consumers with co-existing mental health and drug and alcohol problems?. Design and Methods: A cross-sectional survey was carried out to understand mental health nurses' empathy. The convenience sample included 96 mental health nurses from various mental health settings with experience working with consumers with dual diagnosis. We assessed empathy using the Toronto Empathy Questionnaire. We utilised SPSS™ software to analyse both the descriptive data and multiple-regression. Results: The mean empathy score was 47.71 (SD 8.28). The analysis of the association between demographic variables and individual subscales showed an association between the clinical setting and empathy (p =.031) and sympathetic physiological arousal (p =.049). The work sector was associated with sympathetic physiological arousal (p =.045) and conspecific altruism (p =.008). Emotional contagion
Neurotechnology for poststroke motor rehabilitation
No full textOver the past decades, various neurotechnologies have been extensively developed and extensively applied in stroke rehabilitation, with some promising results. In this chapter, we first introduced the role of neuroplasticity in poststroke motor recovery and highlighted the great potential of using neurotechnologies in poststroke rehabilitation services. We then reviewed several representative neurotechnological approaches, including noninvasive brain stimulation therapies, visual feedback-based rehabilitation, brain-computer interface, as well as virtual reality-based rehabilitation. We finally concluded the chapter by highlighting the importance and clinical translational values of using these neurotechnologies and future research directions. © 2025 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved