bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
A curriculum-based approach to make healthcare inclusive for the transgender population: challenges and lessons from Pakistan
Authors: Ahuja Akash Kumar , Abbas Manzar , Haroon Mian Arsam , Javed Muhammad Abdullah , Memon Areeba , Irfan Rida , Karim Zohair , Bhatti Areesh , Hashim Mehsa , Hamid Janeeta , Nafees Asaad
Published: September 2023

Background

Transgender people experience significant healthcare inequalities due to stigma and lack of acceptance. Physicians and medical students have reported knowledge gaps regarding transgender health care (TGHC). Therefore, we conducted this study to assess the perceived need for and preferred approaches of medical students towards incorporation of TGHC in curriculum and any possible barriers that can arise.

Methods

A cross-sectional survey was conducted amongst medical students from accredited medical colleges in Pakistan. Google forms were used to collect data including three outcome variables: need, preferred modalities, and barriers towards TGHC. The outcome variables were analyzed and compared using SPSS version 25.0.

Results

A total of 436 medical students from all over the Pakistan responded to the questionnaire. Of those, 264 (60.6%) were female. A majority of participants were from the southern provinces of Pakistan (n = 302; 69.3%). An overwhelming majority (98.4 %) of participants (n=429) felt there was a need to teach transgender healthcare (TGHC) education at the undergraduate level. This is contrasted by only 5% of participants (n=23) reporting being taught transgender health as part of their curriculum. Of these 5%, knowledge was mostly assessed either on multiple choice or essay questions. Majority students reported never having had any interaction with transgender patient during their clinical rotations. 82.8% students identified that education provided at their institute regarding transgender health education is inadequate while 80.8% students revealed that transgender health education was not an official part of their institute’s curriculum. The biggest barrier identified was TGHC not being identified as a problem, followed by cultural and logistic barriers. The most recommended mode of TGHC education delivery as suggested by students was the use of small group discussions followed by student presentations and use of films and documentaries.

Conclusion

A clear gap exists regarding transgender health education in the medical curriculum in Pakistan. The study highlights important barriers and recommends possible modes of delivery to inculcate TGHC education in the curriculum.
Programmatic considerations for chikungunya vaccine introduction in countries at risk of chikungunya outbreaks: stakeholder analysis
Authors: Auzenbergs Megan , Maure Clara , Kang Hyolim , Brady Oliver , Sahastrabuddhe Sushant , Abbas Kaja
Published: September 2023

Chikungunya can have longstanding effects on health and quality of life. Alongside the licensing of new chikungunya vaccines in the pipeline, it is important to understand the perspectives of stakeholders before vaccine rollout. Our study aim is to identify key programmatic considerations for chikungunya vaccine introduction in countries at risk of chikungunya outbreaks. We used purposive and snowball sampling to identify global, national, and subnational stakeholders from outbreak prone areas, including Latin America, Asia, and Africa. Semi-structured in-depth interviews were conducted and analysed using qualitative descriptive methods. We found that perspectives varied between tiers of stakeholders and geographies. Unknown disease burden, diagnostics, non-specific disease surveillance, undefined target populations for vaccination, and low disease prioritisation were critical challenges identified by stakeholders that need to be addressed to facilitate rolling out a chikungunya vaccine. Future investments should address these challenges to generate useful evidence for decision-making on new chikungunya vaccine introduction.
Comparison of NAFLD, MAFLD, MASLD and pure-MASLD characteristics and mortality outcomes in United States adults
Authors: Song Rui , Li Zhao , Zhang Yingzhi , Tan Jiahe , Chen Zhiwei
Published: September 2023

Background

After metabolic dysfunction-associated fatty liver disease (MAFLD), non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) has recently been redefined again as metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD). However, the distinctions in characteristics and mortality outcomes between NAFLD, MAFLD, MASLD, and pure-MASLD are still unclear.

Methods

We analyzed data from 6,708 participants in the third National Health and Nutrition Examination Surveys 1988-1994 of United States (US) and their linked mortality through 2019. NAFLD, MAFLD, MASLD and pure MASLD were defined based on respective criteria. Survey-weight adjusted multivariable Cox proportional model was used to study the mortality of the four terms.

Results

The overall prevalence of NAFLD, MAFLD, MASLD and pure-MASLD was 28.9% (n=1,937), 26.1% (n=1,753), 29.0% (n=1,948), and 26.0% (n=1,741), respectively. For NAFLD, 81.3%, 89.9% and 89.9% fulfilled the criteria for MAFLD, MASLD and pure MASLD. For MAFLD, all were classified into the MASLD, and 89.8% were met the criteria of pure-MASLD. During a median follow-up of 27 years, both individuals with MAFLD and MASLD had higher risk of all-cause mortality (adjusted hazard ratio [aHR]: 1.21, 95% CI 1.09-1.352; and 1.11, 1.00-1.23, respectively). NAFLD and pure-MASLD were not associated with all-cause mortality. All the four terms were associated with increased all-cause mortality in individuals with advanced fibrosis (aHR: 1.66-1.83). Subgroup analyses showed that higher risk of all-cause mortality of NAFLD, MAFLD, MASLD and pure-MASLD were observed in female, age 41-55 years, non-Hispanic white, and never smoking subgroups when focused on moderate-severe hepatic steatosis.

Conclusions

In this US population-based study, MASLD could identify more individuals with all-cause mortality risk than MAFLD, meanwhile, NAFLD and pure-MASLD had similar characteristics and mortality outcomes.
CONORM: Context-Aware Entity Normalization for Adverse Drug Event Detection
Authors: Yazdani Anthony , Rouhizadeh Hossein , Bornet Alban , Teodoro Douglas
Published: September 2023

Adverse drug events (ADEs) are a critical aspect of patient safety and pharmacovigilance, with significant implications for patient outcomes and public health monitoring. The increasing availability of electronic health records, social media, and online patient forums provides valuable yet challenging unstructured data sources for ADE surveillance. To address these challenges, we introduce CONORM, a novel framework that integrates named entity recognition (NER) and entity normalization (EN) for ADE extraction across diverse textual domains. CONORM comprises two components: CONORM-NER, a subword-aware, transformer-based model for ADE detection, and CONORM-EN, an entity normalization module using dual-encoder embeddings and dynamic context refining. CONORM was evaluated on SMM4H 2023 (tweets), CADEC (forum posts), and TAC (product labels), where it consistently outperformed existing methods. It achieved end-to-end F1-scores of 63.86% on SMM4H, 72.45% on CADEC, and 84.99% on TAC, surpassing existing solutions by an average margin of 35%. The results demonstrate CONORM’s adaptability across informal, semi-formal, and formal text sources. Stratified analyses showed stronger results for well-represented system organ classes (SOCs) and moderate-to-long contexts. CONORM offers a scalable and reproducible solution for real-world pharmacovigilance, with pre-computed target embeddings enhancing inference efficiency for large medical ontologies. Its generalization capabilities across diverse text domains establish it as a robust tool for ADE surveillance. To support reproducibility, all source code is publicly available athttps://github.com/ds4dh/CONORM. Future work will explore multilingual capabilities, rare SOC data augmentation, and optimizations for long-form narratives.
Protocol for Systematic Review of Interventions to Improve Sleep Health in Adolescents Living in Low-and-Middle-Income Countries
Authors: Olorunmoteni Oluwatosin Eunice , Daniel Jeremiah Oluwatomi Itodo , Ayantayo Temitayo , Guvoeke Virginia , Akano Lordstrong
Published: September 2023

Introduction

Adolescence is a transitory phase marked by significant changes. While adolescents are not exempted from the increasing prevalence of sleep-related issues, an urgent need for understanding the factors responsible for sleep problems in this age group and evaluating the possible interventions to mitigate this scourge has risen globally. However, despite facing substantial sleep-related issues, there has been no focus on adolescents in low-middle-income countries (LMICs). This study seeks to serve as a much-needed tool to evaluate and compare the different interventions for adolescents with sleep-related problems in LMICs and provide valuable insights to stakeholders involved with adolescents to improve overall adolescent health.

Methods and Analysis

The study will follow the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analysis [PRISMA] guideline 2020. Eligible studies for this review will be identified following an exhaustive literature search on the following databases: PubMed, Embase, Scopus, PsychInfo, and AJOL. Our outcomes will include quantitative measures of sleep health and other health indicators.

Data will be presented qualitatively using tables and diagrams, with narrative synthesis. Two independent reviewers will screen, review, and extract data from studies, with a third reviewer resolving discrepancies. Additionally, we will assess study details, the risk of bias, and the strength of evidence using the Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development, and Evaluation framework.

Ethics and dissemination

This review will be conducted using existing studies; hence, ethical approval will not be required. We aim to present our findings at conferences and publish our manuscript in a peer- reviewed journal for widespread dissemination.
Inhibition ofNeisseria gonorrhoeaecomplement-mediated killing during acute gonorrhoea is dependent upon the IgG2:IgG3 antibody ratio
Authors: McKeand Samantha A. , Faustini Sian E. , Cook Alex , Kennett Nikki , Drayson Mark T. , Cunningham Adam F. , Henderson Ian R. , Ross Jonathan D. C. , Cole Jeffrey A. , Rossiter-Pearson Amanda E.
Published: September 2023

Excessive binding of antibodies to the bacterial cell surface can paradoxically increase resistance of some Gram-negative pathogens to complement-mediated killing (CMK). We examined CMK of 336Neisseria gonorrhoeaeclinical isolates sampled from participants recruited to a clinical trial. Serum bactericidal assays revealed 3% (9/336) of the autologous participant sera that were tested inhibited CMK. Gonococci isolated from these participants were resistant to the autologous host serum, sensitive to a pool of healthy control sera (HCS) and protected by the host serum in a 1:1 mixture with HCS. Analysis of the clinical metadata showed that there were a significantly higher proportion of inhibitory sera found in participants with urethral infections and from men within the transmission network of men who have sex with women (MSW), when compared to the whole cohort. Following antibody purification from selected participants with inhibitory sera (5/9), IgG and IgM protected the autologous isolates from HCS-mediated killing. Only three of these isolates were protected by purified IgA. A closer examination of IgG subclasses using whole gonococcal cell ELISAs revealed a strong correlation between increased IgG2 binding and decreased IgG3 binding to the bacterial cell surface of isolates that were resistant to CMK. This suggests that IgG2 prevents bactericidal IgG3 from initiating CMK and that the IgG2:IgG3 ratio is important for determining either inhibition or killing of isolates. We therefore reveal a previously unreported mechanism by which inhibitory antibodies prevent CMK ofN. gonorrhoeae.
High plasticity of ribosomal DNA organization in budding yeast
Authors: Jiang Shuangying , Cai Zelin , Wang Yun , Zeng Cheng , Zhang Jiaying , Yu Wenfei , Su Chenghao , Zhao Shijun , Chen Ying , Shen Yue , Ma Yingxin , Cai Yizhi , Dai Junbiao
Published: September 2023

In eukaryotic genomes, ribosomal DNA (rDNA) generally resides as a highly repetitive and dynamic structure, making it difficult to study. Here, a synthetic rDNA array on chromosome III in budding yeast was constructed to serve as the sole source of rRNA. Utilizing the loxPsym site within each rDNA repeat and the Cre recombinase, we were able to reduce the copy number to as few as eight copies. Additionally, we constructed strains with two or three rDNA arrays, and found that the presence of multiple arrays did not affect the formation of a single nucleolus. Although alteration on the position and number of rDNA arrays did impact three-dimensional genome structure, the additional rDNA arrays had no deleterious influence on cell growth or transcriptomes. Together, this study sheds light on the high plasticity of rDNA organization and opens up opportunities for future rDNA engineering.

Highlights

A method was established for efficient construction of synthetic rDNA arrays in budding yeast

The rDNA repeats in a haploid yeast can be reduced to as few as eight copies to support cell viability

Yeast cells with two or three DNA arrays on distinct chromosomes form a single nucleolus.

Dispersed rDNA arrays result in no deleterious influence on cell growth or transcriptomes.
In silicoanalyses identifies sequence contamination thresholds for Nanopore-generated SARS-CoV2 sequences
Authors: Bolaji Ayooluwa J. , Duggan Ana T.
Published: September 2023

The SARS-CoV-2 pandemic has brought molecular biology and genomic sequencing into the public consciousness and lexicon. With an emphasis on rapid turnaround, genomic data has been used to inform both diagnostic and surveillance decisions for the current pa ndemic at a previously unheard-of scale. The surge in the submission of genomic data to publicly-available databases has proved essential as comparing different genome sequences offers a wealth of knowledge, including phylogenetic links, modes of transmission, rates of evolution, and the impact of mutations on infection and disease severity. However, the scale of the pandemic has meant that once sequencing runs are performed, they are rarely repeated due to limited sample material and/or the availability of sequencing resources, resulting in some imperfect runs being uploaded to public repositories. As a result, it is crucial to investigate the data obtained from these imperfect runs to determine whether the results are reliable. Numerous studies have identified a variety of sources of contamination in public next-generation sequencing (NGS) data as the number of NGS studies increases along with the diversity of sequencing technologies and procedures [1–3]. For this study, we conducted anin silicoexperiment with known SARS-CoV-2 sequences produced from Oxford Nanopore Technologies sequencing to investigate the effect of contamination on lineage calls and single nucleotide variations (SNVs). Through a series of analyses, we identified a contamination threshold below which runs are expected to generate accurate lineage calls and maintain genomic sequence integrity. Together, these findings provide a benchmark below which imperfect runs may be considered robust for reporting results to both stakeholders and public repositories and reduce the need for repeat or wasted runs.

Author Summary

Large-scale genomic comparisons provide a wealth of knowledge, including modes of transmission, rates of evolution, and the impact of mutations on infection, disease severity, and treatment effectiveness. As a result, the public release of genomic data has proven to be crucial. However, studies continue to show that some of the genomic data in public repositories are contaminated due to a variety of reasons. For instance, in the case of SARS-CoV-2 sequences, the pandemic prevented many sequencing runs from being repeated, resulting in some imperfect runs being uploaded to public repositories. It is of note that when genomic data is contaminated, both scientific decisions/studies and public health measures may be compromised. To identify genome contamination threshold(s) for SARS-CoV-2 sequences generated by Nanopore sequencing, computational biology techniques were utilized to generate artificially subsampled contaminated genomes. This is the first study of its kind and so our hope is that the results obtained provide a starting point for the investigation of reporting contamination of NGS data.
Cdc42 activation is necessary for heterosynaptic cooperation and competition
Authors: Nunes Mariana , Madeira Natália , Fonseca Rosalina
Published: September 2023

Synapses change their weights in response to neuronal activity and in turn, neuronal networks alter their response properties and ultimately allow the brain to store information as memories. As for memories, not all events are maintained over time. Maintenance of synaptic plasticity depends on the interplay between functional changes at synapses and the synthesis of plasticity-related proteins that are involved in stabilizing the initial functional changes. Different forms of synaptic plasticity coexist in time and across the neuronal dendritic area. Thus, homosynaptic plasticity refers to activity-dependent synaptic modifications that are input-specific, whereas heterosynaptic plasticity relates to changes in non-activated synapses. Heterosynaptic forms of plasticity, such as synaptic cooperation and competition allow neurons to integrate events that occur separated by relatively large time windows, up to one hour. Here, we show that activation of Cdc42, a Rho GTPase that regulates actin cytoskeleton dynamics, is necessary for the maintenance of long-term potentiation (LTP) in a time-dependent manner. Inhibiting Cdc42 activation does not alter the time-course of LTP induction and its initial expression but blocks its late maintenance. We show that Cdc42 activation is involved in the phosphorylation of cofilin, a protein involved in modulating actin filaments and that weak and strong synaptic activation leads to similar levels on cofilin phosphorylation, despite different levels of LTP expression. We show that Cdc42 activation is required for synapses to interact by cooperation or competition, supporting the hypothesis that modulation of the actin cytoskeleton provides an activity-dependent and time-restricted permissive state of synapses allowing synaptic plasticity to occur. We found that under competition, the sequence in which synapses are activated determines the degree of LTP destabilization, demonstrating that competition is an active destabilization process. Taken together, we show that a dynamic actin cytoskeleton is necessary for the expression of homosynaptic and heterosynaptic forms of plasticity. Determining the temporal and spatial rules that determine whether synapses cooperate or compete will allow us to understand how memories are associated.

Graphical Abstract

Highlights

Cdc42 is required for the maintenance of homosynaptic synaptic plasticity

Weak and strong stimulation modulate actin by cofilin phosphorylation

Cdc42 activation is necessary for heterosynaptic cooperation and competition

Synaptic competition is an active destabilization process

The time-window of synaptic cooperation and competition is activity dependent
Regulation of Chromatin Architecture by Transcription Factor Binding
Authors: Portillo-Ledesma Stephanie , Chung Suckwoo , Hoffman Jill , Schlick Tamar
Published: September 2023

Transcription factors (TF) bind to chromatin and regulate the expression of genes. The pair Myc:Max binds to E-box regulatory DNA elements throughout the genome, controlling transcription of a large group of specific genes. We introduce an implicit modeling protocol for Myc:Max binding to mesoscale chromatin fibers to determine TF effect on chromatin architecture and shed light on its mechanism of gene regulation. We first bind Myc:Max to different chromatin locations and show how it can direct fiber folding and formation of microdomains, and how this depends on the linker DNA length. Second, by simulating increasing concentrations of Myc:Max binding to fibers that differ in the DNA linker length, linker histone density, and acetylation levels, we assess the interplay between Myc:Max and other chromatin internal parameters. Third, we study the mechanism of gene silencing by Myc:Max binding to the Eed gene loci. Overall, our results show how chromatin architecture can be regulated by TF binding. The position of TF binding dictates the formation of microdomains that appear visible only at the ensemble level. On the other hand, the presence of linker histone, acetylations, or different linker DNA lengths regulates the concentration-dependent effect of TF binding. Furthermore, we show how TF binding can repress gene expression by increasing fiber folding motifs that help compact and occlude the promoter region. Importantly, this effect can be reversed by increasing linker histone density. Overall, these results shed light on the epigenetic control of the genome dictated by TF binding.
Identification of potent and orally efficacious phosphodiesterase inhibitors in sCryptosporidium parvum-infected immunocompromised mice
Authors: Teixeira Jose E. , Gasonoo Makafui , Miller Peter , Ajiboye Jubilee , Cameron Alexandra C. , Stebbins Erin , Campbell Scott D. , Griggs David W. , Spangenberg Thomas , Meyers Marvin J. , Huston Christopher D.
Published: September 2023

Cryptosporidiumspecies, mostlyC. parvumandC. hominisin humans, are intestinal apicomplexan parasites that cause life-threatening diarrhea in young children and people with cell-mediated immune defects, such as due to AIDS. There is only one approved treatment for cryptosporidiosis, but it is ineffective for immunocompromised people and only modestly effective for children. In this study, screening 278 compounds from the Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany collection and accelerated follow-up work enabled by prior investigation of the compounds resulted in identification of a series of pyrazolopyrimidine human phosphodiesterase (PDE)-V inhibitors with potent anticryptosporidial activity and efficacy following oral administration inC. parvum-infected immunocompromised mice. The novel PDE inhibitor leads (compounds PDEi2andPDEi5) affect parasite egress from infected host cells.

They have comparable activity againstC. parvumandC. hominis, rapidly eliminateC. parvumin tissue culture, and have minimal off-target effects in a panel of safety screening assays. In comparison, the potent human PDE-V inhibitors sildenafil and the 4-aminoquinoline compound 7a have no useful activity againstC. parvum.Based on homology modeling andin silicocompound docking,PDEi5interacts directly with an active-site metal ion and docks well to twoC. parvumPDEs. In contrast, larger amino acid side groups (Val900/Tyr11128 and His884/Asn1112) in bothC. parvumPDEs replace alanine in human PDE-V and block sildenafil binding, explaining its lack of efficacy. These results identify a promising new drug target and lead series for anticryptosporidial drug development and validates a route to target-based optimization.
Hippocampal memory reactivation during sleep is correlated with specific cortical states of the retrosplenial and prefrontal cortices
Authors: Feliciano-Ramos Pedro A. , Galazo Maria , Penagos Hector , Wilson Matthew
Published: September 2023

Episodic memories are thought to be stabilized through the coordination of cortico–hippocampal activity during sleep. However, the timing and mechanism of this coordination remain unknown. To investigate this, we studied the relationship between hippocampal reactivation and slow-wave sleep up and down states of the retrosplenial cortex (RTC) and prefrontal cortex (PFC). We found that hippocampal reactivations are strongly correlated with specific cortical states. Reactivation occurred during sustained cortical Up states or during the transition from up to down state. Interestingly, the most prevalent interaction with memory reactivation in the hippocampus occurred during sustained up states of the PFC and RTC, while hippocampal reactivation and cortical up-to-down state transition in the RTC showed the strongest coordination. Reactivation usually occurred within 150–200 msec of a cortical Up state onset, indicating that a buildup of excitation during cortical Up state activity influences the probability of memory reactivation in CA1. Conversely, CA1 reactivation occurred 30–50 msec before the onset of a cortical down state, suggesting that memory reactivation affects down state initiation in the RTC and PFC, but the effect in the RTC was more robust. Our findings provide evidence that supports and highlights the complexity of bidirectional communication between cortical regions and the hippocampus during sleep.
Healthcare practitioners’ attitudes toward patient safety in hospital settings in Jeddah, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
Authors: Atwa Hani , Alfadani Anas , Damanhori Joud , Seifalyazal Mohamed , Shehata Mohamed , Abdel Nasser Asmaa
Published: September 2023

Purpose

Patient safety focuses on minimizing risks that might occur to patients during provision of healthcare. The purpose of this study was to explore healthcare practitioners’ attitudes towards patient safety inside different hospital settings in Jeddah, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

Design/methodology/approach

A descriptive, cross-sectional study was conducted on a sample of healthcare practitioners in main hospitals in Jeddah. Two main hospitals (one governmental and one private) were selected from each region of Jeddah (east, west, north and south), with a total number of eight out of thirty hospitals. Data were collected through the Attitudes to Patient Safety Questionnaire III that was distributed online. The questionnaire used a 5-point scale. Descriptive statistics were used. Comparisons were made by independent t-test and ANOVA. The statistical significance level was set at p < 0.05.

Findings

The study included 341 healthcare practitioners of different sexes and specialties in eight major governmental and private hospitals in Jeddah. “Working hours as error cause” subscale had the highest mean score (4.03 ± 0.89), while “Professional incompetence as error cause” had the lowest mean score (3.49 ± 0.97). The total questionnaire had a moderate average score (3.74 ± 0.63). Weak correlations between the average score of the questionnaire and sex, occupation and workplace were found (−0.119, −0.018 and −0.088, respectively).

Practical implications

Hospitals need to develop targeted interventions, including continuing professional development programs, to enhance patient safety culture and practices. Moreover, patient safety training is required at the undergraduate education level, which necessitates health professions education institutions to give more attention to patient safety education in their curricula.

Originality/value

The study contributed to the existing literature on patient safety culture in hospital settings in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. The insights generated by the study can inform targeted interventions to enhance patient safety culture in hospitals and improve patient outcomes.
State-business relations for entrepreneurial takeoff in Africa: institutional analysis
Authors: Hossain Farhad , Mamman Aminu , Yeboah-Assiamah Emmanuel , Rees Christopher J.
Published: September 2023

Purpose

Reports and experiences suggest that several developing African economies are faced with entrepreneurial-impeding forces such as lengthy bureaucratic processes and poor regulatory space. The study examines a general trend in “doing business performance” among selected African countries and uses the case of Ghana to explore how particular indicators or forces affect the development and deployment of small and medium-sized enterprise (SME) policies.

Design/methodology/approach

Comparative analysis of six African economies on their ease of doing business score. This is followed by a critical review of the literature to develop a six-point explanatory framework to explore the relative position of the six countries on the ease of doing business scores. Using Ghana as a critical case study, the authors deploy an in-depth case study analysis via in-depth interviews of relevant stakeholders to validate the information from secondary sources.

Findings

The study observes that the nature of leadership, socio-cultural imperatives, economic structure and policy and the role of domestic institutional players and international players have implications for the extent to which the state creates an enabling environment for SMEs and entrepreneurial activities. The role of supportive cultural software that will help drive SME and entrepreneurial growth has been established. The study contends that different aspects of national culture do have implications for the tendency for people to be business-minded or to have the ability to take risks. The demand and supply sides are crucial in promoting SME growth.

Originality/value

The study develops a framework that helps explore elements to help explain ease of doing business scores and the viability of SMEs in Africa. These elements were validated through qualitative interviews as well.
Detailed investigation on thermal enhancement and mass transport in 3D flow of Carreau–Yasuda ternary and hybrid nanofluids using the finite element method
Authors: Rana Shafia , Nawaz M. , Alharbi Sayer Obaid
Published: September 2023

Purpose

The purpose of this study is to analyze the transportation of heat and mass in three-dimensional (3D) shear rate-dependent viscous fluid. Thermal enhancement plays a significant role in industrial and engineering applications. For this, the authors dispersed trihybrid nanoparticles into the fluid to enhance the working fluid’s thermal enhancement.

Design/methodology/approach

The finite element method is a numerical scheme and is powerful in achieving convergent and grid-independent solutions compared with other numerical techniques. This method was initially assigned to structural problems. However, it is equally successful for computational fluid dynamics problems.

Findings

Wall shear stress has shown an increasing behavior as the intensity of the magnetic field is increased. Simulations have predicted that Ohmic heat in the case of trihybrid nanofluid (MoS2–Al2O3–Cu/C2H6O2) has the greatest value in comparison with mono and hybrid nanofluids. The most significant influence of chemical reaction on the concentration in tri-nanofluid is noted. This observation is pointed out for both types of chemical reaction (destructive or generative) parameters.

Originality/value

Through a literature survey, the authors analyzed that no one has yet to work on a 3D magnetohydrodynamics Carreau–Yasuda trihybrid nanofluid over a stretched sheet for improving heat and mass transfer over hybrid nanofluids. Herein, molybdenum disulfide (MoS2), aluminum oxide (Al2O3) and copper (Cu) nanoparticles are mixed in ethylene glycol (C2H6O2) to study the thermal enhancement and mass transport of their corresponding resultant mono (Cu/C2H6O2), hybrid (Al2O3–Cu/C2H6O2) and trihybrid (MoS2–Al2O3–Cu/C2H6O2) nanofluids.
A critical examination of the 2016 Code of Corporate Governance of Mauritius and its enshrinement in the Companies Act 2001
Authors: Mahadew Bhavna
Published: September 2023

Purpose

The purpose of this study is to provide for critical literature on the legal aspects of corporate governance and their application in Mauritius. The drawbacks of having the principles in the form of a non-binding code are discussed, and a case is made to consider their enshrinement in laws such as the Companies Act 2001 to render them legally enforceable for the good health of companies in Mauritius.

Design/methodology/approach

A doctrinal legal methodology has been adopted to assess the effectiveness of the principles of the 2016 Code of Corporate Governance of Mauritius. Legislations, legal texts, case law and regulations are used to conduct this assessment. In addition, a black-letter approach is taken while discussing the enshrinement of the principles in the Companies Act 2001 of Mauritius. The doctrinal methodology is further supported by a qualitative analysis of the principles of corporate governance based on existing legal literature, which emphasises their relevance and importance.

Findings

The principles of the 2016 Code of Corporate Governance are no doubt a progress over the former 2004 Code in various aspects, aligning the Code with the requirements of the OECD. However, there are still certain loopholes that have been highlighted. In addition, the extent to which these principles are reflected in the Companies Act, which is the primary legislation for companies, has been found to be lacking and inadequate.

Originality/value

This paper is, to the best of the author’s knowledge, the first legal literature concerning the Mauritian legal framework on corporate governance. This is relevant because the country has recently experienced corporate collapses, which could arguably have been avoided with the application of the principles of corporate governance. As such, the paper will present a case study that can be used as a reference for future research on the enforceability and justiciability of these principles.
Informal learning from dealing with software-related problems in the digital workplace
Authors: Leiß Tamara Vanessa , Rausch Andreas
Published: September 2023

Purpose

This paper aims to examine the impact of problem-solving activities, emotional experiences and contextual and personal factors on learning from dealing with software-related problems in everyday office work.

Design/methodology/approach

To measure the use of problem-solving activities, emotional experiences and the contextual factors of problem characteristics and learning in situ, a research diary was used. To measure team psychological safety (contextual factor) and personal factors, including the Big Five personality traits, occupational self-efficacy and technology self-efficacy, the authors administered a self-report questionnaire. In sum, 48 students from a software company in Germany recorded 240 diary entries during five working days. The data was analysed using multilevel analysis.

Findings

Results revealed that asking others and using information from the internet are positive predictors of self-perceived learning from a software-related problem, while experimenting, which was the most common activity, had a negative effect on learning. Guilt about the problem was positively related to learning while working in the office (as opposed to remote work), and feeling irritated/annoyed/angry showed a negative effect. Surprisingly, psychological safety had a negative effect on perceived learning.

Research limitations/implications

Major limitations of the study concern the convenience sample and the disregard for the sequence of the activities.

Originality/value

This study contributes to the limited empirical evidence on employees’ problem-solving activities and informal workplace learning in the software context. To overcome the shortcomings of previous studies using retrospective assessments and in-lab observations, this study uses the diary method to investigate in situ.
Unlocking sustainable success: exploring the impact of transformational leadership, organizational culture, and CSR performance on financial performance in the Italian manufacturing sector
Authors: Ahsan Muhammad Junaid
Published: September 2023

Purpose

This study aims to investigate how organizational culture (OC) and transformational leadership (TL) affect corporate social responsibility (CSR) performance (environmental performance and social performance) and financial performance (FP) in the context of the Italian manufacturing sector. Grounded in resource-based view theory, this study explores how these factors influence sustainable firm performance.

Design/methodology/approach

Data gathered from 260 employees were analyzed to examine the multidimensional aspects of CSR, encompassing social and environmental sustainability.

Findings

The findings highlight the pressing need for sustainable firm performance in the existing environment, supporting the hypothesis that firms achieve sustainable and FP through the recognition of TL and OC. Moreover, a positive and significant relationship between CSR performance and FP was established, underscoring the strategic importance of integrating CSR initiatives into core business practices. This study offers valuable insights for both academia and firms, providing theoretical and practical implications that underscore the importance of cultivating a robust OC to drive performance enhancements.

Originality/value

This study is novel because it is one of the first, to the best of the author’s knowledge, to analyze the relationships between TL, OC and performance components associated with CSR.
Efficacy of autologous dermal sheath cup cell transplantation in male and female pattern hair loss: A Single‐Arm, Multi‐Center, phase III equivalent clinical study
Authors: Harada Kazutoshi , Ohyama Manabu , Niiyama Shiro , Irisawa Ryokichi , Mae Kenichiro , Mori Miho , Wakimoto Hiroko , Kinoshita‐Ise Misaki , Fukuyama Masahiro , Hayakawa Reina , Takagi Masaya , Yamazaki Masako , Miyoshi Mami , Nishikawa Saori , Sato Seiji , Nakazawa Yosuke , Sugimoto Takaki , Ogo Masashi , Tsuboi Ryoji
Published: September 2023

A previous, proof‐of‐concept clinical study suggested that dermal sheath cup cell injections into the affected areas of male/female pattern hair loss (PHL) may have some amelioratory effects, the clinical efficacy of which needs further examination. A phase III equivalent clinical study was conducted to further probe the therapeutic potential of this novel approach and verify its safety and efficacy in improving the appearance of PHL. Thirty‐six participants with PHL were injected with dermal sheath cup cell harvested from non‐affected occipital hair follicles twice in quarterly intervals. Global photographic assessment and phototrichogram were performed in a blinded manner. Patient‐reported outcomes were assessed for 12 months. On global photographic assessment, 30% of the participants showed improvement. The analysis of phototricogram data detected the increases in the cumulative hair diameter, hair cross‐sectional area, and mean hair diameter of 107.6 ± 152.6 μm/cm2, 13069.1 ± 10960.7 μm2/cm2, and 0.9 ± 0.9 μm (ratios vs. baseline: +1.4%, +3.4%, and +2.2%), respectively. The female and high terminal hair ratio groups achieved better improvement. Of the total participants, 62.9% noted some degree of improvement. No serious adverse events were detected. This novel approach exhibited visible effects while ensuring safety and patient satisfaction. Therefore, it holds promise as a possible therapeutic option for treating PHL, especially in women.
A case of fatal overdose involving both hydromorphone and kratom
Authors: Shi Thomas , Shea Jennifer L.
Published: September 2023

Kratom is a plant originating in Southeast Asia that has been used for its dose‐dependent stimulant and opioid effects. The main active compound in kratom is mitragynine, an alkaloid with affinity for the mu‐opioid receptor. Toxicity and fatalities related to kratom use have increased substantially in recent years. In this case report, we describe a 44‐year‐old man who was found deceased in bed. The only significant finding at autopsy was abdominal distension with >4 L of ascites. Toxicology testing was performed on femoral blood which showed 79 ng/mL of hydromorphone, 560 ng/mL of mitragynine, and 240 ng/mL of olanzapine. In addition, creatinine and urea in vitreous humor were significantly elevated, consistent with renal impairment. Death was attributed to hydromorphone toxicity with mitragynine being a contributing factor.
Effect of dielectric barrier discharge nonthermal plasma treatment on physicochemical, nutritional, and phytochemical quality attributes of pineapple [Ananas comosus (L.)] juice
Authors: Pipliya Sunil , Kumar Sitesh , Srivastav Prem Prakash
Published: September 2023

Forward feed multilayered perception and central composite rotatable design were used to model the nonthermal plasma (NTP) experimental data in artificial neural network (ANN) and response surface methodology, respectively. The ANN was found to be more accurate in modeling the experimental dataset. The NTP process parameters (voltage and time) were optimized for pineapple juice within the range of 25–45 kV and 120–900 s using an ANN coupled with the genetic algorithm (ANN‐GA). After 176 generations of GA, the ANN‐GA approach produced the optimal condition, 38 kV and 631 s, and caused the inactivation of peroxidase (POD) and bromelain by 87.24% and 51.04%, respectively. However, 100.32% of the overall antioxidant capacity and 89.96% of the ascorbic acid were maintained in the optimized sample with a total color change (ΔE) of less than 1.97 at all plasma treatment conditions. Based on optimal conditions, NTP provides a sufficient level of POD inactivation combined with excellent phenolic component extractability and high antioxidant retention. Furthermore, plasma treatment had an insignificant effect (p > 0.05) on the physicochemical attributes (pH, total soluble solid, and titratable acidity) of juice samples. From the intensity peak of the Fourier‑transform infrared spectroscopy analysis, it was found that the sugar components and phenolic compounds of plasma‐treated juice were effectively preserved compared to the thermal‐treated juice.
Symbioses of alvinocaridid shrimps from the South West Pacific: No chemosymbiotic diets but conserved gut microbiomes
Authors: Methou Pierre , Cueff‐Gauchard Valérie , Michel Loïc N. , Gayet Nicolas , Pradillon Florence , Cambon‐Bonavita Marie‐Anne
Published: September 2023

Rimicaris exoculata shrimps from hydrothermal vent ecosystems are known to host dense epibiotic communities inside their enlarged heads and digestive systems. Conversely, other shrimps from the family, described as opportunistic feeders have received less attention. We examined the nutrition and bacterial communities colonising ‘head’ chambers and digestive systems of three other alvinocaridids—Rimicaris variabilis, Nautilocaris saintlaurentae and Manuscaris sp.—using a combination of electron microscopy, stable isotopes and sequencing approaches. Our observations inside ‘head’ cavities and on mouthparts showed only a really low coverage of bacterial epibionts. In addition, no clear correlation between isotopic ratios and relative abundance of epibionts on mouthparts could be established among shrimp individuals. Altogether, these results suggest that none of these alvinocaridids rely on chemosynthetic epibionts as their main source of nutrition. Our analyses also revealed a substantial presence of several Firmicutes and Deferribacterota lineages within the foreguts and midguts of these shrimps, which closest known lineages were systematically digestive symbionts associated with alvinocaridids, and more broadly for Firmicutes from digestive systems of other crustaceans from marine and terrestrial ecosystems. Overall, our study opens new perspectives not only about chemosynthetic symbioses of vent shrimps but more largely about digestive microbiomes with potential ancient and evolutionarily conserved bacterial partnerships among crustaceans.
The predictive ability of tax contingencies for future income tax cash outflows
Authors: Ciconte William A. , Donohoe Michael P. , Lisowsky Petro , Mayberry Michael A.
Published: September 2023

Prior research shows that contingent liabilities do not accurately predict future cash payments due to the managerial discretion afforded by accounting standards. We examine the extent to which current accounting guidance for a material contingent liability—the reserve for unrecognized tax benefits (UTBs) under Financial Interpretation No. 48 (FIN 48)—generates accruals that are predictive of future income tax cash outflows. We document that UTBs fully unwind as cash tax payments over the subsequent 5 years, suggesting that managers, on average, accurately incorporate their expectations of future tax liabilities. This result persists for firms that are (1) most affected by the implementation of FIN 48, (2) unable to impound detection risk into their reserves, (3) engaged in relatively more ex ante tax avoidance, (4) suspected to have engaged in earnings management through the tax accounts, and (5) subject to plausibly exogenous shocks to tax reporting. Overall, our results suggest that current accounting guidance under FIN 48 for contingent tax liabilities enables managers to accurately report, and financial statement users to reliably predict, future cash obligations.
Genocide‐time: Political violence reckoning in Rwanda
Authors: Nsabimana Natacha
Published: September 2023

This article looks at how political violence in Rwanda, that of the genocide against Tutsi in 1994 and beyond, is remembered, narrated, and embedded in everyday sociality. It makes two related arguments. Taking the aftermath of Rwanda's Gacaca courts (a transitional justice mechanism implemented between 2005 and 2012) as my point of entry, I argue first that violence, though narrated as past in these courts, is imagined as returning in the future, and the present is the space to prepare for this inevitable return. This structuring temporal logic, or genocide‐time, undergirds everyday social relations between the protagonists of Gacaca courts years after their official end. Second, both survivors and perpetrators of the genocide claim forms of racialized victimhood, a legacy of European imperial categorizations of Rwandans into Hutus and Tutsis. Genocide‐time signals a temporal moment in which ethnic categories, crucial for colonial management, become racialized and deeply entangled with political violence. Shared claims to racialized victimhood today, I argue, index this longer history.
Rubbish sick and the dancing devil
Authors: Taylor John P.
Published: September 2023

How are the historically fraught contexts of alterity that define postcolonial settings generated and negotiated in the context of medical uncertainty? What role does narrative play in the lived experience of such uncertainty and alterity? Focusing on a single “diagnostic odyssey” of childhood illness, this article examines the relationship between chronic uncertainty, alterity, and narrative sensemaking in the highly dynamic and pluralistic healthcare setting of Vanuatu. It demonstrates how close examination of cultural metaphors relating to sickness can reveal deep insights into the lived experience of illness, health seeking, and caregiving. In doing so, it highlights the role of narrative in rendering otherwise unfathomable circumstances sensible on cultural and existential terms, including by engendering a sense of intersubjective stability in the face of trauma.