bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Multiple Symmetrical Scrotal Lipomatosis: Diagnosis and Treatment with Comprehensive Summary of the Entity
Authors: Szychta Pawel , Witmanowski Henryk
Published: March 2024

Multiple symmetrical lipomatosis is a rare diffuse presentation of the progressive accumulation of deposits of nonencapsulated masses of adipose tissue. The characteristic image of this disease is bilateral swelling in the neck, the upper part of upper limb, pelvic rim, back, and thighs. We report a case of unusual localization of benign scrotal symmetrical lipomatosis with ultrasound and histological appearances of the scrotal lipomatous masses, together with treatment. Scrotal lipomatosis should be considered as a rare differential diagnosis of scrotal swelling, and excisional lipectomy should be considered in preference over liposuction. Patients should be offered counseling for infertility.
Attitudes Toward the Uptake of Combination HIV Prevention Methods Among Young Black and Latino Heterosexual Couples Living in New York City: A Qualitative Study
Authors: Lanier Yzette , Lui Nicole , Zhong Jie , Rivera-Cash Dennis , Cornelius Talea , Stewart Jennifer M.
Published: March 2024

Couple-based HIV interventions that increase uptake of two or more effective biomedical HIV prevention methods may be a promising HIV prevention strategy for young Black and Latino heterosexual couples. We conducted in-depth, semi-structured individual interviews with 23 Black and Latino adolescent and young adult heterosexual couples that explored their attitudes toward using combination HIV prevention methods (CHPMs). A qualitative hybrid thematic analysis approach was used to identify key themes. Themes included: (a) attitudes that encouraged uptake—CHPMs increased assurance of safety against HIV/sexually transmitted infections and (b) attitudes that impeded uptake—CHPMs are too much to do and are not appropriate for serious relationships. Although Black and Latino adolescents and young adults may recognize the combined protective benefits of using multiple HIV prevention methods, personal and relational considerations play an instrumental role in uptake of CHPMs.
The Effects of Gluten-free Diet on Body Mass Indexes in Adults with Celiac Disease
Authors: Peleg Noam , Niv Yaron , Dickman Ram , Boltin Doron , Krauthammer Alex , Herman-Edelstein Michal , Issa Nidal , Ollech Jacob E. , Konikoff Tom , Gingold-Belfer Rachel
Published: March 2024

Goals and Background:

Gluten-free diet (GFD) includes a higher intake of sugars and fats. Previous studies have investigated its effect on body mass index (BMI) in celiac disease (CD) patients but had contradictive conclusions. Thus, we conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis examining the effect of GFD on BMI in CD patients.

Study:

Systematically, we conducted literature research using Medline, Scopus, and Embase, and we identified 1565 potential studies/abstracts. Only studies of patients with CD under a GFD with recorded BMI before and after dietary intervention were included. Subgroup analyses based on study design and BMI categories were performed. We calculated the pooled odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (Cls) for the number of patients in each BMI group according to the World Health Organization (WHO) definitions after GFD using fixed and random effect meta-analysis.

Results:

The analysis included 10 studies and 38 sub-studies/data sets, which encompassed 2450 patients from 5 countries. We found nonsignificant odds for changing the BMI group (pooled OR 0.972, 95% CI: 0.858-1.101, P=0.65) after GFD. However, looking specifically at BMI subgroups, we found higher odds for BMI category change after GFD in underweight patients (OR 0.588, 95% CI: 0.479-0.723, P <0.001), and overweight patients,25<BMI<30, (OR 1.332, 95% CI: 1.167-1.521, P<0.001). No publication bias was demonstrated, and the amount of heterogeneity between studies was moderate (I
2=54.13).

Conclusion:

Although crucial in patients with CD, GFD is associated with increased BMI in some CD patient populations. Accordingly, special considerations and follow-up should be maintained in overweight patients with CD after GFD.
Sarcopenic obesity and the impact on bone health
Authors: Migliaccio Silvia , Mocini Edoardo , Minnetti Marianna , Donini Lorenzo Maria
Published: March 2024

Purpose of review

Sarcopenic obesity is a newly identified pathological entity defined by an increase in body fat mass with an associated sarcopenia, characterized by loss of muscle mass, strength, and function. Recently, the concomitant presence of skeletal alteration with sarcopenic obesity has been described leading to a new clinical entity defined osteosarcopenic obesity (OSO). Many studies have tried to unravel the metabolic complex mechanism leading to this clinical entity in order to understand the pathophysiology of this complex condition with the aim of posing an early diagnosis to improve the therapeutic approaches. The purpose of this narrative review is to highlight and revise recent studies on this issue.

Recent findings

Recent research in the field of OSO has highlighted the role of nutrition and physical activity in the development and management of these conditions. While molecular and cellular pathways remain partially understood, there is a growing focus on lifestyle interventions as key factors in reducing the impact of OSO. These studies emphasize the need for early diagnosis and appropriate therapeutic strategies to improve quality of life and decrease morbidity and mortality associated with OSO.

Although the pathophysiological pathways underlying OSO are not fully understood, the clinical implications underscore the need for expanded research in this field. This research is crucial for enabling early diagnosis and implementing effective therapeutic interventions, with the goal of reducing morbidity and mortality and enhancing quality of life.
Advances in the Pharmacological Management of Chronic Hepatitis B
Authors: Danielescu Cella , State Monica , Mateescu Radu Bogdan
Published: March 2024

Background:

Hepatitis B, a vaccine-preventable liver infection, remains a global public health problem. Dedicated groups of experts and funding are focusing on achieving a functional cure to eradicate this disease by 2030.

Areas of Uncertainty:

With more than 40 molecules available or under investigation as new treatments for hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection, none of them is curative so far. Available treatments are effective in suppressing HBV replication and in decreasing the risk of developing cirrhosis, liver failure, hepatocellular carcinoma, and death, but do not eliminate the virus, and the risk of hepatocellular carcinoma remains. Nucleoside/nucleotide analogs are recommended as first-line therapy for patients with chronic hepatitis B infection to inhibit viral replication and lower the HBV DNA values, but long-term therapy is usually needed to maintain suppression. Cessation of the therapy in accordance with clinical guidelines can result in virological and clinical relapse.

Data Sources:

PubMed, Web of Science, clinicaltrials.gov, and gray literature sources were searched for articles discussing HBV management and new therapies.

Results:

With current nucleoside/nucleotide analog therapies, fewer than 5% of patients lose hepatitis B surface antigen after 12 months, which underscores the need for new drugs that can achieve a functional cure. New therapies are being developed, including small interfering RNAs. Bepirovirsen, a modified antisense oligonucleotide, shows promising results and a good safety profile, but requires further exploration in larger number of patients to determine whether a functional cure is possible.

Conclusions:

Eradication of HBV infection with currently available therapies is not yet possible. Experts are developing innovative treatments, such as bepirovirsen, to achieve functional cure for this disease and to reduce morbidity and mortality associated with hepatic cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma.
Occupational Injuries in the US Nursing Homes
Authors: Sharma Hari , Xu Lili
Published: March 2024

Background:

Workplace injuries adversely affect worker well-being and may worsen staffing shortages and turnover in nursing homes. A better understanding of the trends in injuries in nursing homes including organizational factors associated with injuries can help improve our efforts in addressing worker injuries.

Objective:

To summarize the trends in injuries and organizational correlates of injuries in US nursing homes.

Research Design:

We combine national injury tracking data from the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (2016–2019) with nursing home characteristics from Nursing Home Compare. Our outcomes include the proportion of nursing homes reporting any injuries, the mean number of injuries, and the mean number of injuries or illnesses with days away from work, or job transfer or restriction, or both (DART). We descriptively summarize trends in injuries over time. We also estimate the association between nursing home characteristics and injuries using multivariable regressions.

Results:

We find that approximately 93% of nursing homes reported at least 1 occupational injury in any given year. Injuries had a substantial impact on productivity with 4.1 DART injuries per 100 full-time employees in 2019. Higher bed size, occupancy, RN staffing, and chain ownership are associated with increased DART rates whereas higher overall nursing home star ratings and for-profit status are associated with decreased DART rates.

Conclusions:

A high proportion of nursing homes report occupational injuries that can affect staff well-being, productivity, and quality of care. Injury prevention policies should target the types of injuries occurring in nursing homes and OSHA should monitor nursing homes reporting high and repeated injuries.
Monitoring coeliac disease in 2024, time to change practice?
Authors: Raju Suneil A. , Shiha Mohamed G. , Penny Hugo A.
Published: March 2024

Purpose of review

Persistent villous atrophy is associated with morbidity in coeliac disease and most commonly due to ongoing gluten ingestion. Current methods for assessing gluten exposure and persisting villous atrophy include dietary questionnaires and repeat duodenal biopsy, which have limited accuracy or are invasive. This review discusses adjunctive and/or novel tests that could be used to overcome these challenges.

Recent findings

Small bowel capsule endoscopy is well tolerated and helps to evaluate for persisting villous atrophy and importantly, complications associated with coeliac disease. Testing for urinary and/or stool gluten immunogenic peptides may help identify recent gluten exposure, but further studies are still warranted to evaluate the accuracy and applicability of this approach. Measuring spikes in circulating Interleukin-2 following gluten challenge has shown promise for coeliac disease diagnosis, and thus may serve as a useful confirmatory test in those with persisting symptoms but provides no information on mucosal inflammation. No specific gut microbial signature has been identified in coeliac disease; however, studies have shown a reduced microbial diversity in active disease, which with future refinement may prove clinically useful.

There is no evidence to support alternative methods for assessing persisting villous atrophy in coeliac disease over performing an up-to-date duodenal biopsy. Monitoring for adherence to a gluten-free diet remains clinically challenging and should be a priority for future research.
Association Between Leg Muscle Thickness and Walking Test With the Hemophilia-Specific Functional Parameters
Authors: Hong Jia-Pei , Kang Jiunn-Horng , Lee Chian-Her , Lee Chih-Hong , Chen Shu-Huey , Liu Yen-Lin , Tsai Jia-Ruey , Tsai Chen-Hua , Ho Wan-Ling , Cheng Mei-Mei , Charoenpong Prangthip , Chang Chia-Yau
Published: March 2024

Objective

The aim of the study is to evaluate the muscle thickness and walking test in people with hemophilia A and their correlation to joint health and functional impairments.

Design

This is a cross-sectional study.

Results

Twenty-nine severe/moderate people with hemophilia A were enrolled. Muscle thickness of quadriceps and medial gastrocnemius was measured using ultrasound. Joint health and functional capacity were assessed using Hemophilia Joint Health Score, Hemophilia Early Arthropathy Detection with Ultrasound, 6-Minute Walking test, Hemophilia Quality of Life Questionnaire for Adults, and Hemophilia Activities List. Quadriceps muscle thickness significantly correlated with Hemophilia Joint Health Score knee, Hemophilia Early Arthropathy Detection with Ultrasound knee, and Hemophilia Activities List. Calf muscle thickness significantly correlated with the Hemophilia Joint Health Score ankle. After adjusted age and body mass index, calf muscle thickness was inversely associated with the Hemophilia Joint Health Score ankle. Six-Minute Walking test was found to significantly correlate with Hemophilia Joint Health Score total, Hemophilia Early Arthropathy Detection with Ultrasound total, Hemophilia Quality of Life Questionnaire for Adults, and Hemophilia Activities List.

Conclusions

Muscle thickness and the distance of 6-Minute Walking Test were linked to assessment of joint health, quality of life, and activity participation in people with hemophilia A. Ultrasound measurement of muscle thickness and walking test seem to be useful tools for the assessment of joint health and functional status in people with hemophilia A.
Scoping Review
Authors: Koerber Samantha N. , Wager Susan G. , Zynda Aaron J. , Santa Barbara Matthew T.
Published: March 2024

The purpose of this scoping review was to identify existing strategies to reduce modifiable risk factors for musculoskeletal (MSK) injury in adaptive athletes. Medline, Embase, Web of Science, and CINAHL were searched. Inclusion criteria required studies written in English, samples of adaptive athletes, and evaluation of any injury prevention programs that would reduce risk factors associated with MSK injury. The literature search resulted in 785 unique articles. Thirty-two full text articles were screened for inclusion. Four studies of wheelchair basketball and wheelchair rugby injury prevention programs were included in the final analysis, and these studies demonstrated increase in shoulder range of motion, decreased shoulder pain, and decreased cumulative traumatic disorders; all of which was proposed to reduce risk of shoulder injury. However, these studies were small and did not include control groups. Future research is needed to implement programs that reduce risk factors of MSK injuries and reduce health disparities for adaptive athletes.
Enhanced extracellular matrix remodeling due to embedded spheroid fluidization
Authors: Zhang Tao , Ameen Shabeeb , Ghosh Sounok , Kim Kyungeun , Thanh Minh , Patteson Alison E. , Wu Mingming , Schwarz J. M.
Published: March 2024

Tumor spheroids arein vitrothree-dimensional, cellular collectives consisting of cancerous cells. Embedding these spheroids in anin vitrofibrous environment, such as a collagen network, to mimic the extracellular matrix (ECM) provides an essential platform to quantitatively investigate the biophysical mechanisms leading to tumor invasion of the ECM. To understand the mechanical interplay between tumor spheroids and the ECM, we computationally construct and study a three-dimensional vertex model for a tumor spheroid that is mechanically coupled to a cross-linked network of fibers. In such a vertex model, cells are represented as deformable polyhedrons that share faces. Some fraction of the boundary faces of the tumor spheroid contain linker springs connecting the center of the boundary face to the nearest node in the fiber network. As these linker springs actively contract, the fiber network remodels. By toggling between fluid-like and solid-like spheroids via changing the dimensionless cell shape index, we find that the spheroid rheology affects the remodeling of the fiber network. More precisely, fluid-like spheroids displace the fiber network more on average near the vicinity of the spheroid than solid-like spheroids. We also find more densification of the fiber network near the spheroid for the fluid-like spheroids. These spheroid rheology-dependent effects are the result of cellular motility due to active cellular rearrangements that emerge over time in the fluid-like spheroids to generate spheroid shape fluctuations. These shape fluctuations lead to emergent feedback between the spheroid and the fiber network to further remodel the fiber network with, for example, lower radial alignment of the higher-tensioned fibers given the breaking of spheroidal radial symmetry, which can then further remodel the spheroid. Our results uncover intricate morphological-mechanical interplay between an embedded spheroid and its surrounding fiber network with both spheroid contractile strengthandspheroid shape fluctuations playing important roles in the pre-invasion stages of tumor invasion.
Cell-free DNA analysis for the determination of fetal red blood cell antigen genotype in alloimmunized pregnancies
Authors: Rego Shannon , Balogun Olaide ASHIMI , Emanuel Kirsten , Overcash Rachael , Gonzalez Juan M. , Denomme Gregory A. , Hoskovec Jennifer , King Haley , Wilson Ashley , Wynn Julia , Moise Kenneth J.
Published: March 2024

Objective

The objective of the study is to evaluate the accuracy of NGS based quantitative cfDNA analysis for fetal antigen genotyping in alloimmunized pregnancies undergoing clinical testing in practices across the US as early as ten weeks gestational age. Timely identification of the fetal red blood cell antigen genotype for the antigen to which the pregnant person is alloimmunized is vital for determining risk for hemolytic disease of the fetus or newborn (HDFN) and guiding management. The currently recommended approach to assessing risk for HDFN in the US relies on determining the antigen status of the reproductive partner and/or amniocentesis–an approach with limitations such as low uptake and the potential for nonpaternity, which could be alleviated by the utilization of cfDNA testing to determine fetal antigen status.

Methods

Patients with alloimmunized pregnancies undergoing clinical fetal antigen cfDNA analysis were recruited to the study along with the neonates resulting from the pregnancies via outreach from the laboratory. The laboratory issued the results prospectively as a part of clinical care. After delivery, neonatal buccal swabs were sent to an outside, independent laboratory for antigen genotyping. The outside laboratory was blinded to the fetal cfDNA results, and the results were compared. Concordance was reported for the fetal antigen cfDNA analysis for antigens to which the pregnant person was alloimmunized as well as for all antigens for which the pregnant person was genotype negative.

Results

A total of 156 participants from 120 clinics who received clinically ordered cfDNA fetal antigen testing provided neonatal buccal swabs for genotyping following delivery. Concordance between cfDNA analysis results and neonatal genotype was determined for 465 antigen calls for the following antigens K1 (n=143), E (124), C (60), Fya(50), c (47), and D(RhD) (41). These 465 calls included 145 where the fetus was antigen positive and 320 where the fetus was antigen negative. We observed complete concordance between prenatal fetal antigen cfDNA analysis results and neonatal genotypes for the 465 calls, resulting in 100% sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy across a racially and ethnically diverse cohort.

Conclusion

This study demonstrates that cfDNA analysis for determining fetal antigen genotype is more accurate than real life application of the current recommendations, i.e., partner testing and amniocentesis, in a diverse US population. In addition, this noninvasive approach reduces barriers to obtaining timely and accurate information about fetal antigen genotype. Taken together with previously published evidence, this study supports the implementation of cfDNA testing to manage alloimmunized pregnancies as a clinically useful and cost effective approach.
Simulated resections and RNS placement can optimize post-operative seizure outcomes when guided by fast ripple networks.
Authors: weiss shennan aibel , Sperling Michael R , Engel Jerome , Liu Anli , Fried Itzhak , Wu Chengyuan , Doyle Werner , Mikell Charles , Mofakham Sima , Salamon Noriko , Sim Myung Shin , Bragin Anatol , Staba Richard J
Published: March 2024

In medication-resistant epilepsy, the goal of epilepsy surgery is to make a patient seizure free with a resection/ablation that is as small as possible to minimize morbidity. The standard of care in planning the margins of epilepsy surgery involves electroclinical delineation of the seizure onset zone (SOZ) and incorporation of neuroimaging findings from MRI, PET, SPECT, and MEG modalities. Resecting cortical tissue generating high-frequency oscillations (HFOs) has been investigated as a more efficacious alternative to targeting the SOZ. In this study, we used a support vector machine (SVM), with four distinct fast ripple (FR: 350-600 Hz on oscillations, 200-600 Hz on spikes) metrics as factors. These metrics included the FR resection ratio (RR), a spatial FR network measure, and two temporal FR network measures. The SVM was trained by the value of these four factors with respect to the actual resection boundaries and actual seizure free labels of 18 patients with medically refractory focal epilepsy. Leave one out cross-validation of the trained SVM in this training set had an accuracy of 0.78. We next used a simulated iterative virtual resection targeting the FR sites that were highest rate and showed most temporal autonomy. The trained SVM utilized the four virtual FR metrics to predict virtual seizure freedom. In all but one of the nine patients seizure free after surgery, we found that the virtual resections sufficient for virtual seizure freedom were larger in volume (p<0.05). In nine patients who were not seizure free, a larger virtual resection made five virtually seizure free. We also examined 10 medically refractory focal epilepsy patients implanted with the responsive neurostimulator system (RNS) and virtually targeted the RNS stimulation contacts proximal to sites generating FR at highest rates to determine if the simulated value of the stimulated SOZ and stimulated FR metrics would trend toward those patients with a better seizure outcome. Our results suggest: 1) FR measures can accurately predict whether a resection, defined by the standard of care, will result in seizure freedom; 2) utilizing FR alone for planning an efficacious surgery can be associated with larger resections; 3) when FR metrics predict the standard of care resection will fail, amending the boundaries of the planned resection with certain FR generating sites may improve outcome; and 4) more work is required to determine if targeting RNS stimulation contact proximal to FR generating sites will improve seizure outcome.
Cryo-EM led analysis of open and closed conformations of Chagas vaccine candidate TcPOP and its antibody response characterisation
Authors: Batra Sagar , Olmo Francisco , Ragan Timothy J , Kaplan Merve , Calvaresi Valeria , Frank Asger Meldgaard , Lancey Claudia , Assadipapari Mahya , Ying Cuifeng , Struwe Weston B. , Hesketh Emma , Kelly John M. , Barfod Lea , Campeotto Ivan
Published: March 2024

Chagas disease, caused by the protozoan parasiteTrypanosoma cruzi, remains a significant global public health concern. Despite its profound health impact in both endemic and non-endemic areas, no vaccine is available, and the existing therapies are outdated, producing severe side effects. The 80kDa prolyl oligopeptidase ofTrypanosoma cruzi(TcPOP) has been recently identified as a leading candidate for Chagas vaccine development. We report the first three-dimensional structure of TcPOP in open and closed conformation, at a global resolution of 3.8 and 3.6 Å respectively, determined using single-particle cryo-electron microscopy. Multiple conformations were observed and further characterized using plasmonic optical tweezers and hydrogen-deuterium exchange mass spectrometry. To assess the immunogenic potential of TcPOP, we immunized mice and evaluated both polyclonal and monoclonal responses against the TcPOP antigen and its homologues. The results revealed invasion blocking properties of anti-TcPOP polyclonal response via parasite lysis and its cross-reactivity versus closely-related POPs but not with human homologues. We were also able to produce and characterise three monoclonal antibodies, one of which showed neutralising properties and inhibition of parasite invasion via non-lytic mechanism. Collectively, our findings provide critical structural and functional insights necessary to understand the immunogenicity of TcPOP for future Chagas vaccine development and diagnostic applications.
Circular RNA aptamers ameliorate AD-relevant phenotypes by targeting PKR
Authors: Feng Xin , Jiang Bo-Wen , Zhai Si-Nan , Liu Chu-Xiao , Wu Hao , Zhu Bang-Qi , Wei Meng-Yuan , Wei Jia , Yang Li , Chen Ling-Ling
Published: March 2024

Here, we delineated the remarkably elevated neuroinflammation accompanied by progressive activation of double-stranded RNA (dsRNA)-activated Protein Kinase R (PKR) and PKR-related dsRNA pathways in hippocampus of 5×FAD mice upon Alzheimer’s disease (AD) progression. AAV-delivery of circular RNAs possessing short-imperfect duplex regions (ds-cRNAs) to neurons and microglia effectively dampened excessive PKR activity with little toxicity, accompanying with reduced neuroinflammation and amyloid-beta (Aβ) plaques, resulting in neuroprotection and enhanced capability of spatial learning and memory in AD mouse models. These findings suggest a therapeutic potential of ds-cRNA aptamers as PKR inhibitors in AD therapy.
Enhanced Estimation of Quantum Properties with Common Randomized Measurements
Authors: Vermersch Benoît , Rath Aniket , Sundar Bharathan , Branciard Cyril , Preskill John , Elben Andreas
Published: March 2024

We present a technique for enhancing the estimation of quantum state properties by incorporating approximate prior knowledge about the quantum state. This consists in performing randomized measurements on a quantum processor and comparing the results with those obtained from a classical computer that stores an approximation of the quantum state. We provide unbiased estimators for expectation values of multicopy observables and present performance guarantees in terms of variance bounds that depend on the prior knowledge accuracy. We demonstrate the effectiveness of our approach through experimental and numerical examples detecting mixed-state entanglement, and estimating polynomial approximations of the von Neumann entropy and state fidelities.

Published by the American Physical Society
2024
Analyzing the impact of trust in financial institutions on Palestinian consumer attitudes towards AI-powered online banking: understanding key influencing factors
Authors: Salem Mohammed Z. , Rassouli Aman
Published: March 2024

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to investigate the factors influencing Palestinian consumer attitudes toward artificial intelligence (AI)-powered online banking, focusing on performance expectancy, effort expectancy, social influence and facilitating conditions while considering the moderating role of trust in financial institutions.

Design/methodology/approach

To test the hypotheses, an empirical study with a questionnaire was carried out. The study was completed by 362 Palestinian customers who use online banking services.

Findings

The findings of this paper show that performance expectancy, effort expectancy, social influence and facilitating conditions significantly influence consumer attitudes toward AI-powered online banking. Furthermore, trust in financial institutions as a moderating variable strengthens the impact of performance expectancy, effort expectancy, social influence and facilitating conditions on consumer attitudes toward AI-powered online banking. Therefore, more studies should focus on certain fields and cultural contexts to get a more thorough grasp of the variables influencing adoption and acceptability.

Research limitations/implications

The study's findings may be specific to the Palestinian context, limiting generalizability. The reliance on self-reported data and a cross-sectional design may constrain the establishment of causal relationships and the exploration of dynamic attitudes over time. In addition, external factors and technological advancements not captured in the study could influence Palestinian consumer attitudes toward AI-powered online banking.

Practical implications

Financial institutions can leverage the insights from this research to tailor their strategies for promoting AI-powered online banking, emphasizing factors like perceived security and ease of use. Efforts to build and maintain trust in financial institutions are crucial for fostering positive consumer attitudes toward AI technologies. Policymakers can use these findings to inform regulations and initiatives that support the responsible adoption of AI in the financial sector, ensuring a more widespread and effective implementation of these technologies.

Originality/value

This research delves into Palestinian consumer attitudes toward AI-powered online banking, focusing on trust in financial institutions. It aims to enrich literature by exploring this under-explored area with meticulous examination, robust methodology and insightful analysis. The study embarks on a novel journey into uncharted terrain, seeking to unearth unique insights that enrich the existing literature landscape. Its findings offer valuable insights for academia and practitioners, enhancing understanding of AI adoption in Palestine and guiding strategic decisions for financial institutions operating in the region.
The nexus of project management approaches in sustainable development: innovative behaviors as a mechanism in the Polish financial industry
Authors: Piwowar-Sulej Katarzyna , Iqbal Qaisar
Published: March 2024

Purpose

Based on the social exchange theory, the aim of the present study is to examine the effects, both direct and indirect (through sustainability-oriented innovative behaviors [SIBs]), of sustainable project leadership (SPL) on sustainable project performance (SPP). Project management approaches (PMAs) (traditional, hybrid and agile) were examined as conditional factors in the “SPL–SIBs” relationship.

Design/methodology/approach

The study employs structural equation modeling based on data collected from 197 software engineering project team members working in the financial industry in Poland.

Findings

The study revealed that SPL significantly, positively affected SPP. It also provided evidence for the significant mediating impact of SIBs in the relationship between SPL and SPP and the conditional effect of agile and hybrid PMAs on the “SPL–SIBs” relationship.

Originality/value

The novelty of this work lies in introducing sustainable leadership into project management research, proposing and testing a unique and complex research framework, designing valid scales for measuring SPL and SPP, and suggesting many theoretical and empirical implications.
Web-enhanced unmanned aerial vehicle target search method combining imitation learning and reinforcement learning
Authors: Pang Tao , Xiao Wenwen , Liu Yilin , Wang Tao , Liu Jie , Gao Mingke
Published: March 2024

Purpose

This paper aims to study the agent learning from expert demonstration data while incorporating reinforcement learning (RL), which enables the agent to break through the limitations of expert demonstration data and reduces the dimensionality of the agent’s exploration space to speed up the training convergence rate.

Design/methodology/approach

Firstly, the decay weight function is set in the objective function of the agent’s training to combine both types of methods, and both RL and imitation learning (IL) are considered to guide the agent's behavior when updating the policy. Second, this study designs a coupling utilization method between the demonstration trajectory and the training experience, so that samples from both aspects can be combined during the agent’s learning process, and the utilization rate of the data and the agent’s learning speed can be improved.

Findings

The method is superior to other algorithms in terms of convergence speed and decision stability, avoiding training from scratch for reward values, and breaking through the restrictions brought by demonstration data.

Originality/value

The agent can adapt to dynamic scenes through exploration and trial-and-error mechanisms based on the experience of demonstrating trajectories. The demonstration data set used in IL and the experience samples obtained in the process of RL are coupled and used to improve the data utilization efficiency and the generalization ability of the agent.
Large language models for automated Q&A involving legal documents: a survey on algorithms, frameworks and applications
Authors: Yang Xiaoxian , Wang Zhifeng , Wang Qi , Wei Ke , Zhang Kaiqi , Shi Jiangang
Published: March 2024

Purpose

This study aims to adopt a systematic review approach to examine the existing literature on law and LLMs.It involves analyzing and synthesizing relevant research papers, reports and scholarly articles that discuss the use of LLMs in the legal domain. The review encompasses various aspects, including an analysis of LLMs, legal natural language processing (NLP), model tuning techniques, data processing strategies and frameworks for addressing the challenges associated with legal question-and-answer (Q&A) systems. Additionally, the study explores potential applications and services that can benefit from the integration of LLMs in the field of intelligent justice.

Design/methodology/approach

This paper surveys the state-of-the-art research on law LLMs and their application in the field of intelligent justice. The study aims to identify the challenges associated with developing Q&A systems based on LLMs and explores potential directions for future research and development. The ultimate goal is to contribute to the advancement of intelligent justice by effectively leveraging LLMs.

Findings

To effectively apply a law LLM, systematic research on LLM, legal NLP and model adjustment technology is required.

Originality/value

This study contributes to the field of intelligent justice by providing a comprehensive review of the current state of research on law LLMs.
Building supply chain resilience through industry 4.0 base technologies: role of supply chain visibility and environmental dynamism
Authors: Jain Nikunj Kumar , Chakraborty Kaustov , Choudhary Piyush
Published: March 2024

Purpose

The purpose of this study is to develop a conceptual framework to understand how industry 4.0 technologies can help firms building supply chain resilience (SCR). With the increasing in turbulent business environment and other disruptive events, firms want to build robust and risk resilience supply chains. The study also explores the role of supply chain visibility (SCV) and environmental dynamism (ED) on the relationship between Industry 4.0 and SCR.

Design/methodology/approach

Survey data from 354 firms designated by the Indian Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas, as well as organizations that work with these oil and gas firms was analyzed with structural equation modelling, hierarchical linear regression and necessary conditions analysis.

Findings

The findings reveal that Industry 4.0 base technologies enable firms to develop and exploit SCV to build SCR. Furthermore, Industry 4.0 base technologies substantially correlate with SCV under the differential effect of ED, improving SCR.

Research limitations/implications

The cross-sectional data restrict the generalizability of the findings to other geographies and sectors.

Originality/value

This study can assist managers in making well-informed decisions about the strategic use of technology to increase SCV and foster resilient supply chains.
A system for anomaly detection in reverse logistics: an application into an e-commerce company
Authors: Elia Gianluca , Ghiani Gianpaolo , Manni Emanuele , Margherita Alessandro
Published: March 2024

Purpose

This study aims to present a methodology and a system to support the technical and managerial issues involved in anomaly detection within the reverse logistics process of an e-commerce company.

Design/methodology/approach

A case study approach is used to document the company’s experience, with interviews of key stakeholders and integration of obtained evidence with secondary data.

Findings

The paper presents an algorithm and a system to support a more efficient and smart management of reverse logistics based on a set of anticipatory actions, and continuous and automatic monitoring of returned goods. Improvements are described in terms of a number of key performance indicators.

Research limitations/implications

The analysis and the developed system need further applications and validations in other organizational contexts. However, the research presents a roadmap and a research agenda for the reverse logistics transformation in Industry 4.0, by also providing new insights to design a multidimensional performance dashboard for reverse logistics.

Practical implications

The paper describes a replicable experience and provides checklists for implementing similar initiatives in the domain of reverse logistics, in the aim to increase the company’s performance along four key complementary dimensions, i.e. time savings, accuracy, completeness of data analysis and interpretation and cost efficiency.

Originality/value

The main novelty of the study stays in carrying out a classification of anomalies by type and product category, with related causes, and in proposing operational recommendations, including process monitoring and control indicators that can be included to design a reverse logistics performance dashboard.
Ideological capacities in consumer communities: an exploration of the “presenteers” tribe
Authors: Taştan İrem , Ozdamar Ertekin Zeynep
Published: March 2024

Purpose

This study aims to explore how a postmodern tribe enacts and re-interprets ideologies as a part of consumers’ collective experience, to enhance our understanding of consumer communities in conjunction with ideological capacities.

Design/methodology/approach

The community of “presenteers” is conceptualized as a self-organized tribe with heterogeneous components that generate capacities to act. Netnographic observation was conducted on 18 presenteer accounts and lasted around six months. Real-time data were collected by taking screenshots of the posts and stories that these users created and publicly shared. Data were analysed by adopting assemblage theory, combining inductive and deductive approaches. Firstly, a qualitative visual-textual content analysis of the tribe’s defining components was conducted. Then, the process continued with the thematic analysis of the ideological underpinnings of the tribe’s enactments.

Findings

Findings shed light on the ways in which consumer communities interpret the entanglement of religious, political, and cultural ideologies in shaping their experiences. In the case of the presenteers tribe, findings reflect a novel ideological interplay between neo-Ottomanism, post-feminism and consumerism.

Research limitations/implications

The study offers a deep dive into a unique tribe that is being organized around the consumer-created practice of “presenteering” and investigates consumer communalization in alignment with the ideological turn in culture-oriented interpretative research on consumers, consumption, and markets. This exploration helps to bridge the research on the communalization of consumers with the recent discussions of ideology in the postmodern market.

Originality/value

The study offers a deep dive into a unique tribe that is being organized around the consumer-created practice of “presenteering” and investigates consumer communalization in alignment with the ideological turn in culture-oriented interpretative research on consumers, consumption, and markets. This exploration helps to bridge the research on the communalization of consumers with the recent discussions of ideology in the postmodern market.
Political violence and long‐term tax morale: Evidence from Romania's 1989 anti‐communist revolution
Authors: SURDEA‐HERNEA VLAD
Published: March 2024

Do salient episodes of state violence affect citizens' willingness to pay taxes for different social purposes in the long run? In this article, I answer this question using an original dataset that geolocates individuals who were seriously injured during the anti‐communist Romanian revolution of 1989. Using the number of casualties within different regions as a source of quasi‐exogenous variation, I show that the places from which more casualties come have systematically lower levels of tax morale. I argue that these results arise because there has been no clear break with the authoritarian past in Romania, and many citizens still associate the current political elites with the former communist rulers who perpetrated the violence of December 1989.
Testing the ecological effect of wind and solar energy consumption: A novel regularized common correlated effect approach for top oil‐importing countries
Authors: Pata Ugur Korkut , Kartal Mustafa Tevfik
Published: March 2024

Top oil importer countries produce large amounts of carbon emission and pollute soil and water, threatening sustainable development. Given this issue, this study examines the impact of solar energy consumption, wind energy consumption, and natural resources rent on the environmental conditions of the top five oil‐importing countries (China, the United States, India, Japan, and South Korea) for the period 1997–2021. In this context, the study analyzes the validity of the environmental Kuznets curve and load capacity curve hypotheses for the top five oil‐importing countries using the novel regularized common correlated effects method. The regularized common correlated effect results show that the environmental Kuznets curve and load capacity curve hypotheses are valid and that wind energy consumption supports environmental quality by helping to reduce carbon emissions and increase the load capacity factor. However, solar energy usage and natural resources rent have no impact on ecological quality. Based on these outcomes, the top five oil importers can provide a better environment for their societies by promoting wind energy consumption while taking environmental concerns into account.
Commitment to values: Examining the role of ethical and responsible business practices on short and long‐term value
Authors: Gu Yiwen (Jenny) , Bell Greg , Rasheed Abdul A. , Beldona Sri
Published: March 2024

Firms are under increasing pressure from external forces to do what is right and behave ethically. However, we have only a limited understanding of how ethical and responsible business practices impact the value of the firm, both in the short and the long term. In this study, we examine 196 firms that were recognized as the world's most ethical firms from 20 countries over a 14‐year span. Results show that ethical behavior may have little effect on a firm's profitability in the short term. However, it has a positive effect on a firm's market value, reflecting the market's positive assessment of its long‐term performance. We also find that firms frequently listed among the world's most ethical companies tend to have higher market value than firms listed only once.
The use of splenic embolization in immune thrombocytopenia: A systematic review and meta‐analysis
Authors: Egbaria A. , Touma E. , Cohen‐Abadi M. , Bisharat N.
Published: March 2024

The effectiveness of splenic embolization (SE) in treating refractory immune thrombocytopenia (ITP) remains uncertain. A systematic literature review was undertaken to assess the effectiveness and safety of SE in treating both paediatric and adult patients with ITP. We conducted an extensive search employing predefined criteria. We extracted platelet counts at baseline and at multiple intervals following SE, along with details of the proportion of embolized spleen parenchyma and the proportion of patients exhibiting complete or partial platelet count responses. We identified nine eligible reports for the analysis of effectiveness (228 patients) and 15 reports for the safety analysis (151 patients). Pooled estimates of complete response (platelet count >100 × 109/L) and overall response (platelet count >30 × 109/L) were 50.1% (95% CI: 38–62.3) and 74.4% (95% CI: 64.9–83.9) respectively. Most studies applied an embolization of at least 60% of the spleen parenchyma. Nearly all the patients suffered from mild adverse events (AEs), 1.3% suffered from serious AEs and one patient died (0.7%). In conclusion, SE resulted in an overall response rate in 74.4% of patients with ITP. However, this finding derives from uncontrolled studies of low to moderate quality.
Effect of the opioid crisis on the liver transplantation donor pool: A national analysis
Authors: Endo Yutaka , Sasaki Kazunari , Munir Muhammad Musaab , Woldesenbet Selamawit , Tsilimigras Diamantis I. , Katayama Erryk , Yang Jason , Limkemann Ashley , Schenk Austin , Washburn Kenneth , Pawlik Timothy M.
Published: March 2024

Background

Over the last decade there has been a surge in overdose deaths due to the opioid crisis. We sought to characterize the temporal change in overdose donor (OD) use in liver transplantation (LT), as well as associated post‐LT outcomes, relative to the COVID‐19 era.

Methods

LT candidates and donors listed between January 2016 and September 2022 were identified from the Scientific Registry of Transplant Recipients database. Trends in LT donors and changes related to OD were assessed pre‐ versus post‐COVID‐19 (February 2020).

Results

Between 2016 and 2022, most counties in the United States experienced an increase in overdose‐related deaths (n = 1284, 92.3%) with many counties (n = 458, 32.9%) having more than a doubling in drug overdose deaths. Concurrently, there was an 11.2% increase in overall donors, including a 41.7% increase in the number of donors who died from drug overdose. In pre‐COVID‐19 overdose was the 4th top mechanism of donor death, while in the post‐COVID‐19 era, overdose was the 2nd most common cause of donor death. OD was younger (OD: 35 yrs, IQR 29–43 vs. non‐OD: 43 yrs, IQR 31–56), had lower body mass index (≥35 kg/cm2, OD: 31.2% vs. non‐OD: 33.5%), and was more likely to be HCV+ (OD: 28.9% vs. non‐OD: 5.4%) with lower total bilirubin (≥1.1 mg/dL, OD: 12.9% vs. non‐OD: 20.1%) (all p < .001). Receipt of an OD was not associated with worse graft survival (HR .94, 95% CI .88–1.01, p = .09).

Conclusions

Opioid deaths markedly increased following the COVID‐19 pandemic, substantially altering the LT donor pool in the United States.