bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Amiodarone Extraction by the Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation Circuit
Authors: McDaniel C. Griffin , Honeycutt C. Cole , Watt Kevin M.
Published: July 2023

Amiodarone is an anti-arrhythmic agent that is frequently used to treat tachycardias in critically ill adults and children. Because of physicochemical properties of amiodarone, extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) circuits are expected to extract amiodarone from circulation, increasing the risk of therapeutic failure. The present study seeks to determine amiodarone extraction by the ECMO circuit. Amiodarone was administered to three ex vivo circuit configurations (n = 3 per configuration) to determine the effect of each circuit component on drug extraction. The circuits were primed with human blood; standard amiodarone doses were administered; and serial samples were collected over 24 hours. Additional circuits were primed with crystalloid fluid to analyze the effect of blood on extraction and to investigate circuit saturation by drug. The crystalloid circuits were dosed multiple times over 72 hours, including a massive dose at 48 hours. For both setups, the flow was set to 1 L/min. Drug was added to separate tubes containing the prime solution to serve as controls. Drug concentrations were quantified with a validated assay, and drug recovery was calculated for each sample. Mean recovery for the circuits and controls were compared to correct for drug degradation over time. Amiodarone was heavily extracted by all ECMO circuit configurations. Eight hours after dosing, mean recovery in the blood prime circuits was 13.5–22.1%. In the crystalloid prime circuits, drug recovery decreased even more rapidly, with a mean recovery of 22.0% at 30 minutes. Similarly, drug recovery decreased more quickly in the crystalloid prime controls than in the blood prime controls. Saturation was not achieved in the crystalloid prime circuits, as final amiodarone concentrations were at the lower limit of quantification. The results suggest that amiodarone is rapidly extracted by the ECMO circuit and that saturation is not achieved by standard doses. In vivo circuit extraction may cause decreased drug exposure.
The Fundamental Skills and Deconstructed Sub-Steps of Pediatric Cardiopulmonary Bypass
Authors: Centner Isabel , Searles Bruce , Riley Jeffrey , Aiash Hani , Darling Edward
Published: July 2023

Perfusion education programs use simulation to provide students with clinical skills prior to entering the operating room. To teach the psychomotor execution of skills in a simulation lab requires a list of validated skills and deconstructed sub-steps to fully optimize adult learning. A list of the fundamental skills of adult cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) was recently published; however, no defined list exists regarding pediatric CPB skills. The purpose of this survey is to form a definitive list of skills fundamental topediatricCPB. A survey of 23 proposed pediatric CPB clinical skills and 291 proposed skill sub-steps was developed. Proposed pediatric CPB skills were evaluated using an established frequency and harm index. If the skill is performed >50% of the time (frequency),andif >50% believe that if the skill is performed incorrectly patient harm is probable (risk), then the skill is accepted as fundamental. The survey content was validated by subject matter experts and then distributed to practicing perfusionists between September 2020 and December 2020. Of the 125 survey respondents, 57.9% had 10 or more years in the field. 35.2% of respondents are American Society of Extracorporeal Technology (AmSECT) Fellows of Pediatric Perfusion (FPP) and pediatric CPB represents >50% of the annual caseload for 69.7% of respondents. 22 of the 23 proposed skills were accepted as fundamental in the conduct of pediatric CPB and 258 of the 291 proposed sub-steps associated with CPB skills were accepted as integral to skill performance. By surveying practicing pediatric perfusionists, this study identifies 22 skills as fundamental to the safe execution of pediatric CPB. In addition, skill sub-elements were identified as necessary for skill execution. This knowledge will assist perfusion programs in developing a pediatric simulation curriculum that matches current clinical execution of pediatric skills.
Friend or Foe? Venoarterial ECMO via Carotid Artery “Jump Graft”: A Case Series
Authors: Bauer Hannah K. , Malone Matthew P.
Published: July 2023

Extracorporeal life support is used in adult and pediatric patients for refractory cardiac and respiratory failure. The great arteries and veins of the neck and groin are often used for cannulation to extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO). Newer cannulation techniques use the subclavian or axillary arteries, in addition to synthetic grafts anastomosed in end-to-side fashion, from which the cannula is positioned. These newer techniques can prevent need for ligation and sacrifice of important major vessels that is often undertaken in “traditional” direct surgical cannulation strategies. To our knowledge this graft technique has not been performed in pediatric ECMO patients. We describe a case series of nine patients from 2012 to 2017 supported with venoarterial (V-A) ECMO utilizing a synthetic Gore-Tex® “jump graft” sewn in an end-to-side fashion to the right carotid artery, for the arterial cannula insertion. Each patient’s hospital course was reviewed with particular consideration given to disease process, site of cannulation, neurologic examination abnormalities noted during ECMO, computed tomography (CT) or magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) evidence of intracranial hemorrhage, and outcomes. Eight of nine patients were successfully cannulated utilizing this technique without neurologic complication. One suffered catastrophic intracerebral hemorrhage. This series is limited by small sample size and single center experience. Further work is needed to determine the advantages and disadvantages of utilizing a synthetic graft in pediatric V-A ECMO.
A Spherical Shells Model of Atmospheric Absorption for Instrument Calibration
Authors: Donders N , Vigil G , Kobelski A , Paxton L J , Winebarger A , Kankelborg C , Zank G P
Published: July 2023

We present a model for atmospheric absorption of solar ultraviolet (UV) radiation. The initial motivation for this work is to predict this effect and correct it in Sounding Rocket (SR) experiments. In particular, the Full-sun Ultraviolet Rocket Spectrograph (FURST) is anticipated to launch in mid-2023. FURST has the potential to observe UV absorption while imaging solar spectra between 120-181 nm, at a resolution of

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, and at altitudes of between ≈ 110-255 km. This model uses estimates for density and temperature, as well as laboratory measurements of the absorption cross-section, to predict the UV absorption of solar radiation at high altitudes. Refraction correction is discussed and partially implemented but is negligible for the results presented. Absorption by molecular Oxygen is the primary driver within the UV spectral range of our interest. The model is built with a wide range of applications in mind. The primary result is a method for inversion of the absorption cross-section from images obtained during an instrument flight, even if atmospheric observations were not initially intended. The potential to obtain measurements of atmospheric properties is an exciting prospect, especially since sounding rockets are the only method currently available for probing this altitude in-situ. Simulation of noisy spectral images along the FURST flight profile is performed using data from the High-Resolution Telescope and Spectrograph (HRTS) SR and the FISM2 model for comparison. Analysis of these simulated signals allows us to capture the Signal-to-Noise Ratio (SNR) of FURST and the capability to measure atmospheric absorption properties as a function of altitude. Based on the prevalence of distinct spectral features, our calculations demonstrate that atmospheric absorption may be used to perform wavelength calibration from in-flight data.
Magnetic flux rope: What is it?
Authors: Hu Qiang
Published: July 2023

Magnetic flux rope, a type of magnetic field structure in space plasmas, has been studied for decades through both observational and theoretical means. We provide a brief report on our recent modeling study of its magnetic field configuration based on in-situ spacecraft measurements, focusing on those made for large-scale flux ropes in the interplanetary space. We illustrate the complexity in its field-line topology by presenting two event studies employing a unique analysis method. In particular, we demonstrate the feasibility and challenges for the approach to use two or more in-situ spacecraft datasets. We discuss the implications of our results and offer some thoughts on further advancing the investigation of the nature of the magnetic flux rope.
Body Composition Measures and N-terminal pro-B-type Natriuretic Peptide (NT-pro-BNP) in US Adults
Authors: Echouffo-Tcheugui Justin B , Zhang Sui , McEvoy John W , Juraschek Stephen P , Coresh Josef , Christenson Robert H , Ndumele Chiadi E , Selvin Elizabeth
Published: July 2023

Background

The associations of N-terminal pro-B-type natriuretic peptide (NT-pro-BNP) with dual energy x-ray absorptiometry (DEXA)-derived measures of body mass and composition are largely unknown.

Methods

We included participants aged ≥20 years from the 1999–2004 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey with NT-pro-BNP and DEXA-derived body composition (fat and lean mass) measures. We used linear and logistic regression to characterize the associations of measures of body mass and composition (body mass index [BMI], waist circumference [WC], fat mass, and lean mass) with NT-pro-BNP, adjusting for cardiovascular risk factors.

Results

We conducted sex-specific analyses among 9134 adults without cardiovascular disease (mean age 44.4 years, 50.8% women, and 72% White adults). The adjusted mean NT-proBNP values were lowest in the highest quartiles of BMI, WC, fat mass, and lean mass. There were large adjusted absolute differences in NT-pro-BNP between the highest and lowest quartiles of DEXA-derived lean mass, −6.26 pg/mL (95% confidence interval [CI], −8.99 to −3.52) among men and −22.96 pg/mL (95% CI, −26.83 to −19.09) among women. Lean mass exhibited a strong inverse association with elevated NT-pro-BNP ≥ 81.4 pg/mL (highest quartile) - odds ratio (OR) 0.58 (95% CI, 0.39–0.86) in men and OR 0.59 (95% CI, 0.47–0.73) in women for highest lean mass quartile vs. lowest quartile. Further adjustment for fat mass, BMI, or WC did not appreciably alter the inverse association of lean mass with NT-pro-BNP.

Conclusions

In a national sample of US adults, lean mass was inversely associated with NT-pro-BNP.
Urinary Kidney Injury Biomarkers Are Associated with Ischemia-Reperfusion Injury Severity in Kidney Allograft Recipients
Authors: van Duijl Tirsa T , de Rooij Esther N M , Treep Maxim M , Koelemaij Marte E , Romijn Fred P H T M , Hoogeveen Ellen K , Ruhaak L Renee , le Cessie Saskia , de Fijter Johan W , Cobbaert Christa M
Published: July 2023

Background

We explored the potential of emerging and conventional urinary kidney injury biomarkers in recipients of living donor (LD) or donation after circulatory death (DCD) kidney transplantation, patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD), and individuals from the general population.

Methods

Urine samples from kidney allograft recipients with mild (LD; n = 199) or severe (DCD; n = 71) ischemia-reperfusion injury (IRI) were analyzed for neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalin (NGAL), insulin-like growth factor-binding protein 7 (IGFBP7), tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinases 2 (TIMP2), kidney injury molecule-1 (KIM-1), chemokine C-X-C motif (CXCL9), solute carrier family 22 member 2 (SLC22A2), nephrin, and uromodulin (UMOD) by quantitative multiplex LC-MS/MS analysis. The fold-change in biomarker levels was determined in mild and severe IRI and in patients with CKD stage 1–2 (n = 127) or stage ≥3 (n = 132) in comparison to the general population (n = 1438). Relationships between the biomarkers and total protein, β2-microglobulin (B2M), creatinine, and osmolality were assessed.

Results

NGAL, IGFBP7, TIMP2, KIM-1, CXCL9, and UMOD were quantifiable, whereas nephrin and SLC22A2 were below the limit of detection. Kidney injury biomarkers were increased up to 6.2-fold in allograft recipients with mild IRI and 8.3-fold in recipients with severe IRI, compared to the reference population, with the strongest response observed for NGAL and B2M. In CKD stage 1–2, B2M, NGAL, IGFBP7, TIMP2, KIM-1, UMOD, and CXCL9 were not altered, but in individuals with CKD stage ≥3, B2M, NGAL, and KIM-1 were increased up to 1.3-fold. IGFBP7, TIMP2, NGAL, and CXCL9 were strongly correlated (all r ≥ 0.8); correlations with B2M and TP were smaller (all r ≤ 0.6).

Conclusions

IRI, but not stable CKD, was associated with increased urinary levels of kidney injury biomarkers determined by LC-MS/MS. Absolute and multiplexed protein quantitation by LC-MS/MS is an effective strategy for biomarker panel evaluation for translation toward the clinical laboratory.
Formation and Replacement of Bone and Tooth Mineralized Tissues in Green Iguanas (Iguana iguana) Revealed by In-Vivo Fluorescence Marking
Authors: Green Daniel R , Winkler Daniela E , Leichliter Jennifer N , Harms Gregory S , Hatt Jean-Michel , Clauss Marcus , Tütken Thomas
Published: July 2023

Synopsis

Hard tissue formation patterns and rates reveal details of animal physiology, life history, and environment, but are understudied in reptiles. Here, we use fluorescence labels delivered in vivo and laser confocal scanning microscopy to study tooth and bone formation in a managed group of green iguanas (Iguana iguana, Linné 1758) kept for 1.5 years under experimentally controlled conditions and undergoing several dietary switches. We constrain rates of tooth elongation, which we observe to be slow when enamel is initially deposited (c. 9 µm/day), but then increases exponentially in the dentin root, reaching c. 55 µm/day or more after crown completion. We further constrain the total timing of tooth formation to ∼40–60 days, and observe highly variable timings of tooth resorption onset and replacement. Fluorescent labels clearly indicate cohorts of teeth recruited within Zahnreihen replacement waves, with faster sequential tooth recruitment and greater wave sizes posteriorly, where each wave initiates. Fluorescence further reveals enamel maturation after initial deposition. Rates of hard tissue formation in long bones range from 0.4 to 3.4 µm/day, correlating with animal weight gain and cortical bone recording the entire history of the experiment. We suggest additional labeling experiments to study hard tissue formation patterns in other reptiles, and propose strategies for chemical analyses of hard tissues in order to extract temporal information about past environments, behaviors, and diets from reptilian fossils throughout the Phanerozoic.
Use of a common spreadsheet program to demonstrate the ability of Bayesian forecasting to estimate the pharmacokinetic parameters of antibiotics
Authors: Brocks Dion R , Wang Meng
Published: July 2023

Objectives

Recent guidelines for vancomycin have incorporated the use of Bayesian forecasting, reinforcing the need to inform students in pharmacy and clinical pharmacology of its use in therapeutic drug monitoring. The goal was to devise a PharmD research project that could demonstrate to students through simulation and data generation the utility of the Bayesian approach in estimating the pharmacokinetics of gentamicin and vancomycin.

Methods

A series of steps were devised using Microsoft Excel to simulate patient data based on study-derived means and variances, pharmacokinetic modelling, random selection of sparse blood samples, introduce random error into the selected concentrations based on assay variability measure, and finally, inputting of the information into an add-in computer program to find the pharmacokinetic estimates using Bayesian forecasting.

Key findings

Excellent correlations were seen between Bayesian estimates and true clearances. Lower assay variability tended to provide better estimates than larger assay variability for gentamicin, and for vancomycin, selecting a sample during the distribution phase and near the trough values tended to provide estimates with less bias and greater precision.

Conclusions

The approach used was able to demonstrate all aspects involved in Bayesian forecasting, and the results supported its use for these antibiotics.
Exploration of the possible mechanisms of Ling Gui Zhu Gan decoction in nephrotic syndrome based on network pharmacology, molecular docking and molecular dynamics simulation
Authors: Shi Li , Deng Yuanjun , Luo Denggui , Li Lei , Kuang Xuyi , Qi Airong , Fu Bo
Published: July 2023

This study aimed to explore the possible mechanisms of Ling Gui Zhu Gan decoction (LGZGD) in the treatment of nephrotic syndrome (NS) using network pharmacology combined with molecular docking and molecular dynamics simulation. The active ingredients of LGZGD and their targets were retrieved from Traditional Chinese Medicine Systems Pharmacology Database and Swiss Target Prediction database. The NS targets were retrieved from Genecards, OMIM and Drugbank databases. Next, the intersecting targets of drug and disease were imported into the String database for protein-protein interaction network analysis, and the core targets were identified through topological analysis. Gene Ontology (GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes enrichment analyses were performed in the Metascape platform. Finally, molecular docking and molecular dynamics simulation were performed for further validation. The network analysis showed that 109 active ingredients of LGZGD were associated with 105 targets in NS. The key active ingredients (quercetin, kaempferol, naringenin, licochalcone A, formononetin, beta-sitosterol) and the core targets (IL6, AKT1, TNF, VEGFA, TP53, JUN, IL1B, CASP3, EGFR, and STAT3) were further identified. Enrichment analysis indicated that multiple biological processes and pathways, including AGE-RAGE, PI3K-Akt, JAK-STAT, and HIF-1 signaling pathways, might be regulated by LGZGD in the treatment of NS. Molecular docking and molecular dynamics simulation results further indicated that the key active ingredients of LGZGD could stably bind to the core targets through hydrogen bonding and hydrophobic interaction. This study demonstrates that the active ingredients of LGZGD may regulate multiple targets, biological processes and signaling pathways in NS. Our findings may provide a theoretical basis for further studies on LGZGD in the treatment of NS.
The Effectiveness of the Buzzy Device in Reducing Pain in Children Undergoing Venipuncture
Authors: Simoncini Elisa , Stiaccini Giulia , Morelli Elena , Trentini Elisa , Peroni Diego G. , Di Cicco Maria
Published: July 2023

Objectives

Needle-related procedures are among the most important sources of pain in children in different health care settings. Our study was aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of Buzzy (MMJ Labs, Atlanta, Ga.), a palm-sized bee/ladybug-shaped device combining vibration and cold, as a nonpharmacological strategy to manage needle-related pain in children.

Methods

In this single-center, randomized (1:1) controlled open-label study, we enrolled patients aged from 1 month to 18 years who had to undergo a planned outpatient blood sampling in Pisa University Hospital's Department of Pediatrics and randomly allocated them to either the BUZZY group (intervention group) or NO BUZZY group (control group). Pain was estimated using proper pain scales according to age.

Results

Between May 2021 and January 2022, 234 children aged 8.8 ± 5.1 years (50.8% girls) were enrolled and 117 were treated with the Buzzy device. In the study population, pain inversely correlated with age (r = −0.52, P < 0.001); the intervention group showed significantly lower pain (2.5 ± 2.4 vs 4.7 ± 2.8, P < 0.001) and no difference was found between boys and girls. Significant reduction in pain scores was confirmed when stratifying children by age (29 days to <3 years, P = 0.002; ≥3 to ≤8 years, P < 0.001; >8 years, P < 0.001).

Conclusions

The Buzzy device effectively reduces pain caused by percutaneous antecubital venipuncture in children in different age groups and represents a cheap and easy-to-use strategy to manage routine needle-related procedures.
Ideal Outcome After Pancreatoduodenectomy
Authors: Augustinus Simone , Mackay Tara M , Andersson Bodil , Beane Joal D. , Busch Olivier R. , Gleeson Elizabeth M. , Koerkamp Bas Groot , Keck Tobias , van Santvoort Hjalmar C. , Tingstedt Bobby , Wellner Ulrich F. , Williamsson Caroline , Besselink Marc G. , Pitt Henry A. ,   for Global Audits on Pancreatic Surgery Group (GAPASURG)
Published: July 2023

Introduction:

Assessing outcome after pancreatoduodenectomy among centers and countries requires a broad evaluation which cannot be captured by a single parameter. Previously, two composite outcome measures (Textbook Outcome and Optimal Pancreatic Surgery) for pancreatoduodenectomy have been described from Europe and the United States. These composites were harmonized into one Ideal Outcome (IO).

Methods:

This analysis is a transatlantic retrospective study (2018-2020) of patients after pancreatoduodenectomy within the registries from North America, Germany, the Netherlands, and Sweden. After three consensus meetings, IO for pancreatoduodenectomy was defined as the absence of all six parameters: (1) in-hospital mortality, (2) severe complications - Clavien Dindo ≥3, (3) postoperative pancreatic fistula - ISGPS grade B/C), (4) reoperation, (5) hospital stay >75th percentile, and (6) readmission. Outcomes were evaluated using relative (RLD) and absolute largest differences (ALD), and multivariate regression models.

Results:

Overall, 21,036 patients after pancreatoduodenectomy were included, of whom 11,194 (54%) reached IO. The rate of IO varied between 55% in North America, 53% in Germany, 52% in the Netherlands, and 54% in Sweden (RLD: 1.1, ALD: 3%, P<0.001). Individual components varied with an ALD of 2% length of stay, 4% for in-hospital mortality, 12% severe complications, 10% postoperative pancreatic fistula, 11% reoperation, and 9% readmission. Age, sex, absence of COPD, BMI, performance status, ASA score, biliary drainage, absence of vascular resection, and histological diagnosis were associated with IO. In the subgroup of patients with pancreatic adenocarcinoma, country and neoadjuvant chemotherapy also was associated with improved IO.

Conclusion:

The newly developed composite outcome measure ‘Ideal Outcome’ can be used for auditing and comparing outcomes after pancreatoduodenectomy. The observed differences can be used to guide collaborative initiatives to further improve outcomes of pancreatic surgery.
A training system on smart phones to develop fashion and textile concepts for the female students with severe hearing impairment
Authors: Salem Shadia Salah , Basaffar Amaal Abdulqader
Published: July 2023

Purpose

The purpose of this study is to present a training system on smart phones to develop fashion and textile concepts among the female students with severe hearing impairment and then to determine the effectiveness of the training system in developing fashion and textile concepts among the female students with severe hearing impairment.

Design/methodology/approach

The analytical descriptive methodology and experimental methodology were used to examine the training system in developing fashion and textile concepts among the female students with severe hearing impairment.

Findings

The findings of this study indicate that the training system on smart phones was effective in developing fashion and textile concepts among the female students with severe hearing impairment.

Research limitations/implications

This study has some limitations such as limited sample size, lack of control group and lack of long-term.

Practical implications

This study provides practical implications for educators, researchers and practitioners in terms of using smart phone applications in educational processes for people with disabilities.

Social implications

This study has social implications for people with disabilities as it provides them with access to education through smart phone applications which can help them develop their skills in fashion and textile design.

Originality/value

This study presents an original model of a training system on smart phones for developing fashion and textile concepts among the female students with severe hearing impairment, which can be used as a reference for other studies related to this field.
Rural space and the local food landscape: consumers’ construction of food localness through the politics of belonging
Authors: Graciotti Alessandro , McEachern Morven G.
Published: July 2023

Purpose

This study aims to investigate consumers’ construction of food localness through the politics of belonging in a regional context.

Design/methodology/approach

Following a socio-spatial lens and considering the “realm of meaning” of place, this research focusses on local consumers’ lived meanings of “local” food choice, and hence adopts a phenomenological approach to the data collection and analysis of 20 in-depth interviews with residents of the Italian region of Marche.

Findings

Drawing on Trudeau’s (2006) politics of belonging, this study reveals three interconnected themes which show how local consumers articulate a local food “orthodoxy” and how their discourses and practices draw and maintain a boundary between local and non-local food, whereby local food is considered “autochthonous” of rural space. Thus, this study’s participants construct a local food landscape, conveying rural (vs urban) meanings through which food acquires “localness” (vs non-“localness”) status.

Research limitations/implications

There exists further theoretical opportunity to consider local consumers’ construction of food localness through the politics of belonging in terms of non-representational theory (Thrift, 2008), to help reveal added nuances to the construction of food localness as well as to the complex process of formulating place meaning.

Practical implications

The findings provide considerable scope for food producers, manufacturers and/or marketers to differentiate local food products by enhancing consumers’ direct experience of it in relation to rural space. Thus, enabling local food producers to convey rural (vs urban) meanings to consumers, who would develop an orthodoxy guiding future choice.

Social implications

The findings enable regional promoters and food policymakers to leverage the symbolic distinctiveness of food autochthony to promote place and encourage consumers to participate in their local food system.

Originality/value

By using the politics of belonging as an analytical framework, this study shows that the urban–rural dichotomy – rather than being an obsolete epistemological category – fuels politics of belonging dynamics, and that local food consumers socially construct food localness not merely as a romanticisation of rurality but as a territorial expression of the contemporary local/non-local cultural conflict implied in the politics of belonging. Thus, this study advances our theoretical understanding by demonstrating that food “becomes” local and therefore, builds on extant food localness conceptualisations.
Growth-oriented management and employee outcomes: employee resilience as a mechanism for growth
Authors: Franken Esme , Plimmer Geoff , Malinen Sanna
Published: July 2023

Purpose

Support from managers that enables employee growth promotes adaptation to changing and complex job challenges. Guided by social exchange theory, this study aims to establish growth-oriented management (GOM) as a key management capability to support employee growth. It also identifies employee resilience as a mechanism for growth in employees and examines its role in mediating the relationships between GOM and key employee outcomes: well-being and work engagement.

Design/methodology/approach

This study draws on survey data (n = 751) from white-collar employees in Australia. Structural equation modeling (SEM) was used to estimate the fit of the hypothesized model to the data. Confirmatory factor analysis was also performed to examine convergent and discriminant validity of the study variables.

Findings

Findings show GOM influenced well-being and work engagement, both directly and indirectly through employee resilience. This reveals more broadly that the unique combination of behaviors that comprise GOM plays a pivotal role in supporting growth-oriented outcomes in employees.

Originality/value

This is the first empirical study on the impact of GOM on well-being and engagement, as well as on the mediating mechanism of employee resilience in these relationships. GOM is an innovative contribution to scholarship on employee and organizational development, reflecting the changing nature of management, and responding to the increasingly diverse development needs of employees.
Is brand addiction important to persuade Islamic consumers in order to repurchase luxury products?
Authors: Meijani Mitra , Rousta Alireza , Jamshidi Dariyoush
Published: July 2023

Purpose

The expansion of lifestyle and luxury markets has necessitated new marketing techniques. Recently, brand addiction has been a new topic in luxury repurchasing. The information reported in the literature regarding the effectiveness of brand addiction is insufficient and controversial. This research aimed to assess the role of brand addiction in Islamic consumers who purchase luxury smartphone brands.

Design/methodology/approach

Survey responses were collected from an online sample of 384 luxury consumers in Iran. The methods were evaluated using software (smart PLS 3) to test the hypothesis.

Findings

According to the uniqueness theory, the authors completed that brand addiction and consumer relationships are different and relative in each luxury product. The results positively determine that brand addiction has a more significant impact than brand jealousy, brand love and brand experience in repurchasing luxury consumers.

Research limitations/implications

This study helps expand the literature on luxury repurchases and contends that brand addiction creates a new perspective in understanding behavioral addiction.

Practical implications

This paper provides insights for current and future marketers and managers, especially in Iran.

Originality/value

This investigation is the first study on the impact of different dimensions of brand addiction on luxury smartphone repurchase intention. In this regard, the findings of the study are important in the luxury market and extend current knowledge on repurchasing luxury products such as in Iran.
Nurses’ competencies in providing care to COVID-19 patient: survey of Jordanian nurses
Authors: Alhamory Sajeda , Khalaf Inaam , Alshraideh Jafar Alasad , Al-Ghabeesh Suhair , Abu Sumaqa Yasmeen , Bani Hani Salam , Salameh Iyad , Abu Alruz Hasan
Published: July 2023

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to assess the level of nurses’ competencies while providing care to COVID-19 patients.

Design/methodology/approach

A descriptive, correlational design was used to collect data from nurses who were providing care to COVID-19 patients at four public hospitals.

Findings

A total of 377 nurses (64.5% females) aged 23–50 consented to participate and completed the survey. The mean score of nurses’ competencies in providing care to COVID-19 patients was 2.5 (SD = 0.81). The results of correlation coefficient tests disclosed a significant positive correlation between reported competence level and sexrpb(377) = 0.18,p< 0.01; working arearpb(377) = 0.2,p< 0.01; disaster experiencerpb(377) = 0.16,p< 0.01; disaster educationrpb(377) = 0.25,p< 0.01; and disaster trainingrpb(377) = 0.31,p< 0.01.

Research limitations/implications

The COVID-19 pandemic response heavily relied on nurses. However, they had a gap in clinical competencies that indicates an urgent need to incorporate disaster management courses in basic nursing education and to update training in hospitals based on nurses’ needs to improve their capabilities in dealing with COVID-19 pandemic.

Originality/value

To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this is the first study that investigated the perceived level of Jordanian nurses’ competencies in providing care to COVID-19.
Tracing a genealogy of ideas, seeing, and not seeing bias: Legacies in science and society of Charles Seligman's biocultural theory of Africa (Hamitic hypothesis) and Ashley Montagu's on race
Authors: Keita Shomarka
Published: July 2023

Some ideas about populations in Africa that were called “races” are addressed in the works of two influential scholars of the twentieth century: Charles Seligman and Ashley Montagu. Seligman is remembered for his notable students and a discredited theory called the Hamitic hypothesis. Montagu is primarily known for his early public interrogation of the term race. There are inconsistencies in aspects of both their works and lives. Seligman recognized and critiqued the problems in Aryanism/Nazi theories and practices, but not in his theory about Africa or colonialist behavior. Contrary to common understanding, Montagu did at one time postulate the existence of biological races, while simultaneously and trenchantly rejecting a race construct that linked non‐biological traits to ancestry or phenotype. However, at an important moment in sociopolitical history Montagu contradicted this latter position in uncritically citing Seligman. Aspects of their work can be found to have continuing and sometimes unrecognized influence in academic and non‐scholastic contexts.
A decade of change – lessons learned from prenatal diagnostics in Central Denmark region in 2008–2018
Authors: Lildballe Dorte Launholt , Becher Naja , Vestergaard Else Marie , Christensen Rikke , Lou Stina , Sandager Puk , Pedersen Lars Henning , Gadsbøll Kasper , Petersen Olav Bjørn , Vogel Ida
Published: July 2023

Introduction

In 2011, it was decided to implement chromosomal microarray in prenatal testing in the Central Denmark Region, mainly due to the expected higher diagnostic yield. Chromosomal microarray was introduced gradually for an increasing number of pregnancies and without a transition period where both karyotyping and chromosomal microarray were performed: first malformations (2011), then large nuchal translucency (2013), then high risk at combined first trimester risk screening (2016) and finally for all indications (2018). This retrospective study summarizes 11 years of using chromosomal microarray in invasive prenatal testing and presents the effect on diagnostic yield and turnaround time. Furthermore, the concerns when introducing chromosomal microarray are presented and discussed.

Material and methods

Registry data from the Danish Fetal Medicine Database, the regional fetal medicine database, the Danish Cytogenetic Central Register and the local laboratory database at Department of Clinical Genetics were all combined, and a cohort of 147 158 singleton pregnancies with at least one ultrasound examination was established

Results

Of the 147 158 pregnancies, invasive sampling was performed (chorionic villi or amniocytes) in 8456, corresponding to an overall invasive rate of 5.8%. Between 2016 and 2018, 3.4% (95% confidence interval [CI] 2.8–4.2%; n = 86) of the invasive samples (n = 2533) had a disease causing copy number variant and 5.3% (95% CI 4.4–6.2%; n = 133) had trisomies and other aneuploidies. The turnaround time more than halved from 14 days to an average of 5.5 days for chorionic villus sampling.

Conclusions

Chromosomal microarray identified 5.3% trisomies and 3.4% copy number variants, thereby increased the diagnostic yield by more than 64% compared with karyotype only and it also more than halved the turnaround time. Some preliminary concerns proved real, eg prenatal counseling complexity, but these have been resolved over time in a clinical path with expert consultations.
Assessing the utility of ChatGPT as an artificial intelligence‐based large language model for information to answer questions on myopia
Authors: Biswas Sayantan , Logan Nicola S. , Davies Leon N. , Sheppard Amy L. , Wolffsohn James S.
Published: July 2023

Purpose

ChatGPT is an artificial intelligence language model, which uses natural language processing to simulate human conversation. It has seen a wide range of applications including healthcare education, research and clinical practice. This study evaluated the accuracy of ChatGPT in providing accurate and quality information to answer questions on myopia.

Methods

A series of 11 questions (nine categories of general summary, cause, symptom, onset, prevention, complication, natural history, treatment and prognosis) were generated for this cross‐sectional study. Each question was entered five times into fresh ChatGPT sessions (free from influence of prior questions). The responses were evaluated by a five‐member team of optometry teaching and research staff. The evaluators individually rated the accuracy and quality of responses on a Likert scale, where a higher score indicated greater quality of information (1: very poor; 2: poor; 3: acceptable; 4: good; 5: very good). Median scores for each question were estimated and compared between evaluators. Agreement between the five evaluators and the reliability statistics of the questions were estimated.

Results

Of the 11 questions on myopia, ChatGPT provided good quality information (median scores: 4.0) for 10 questions and acceptable responses (median scores: 3.0) for one question. Out of 275 responses in total, 66 (24%) were rated very good, 134 (49%) were rated good, whereas 60 (22%) were rated acceptable, 10 (3.6%) were rated poor and 5 (1.8%) were rated very poor. Cronbach's α of 0.807 indicated good level of agreement between test items. Evaluators' ratings demonstrated ‘slight agreement’ (Fleiss's κ, 0.005) with a significant difference in scoring among the evaluators (Kruskal–Wallis test, p < 0.001).

Conclusion

Overall, ChatGPT generated good quality information to answer questions on myopia. Although ChatGPT shows great potential in rapidly providing information on myopia, the presence of inaccurate responses demonstrates that further evaluation and awareness concerning its limitations are crucial to avoid potential misinterpretation.
Childbirth delivery mode and the risk of multiple sclerosis: a prospective population-based study
Authors: Kapali Akash , Daltveit Anne Kjersti , Myhr Kjell-Morten , Bjornevik Kjetil , Baldin Elisa , Pugliatti Maura , Riise Trond , Cortese Marianna
Published: July 2023

Background

Caesarean section (CS) may affect the risk of developing multiple sclerosis (MS) in the offspring, possibly through changes in gut microbiota composition, but findings from previous studies are inconsistent. We investigated whether birth by CS was associated with the risk of adult-onset MS.

Methods

We conducted a prospective population-based cohort study, including all individuals born in Norway between 1967 and 2003, using the Medical Birth Registry of Norway linked with the Norwegian Multiple Sclerosis Registry and Biobank. The follow-up was until 2021. We used multivariable Cox models to estimate HRs for MS risk with 95% CIs.

Results

Among 2 046 637 individuals in the cohort, 4954 MS cases were identified. Being born by CS was associated with a modest increase in MS risk (HR=1.18, 95% CI 1.05 to 1.32). In the sibling-matched analysis, we found no association between CS and MS risk. We found an interaction between CS and gestational age (p=0.03): CS was associated with an increased risk of MS in individuals born preterm (HR=1.62, 95% CI 1.18 to 2.24), whereas there was no association in individuals born at term (HR=1.13, 95% CI 0.99 to 1.27). In a subgroup analysis of individuals born in 1988 and onwards, emergency CS was related to an elevated MS risk (HR=1.40, 95% CI 1.07 to 1.83), whereas planned CS was not (HR: 1.10, 95% CI 0.77 to 1.58).

Conclusions

CS was associated with a modestly higher risk of developing MS. However, the stronger associations seen in subgroups who likely experienced a more complicated pregnancy/delivery may point to confounding underlying these associations.
An Efficient Classification of Multiclass Brain Tumor Image Using Hybrid Artificial Intelligence with Honey Bee Optimization and Probabilistic U-RSNet
Authors: Ramamoorthy Hariharan , Ramasundaram Mohan , Raja S. P. , Randive Krunal
Published: July 2023

The life of the human beings are considered as the most precious and the average life time has reduced from 75 to 50 age over the past two decades. This reduction of average life time is due to various health hazards namely cancer and many more. The brain tumor ranks among the top ten most common source of demise. Although brain tumors are not the leading cause of death globally, 40% of other cancers (such as breast or lung cancers) metastasize to the brain and become brain tumors. Despite being the gold norm for tumor diagnosis, a biopsy has a number of drawbacks, including inferior sensitivity/specificity, and menace when performing the biopsy, and lengthy wait times for the results. This work employs artificial intelligence integrated with the honey bee optimization (HBO) in detecting the brain tumor with high level of execution in terms of accuracy, recall, precision, F1 score and Jaccard index when compared to the deep learning algorithms of long short term memory networks (LSTM), convolutional neural networks, generative adversarial networks, recurrent neural networks, and deep belief networks. In this work, to enhance the level of prediction, the image segmentation methodology is performed by the probabilistic U-RSNet. This work is analyzed employing the BraTS 2020, BraTS 2021, and OASIS dataset for the vital parameters like accuracy, precision, recall, F1 score, Jaccard index and PPV.
Detection of Fake Colorized Images based on Deep Learning
Authors: Salman Khalid A. , Shaker Khalid , Al-Janabi Sufyan
Published: July 2023

Image editing technologies have been advanced that can significantly enhance the image, but can also be used maliciously. Colorization is a new image editing technology that uses realistic colors to colorize grayscale photos. However, this strategy can be used on natural color images for a malicious purpose (e.g. to confuse object recognition systems that depend on the colors of objects for recognition). Image forensics is a well-developed field that examines photos of specified conditions to build confidence and authenticity. This work proposes a new fake colorized image detection approach based on the special Residual Network (ResNet) architecture. ResNets are a kind of Convolutional Neural Networks (CNNs) architecture that has been widely adopted and applied for various tasks. At first, the input image is reconstructed via a special image representation that combines color information from three separate color spaces (HSV, Lab, and Ycbcr); then, the new reconstructed images have been used for training the proposed ResNet model. Experimental results have demonstrated that our proposed method is highly generalized and significantly robust for revealing fake colorized images generated by various colorization methods.
Generative Models for Synthetic Urban Mobility Data: A Systematic Literature Review
Authors: Kapp Alexandra , Hansmeyer Julia , Mihaljević Helena
Published: July 2023

Although highly valuable for a variety of applications, urban mobility data are rarely made openly available, as it contains sensitive personal information. Synthetic data aims to solve this issue by generating artificial data that resembles an original dataset in structural and statistical characteristics, but omits sensitive information. For mobility data, a large number of corresponding models have been proposed in the past decade. This systematic review provides a structured comparative overview of the current state of this heterogeneous, active field of research. A special focus is put on the applicability of the reviewed models in practice.
A Compact TRNG Design for FPGA Based on the Metastability of RO-driven Shift Registers
Authors: Peng Qingsong , Bian Jingchang , Huang Zhengfeng , Wang Senling , Yan Aibin
Published: July 2023

True random number generators (TRNGs), as an important component of security systems, have received a lot of attention for their related research. The previous researches have provided a large number of TRNG solutions, however, they still failed to reach an excellent tradeoff in various performance metrics. This article presents a shift-registers metastability-based TRNG, which is implemented by compact reference units and comparison units. By forcing the D flip-flops in the shift-registers into the metastable state, it optimizes the problem that the conventional metastability entropy sources consume excessive hardware resources. And a new method of metastable randomness extraction is used to reduce the bias of metastable output. The proposed TRNG is implemented in Xilinx Spartan-6 and Virtex-6 FPGAs, which generate random sequences that pass the NIST SP800-22, NIST SP800-90B tests and show excellent robustness to voltage and temperature variations. This TRNG can consume only 3 slices of the FPGA, but it has a high throughput rate of 25 Mbit/s. In comparison with state-of-the-art FPGA-compatible TRNGs, the proposed TRNG achieves the highest figure of merit FOM, which means that the proposed TRNG significantly outperforms previous researches in terms of hardware resources, throughput rate, and operating frequency tradeoffs.
Impact of TAVR on patients with severe aortic stenosis and liver cirrhosis
Authors: Annie Frank H. , Belcher Adam M. , Manivannan Perathu Kannu Rakesh , Elashery Ahmad Ramy
Published: July 2023

Risk calculators used to predict unfavorable surgical outcomes could flag a patient as ineligible for transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) based on the presence of liver cirrhosis. Our data analysis suggests that performing a TAVR to treat severe aortic stenosis in patients with liver cirrhosis could decrease their mortality risk as opposed to not performing a TAVR. Careful consideration should be given to this patient population to ensure the best quality of life and long-term outcome.
Sex differences in blood pressure regulation and hypertension: renal, hemodynamic, and hormonal mechanisms
Authors: Drury Erika R. , Wu Jing , Gigliotti Joseph C. , Le Thu H.
Published: July 2023

The teleology of sex differences has been argued since at least as early as Aristotle’s controversial Generation of Animals more than 300 years BC, which reflects the sex bias of the time to contemporary readers. Although the question “why are the sexes different” remains a topic of debate in the present day in metaphysics, the recent emphasis on sex comparison in research studies has led to the question “how are the sexes different” being addressed in health science through numerous observational studies in both health and disease susceptibility, including blood pressure regulation and hypertension. These efforts have resulted in better understanding of differences in males and females at the molecular level that partially explain their differences in vascular function and renal sodium handling and hence blood pressure and the consequential cardiovascular and kidney disease risks in hypertension. This review focuses on clinical studies comparing differences between men and women in blood pressure over the life span and response to dietary sodium and highlights experimental models investigating sexual dimorphism in the renin-angiotensin-aldosterone, vascular, sympathetic nervous, and immune systems, endothelin, the major renal sodium transporters/exchangers/channels, and the impact of sex hormones on these systems in blood pressure homeostasis. Understanding the mechanisms governing sex differences in blood pressure regulation could guide novel therapeutic approaches in a sex-specific manner to lower cardiovascular risks in hypertension and advance personalized medicine.