bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Predicting food waste reduction behavior among students in higher education institutions
Authors: Valentin Alvin Patrick , Dela Vega Aivanne Miguel , Kho Marc Ivenson , Licayan Sean Russel , Nierras Elijah Liam , Pabalate Jose Carlos
Published: December 2023

Purpose

This study aims to determine and analyze the predictors of food waste reduction intention and behavior among higher education institutions (HEIs) using an extended version of the theory of planned behavior (TPB).

Design/methodology/approach

This study empirically tested an extended TPB model through regression analyses using data obtained through an online survey.

Findings

Attitude toward food waste reduction, subjective norms, perceived behavioral control and food waste knowledge predicted intention to reduce food waste. Furthermore, the intention to reduce food waste predicted food waste reduction behavior.

Research limitations/implications

The results imply that extending the TPB by adding food waste knowledge significantly predicted food waste reduction intention and behavior.

Practical implications

The study identified factors that predict food waste reduction behavior and suggested ways to influence Filipino students in HEIs to reduce food waste.

Originality/value

The findings support the inclusion of food waste knowledge to the TPB in predicting food waste reduction intention and behavior among students in HEIs.
Experimental study on seismic behavior of RC beams confined by corroded stirrups
Authors: Shu Jingxiao , Lu Yao , Liang Yan
Published: December 2023

Purpose

To understand the seismic behavior of reinforced concrete (RC) beams confined by corroded stirrups, low-reversed cyclic loading tests were carried out on seven RC beam specimens with different stirrup corrosion levels and stirrup ratios to investigate their mechanical characteristics.

Design/methodology/approach

The failure mode, hysteresis behavior, skeleton curves, ductility, stiffness degradation and energy dissipation behavior of RC specimens are compared and discussed. The experimental results showed that the restraint of concrete provided by corroded stirrups is reduced, which leads to a decline in seismic performance.

Findings

For the specimens with the same ratios of stirrup, as the corrosion level increased, the load-carrying capacity, stiffness, plastic deformation capacity and energy-dissipation capacity dropped significantly. Compared with the uncorroded specimen, the failure modes of specimens with high corrosion level changed from ductile bending failure to brittle failure. For the specimens with the same levels of corrosion, the higher the stirrup ratio was, the stronger the restraint effect of the stirrups on the concrete, and the seismic behavior of the specimens was obviously improved.

Originality/value

In this paper, a total of seven full-size RC beam specimens at joints with different stirrup corrosion levels and stirrup ratios were designed and constructed to explore the influences of corrosion levels and stirrup ratios of stirrups on the seismic performances. The failure modes, strain of reinforcement, hysteretic curves, skeleton curves, stiffness degradation and ductility factor of RC specimens are compared and discussed.
Challenges and economic consequences of IFRS 9: evidence from China
Authors: Guo Savannah (Yuanyuan) , Mei Beilei , Rao Yanchao , Ye Jianfang
Published: December 2023

Purpose

This study investigates the implementation challenges and economic consequences of the International Financial Reporting Standards 9 (IFRS 9) Financial Instruments.

Design/methodology/approach

Descriptive evidence on equity asset reclassifications and estimated impairment using the new expected credit loss (ECL) model are presented. Multivariate analyses on the disposal of available-for-sale (AFS) and fund investment post-announcement and the value relevance of impairments to financial assets post-implementation are performed.

Findings

Over 60% of sample firms report inconsistent equity asset reclassifications and do not change estimated impairment using the new expected credit loss model. Firms also switch from AFS to equity fund investments post-announcement. Lastly, impairments to financial assets increase in value relevance to investors’ post-implementation, but only in financial institutions and firms with Big 4 auditors.

Originality/value

This study's findings suggest that IFRS 9 presents implementation challenges and changes equity investment strategies. They also indicate cross-sectional differences in firms' ability to effectively apply the new standards. This study is valuable for policymakers, business leaders, investors and academics.
The culture of sport: examining the effect of athletic participation on the acceptance of rape myths
Authors: Costelloe Michael , Arazan Christine L. , Cruz Kenneth A.
Published: December 2023

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to examine the relationship between athletic participation and the acceptance of rape myths in an effort to further identify cultural and social institutions that may contribute to adherence to and glorification of rape culture.

Design/methodology/approach

A random sample of 685 first semester, university freshmen were surveyed about their high school sports participation and levels of rape myth acceptance (RMA). Linear regression models were estimated to examine the relationships between participation in sports, the type of sport participation and the acceptance of rape myths.

Findings

Those involved in athletics, generally, and those involved in team sports are more accepting of rape myths than are their counterparts. These results hold true for the full sample and for males and females, when examined separately. Participation in contact sports was not significantly predictive of RMA.

Practical implications

Athletics may provide a culture that is particularly prone to a belief in rape myths, which jeopardizes the integrity of collegiate sports. Policies should focus on changing offender behavior not victim behavior to create safer and more inclusive communities. Educating youth about the nature of rape myths and providing them with skills to resist such thinking is paramount. Focused programs and training could reduce the likelihood of accepting rape myths and, in turn, may make high school and college campuses safer.

Originality/value

This paper contributes to prior research by examining a sample of first semester university freshmen about their high school athletic participation and RMA. This research not only minimizes the effects of college level influences but also distinguishes between different forms of athletic involvement.
Product market competition, investor protection and analysts’ earnings forecasts
Authors: Kamarudin Khairul Anuar , Wan Ismail Wan Adibah , Chapple Larelle , Truong Thu Phuong
Published: December 2023

Purpose

This study aims to examine the effects of product market competition (PMC) on analysts’ earnings forecast attributes, particularly forecast accuracy and dispersion. The authors also investigate whether investor protection moderates the relationship between PMC and forecast attributes.

Design/methodology/approach

The sample covers 49,578 firm-year observations from 38 countries. This study uses an ordinary least squares regression, a Heckman two-stage regression and an instrumental two-stage least squares regression.

Findings

This study finds that PMC is associated with higher forecast accuracy and lower dispersion. The results also show that investor protection enhances the effect of PMC on forecast accuracy and dispersion. These findings imply that countries with strong investor protection have a better information environment, as exhibited by the stronger relationship between PMC and analysts’ forecast properties.

Practical implications

The findings highlight the importance of strong governance mechanisms in both the country and industry environments. Policymakers, including government agencies and financial regulators, can leverage these insights to formulate regulations that promote competition, ensure investor protection and facilitate informed investment decisions.

Originality/value

This study advances our understanding of how PMC affects analysts’ earnings forecast attributes. In addition, it pioneers evidence of the moderating role of investor protection in the relationship between PMC and forecast attributes.
Factors influencing intention to invest in Shariah-compliant social impact bonds in Malaysia
Authors: Marwan Syed , Ismail Suhaiza , Engku Ali Engku Rabiah Adawiah , Mohamed Haneef Mohamed Aslam
Published: December 2023

Purpose

The purpose of the paper is twofold. Firstly, this study aims to investigate the factors influencing stakeholders’ intention to invest in Shariah-compliant social impact bonds (SC SIBs) in Malaysia. Secondly, this study compares the differences in the perception of different stakeholders on the importance of the factors.

Design/methodology/approach

Using the extended theory of planned behaviour, the study undertakes a questionnaire survey on licensed capital market investors and individuals involved in the development of the financial market (developers). A total of 260 complete and valid responses were obtained from the survey. Multiple regression and Mann–Whitney tests were carried out to achieve the two objectives, respectively.

Findings

The results reveal that attitude (β = 0.447, p < 0.01), subjective norm (SN) (β = 0.255, p < 0.01) and moral norm (MN) (β = 0.163, p < 0.01) are significantly positive predictors of intention to invest in SC SIBs. In terms of the differences in the perceptions of the two parties, the results show that the factors have more effect towards developers than investors.

Originality/value

The empirical evidence from this study on the factors that influence stakeholders’ participation in SC SIBs is useful to the policymakers and interested parties in taking the next steps to develop, implement and promote SC SIBs to stakeholders in Malaysia. Fund managers can use the study’s insights to promote positive attitudes, SNs and MNs towards SC SIBs, especially targeting developers who are more influenced by these factors. More importantly, the results indicate a need for different strategies to influence the stakeholder investment behaviour of SC SIB in Malaysia to ensure that it is sustainable and viable in the long run.
Commitment-based HRM and inbound open innovation in SMEs: the role of organizational trust and developmental culture
Authors: Cera Elona , Cera Gentjan , Elezi Enis
Published: December 2023

Purpose

Although scholars have been studying human resource management (HRM) and open innovation (OI), yet there is less attention to this relationship in the context of small-and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). This paper aims to bring some insights about the human side of inbound open innovation (INOI) in SMEs. The goal is to better understand the role of organizational trust (OT) and developmental culture (DC) in the interactions between commitment-based HRM (C-HRM) and INOI.

Design/methodology/approach

The present study employs partial least squares-structural equation modeling to investigate the interrelationships among constructs, utilizing data gathered from a sample of 206 SMEs.

Findings

The study's empirical results indicate that the presence of OT serves as a complementary factor in mediating the relation between C-HRM and INOI. Furthermore, the analysis shows that there exists a moderating influence of DC in the relationship between C-HRM and INOI.

Practical implications

The role of HRM practices is important in developing OT and consequently foster INOI in SMEs. To achieve INOI, SMEs need a DC that induces C-HRM toward an OI approach.

Originality/value

This study adds to the understanding of the interactions between C-HRM practices and INOI in SMEs. The comprehension of the mediating function of OT and the moderating effect of DC serve to enhance the scholarly understanding of the human dimension of OI research.
What drives business-to-business brands to be conscientious?
Authors: Guzmán Francisco , Ahmad Fayez , Johnson Ross W.
Published: December 2023

Purpose

Business organizations are evermore expected to behave conscientiously, but a lack of clarity remains regarding this strategy for business-to-business (B2B) brands. This paper aims to develop and validate a B2B brand conscientiousness model that identifies what factors are driving this approach.

Design/methodology/approach

The research model is validated through a three-stage study that collects insights from high-level executives, mid-level managers and employees in B2B firms. Whereas the first two exploratory stages follow a qualitative approach to identify what factors motivate B2B firms to be conscientious and develop a model, the third stage empirically tests the proposed model through structural equation modeling.

Findings

The results suggest that brand conscientiousness is viewed as an important strategy by B2B stakeholders. Whereas perceived risk discourages, external and internal stakeholder expectations and a firm’s financial commitment to a cause encourage, brands to pursue a conscientious approach. Furthermore, a B2B conscientious strategy must be perceived as authentic. Long-term commitment to the cause, strategic alignment of brand values with the cause and a congruent delivery of the brand’s promise are the drivers of this perceived authenticity.

Originality/value

This paper contributes to the emerging knowledge on B2B conscientious brands by confirming the importance of this approach in a B2B context, identifying the factors that B2B stakeholders – executives, managers and employees – believe are driving it and highlighting the importance and identifying the factors that drive its perceived authenticity.
The potential of industrial symbiosis in fostering sustainable entrepreneurship among the micro and small enterprises (MSEs): evidence from a developing country
Authors: Kimuli Saadat Nakyejwe Lubowa , Sendawula Kasimu , Najjinda Shamirah , Nakimuli Naqiyyah Kimuli
Published: December 2023

Purpose

The purpose of this study is to explore the status and potential of industrial symbiosis in fostering sustainable entrepreneurship among micro and small enterprises (MSEs) in Uganda.

Design/methodology/approach

This study is cross-sectional and qualitative in nature. It involved conducting in-depth interviews with MSEs owners in Kampala, and data were analyzed using Atlasi Ti.

Findings

The results indicate that industrial symbiosis is a phenomenon that, notably, all MSE owners interviewed were practicing unknowingly, including recycling waste into sellable products, as well as sharing utilities, specialized machines and personnel for the smooth running of their businesses. In addition, participants expressed optimism that industrial symbiosis would be a major tool for business growth, innovation, employment opportunities, diversification and environmental protection for the benefit of the current and the future generations.

Originality/value

This study offers initial evidence on the status and potential of industrial symbiosis in fostering sustainable entrepreneurship among MSEs in Uganda.
Unravelling the board committee puzzle: a comprehensive review and future research agenda
Authors: Mani Satya Prakash , Bansal Shashank , Bhaskar Ratikant , Kumar Satish
Published: December 2023

Purpose

This study aims to examine the literature from the Web of Science database published on board committees between 2002 and 2023 and outline the quantitative summary, journey of board committees’ research and suggest future research directions.

Design/methodology/approach

This study examines bibliometric-content analysis combined with a systematic literature review of articles on board committees to document the summary of the field. The authors used co-citation, co-occurrence and cluster analysis under bibliometric-content analysis to present the field summary.

Findings

Board committee composition, such as their gender, independence and expertise, as well as factors affecting corporate governance, such as reporting quality, earnings management and board monitoring, all have a significant impact on board committee literature. The field is getting growing attention from authors, journals and countries. Nevertheless, there is a need for further exploration in areas like expertise, member age and tenure, the economic crisis and the nomination and remuneration committee, which have not yet received sufficient attention.

Originality/value

This paper has both theoretical and practical contributions. From a theoretical perspective, this study substantiates the prevalence of agency theory within board committee literature, reinforcing the foundational role of agency theory in shaping discussions about board committees. On practical ground, the comprehensive overview of board committee literature offers scholars a road map for navigating this field and directing their future research journey. The identification of research gaps in certain areas serves as a catalyst for scholars to explore untapped dimensions, enabling them to strengthen the essence of the committees’ performance.
Inclusive practices in an independent private school: Insight into teachers' perspectives, beliefs and practices
Authors: Tiwari Ashwini
Published: December 2023

This descriptive case study examines the perspectives, beliefs and practices of independent private schoolteachers in India about the inclusion of students with special educational needs in general education classrooms. Data were collected through one‐to‐one interviews and focus group discussions with 10 teachers in an independent private school in South Delhi. The analysis of the data highlights that teachers possess limited knowledge regarding meeting the educational needs of students with disabilities in their classrooms. Teachers are faced with challenges in implementing full inclusion in the absence of consistent guidelines on inclusion, the definition of inclusive education in the legislative framework, the knowledge gap and the student‐centred approach. Additionally, the study identifies a lack of collaboration between teachers and parents as a potential factor leading to the non‐implementation of inclusive education practices. The study highlights the significance of professional development sessions in raising teachers' awareness about the importance of differentiation, individualised instruction and technology integration for achieving full inclusion.

Key Points

Private schoolteachers in India face challenges similar to those in public schools regarding the inclusion of students with special educational needs.

Limited opportunities for collaboration and communication with stakeholders, coupled with financial considerations and a profit‐driven approach in some private schools, can overshadow the inclusion of students with special educational needs.

Professional development sessions are crucial in enhancing teachers‘ awareness of collaboration, differentiation, individualised instruction and technology integration for achieving full inclusion.

Policy makers should prioritise the development of clear and unambiguous guidelines for inclusive education in independent private schools, outlining responsibilities and mandating training programs for educators and administrators.
Diet quality and cardiovascular outcomes: A systematic review and meta‐analysis of cohort studies
Authors: Taylor Rachael M. , Haslam Rebecca L. , Herbert Jaimee , Whatnall Megan C. , Trijsburg Laura , de Vries Jeanne H. M. , Josefsson Malin Skinnars , Koochek Afsaneh , Nowicka Paulina , Neuman Nicklas , Clarke Erin D. , Burrows Tracy L. , Collins Clare E.
Published: December 2023

Aims

To evaluate relationships between diet quality and cardiovascular outcomes.

Methods

Six databases were searched for studies published between January 2007 and October 2021. Eligible studies included cohort studies that assessed the relationship between a priori diet quality and cardiovascular disease mortality and morbidity in adults. The Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics Checklist was used to assess the risk of bias. Study characteristics and outcomes were extracted from eligible studies using standardised processes. Data were summarised using risk ratios for cardiovascular disease incidence and mortality with difference compared for highest versus lowest diet quality synthesised in meta‐analyses using a random effects model.

Results

Of the 4780 studies identified, 159 studies (n = 6 272 676 adults) were included. Meta‐analyses identified a significantly lower cardiovascular disease incidence (n = 42 studies, relative risk 0.83, 95% CI 0.82–0.84, p < 0.001) and mortality risk (n = 49 studies, relative risk 0.83, 95% CI 0.82–0.84, p < 0.001) among those with highest versus lowest diet quality. In sensitivity analyses of a high number of pooled studies (≥13 studies) the Mediterranean style diet patterns and adherence to the heart healthy diet guidelines were significantly associated with a risk reduction of 15% and 14% for cardiovascular disease incidence and 17% and 20% for cardiovascular disease mortality respectively (p < 0.05).

Conclusions

Higher diet quality is associated with lower incidence and risk of mortality for cardiovascular disease however, significant study heterogeneity was identified for these relationships.
Consensus statements on endoscopic radiofrequency ablation for malignant biliary strictures
Authors:   Digestive Endoscopology Branch of Chinese Medical Association,   Digestive Endoscopy Professional Committee, Endoscopic Physicians Branch of Chinese Medical Doctor Association,   National Clinical Research Center for Digestive Diseases (Shanghai)
Published: December 2023

Endoscopy‐guided endobiliary radiofrequency ablation has emerged as a novel treatment for malignant biliary strictures in recent years. When combined with biliary stenting and systemic chemotherapy, it can effectively postpone local tumor progression, improve patient's quality of life, and prolong their survival, which is mainly indicated for patients with inoperable extrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma and ampullary cancer. Based on the existing clinical evidence, the Digestive Endoscopology Branch of Chinese Medical Association, the Digestive Endoscopy Professional Committee, Endoscopic Physicians Branch of Chinese Medical Doctor Association, and the National Clinical Research Center for Digestive Diseases (Shanghai) organized relevant experts to discuss the indications, contraindications, technical operation specifications, and prevention and treatment of the complications during endoscopy‐guided endobiliary radiofrequency ablation. Consensus statements were established, trying to provide references for standard treatment of malignant biliary tumors in clinical practice.
The interaction of climate, plant, and soil factors drives putative soil fungal pathogen diversity and community structure in dry grasslands
Authors: Zhang Shaoyang , Fan Dandan , Wu Jianshuang , Zhang Xianzhou , Zhuang Xuliang , Kong Weidong
Published: December 2023

Soil pathogens play important roles in shaping soil microbial diversity and controlling ecosystem functions. Though climate and local environmental factors and their influences on fungal pathogen communities have been examined separately, few studies explore the relative contributions of these factors. This is particularly crucial in eco‐fragile regions, which are more sensitive to environmental changes. Herein we investigated the diversity and community structure of putative soil fungal pathogens in cold and dry grasslands on the Tibetan Plateau, using high‐throughput sequencing. The results showed that steppe soils had the highest diversity of all pathogens and plant pathogens; contrastingly, meadow soils had the highest animal pathogen diversity. Structural equation modelling revealed that climate, plant, and soil had similar levels of influence on putative soil fungal pathogen diversity, with total effects ranging from 52% to 59% (all p < 0.001), with precipitation exhibiting a stronger direct effect than plant and soil factors. Putative soil fungal pathogen community structure gradually changed with desert, steppe, and meadow, and was primarily controlled by the interactions of climate, plant, and soil factors rather than by distinct factors individually. This finding contrasts with most studies of soil bacterial and fungal community structure, which generally report dominant roles of individual environmental factors.
Disruption of LPA‐LPAR1 pathway results in lung tumor growth inhibition by downregulating B7‐H3 expression in fibroblasts
Authors: Meng Fanyi , Yin Zhiyue , Lu Feifei , Wang Weipeng , Zhang Hongjian
Published: December 2023

Background

Lysophosphatidic acids (LPAs) belong to a class of bioactive lysophospholipids with multiple functions including immunomodulatory roles in tumor microenvironment (TME). LPA exerts its biological effects via its receptors that are highly expressed in fibroblasts among other cell types. As cancer‐associated fibroblasts (CAFs) are a key component of the TME, it is important to understand LPA signaling and regulation of receptors in fibroblasts or CAFs and associated regulatory roles on immunomodulation‐related molecules.

Methods

Cluster analysis, immunoblotting, real‐time quantitative‐PCR, CRISPR‐Cas9 gene editing system, immunohistochemical staining, coculture model, and in vivo xenograft model were used to investigate the effects of LPA‐LPAR1 on B7‐H3 in tumor promotion of CAFs.

Results

In this study, we found that LPAR1 and CD276 (B7‐H3) were generally highly expressed in fibroblasts with good expression correlation. LPA induced B7‐H3 up‐expression through LPAR1, and stimulated fibroblasts proliferation that could be inhibited by silencing LPAR1 or B7‐H3 as well as small molecule LPAR1 antagonist (Ki16425). Using engineered fibroblasts and non‐small cell lung carcinoma (NSCLC) cell lines, subsequent investigations demonstrated that CAFs promoted the proliferation of NSCLC in vitro and in vivo, and such effect could be inhibited by knocking out LPAR1 or B7‐H3.

Conclusion

The present study provided new insights for roles of LPA in CAFs, which could lead to the development of innovative therapies targeting CAFs in the TME. It is also reasonable to postulate a combinatory approach to treat malignant fibrous tumors (such as NSCLC) with LPAR1 antagonists and B7‐H3 targeting therapies.
Liver surface nodularity and ascites are associated with mortality risk in acute alcohol‐associated hepatitis
Authors: Miller Alex , Carney Benjamin , Shah Shivani , Chen Hui‐Wei , Gougol Amir , Borhani Amir , Bataller Ramon , Malik Shahid , Rachakonda Vikrant
Published: December 2023

Background

Acute alcohol‐associated hepatitis (AH) is associated with high mortality. CT‐derived liver surface nodularity (LSN) is a robust prognostic biomarker in other chronic liver diseases. The aim of this study was to determine relationships between LSN, disease severity, and mortality in AH.

Methods

Adults hospitalized with AH from January 2016 to March 2020 were included if an abdominal CT was performed between 8 weeks prior to 72 h after hospitalization. LSN was measured using quantitative methods (Liver Surface Nodularity Software version 0.88, Birmingham, AL, USA). Cox proportional hazards models, logistic regression and AUROC analysis were used to examine relationships between LSN and 180‐day transplant‐free survival.

Results

Of 386 patients hospitalized with AH during the study period, 230 had CT scans performed, and 205 met inclusion criteria. Mean transplant‐free survival was 127 days (95% CI 118–137). Within each cohort, patients were grouped into low [LSN‐LOW, N = 109 (53.2%)] and high [LSN‐HIGH, N = 96 (46.8%)] LSN strata based on an optimal cutoff of 2.86 derived from unadjusted ROC curves. Patients with high LSN had features of portal hypertension, which included encephalopathy [53 (55.2%) vs. 43 (39.4%), p = 0.017], ascites on CT [81 (84.4%) vs. 69 (63.3%), p = 0.001] and portosystemic shunts [78 (81.2%) vs. 69 (63.3%), p = 0.003]. High LSN, ascites and MELD were independently associated with lower likelihood of 180‐day transplant‐free survival, and inclusion of a score assigning 1 point each for high LSN or ascites on CT (AHRADS score) to MELD enhanced diagnostic accuracy of AUROC for 180‐day survival compared to MELD alone [AUROC 0.782 (95% CI 0.719–0.845) vs. 0.735 (0.667–0.802), p = 0.023].

Conclusions

CT‐derived factors that include LSN and ascites are radiographic biomarkers associated with 180‐day transplant‐free survival in alcohol‐associated hepatitis.
Heterogeneity in needs and purchases in Australian retirees
Authors: Asher Anthony , Boonen Tim , Chang Le , Khemka Gaurav , Roberts Steven
Published: December 2023

To plan for retirement, it is important to understand how needs and purchases may change. We use data from a survey of elderly Australians to see how needs and purchases changed in different categories of goods and services. We looked especially at those who had experienced financial or health shocks. Our analysis shows variation in people's experiences, particularly for health costs, which increase with age. Having private health insurance appears to increase the level and volatility of health costs – presumably as a result of out‐of‐pocket costs. This information can be useful for financial advisors and superannuation trustees.
Forest carnivores living on the edge with invasive predators
Authors: Wampole E. M. , Farris Z. J. , Razafy P. , Gerber B. D.
Published: December 2023

The proliferation of forest edges and invasive predators have been identified as two primary threats to carnivore populations globally. These threats often occur in unison, facilitated by anthropogenic activities (e.g., fragmentation), and together may pose a greater influence than when they occur separately. Targeted conservation actions for forest carnivores, including Madagascar carnivores, have been hindered by a failure to understand the relative contributions of these factors in driving species declines. To fill this gap, we conducted an extensive camera survey along the edge of intact, continuous protected rainforests in eastern Madagascar to evaluate the extent invasive predators and forest edge separately and in combination affect native carnivore space use. We hypothesized that structural vegetation changes at the forest edge interact with invasive predator trap success and occurrence to reduce native carnivore space use near the forest edge and separately have less influence than when combined. In contrast to findings in fragmented and degraded forests of Madagascar, we found hard forest edge and invasive predators alone do not indiscriminately reduce native carnivore space use in continuous intact forest. Instead, we found free‐roaming dogs and cats interact with their surrounding environment (i.e., forest edge) in unique ways that shape species response differently than within interior forest. At the forest edge, vegetational changes of increasing shrub cover and the occurrence of dogs reduce space use of three of four native carnivores. However, we found greater effects of proximity to villages, especially with high invasive predator activity (free‐roaming cats). Ultimately, native carnivores showed variable sensitivities to pressures we examined, providing support for species‐specific management actions to maximize conservation outcomes. We encourage future studies to consider evaluating the magnitude of separate and combined threats to carnivores. In doing so, conservationists can better identify when threats can be managed in isolation and when they require simultaneous mitigation.
Koalas in space and time: Lessons from 20 years of vehicle‐strike trends and hot spots in South East Queensland
Authors: Dexter C. E. , Scott J. , Blacker A. R. F. , Appleby R. G. , Kerlin D. H. , Jones D. N.
Published: December 2023

The localized clustering of wildlife vehicle‐strike in space and time, often called ‘hot spots’, are commonly used to guide placement of road mitigation installations. We interrogated koala vehicle‐strike data across a 20‐year period between 1997 and 2016, examining trends in identified hot spots. We found that hot spots were not static and decline or emerge in line with the resultant pressures (e.g., from development and associated traffic increases) being exerted on koala populations within the surrounding landscape. We suggest that there is likely to be a relationship between hot spots waning over time and localized extinction of koalas. We feel strategies that solely focus on hot spot intervention will do little to halt and reverse the significant decline in the koala population across South East Queensland because they are almost always retrospective. It is imperative that regional wildlife movement solutions, around and across roads, are appropriately planned and implemented ahead of time (i.e., during initial construction/developmental expansion), if they are to serve as effective mitigation for remaining local koala population across South East Queensland. We caution against recommending mitigation based solely on historical vehicle‐strike data without considering contemporary population, movement and behavioural data.
Evaluation of a chat GPT generated patient information leaflet about laparoscopic cholecystectomy
Authors: Lockie Elizabeth , Choi Julian
Published: December 2023

Background

Artificial intelligence is increasingly being used in all aspects of life in information compilation and writing, and this includes healthcare. This study aimed to evaluate a Chat GPT generated patient information leaflet (PIL) against a surgeon generated version, in order to explore a potential application of this artificial intelligence language processing model.

Methods

Cross‐sectional study, undertaken May to June 2023, asking two cohorts (patients and doctors) to complete a questionnaire evaluating a Chat GPT generated PIL and a surgeon generated PIL about laparoscopic cholecystectomy. The patients were having laparoscopic cholecystectomy at large private Hospital in Melbourne, Australia, and doctors were recruited from this hospital and a public quaternary hospital in Melbourne, Australia. The study included a convenience sample of 28 patients and 16 doctors. The main outcome measure was a questionnaire (maximum score out of 8) based on validated evaluation instrument for PILs.

Results

The study recruited 28 patients and 15 doctors to complete the questionnaire. The Chat GPT and surgeon generated PILs were scored similarly by patients (median 8 for both PIL; mean 7.5 for Chat GPT PIL vs. 7.1 for surgeon PIL). Doctors also scored both versions similarly, with slightly higher scores for Chat GPT over surgeon version (median 7 vs. 6; mean 6.7 vs. 5.6, respectively).

Conclusions

The Chat GPT generated PIL was assessed as being as good or slightly better than the surgeon generated version. This study shows that PIL are a feasible application of AI language processing models.
Inhibition of angiogenesis in the management of refractory gastrointestinal bleeding in patients with LVAD support
Authors: Inglis Sara S. , Asleh Rabea , Iyer Vivek N. , Schettle Sarah D. , Spencer Philip J. , Villavicencio Mauricio A. , Rodeheffer Richard J. , Kushwaha Sudhir S. , Behfar Atta , Rosenbaum Andrew N.
Published: December 2023

Background

Gastrointestinal bleeding (GIB) in patients with continuous flow left ventricular assist devices (CF‐LVADs) is often related to GI angiodysplasia (GIAD). We previously reported data on VEGF inhibition with IV bevacizumab in the treatment of LVAD‐associated GIAD bleeding, and now present follow‐up data on patients treated with IV bevacizumab and/or low‐dose oral pazopanib.

Methods

All consecutive adult patients with LVAD‐associated GIB from GIAD treated with bevacizumab or pazopanib, from July 20, 2017 to June 22, 2022, were included in the analysis. Data on hospitalizations, GI endoscopic procedures, and blood transfusions were obtained from first admission for GIB up to a median of 35.7 months following treatment initiation (range 1.3–59.8 months).

Results

Eleven patients (91% male, mean 69.5 ± 8.9 years) were included. Eight patients (73%) received IV bevacizumab, two patients (18%) received oral pazopanib, and one patient (9%) received bevacizumab followed by pazopanib therapy. We observed a significantly decreased number of annualized hospitalizations for GIB (median difference − 2.87, p = 0.002), blood transfusions (median difference − 20.9, p = 0.01), and endoscopies (median difference − 6.95, p = 0.007) in patients pre‐ and post‐anti‐angiogenic therapy (bevacizumab and/or pazopanib). Similarly, a significant improvement in these clinical outcomes was noted in the bevacizumab group with decreased annualized hospitalizations (median difference − 2.75, p = 0.014), blood transfusions (median difference − 24.5, p = 0.047), and number of endoscopies (median differences −6.88, p = 0.006).

Conclusion

Anti‐angiogenic therapy with IV bevacizumab and/or low‐dose oral pazopanib appears to provide benefits in patients with LVAD‐associated GIB with reduced hospitalizations, blood transfusions, and need for GI endoscopic procedures.
Preservatives and pH in low‐dose atropine formulations for clinical trials
Authors: Iribarren Rafael , Cunha Celso , Kaymak Hakan , Grzybowski Andrzej
Published: December 2023

Over a century ago, atropine has been tested to arrest myopia progression with good results. In recent years, many randomized clinical trials have tested different concentrations against placebo. Three recent such studies with low‐dose atropine showed that it was less effective than previous studies, even the last one showing no difference in myopia progression between the treated and control group. Previous randomized studies had been performed in Asian populations, and these last three were extended to Western Caucasian populations, based on the initial observation that differences in iris pigmentation could be a factor for a difference in effectiveness. We have noticed that the three last studies in the West have used the same patented formulation, while previous studies have preferred compounded low‐dose atropine. Here we review how the power of hydrogen (pH) and preservatives could account for differences in drug penetration to the eye, possibly explaining the differences between studies.
Potassium levels in women with polycystic ovary syndrome using spironolactone for long‐term
Authors: deOliveira Thais A. , Marchesan Lucas B. , Spritzer Poli M.
Published: December 2023

Objective

Spironolactone (SPL) has been used to manage hyperandrogenic manifestations in women with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), but data on the risk of hyperkalemia in this population are scarce. The aim of this study was to evaluate the incidence of hyperkalemia in women with PCOS using SPL in the long term.

Design

Single‐centre retrospective study.

Patients

Inclusion and analysis of 98 treatment periods in 78 women with PCOS (20 of whom were duplicates, returning after treatment interruption for a mean of 38 months) who received SPL for a minimum of 12 months and had at least three measurements of potassium levels over time.

Measurements

Clinical and hormonal profiles before and during SPL treatment.

Results

Mean age was 29.1 (SD: 9.6) years, and body mass index was 32.2 (SD: 8.1) kg/m². Nine patients had diabetes, and 22 had prediabetes. SPL was used in combination with combined oral contraceptive pills in 55 participants and progestin‐only pills/long‐acting reversible contraception in 28; metformin was added in 35, and angiotensin‐converting enzyme inhibitors/angiotensin receptor blockers in 15. Median SPL dose was 100 (range: 50–150) mg. A total of 327 serum potassium measurements were obtained (84 pre‐exposure and 243 postexposure). Four potassium measurements were above the reference range before exposure and 19 during exposure. All potassium measurements above the reference range during follow‐up were classified as mild hyperkalemia (5.1–5.5 mEq/L).

Conclusions

The present findings suggest that women with PCOS, without kidney or heart disease, using SPL combined with hormonal contraception for managing clinical hyperandrogenism have a low incidence of hyperkalemia and well‐tolerated minor adverse effects.
Protocol for a national audit of the watch‐and‐wait approach in patients with rectal cancer in Aotearoa New Zealand: The ACCORD study
Authors:   STRATA Collaborative
Published: December 2023

Aim

The watch‐and‐wait approach is increasingly being used in the management of rectal cancer as many patients achieve a clinical complete response after neoadjuvant treatment This national, multicentre, retrospective cohort study aims to understand the use of the watch‐and‐wait approach in the management of rectal cancer in Aotearoa New Zealand and its associated outcomes.

Method

This retrospective cohort study will include patients aged 18 years and over with biopsy proven rectal adenocarcinoma diagnosed between January 2015 and December 2022 who have a clinical complete response following neoadjuvant treatment (including short‐course radiotherapy, long‐course chemoradiotherapy or total neoadjuvant treatment) and have been managed with a watch‐and‐wait approach. Data will be collected from centres that manage rectal cancer in Aotearoa New Zealand with the eligible population being identified using data linkage with the National Cancer Registry.

Conclusion

This multicentre, national cohort study will investigate the use of the watch‐and‐wait strategy for rectal cancer in Aotearoa New Zealand. Through novel data linkage approaches, these data and methods will lay the foundation for a future prospective registry and outcome‐tracking initiative.
Feature redundancy removal for text classification using correlated feature subsets
Authors: Farek Lazhar , Benaidja Amira
Published: December 2023

The curse of high dimensionality in text classification is a worrisome problem that requires efficient and optimal feature selection (FS) methods to improve classification accuracy and reduce learning time. Existing filter‐based FS methods evaluate features independently of other related ones, which can then lead to selecting a large number of redundant features, especially in high‐dimensional datasets, resulting in more learning time and less classification performance, whereas information theory‐based methods aim to maximize feature dependency with the class variable and minimize its redundancy for all selected features, which gradually becomes impractical when increasing the feature space. To overcome the time complexity issue of information theory‐based methods while taking into account the redundancy issue, in this article, we propose a new feature selection method for text classification termed correlation‐based redundancy removal, which aims to minimize the redundancy using subsets of features having close mutual information scores without sequentially seeking already selected features. The idea is that it is not important to assess the redundancy of a dominant feature having high classification information with another irrelevant feature having low classification information and vice‐versa since they are implicitly weakly correlated. Our method, tested on seven datasets using both traditional classifiers (Naive Bayes and support vector machines) and deep learning models (long short‐term memory and convolutional neural networks), demonstrated strong performance by reducing redundancy and improving classification compared to ten competitive metrics.
Enhancing visual question answering with a two‐way co‐attention mechanism and integrated multimodal features
Authors: Agrawal Mayank , Jalal Anand Singh , Sharma Himanshu
Published: December 2023

In Visual question answering (VQA), a natural language answer is generated for a given image and a question related to that image. There is a significant growth in the VQA task by applying an efficient attention mechanism. However, current VQA models use region features or object features that are not adequate to improve the accuracy of generated answers. To deal with this issue, we have used a Two‐way Co‐Attention Mechanism (TCAM), which is capable enough to fuse different visual features (region, object, and concept) from diverse perspectives. These diverse features lead to different sets of answers, and also, there is an inherent relationship between these visual features. We have developed a powerful attention mechanism that uses these two critical aspects by using both bottom‐up and top‐down TCAM to extract discriminative feature information. We have proposed a Collective Feature Integration Module (CFIM) to combine multimodal attention features and thus capture the valuable information from these visual features by employing a TCAM. Further, we have formulated a Vertical CFIM for fusing the features belonging to the same class and a Horizontal CFIM for combining the features belonging to different types, thus balancing the influence of top‐down and bottom‐up co‐attention. The experiments are conducted on two significant datasets, VQA 1.0 and VQA 2.0. On VQA 1.0, the overall accuracy of our proposed method is 71.23 on the test‐dev set and 71.94 on the test‐std set. On VQA 2.0, the overall accuracy of our proposed method is 75.89 on the test‐dev set and 76.32 on the test‐std set. The above overall accuracy clearly reflecting the superiority of our proposed TCAM based approach over the existing methods.
Guar beans in a peritoneal fluid sample
Authors: Gutmann Edward J. , Marotti Jonathan D.
Published: December 2023

We report a case of guar beans in a peritoneal fluid sample and describe the thought process that enabled us to make sense of this previously unreported finding.
Position statement of the German STI Society on the prophylactic use of doxycycline to prevent STIs (Doxy‐PEP, Doxy‐PrEP)
Authors: Werner Ricardo Niklas , Schmidt Axel Jeremias , Potthoff Anja , Spornraft‐Ragaller Petra , Brockmeyer Norbert Hermann ,   for the German STI Society (DSTIG)
Published: December 2023

Over the past two decades, there has been a rise in the incidence of syphilis, particularly among men who have sex with men (MSM). This has sparked interest in studying the prophylactic use of doxycycline to prevent syphilis and other sexually transmitted infections (STIs), commonly referred to as Doxycycline Pre‐ or Post‐Exposure Prophylaxis (Doxy‐PrEP, Doxy‐PEP). At the same time, demand from potential users for this preventive measure is increasing.

Several randomized controlled trials have demonstrated that the prophylactic use of doxycycline in MSM and trans women using HIV pre‐exposure prophylaxis (HIV‐PrEP) or living with an HIV infection effectively reduces the risk of syphilis and chlamydia infections. At present, however, unresolved questions remain, particularly regarding implications of a broad implementation of prophylactic doxycycline to prevent STIs on tetracycline and other antimicrobial resistance in bacterial STIs, non‐STI‐related bacterial pathogens, and the microbiome.

In response to the increasing demand and the challenge of balancing effectiveness, safety, and the risk of promoting antibiotic resistance, the German STI Society (DSTIG) has issued a position statement, providing specific recommendations regarding potential indications, criteria, and occasions for the use of doxycycline in STI prevention. These recommendations are based on current evidence and expert opinion.