bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The role of servicescape and social interaction toward customer service experience in coffee stores. The case of Vietnam
Authors: Tran Quynh Xuan , Dang My Van , Tournois Nadine
Published: May 2020

Purpose

This study aims to investigate the effects of servicescape on customer satisfaction and loyalty – centered on social interaction and service experience in the café setting.

Design/methodology/approach

Data for this study were collected from approximately 1,800 customers at 185 coffee stores located in the three largest cities in Vietnam through the self-administered questionnaires.

Findings

The research findings pointed out the significant impacts of café servicescape on social interaction quality, including customer-to-employee interaction (CEI) and customer-to-customer interaction (CCI). Social interactions and servicescape were shown to remarkably influence customer experience quality, customer satisfaction and loyalty. Moreover, the study confirmed the interrelation between service experience, satisfaction and loyalty in the café setting.

Practical implications

This study provides marketers and service managers a deeper understanding of improving customer satisfaction and loyalty through the control of servicescape attributes and social interactions in café contexts.

Originality/value

This research explores the significant impacts of café servicescape on social interaction quality (CEI and CCI). Additionally, it provides insights within the role of social interactions to customer’s affective and behavioral responses in service settings, especially the CCI quality.
A systematic literature review of lean six sigma adoption in European organizations
Authors: Panayiotou Nikolaos A. , Stergiou Konstantinos E.
Published: May 2020

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to review of the literature about lean six sigma (LSS) implementation in European organizations written by academics or practitioners from European institutions to extract useful conclusions about LSS adoption in European companies and to suggest direction for future research concerning the broader LSS application in them.

Design/methodology/approach

This study has been conducted by reviewing 58 papers, found in top journals, coming from European institutions that present studies of European companies and fulfill the selected inclusion criteria.

Findings

The analysis of the literature revealed the level of penetration of the LSS methodology in organizations of each European country. The study of the papers revealed the sectors and the size of companies that are more active in LSS application, the method used in each project, the tools which are deployed and the interconnection between LSS and other topics through the project implementation.

Research limitations/implications

The limited access provided by the authors’ institution only to three major publishers (Emerald, Elsevier, Taylor and Francis) and the focus of the search only in European organizations were the main limitations of this review.

Practical implications

This paper provides both academics and practitioners with valuable insights about LSS implementation in European organizations, presenting a complete analysis framework of the literature and highlighting gaps for further research.

Originality/value

An extended and detailed analysis of LSS adoption in Europe has not been conducted before. This review presents a clear view about how LSS projects in European organization have been applied so far and suggests ways of how the literature could be enriched to facilitate the LSS implementation.
A cross-sectional survey interconnecting health information seeking behavior with clinical data of type 2 diabetes mellitus patients
Authors: Kostagiolas Petros , Tsiligros Panagiotis , Theodorou Panagiotis , Tentolouris Nikolaos , Niakas Dimitrios
Published: May 2020

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is the investigation of type 2 diabetes patients' information seeking behavior in terms of their information needs, sources and barriers faced by patients when seeking information. The information seeking behavior is associated with clinical patient data.

Design/methodology/approach

The relevant literature is reviewed, and the results of a cross-sectional survey informed by Wilson's macro-model of information seeking behavior are reported. The survey includes 106 outpatients from the diabetes clinic of a Greek major university hospital and includes information seeking behaviors and patient's clinical evidence.

Findings

The most important health information needs are related to the complications, symptoms and causes of diabetes, to the proper diet for diabetics and the measures adopted to avoid foot complications. Furthermore, the most important information resources were physicians, ophthalmologists, books, broadcast media and family members. Obstacles encountered during information seeking include the complicated nature of health information, which involves scientific terms as well as psychological issues. The diabetes stage is correlated with information needs for diabetes medication, while the years from the first diagnosis are negatively correlated with the use of informal sources.

Research limitations/implications

The information needs and sources of diabetic patients, as well as the main obstacles to this pursuit, could potentially have important implications in designing a future information campaign and information services for diabetes patients.

Originality/value

The Wilson's macro-model of information seeking has been applied to the diabetic patients' information seeking behavior; while information needs, information sources and information obstacles are correlated with clinical evidence from patients’ hospital records.
Prediction of solid waste generation and finding the sustainable pathways in the city of Dhaka
Authors: Ahmmed Md. Sazol , Arif Md. Faisal , Hossain Md. Mosharraf
Published: May 2020

Purpose

Solid waste (SW) is the result of rapid urbanization and industrialization, and is increasing day by day by the increasing number of population. This thesis paper emphasizes on the prediction of SW generation in the city of Dhaka and finding sustainable pathways for minimizing the gaps in the existing system.

Design/methodology/approach

In this paper, the survey of different questionnaires of the Dhaka South City Corporation (DSCC) was conducted. The data of SW generation, for few years of each month, in the city of Dhaka were collected to develop a model named Artificial Neural Network (ANN). The ANN model was used for the accurate prediction of SW generation.

Findings

At first, by using the ANN model with the one hidden layer and changing the number of neurons of the layer different models were created and tested. Finally, according to R values (training, test, all) the structure with six neurons in the hidden layer was selected as the suitable model. Finally, six gaps were found in the existing system of solid waste management (SWM) in the DSCC. These gaps are the main barrier for the better SWM.

Originality/value

The authors propose that the best model for prediction is 12-6-3, and its training and testing results are given as 0.9972 and 0.80380, respectively. So the resulting prediction is so much close in comparison with actual data. In this paper, the opportunities of those gaps are provided for working properly and the DSCC will find the better result in the aspect of SW problem.
American attitude towards Iran and its reflection on Iran policy towards the Arab region
Authors: Khalaf Athbi Zaid
Published: May 2020

Purpose

The purpose of this study is to cover the change that happened in the American foreign policy toward Iran by changing the American leadership from Obama to Trump. In addition to its coverage for the Iranian foreign policy toward the Arab region during the presidency period of Obama in the USA and also during the presidency period of Trump, to discover whether a change has happened in the Iranian foreign policy toward the Arab region is a result of the change in the American foreign policy or not. This can be discovered by concentrating on Yemen, Syria and Iraq, taking into consideration the Iranian and American national interests in the Arab region, as well as the regional role of Iran and its intervention in the Arab region.

Design/methodology/approach

This study was based on the analytical method of the foreign policy that is based on analyzing facts and events, as well as analyzing the roles and interests within the framework of the states’ foreign policy. This method was used in the study for the purpose of analyzing the impact of the change in the American leadership from Obama to Trump on the US foreign policy toward Iran in the light of the American interest; in addition to the Iranian foreign policy toward the Arab region (Yemen, Syria and Iraq) in the presidency period of both Obama and Trump in light of the regional role of Iran and its passion to achieve its national interest.

Findings

The study concluded that the change in the American foreign policy toward Iran is a result of the change of the American leadership from Obama to Trump by the American interest requirements in accordance to the respective of both of them. The change in the American policy led to a change in the trends of the Iranian foreign policy toward the Arab region in the term of the regional Iranian role. Under the American and Iranian convergence in the period of Obama, the Iranian role in the Arab region was limited to what could achieve its national interest and what did not threaten the American interest, especially after Iran had guaranteed that the USA is by its side. In the framework of the American and Iranian confrontation under Trump’s current presidency, the Iranian role has expanded in the Arab region, where Iran has intensified its intervention in Yemen, Syria and Iraq politically and militarily. Iran became more threatening to the American interest, as it became a means of pressure to the USA under Trump’s ruling in the purpose of changing its position toward it.

Originality/value

The importance of the study stems from the fact that it is seeking to analyze the change of the American foreign policy toward Iran within the period of two different presidential years of Obama and Trump, whereas, their trends were different in dealing with Iran between rapprochement and hostility toward it, on the basis of the American interest. In addition to testing whether this change in the American foreign policy toward Iran has been accompanied by a change in the Iranian foreign policy toward the Arab region.
Impact of knowledge sharing on job satisfaction and innovative work behavior: the moderating role of motivating language
Authors: Usmanova Nargiza , Yang Jianhua , Sumarliah Eli , Khan Safeer Ullah , Khan Sher Zaman
Published: May 2020

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to understand the influence of knowledge-sharing behavior (KSB) on the innovative work behavior (IWB) and job satisfaction (JS) among employees considering the moderating role of motivating language (ML) of supervisors.

Design/methodology/approach

The hypothesized relationships were examined applying modeling of structural equation and hierarchical multiple regression analysis. The data was collected from Chinese multinational companies in Kazakhstan with final sample of 322 respondents.

Findings

The findings suggest that the link between KSB and JS is significantly positive with the moderating impact of ML, while KSB itself has significantly negative effect on JS. Moreover, ML buffers the insignificant effect of KSB on IWB.

Originality/value

Research is atypical, as it has focus on the moderating roles of ML in the direct relationship of employee KSB and JS, and in the direct linkage of employee KSB and IWB in Chinese multinational organization in the network field.
Pharmaceuticals and Medical Device Agency approval summary: Amenamevir for the treatment of herpes zoster
Authors: Shoji Naoko , Tanese Keiji , Sasaki Ayano , Horiuchi Taishi , Utsuno Yuji , Fukuda Koichi , Hoshino Yukiko , Noda Shinichi , Minami Hirofumi , Asakura Wataru ,   Amenamevir Review Team
Published: May 2020

In July 2017, Japan’s Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare issued a marketing authorization valid throughout Japan for N‐(2,6‐dimethylphenyl)‐N‐(2‐{[4‐(1,2,4‐oxadiazol‐3‐yl)phenyl]amino}‐2‐oxoethyl)‐1,1‐dioxothiane‐4‐carboxamide (amenamevir) for the first time worldwide. The decision was based on the favorable opinion of the Pharmaceuticals and Medical Device Agency (PMDA) recommending a marketing authorization of amenamevir for treatment of herpes zoster (HZ). Amenamevir has a different action mechanism from previously approved synthetic nucleoside compounds for the treatment of HZ including acyclovir, valacyclovir and famciclovir. The usual adult dose is 400 mg amenamevir p.o. once daily for 7 days. The benefit is its ability to cure HZ as well as preventing postherpetic neuralgia. The most common side‐effects are increase of urine N‐acetyl‐β‐D‐glucosaminidase and α1‐microglobulin levels. However, based on the detailed evaluation of the submitted clinical studies, there seems to be no serious safety concerns about amenamevir regarding the kidney of both renally normal and impaired patients. The objective of this article is to summarize the scientific review of the application. The detailed scientific assessment report and product information, including the summary of product characteristics, are available on the PMDA website (www.pmda.go.jp/PmdaSearch/iyakuSearch/).
Prevalence and clinical characteristics of earlobe crease in systemic sclerosis: Possible association with vascular dysfunction
Authors: Sekiguchi Akiko , Inoue Yuta , Yamazaki Sahori , Uchiyama Akihiko , Ishikawa Osamu , Kuribayashi Shiko , Uraoka Toshio , Hara Kenichiro , Yamaguchi Kouichi , Maeno Toshitaka , Uchida Mitsuo , Koyama Hiroshi , Motegi Sei‐Ichiro
Published: May 2020

Patients with systemic sclerosis (SSc) develop various vasculopathy‐induced vascular disorders such as Raynaud’s phenomenon, abnormal nail‐fold capillaries, persistent digital ischemia, digital ulcers (DU), and sometimes develop renal crisis and pulmonary artery hypertension (PAH), affecting prognosis. Earlobe crease (ELC), also known as Frank’s sign, is a wrinkle extending from the tragus to the outer border of the earlobe and is generally recognized as the sign of cardiovascular events. However, no previous study analyzed the association between ELC and SSc. In this study, we examined the prevalence and clinical characteristics of ELC in SSc patients. We analyzed 145 Japanese SSc patients and found that the prevalence of ELC in SSc patients was 23.4% (43/145), similar to that previously reported in the general population without SSc. Using univariate analysis, we found that SSc patients with ELC were characterized by old age, high incidence of DU, ILD and PAH, and high complication of coronary artery diseases (CAD) compared with SSc patients without ELC. In multivariate analysis, ELC was significantly associated with old age and incidence of DU. PAH tended to correlate with ELC without statistical significance. These results suggest that ELC may be associated with vascular disorders in SSc patients. This is the first report concerning the prevalence and clinical characteristics of ELC in patients with SSc. ELC is very easy to detect in clinical practice and helps physicians to identify SSc patients at risk of developing vascular disorders such as DU and PAH.
Elite‐public interaction on twitter: EU issue expansion in the campaign
Authors: FAZEKAS ZOLTÁN , POPA SEBASTIAN ADRIAN , SCHMITT HERMANN , BARBERÁ PABLO , THEOCHARIS YANNIS
Published: May 2020

Why do some issues receive more interest from the public, while others do not? This paper develops a theoretical and empirical approach that explains the degree to which issues expand from the elite to the public. We examine how candidates in the 2014 European Parliament elections talked about EU issues, in comparison to other political issues. We rely on data collected from Twitter and use a combination of human coding and machine learning to analyse what facilitates interactions from the public. We find that most political actors did not try to engage with the public about EU issues, and lack of engagement results in less interactions from the general public. Our findings contribute to understanding why EU issues still play a secondary role in European politics, but at the same time highlight what low‐cost communicational tools might be useful to overcome this expansion deficit.
Whistleblowing Allegations, Audit Fees, and Internal Control Deficiencies*
Authors: Kuang Yu Flora , Lee Gladys , Qin Bo
Published: May 2020

We investigate whether audit fees and auditors' opinions on internal controls are associated with whistleblowing allegations externally filed to regulatory agencies. We find that firms subject to whistleblowing allegations have significantly higher audit fees, regardless of the substance of these allegations, whereas an auditor is more likely to issue an adverse opinion on internal controls when the allegation is substantiated, rather than frivolous. Further, our findings suggest that auditors are involved in the auditing of whistleblowing when the allegation is still in an internal stage. We also show that firms subject to external whistleblowing allegations have a lower likelihood of restating financial statements prepared in the allegation year when greater audit effort is made in that year. Our study is among the first to demonstrate the role of auditors in the context of whistleblowing.
Clinicopathological characteristics and prognosis of amelanotic acral melanoma: A comparative study with pigmented acral melanoma
Authors: Gong Hui‐Zi , Zheng He‐Yi , Li Jun
Published: May 2020

We compared the clinicopathological features and prognosis between 16 amelanotic acral melanomas versus 56 pigmented acral melanomas. Amelanotic acral melanomas showed a thicker Breslow thickness (all had a Breslow thickness > 1 mm), more frequent ulceration (15/16, 93.7%) and lower HMB‐45 positive rate than pigmented acral melanomas. However, a significant difference in survival was not observed.
Use of fertility services in Australian lesbian, bisexual and queer women’s pathways to parenthood
Authors: Power Jennifer , Dempsey Deborah , Kelly Fiona , Lau Melanie
Published: May 2020

Background

It is estimated that up to one in three lesbian, bisexual or queer (LBQ) women in Australia have children. In the past decade, it has become common for LBQ women to pursue pregnancy using clinic‐acquired donor sperm.

Aims

The aims of this paper are to explore pathways to parenthood among Australian LBQ women in the context of increased access to fertility clinics and identify the type of clinical fertility services being used.

Materials and method

This paper reports on female LBQ parents and expectant/prospective parents who participated in a 2016/2017 online survey of Australian lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer (LGBTQ) adults exploring reproductive choices, pathways to parenthood, conception method and use of clinical fertility services.

Results

More than half the children reported on by current parents (52%) had been conceived using clinical fertility services. When asked what factors influenced a parent respondent’s decision to use fertility services: 80% indicated access to donor sperm, 41% indicated fertility problems. Of respondents who had accessed donor sperm, over half (57%) had used in vitro fertilisation (IVF) services.

Conclusions

These findings indicate that use of fertility clinics to access donor sperm is common for LBQ women, including those with no known fertility problems, and that most women who access donor sperm conceive using IVF rather than intrauterine insemination. More needs to be known about the context and reasons for this, including factors that influence LBQ women’s decision making on their pathway to parenthood.
Quality audit of the guidelines for the use of RhD immunoglobulin in obstetrics: Are we getting it right?
Authors: Glazebrook Bridget , Akers Christine , Bielby Linley , Bastin Kaylene , Von Wielligh Kobie , Daly James
Published: May 2020

Background

Administration of RhD immunoglobulin (Ig) is important for RhD negative women throughout pregnancy and postnatally to prevent alloimmunisation and haemolytic disease of the fetus and newborn in subsequent pregnancies.

Aims

The aim of this audit was to understand compliance with the Australian guidelines on RhD Ig prophylaxis in pregnancy.

Materials and Methods

This was a retrospective audit of RhD negative pregnant women in Victoria, Northern Territory, Australian Capital Territory and Tasmania at maternity services of level 2 or higher care, between July 2017 and June 2018. Medical records were reviewed to identify how many RhD negative women received care compliant with the guidelines covering antibody testing, consent, administration of RhD Ig, and feto‐maternal haemorrhage (FMH) quantification.

Results and Conclusions

Analysis included 939 RhD negative women from 43 health services. Compliance with postnatal RhD Ig was high (98%); however, other practice was poor. Documented consent was obtained and recorded for 585 women (62%). Only 76% of eligible women received RhD Ig at the appropriate dose and time (28 and 34 weeks gestation). Similarly, management of potentially sensitising events was suboptimal with 78% receiving RhD Ig when recommended by guidelines. The results of our audit indicate a need for practice improvement across all aspects of care for women who need to receive RhD Ig. A major focus should be not just educating clinical staff, but also educating women to understand the importance of RhD Ig and the potential impact on subsequent pregnancies in order to improve guideline adherence and reduce risk.
Real‐life assessment of chronic rhinosinusitis patients using mobile technology: The mySinusitisCoach project by EUFOREA
Authors: Seys Sven F. , De Bont Shana , Fokkens Wytske J. , Bachert Claus , Alobid Isam , Bernal‐Sprekelsen Manuel , Bjermer Leif , Callebaut Ina , Cardell Lars‐Olaf , Carrie Sean , Castelnuovo Paolo , Cathcart Russell , Constantinidis Jannis , Cools Leen , Cornet Marjolein , Clement Gregory , Cox Tony , Delsupehe Lieve , Correia‐de‐Sousa Jaime , Deneyer Lauren , De Vos Geert , Diamant Zuzana , Doulaptsi Maria , Gane Simon , Gevaert Philippe , Hopkins Claire , Hox Valérie , Hummel Thomas , Hosemann Werner , Jacobs Raf , Jorissen Mark , Kjeldsen Anette , Landis Basile N. , Lemmens Winde , Leunig Andreas , Lund Valerie , Mariën Gert , Mullol Joaquim , Onerci Metin , Palkonen Susanna , Proano Isabel , Prokopakis Emmanuel , Ryan Dermot , Riechelmann Herbert , Sahlstrand‐Johnson Pernilla , Salmi‐Toppila Sanna , Segboer Christine , Speleman Kato , Steinsvik Andreas , Surda Pavol , Tomazic Peter‐Valentin , Vanderveken Olivier , Van Gerven Laura , Van Zele Thibaut , Verfaillie Jan , Verhaeghe Benedicte , Vierstraete Kathie , Vlaminck Stephan , Wagenmann Martin , Pugin Benoit , Hellings Peter W.
Published: May 2020

Background

Chronic rhinosinusitis (CRS) is a chronic inflammatory disease associated with a substantial personal and socioeconomic burden. Monitoring of patient‐reported outcomes by mobile technology offers the possibility to better understand real‐life burden of CRS.

Methods

This study reports on the cross‐sectional evaluation of data of 626 users of mySinusitisCoach (mSC), a mobile application for CRS patients. Patient characteristics of mSC users were analysed as well as the level of disease control based on VAS global rhinosinusitis symptom score and adapted EPOS criteria.

Results

The mSC cohort represents a heterogeneous group of CRS patients with a diverse pattern of major symptoms. Approximately half of patients reported nasal polyps. 47.3% of all CRS patients were uncontrolled based on evaluation of VAS global rhinosinusitis symptom score compared to 40.9% based on adapted EPOS criteria. The impact of CRS on sleep quality and daily life activities was significantly higher in uncontrolled versus well‐controlled patients. Half of patients had a history of FESS (functional endoscopic sinus surgery) and reported lower symptom severity compared to patients without a history of FESS, except for patients with a history of more than 3 procedures. Patients with a history of FESS reported higher VAS levels for impaired smell.

Conclusion

Real‐life data confirm the high disease burden in uncontrolled CRS patients, clearly impacting quality of life. Sinus surgery improves patient‐reported outcomes, but not in patients with a history of more than 3 procedures. Mobile technology opens a new era of real‐life monitoring, supporting the evolution of care towards precision medicine.
Emptiness
Authors: DZENOVSKA DACE
Published: May 2020

In Latvian towns and villages, post‐Soviet capitalism has produced a palpable change that locals describe as “emptiness.” People point to empty houses and apartments, and they list friends and relatives who have left. They fear school closures and the cancellation of transportation routes. They imagine the future as an entirely different world, one in which they will play no part. As a social formation, emptiness consists of (1) an observable reality wherein places rapidly lose their constitutive elements (people, infrastructure, services, social networks, and the future); (2) a way of life that emerges in response to such changes, which seem irreversible; and (3) an emic interpretive framework for making sense of the new reality. Emptiness in Latvia is symptomatic of post–Cold War spatiotemporal arrangements of power wherein capital and the state increasingly abandon people and places. [emptiness,capitalism,the future,postsocialism,Latvia,eastern Europe]
Rebirth
Authors: Kilimo Miriam Jerotich
Published: May 2020

This piece is a mediation on how kinship bonds transcend death. The main character is a dead woman who periodically appears to her daughter over the course of the latter’s life. I developed this piece by drawing on the religious beliefs of my ethnic group, the Marakwet of Kenya. I show how Marakwet beliefs about death have been shaped by the adoption of Christianity, the result of missionization during British colonial rule in the country. Hence, the characters in the story straddle these two worlds, which not only shapes how they view death but also their everyday lives. A key theme of the story is the desire to have children, and I show how religious ideologies shape the understanding of the ability to have children and the loss of children.
Customer‐Initiated Support and Employees’ Proactive Customer Service Performance: A Multilevel Examination of Proactive Motivation as the Mediator
Authors: Zhang Hui , Zhou Zhiqing E. , Ma Hongyu , Tang Hanying
Published: May 2020

Drawing on the proactive motivation model and theories of motivation, the current study examined customer‐initiated support as an antecedent of employees’ proactive customer service performance (PCSP) and investigated the mediating role of proactive motivations and the moderating role of serving culture. We conducted two multilevel studies to test the proposed hypotheses. In study 1, we collected diary data from 158 nurses across 10 working days, and results showed that the relationship between nurses’ daily experience of customer‐initiated support and their PCSP was mediated by self‐efficacy, work meaning, and positive affect. In study 2, we collected multilevel multi‐source data from 373 nurses nested within 80 units and found that nurses’ experience of customer‐initiated support was positively related to their supervisor‐rated PCSP via role‐breadth self‐efficacy and work meaning, but not through positive affect. Further, team‐level serving culture strengthened the positive relationship between customer‐initiated support and role‐breadth self‐efficacy. These findings shed light on understanding the effect of customer‐initiated support as an external factor on prompting service employees’ proactive behaviors, potential motivational mediators to explain the underlying mechanisms, and potential boundary conditions inside of service organizations to strengthen the positive effects of customer‐initiated support.
Letter: thromboembolic and cardiovascular events with tofacitinib in ulcerative colitis—two cases in real world clinical practice
Authors: Kotze Paulo G. , Teixeira Fabio V. , Damião Aderson O. M. C.
Published: May 2020

LINKED CONTENT

This article is linked to Sandborn et al papers. To view these articles, visit https://doi.org/10.1111/apt.15514 and https://doi.org/10.1111/apt.15735.
Editorial: can urine‐based metabolomics improve diagnosis of advanced fibrosis in NAFLD?
Authors: Hagström Hannes
Published: May 2020

LINKED CONTENT

This article is linked to Moolla et al and Moolla and Tomlinson papers. To view these articles, visit https://doi.org/10.1111/apt.15710 and https://doi.org/10.1111/apt.15756.
Letter: mesalazine—a safe drug with rare serious adverse events? Authors’ reply
Authors: Sehgal Priya , Narula Neeraj
Published: May 2020

LINKED CONTENT

This article is linked to Sehgal et al and Scrivo et al papers. To view these articles, visit https://doi.org/10.1111/apt.14688 and https://doi.org/10.1111/apt.15691.
Editorial: management of exocrine pancreatic insufficiency remains a challenge—can we do better?
Authors: Kharbat Mohammad , Craig Philip I.
Published: May 2020

LINKED CONTENT

This article is linked to Forsmark et al paper. To view this article, visit https://doi.org/10.1111/apt.15698
Evidence for the impact of interventions and medicines reconciliation on problematic polypharmacy in the UK: A rapid review of systematic reviews
Authors: Martyn‐St James Marrissa , Faria Rita , Wong Ruth , Scope Alison
Published: May 2020

This was a rapid review of systematic reviews (SRs) on problematic polypharmacy (PP) in the UK. The commissioner‐defined topics were burden of PP, interventions to reduce PP, implementation activities to increase uptake of interventions, and efficient handover between primary and secondary care to reduce PP.

Databases including Medline were searched to June 2019, SR quality was assessed using AMSTAR‐2 (A MeaSurement Tool to Assess systematic Reviews) and a narrative synthesis was undertaken.

Except for burden of PP (SRs had to include UK studies), there were no restrictions on country, location of care or outcomes.

Nine SRs were included. On burden, three SRs (including six UK studies) found a high prevalence of polypharmacy in long term care. PP was associated with mortality, although unclear if causal, with no information on costs or health consequences. On interventions, six reviews (27 UK studies) found that interventions can reduce PP, but no effects on health outcomes. On handover between primary and secondary care, one review (two UK studies) found medicine reconciliation activities to reduce medication discrepancies at care transitions reduce PP, although the evidence is low quality. No SRs on implementation activities to increase uptake of interventions were found.

SR quality was variable, with some concerns regarding meta‐analysis methods.

Evidence of the extent of PP in the UK, and what interventions to address it are effective in the UK, is limited. Future UK research is needed on the prevalence and consequences of PP, the effectiveness and cost‐effectiveness of interventions to reduce PP, and barriers and activities to ensure uptake.
Supplementation of l‐arginine boosts the therapeutic efficacy of anticancer chemoimmunotherapy
Authors: Satoh Yusuke , Kotani Hitoshi , Iida Yuichi , Taniura Takahito , Notsu Yoshitomo , Harada Mamoru
Published: May 2020

Myeloid‐derived suppressor cells (MDSCs) play a crucial role in immunosuppression in tumor‐bearing hosts. MDSCs express arginase‐I and indoleamine 2,3‐dioxygenase; they suppress T‐cell function by reducing the levels of l‐arginine and l‐tryptophan, respectively. We examined the anticancer effects of supplementation of these amino acids in CT26 colon carcinoma‐bearing mice. Oral supplementation of l‐arginine or l‐tryptophan (30 mg/mouse) did not affect tumor growth, whereas oral supplementation of d‐arginine was lethal. Supplementation of l‐arginine showed a tendency to augment the efficacy of cyclophosphamide (CP). CP reduced the proportions of granulocytic MDSCs and increased the proportions of monocytic MDSCs in the spleen and tumor tissues of CT26‐bearing mice. l‐Arginine supplementation alone did not affect the MDSC subsets. CP treatment tended to reduce the plasma levels of l‐arginine in CT26‐bearing mice and significantly increased the number of tumor‐infiltrating CD8+ T cells. In addition, l‐arginine supplementation significantly increased the proportions of tumor peptide‐specific CD8+ T cells in draining lymph nodes. Importantly, additional supplementation of l‐arginine significantly increased the number of cured mice that were treated with CP and anti‐PD‐1 antibody. Totally, l‐arginine supplementation shows promise for boosting the therapeutic efficacy of chemoimmunotherapy.
Preserving Shadow Silhouettes in Illumination‐Driven Mesh Reduction
Authors: Bethe F. , Jendersie J. , Grosch T.
Published: May 2020

A main challenge for today's renderers is the ever‐growing size of 3D scenes, exceeding the capacity of typically available main memory. This especially holds true for graphics processing units (GPUs) which could otherwise be used to greatly reduce rendering time. A lot of the memory is spent on detailed geometry with mostly imperceptible influence on the final image, even in a global illumination context. Illumination‐driven mesh reduction, a Monte Carlo–based global illumination simulation, steers its mesh reduction towards areas with low visible contribution. While this works well for preserving high‐energy light paths such as caustics, it does have problems: First, objects casting shadows while not being visible themselves are not preserved, resulting in highly inaccurate shadows. Secondly, non‐transparent objects lack proper reduction guidance since there is no importance gradient on their backside, resulting in visible over‐simplification. We present a solution to these problems by extending illumination‐driven mesh reduction with occluder information, focusing on their silhouettes as well as combining it with commonly used error quadrics to preserve geometric features. Additionally, we demonstrate that the combined algorithm still supports iterative refinement of initially reduced geometry, resulting in an image visually similar to an unreduced rendering and enabling out‐of‐core operation.
Bariatric surgery in patients with psychiatric comorbidity: Significant weight loss and improvement of physical quality of life
Authors: Vermeer Karlijn J. , Monpellier Valerie M. , Cahn Wiepke , Janssen Ignace M. C.
Published: May 2020

Background

Patients that have psychiatric comorbidity are thought to lose less weight than the general bariatric population and are therefore sometimes denied surgery. However, there is no scientific evidence for this assumption. The aim of this study is to evaluate the weight loss and health‐related quality of life (HRQoL) in patients with psychiatric disorders who undergo bariatric surgery and compare these patients with a general bariatric population.

Method

Patients who underwent bariatric surgery in 2015 were included. Patients who received individual counselling and had a current DSM IV axis 1 or 2 diagnosis were included in the psychiatric group (n = 163), all other patients in the generic group (n = 2362).Weight and HRQoL were assessed before and 12‐, 24‐, 36‐ and 48‐months after surgery. Data was analysed using regression analyses.

Results

The maximum total weight loss (TWL) was 27.4% in the psychiatric group vs 31.0% in the generic group. Difference in %TWL between the psychiatric and generic group was significant from baseline to all follow‐up moments (P < .001).

Improvement of PHS was significantly higher in the generic group from baseline to 12‐month (P = .002), 24‐month (P = .0018), 36‐month (P = .025) and 48‐monthfollow‐up (P = .003). Change in mental HRQoL was only different comparing baseline to 48‐monthfollow‐up (P = .014).

Conclusion

Although weight loss and change in physical HRQoL was lower in patients with pre‐operative psychiatric disorders, results of this group were still excellent. Thus, patients with psychiatric diagnoses benefit greatly from bariatric surgery and these patients should not be denied weight loss surgery.
Use of dental practices for the identification of adults with undiagnosed type 2 diabetes mellitus or non‐diabetic hyperglycaemia: a systematic review
Authors: Yonel Z. , Cerullo E. , Kröger A. T. , Gray L. J.
Published: May 2020

Aim

Type 2 diabetes is a growing global challenge. Evidence exists demonstrating the use of primary care (non‐hospital based) dental practices to identify, through risk assessments, those who may be at increased risk of type 2 diabetes or who may already unknowingly have the condition. This review aimed to synthesize evidence associated with the use of primary care dental services for the identification of undiagnosed non‐diabetic hyperglycaemia or type 2 diabetes in adults, with particular focus on the pick‐up rate of new cases.

Method

Electronic databases were searched for studies reporting the identification of non‐diabetic hyperglycaemia/type 2 diabetes in primary care dental settings. Returned articles were screened and two independent reviewers completed the data‐extraction process. A descriptive synthesis of the included articles was undertaken due to the heterogeneity of the literature returned.

Results

Nine studies were identified, the majority of which utilized a two‐stage risk‐assessment process with risk score followed by a point‐of‐care capillary blood test. The main barriers cited were cost, lack of adequate insurance cover and people having previously been tested elsewhere. The pick‐up rate of new cases of type 2 diabetes and non‐diabetic hyperglycaemia varied greatly between studies, ranging from 1.7% to 24% for type 2 diabetes and from 23% to 45% for non‐diabetic hyperglycaemia, where reported.

Conclusion

This review demonstrates that although it appears there may be benefit in using the dental workforce to identify undiagnosed cases of non‐diabetic hyperglycaemia and type 2 diabetes, further high‐quality research in the field is required assessing both the clinical and cost effectiveness of such practice. (Prospero Registration ID: PROSPERO 2018 CRD42018098750).
Eustachian valve, interatrial shunt, and paradoxical embolism
Authors: Cai Qiangjun , Ahmad Masood
Published: May 2020

Randomized clinical trials demonstrate that percutaneous closure of the patent oval foramen is a safe and effective treatment for secondary prevention of cryptogenic stroke in selected patients. The Eustachian valve is generally considered an incidental finding without any significant pathophysiological consequences in adults. However, a persistent Eustachian valve, particularly a prominent one, is significantly more prevalent in patients with patent oval foramen and cryptogenic stroke, and is associated with adverse outcomes following percutaneous closure. Therefore, the Eustachian valve may not be an incidental finding or an innocent bystander. By directing the blood flow from the inferior caval vein to the interatrial septum, the persistence of a Eustachian valve may prevent spontaneous closure of the oval foramen, and predispose to paradoxical embolism during adulthood. The Eustachian valve should be considered an adjunctive risk factor for paradoxical embolism in patients with patent oval foramen. Furthermore, the Eustachian valve has been included in several risk prediction models to identify patients at the highest risk of paradoxical embolism and such patients may benefit the most from an intervention.
Large congenital left atrial wall aneurysm: An updated and comprehensive review of the literature
Authors: Fakhri Ghina , Obeid Mounir , El Rassi Issam , Tabbakh Anas , Bitar Fadi , Alameddine Mona , Arabi Mariam
Published: May 2020

Background

Congenital left atrial wall aneurysms are rare abnormalities that arise from a developmental weakness in the muscular wall. It may be misdiagnosed or go undetected and the delay in diagnosis can lead to catastrophic consequences.

Case Presentation

An updated and comprehensive review of the literature was performed for all patients with this abnormality under the age of 18. A total of 15 cases including ours are presented in this article. We present a 10‐month‐old boy who was referred to our center for cardiomegaly. Workup revealed a large atrial wall aneurysm that was successfully corrected with surgery.

Conclusion

Historically, left atrial aneurysms were uncommon in the absence of valvular heart disease or other cardiac conditions. Congenital aneurysms are rare phenomenon because they arise without an acquired cardiac disease and surgical correction is crucial for survival.
Management of oesophageal rupture by tube feeding through the oesophageal wound
Authors: Leus E. K. , Randleff‐Rasmussen P.
Published: May 2020

This case report describes the management of a perforation of the oesophagus after an obstruction of long duration by creating an oesophagostomy with an indwelling tube through the oesophageal wound. The oesophageal perforation was diagnosed by clinical examination, oesophagoscopy, ultrasonography and contrast radiography. The perforation was managed by insertion of a feeding tube through the original oesophageal wound and careful nutritional and antimicrobial management with a good short‐term outcome after closure of the fistula.
Eutrophication, biodiversity loss, and species invasions modify the relationship between host and parasite richness during host community assembly
Authors: Halliday Fletcher W. , Heckman Robert W. , Wilfahrt Peter A. , Mitchell Charles E.
Published: May 2020

Host and parasite richness are generally positively correlated, but the stability of this relationship in response to global change remains poorly understood. Rapidly changing biotic and abiotic conditions can alter host community assembly, which in turn, can alter parasite transmission. Consequently, if the relationship between host and parasite richness is sensitive to parasite transmission, then changes in host composition under various global change scenarios could strengthen or weaken the relationship between host and parasite richness. To test the hypothesis that host community assembly can alter the relationship between host and parasite richness in response to global change, we experimentally crossed host diversity (biodiversity loss) and resource supply to hosts (eutrophication), then allowed communities to assemble. As previously shown, initial host diversity and resource supply determined the trajectory of host community assembly, altering post‐assembly host species richness, richness‐independent host phylogenetic diversity, and colonization by exotic host species. Overall, host richness predicted parasite richness, and as predicted, this effect was moderated by exotic abundance—communities dominated by exotic species exhibited a stronger positive relationship between post‐assembly host and parasite richness. Ultimately, these results suggest that, by modulating parasite transmission, community assembly can modify the relationship between host and parasite richness. These results thus provide a novel mechanism to explain how global environmental change can generate contingencies in a fundamental ecological relationship—the positive relationship between host and parasite richness.
Susceptibility‐guided therapy for Helicobacter pylori‐infected penicillin‐allergic patients: A prospective clinical trial of first‐line and rescue therapies
Authors: Luo Laisheng , Huang Yu , Liang Xiao , Ji Yingjie , Yu Lou , Lu Hong
Published: May 2020

Background

Helicobacter pylori (H pylori) treatment remains a challenge for penicillin‐allergic patients.

Aim

To evaluate the efficacy and tolerability of susceptibility‐guided first‐line and rescue treatment in H pylori‐infected penicillin‐allergic patients.

Methods

Consecutive H pylori‐infected patients with penicillin allergy received a 14‐day triple or quadruple therapy based on susceptibility to clarithromycin, levofloxacin, and metronidazole. All received esomeprazole 20 mg twice a day. Metronidazole‐susceptible infections received metronidazole plus clarithromycin or levofloxacin triple therapy if susceptible. Clarithromycin‐ and levofloxacin‐resistant infections received metronidazole plus tetracycline triple therapy. Metronidazole‐resistant infections received a bismuth—high‐dose metronidazole plus clarithromycin or levofloxacin quadruple therapy. Triple‐resistant infections received classical bismuth quadruple therapy with high‐dose metronidazole. Antimicrobial susceptibility was assessed using the E test method.

Results

112 patients were entered (34.8% men, average 47.1 years). Infections in 83.8% (31/37) of treatment‐naive subjects and 12.0% (9/75) (P < .001) receiving rescue treatment were susceptible to at least one of the three tested antibiotics. Overall, susceptibility‐guided therapy achieved eradication rates of 92.9% (104/112, 95% CI 88.1%‐97.7%) by intent‐to‐treat analysis and 99% (100/101, 95% CI 97.1%‐100%) by per‐protocol analysis. All regimens achieved eradication rates greater than 90% (P = .327) in the PP populations. Adverse events were relatively frequent; however, compliance remained high.

Conclusion

Susceptibility‐guided therapy proved highly effective for penicillin‐allergic patients. When available and proven locally effective, the alternative was empiric classical bismuth quadruple therapy. This trial is registered with ClinicalTrials.gov as NCT03708848.
Implementing flipped learning approach based on ‘first principles of instruction’ in mathematics courses
Authors: Yorganci Serpil
Published: May 2020

This study investigates the effect of E‐learning (EL), blended learning (BL) and flipped learning (FL) approaches on the mathematics achievement, self‐regulation and mathematics self‐efficacy. Participants consist of 163 first‐year students attending an associate degree program (a 2‐year program) of a state university. The EL, BL and FL settings in the research were designed based on Merrill's ‘First Principles of Instruction Design Theory’. In the research in which a quasi‐experimental pre‐test–post‐test research design was used, the data were obtained by means of mathematics achievement test, self‐regulation and self‐efficacy questionnaires. The experimental results showed that the mathematics achievement post‐test scores of FL students were significantly higher than those of the students of EL and BL. No significant difference was found between BL and EL settings. In addition, FL students showed significantly higher self‐regulation and mathematics self‐efficacy than the other groups' students. According to these results, it can be said that the usage of FL approach in mathematics courses has a positive effect on the learning process of students. It is expected that the findings will be helpful in the future design and implementation of mathematics courses at vocational colleges.