bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Engaging Patients in the Veterans Health Administration's Lean Enterprise Transformation: A Qualitative Study
Authors: Gray Caroline P. , Azevedo Kathryn J. , Urech Tracy H. , Lerner Barbara , Charns Martin P. , Vashi Anita A.
Published: July 2022

Background and Objectives:

Lean management is a strategy for improving health care experiences of patients. While best practices for engaging patients in quality improvement have solidified in recent years, few reports specifically address patient engagement in Lean activities. This study examines the benefits and challenges of incorporating patient engagement strategies into the Veterans Health Administration's (VA) Lean transformation.

Methods:

We conducted a multisite, mixed-methods evaluation of Lean deployment at 10 VA medical facilities, including 227 semistructured interviews with stakeholders, including patients.

Results:

Interviewees noted that a patient-engaged Lean approach is mutually beneficial to patients and health care employees. Benefits included understanding the veteran's point of view, uncovering inefficient aspects of care processes, improved employee participation in Lean events, increased transparency, and improved reputation for the organization. Challenges included a need for focused time and resources to optimize veteran participation, difficulty recruiting a diverse group of veteran stakeholders, and a lack of specific instructions to encourage meaningful participation of veterans.

Conclusions/Implications:

As the first study to focus on patient engagement in Lean transformation efforts at the VA, this study highlights ways to effectively partner with patients in Lean-based improvement efforts. Lessons learned may also help optimize patient input into quality improvement more generally.
Multicenter Assessment of Cryoanalgesia Use in Minimally Invasive Repair of Pectus Excavatum
Authors: Arshad Seyed A. , Garcia Elisa I. , Bell Cynthia , Avritscher Elenir B.C. , Kumar Mohineesh , Brahmamdam Pavan , Fraser James A. , St. Peter Shawn D. , Aranda Arturo , Hill Madelyn , Marquart John , Van Arendonk Kyle , Plumblee Leah , Streck Christian J. , Zamora Irving J. , Ghani Muhammad O.A. , Reichard Kirk W. , Sacks Karen , Kallis Michelle , Hong Andrew , Richards Holden , Lin Saunders , Gross Erica R. , Kabeer Mustafa H. , Reyna Troy , Paton Elizabeth A. , Camp Lauren B. , Stephenson Krista , Dassinger Melvin , Vali Kaveh , Filipescu Radu , DeUgarte Daniel A. , Krishna Vikram , Slater Bethany , Islam Saleem , Thompson Grace , Moore James T. , Englum Brian R. , Scholz Stefan , Sharbaugh Elizabeth , Gander Jeffrey W. , Tsao KuoJen ,   Pediatric Surgery Research Collaborative (PedSRC)
Published: July 2022

Objective:

To assess the clinical implications of cryoanalgesia for pain management in children undergoing minimally invasive repair of pectus excavatum (MIRPE).

Background:

MIRPE entails significant pain management challenges, often requiring high postoperative opioid use. Cryoanalgesia, which blocks pain signals by temporarily ablating intercostal nerves, has been recently utilized as an analgesic adjunct. We hypothesized that the use of cryoanalgesia during MIRPE would decrease postoperative opioid use and length of stay (LOS).

Materials and Methods:

A multicenter retrospective cohort study of 20 US children’s hospitals was conducted of children (age below 18 years) undergoing MIRPE from January 1, 2014, to August 1, 2019. Differences in total postoperative, inpatient, oral morphine equivalents per kilogram, and 30-day LOS between patients who received cryoanalgesia versus those who did not were assessed using bivariate and multivariable analysis. P value <0.05 is considered significant.

Results:

Of 898 patients, 136 (15%) received cryoanalgesia. Groups were similar by age, sex, body mass index, comorbidities, and Haller index. Receipt of cryoanalgesia was associated with lower oral morphine equivalents per kilogram (risk ratio=0.43, 95% confidence interval: 0.33–0.57) and a shorter LOS (risk ratio=0.66, 95% confidence interval: 0.50–0.87). Complications were similar between groups (29.8% vs 22.1, P=0.07), including a similar rate of emergency department visit, readmission, and/or reoperation.

Conclusions:

Use of cryoanalgesia during MIRPE appears to be effective in lowering postoperative opioid requirements and LOS without increasing complication rates. With the exception of preoperative gabapentin, other adjuncts appear to increase and/or be ineffective at reducing opioid utilization. Cryoanalgesia should be considered for patients undergoing this surgery.
The Persistence of Poverty and its Impact on Cancer Diagnosis, Treatment and Survival
Authors: Papageorge Marianna V. , Woods Alison P. , de Geus Susanna W.L. , Ng Sing Chau , McAneny David , Tseng Jennifer F. , Kenzik Kelly M. , Sachs Teviah E.
Published: July 2022

Objective:

To determine the effect of persistent poverty on the diagnosis, surgical resection and survival of patients with non–small cell lung (NSCLC), breast, and colorectal cancer.

Background:

Disparities in cancer outcomes exist in counties with high levels of poverty, defined as ≥20% of residents below the federal poverty level. Despite this well-established association, little is known about how the duration of poverty impacts cancer care and outcomes. One measure of poverty duration is that of “persistent poverty,” defined as counties in high poverty since 1980.

Methods:

In this retrospective cohort study, patients with NSCLC, breast and colorectal cancer were identified from SEER (2012–2016). County-level poverty was obtained from the American Community Survey (1980–2015). Outcomes included advanced stage at diagnosis (stage III–IV), resection of localized disease (stage I–II) and cancer-specific survival. Hierarchical generalized linear models and accelerated failure time models with Weibull distribution were used, adjusted for patient-level covariates and region.

Results:

Overall, 522,514 patients were identified, of which 5.1% were in persistent poverty. Patients in persistent poverty were more likely to present with advanced disease [NSCLC odds ratio (OR): 1.12, 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.06–1.18; breast OR: 1.09, 95% CI: 1.02–1.17; colorectal OR: 1.00, 95% CI: 0.94–1.06], less likely to undergo surgery (NSCLC OR: 0.81, 95% CI: 0.73–0.90; breast OR: 0.82, 95% CI: 0.72–0.94; colorectal OR: 0.84, 95% CI: 0.70–1.00) and had increased cancer-specific mortality (NSCLC HR: 1.09, 95% CI: 1.06–1.13; breast HR: 1.18, 95% CI: 1.05–1.32; colorectal HR: 1.09, 95% CI: 1.03–1.17) as compared with those without poverty. These differences were observed to a lesser magnitude in counties with current, but not persistent, poverty and disappeared in counties no longer in poverty.

Conclusions:

The duration of poverty has a direct impact on cancer-specific outcomes, with the greatest effect seen in persistent poverty and resolution of disparities when a county is no longer in poverty. Policy focused on directing resources to communities in persistent poverty may represent a possible strategy to reduce disparities in cancer care and outcomes.
Preoperative Plasma Tau-PT217 and Tau-PT181 Are Associated With Postoperative Delirium
Authors: Liang Feng , Baldyga Kathryn , Quan Qimin , Khatri Ashok , Choi Shawn , Wiener-Kronish Jeanine , Akeju Oluwaseun , Westover M. Brandon , Cody Kathryn , Shen Yuan , Marcantonio Edward R. , Xie Zhongcong
Published: July 2022

Objective:

This study aims to identify blood biomarkers of postoperative delirium.

Background:

Phosphorylated tau at threonine 217 (Tau-PT217) and 181 (Tau-PT181) are new Alzheimer disease biomarkers. Postoperative delirium is associated with Alzheimer disease. We assessed associations between Tau-PT217 or Tau-PT181 and postoperative delirium.

Methods:

Of 491 patients (65 years old or older) who had a knee replacement, hip replacement, or laminectomy, 139 participants were eligible and included in the analysis. Presence and severity of postoperative delirium were assessed in the patients. Preoperative plasma concentrations of Tau-PT217 and Tau-PT181 were determined by a newly established Nanoneedle technology.

Results:

Of 139 participants (73±6 years old, 55% female), 18 (13%) developed postoperative delirium. Participants who developed postoperative delirium had higher preoperative plasma concentrations of Tau-PT217 and Tau-PT181 than participants who did not. Preoperative plasma concentrations of Tau-PT217 or Tau-PT181 were independently associated with postoperative delirium after adjusting for age, education, and preoperative Mini-Mental State score [odds ratio (OR) per unit change in the biomarker: 2.05, 95% confidence interval (CI):1.61–2.62, P<0.001 for Tau-PT217; and OR: 4.12; 95% CI: 2.55–-6.67, P<0.001 for Tau-PT181]. The areas under the receiver operating curve for predicting delirium were 0.969 (Tau-PT217) and 0.885 (Tau-PT181). The preoperative plasma concentrations of Tau-PT217 or Tau-PT181 were also associated with delirium severity [beta coefficient (β) per unit change in the biomarker: 0.14; 95% CI: 0.09–0.19, P<0.001 for Tau-PT217; and β: 0.41; 95% CI: 0.12–0.70, P=0.006 for Tau-PT181).

Conclusions:

Preoperative plasma concentrations of Tau-PT217 and Tau-PT181 were associated with postoperative delirium, with Tau-PT217 being a stronger indicator of postoperative delirium than Tau-PT181.
Chemical defense acquired via pharmacophagy can lead to protection from predation for conspecifics in a sawfly
Authors: Singh Pragya , Grone Neil , Tewes Lisa Johanna , Müller Caroline
Published: July 2022

Chemical defense is a widespread anti-predator strategy exhibited by organisms, with individuals either synthesizing or extrinsically acquiring defensive chemicals. In some species, such defences can also be transferred among conspecifics. Here, we tested the effects of pharmacophagy on the defense capability of the turnip sawfly,Athalia rosae, which can acquireneo-clerodane diterpenoids (clerodanoids)viapharmacophagy when having access to the plantAjuga reptans.We show that clerodanoid access mediates protection against predation by mantids for the sawflies, both in a no-choice feeding assay and a microcosm setup. Even indirect access to clerodanoids, via nibbling on conspecifics that had access to the plant, resulted in protection against predation albeit to a lower degree than direct access. Furthermore, sawflies that had no direct access to clerodanoids were consumed less frequently by mantids when they were grouped with conspecifics that had direct access. Most, but not all, of such initially undefended sawflies could acquire clerodanoids from conspecifics that had direct access to the plant, although in low quantities. Together our results demonstrate that clerodanoids serve as a chemical defense that can also be transferred by interactions among conspecifics. Moreover, the presence of chemically defended individuals in a group can confer protection onto conspecifics that had no direct access to clerodanoids.
Teacher Attitudes towards Research-Based Classroom Exercises and Intensive Virtual Summer Professional Development
Authors: Nestorovic Miroslav , Gage Gregory J.
Published: July 2022

A study based on a survey questionnaire was conducted with 55 teachers across multiple high schools in the United States to understand their perceptions about their attitudes and confidence towards using research-based classroom exercises, which models they use to develop such exercises and their availability and preferences for an intensive summer professional development course. Our preliminary results indicate that while teachers are comfortable teaching research-based classroom activities, they are none-the-less very interested in paid professional development courses on teaching research practices to students (79%), more than two-thirds (69%) would be willing to devote at least one hour a week during the school year and three-quarters (75%) would be willing to spend 2-3 hours a week or more during the summer.
Evolutionary Diversification of MethanotrophicCa. Methanophagales (ANME-1) and Their Expansive Virome
Authors: Laso-Pérez Rafael , Wu Fabai , Crémière Antoine , Speth Daan R. , Magyar John S. , Krupovic Mart , Orphan Victoria J.
Published: July 2022

‘CandidatusMethanophagales’ (ANME-1) is a major order-level clade of archaea responsible for methane removal in deep-sea sediments through the anaerobic oxidation of methane. Yet the extent of their diversity and factors which drive their dynamics and evolution remain poorly understood. Here, by sampling hydrothermal rocks and sediments, we expand their phylogenetic diversity and characterize a new deep-branching, thermophilic ANME-1 family, ‘CandidatusMethanospirareceae’ (ANME-1c). They are phylogenetically closest to the short-chain-alkane oxidizers ‘CandidatusSyntrophoarchaeales’ and ‘CandidatusAlkanophagales’, and encode ancestral features including a methyl coenzyme M reductase chaperone McrD and a hydrogenase complex. Global phylogeny and near-complete genomes clarified that the debated hydrogen metabolism within ANME-1 is an ancient trait that was vertically inherited but differentially lost during lineage diversification. Our expanded genomic and metagenomic sampling allowed the discovery of viruses constituting 3 new orders and 16 new families that so far are exclusive to ANME-1 hosts. These viruses represent 4 major archaeal virus assemblages, characterized by tailless icosahedral, head-tailed, rod-shaped, and spindle-shaped virions, but display unique structural and replicative signatures. Exemplified by the analyses of thymidylate synthases that unveiled a virus-mediated ancestral process of host gene displacement, this expansive ANME-1 virome carries a large gene repertoire that can influence their hosts across different timescales. Our study thus puts forth an emerging evolutionary continuum between anaerobic methane and short-chain-alkane oxidizers and opens doors for exploring the impacts of viruses on the dynamics and evolution of the anaerobic methane-driven ecosystems.
OUGene 2.0: An updated disease-associated over- and under-expressed gene database by mining full-text articles
Authors: Qin Erdi , Pan Xiaoyong , Shen Hong-Bin
Published: July 2022

Many diseases are closely associated with over- or under-expressed genes. In order to cover more up to date associations between over- or under-expressed genes and various diseases, we develop an updated database OUGENE 2.0 for disease-associated over- and under-expressed genes by automatic full-text mining. In total, the new OUGene 2.0 includes 197,236 associations between 12,672 diseases and 11,542 over- or under-expressed genes, which increases by about 5 folds compared to the previous version of OUGene. A novel method for rescaling the raw score based on support evidences is designed to prioritize the mined associations. OUGene 2.0 provides a holistic view of disease-gene associations and it supports user-friendly data exploration at www.csbio.sjtu.edu.cn/bioinf/OUGene for academic use.
Polyploidy, regular patterning of genome copies, and unusual control of DNA partitioning in the Lyme disease spirochete
Authors: Takacs Constantin N. , Wachter Jenny , Xiang Yingjie , Karaboja Xheni , Ren Zhongqing , Scott Molly , Stoner Matthew R. , Irnov Irnov , Jannetty Nicholas , Rosa Patricia A. , Wang Xindan , Jacobs-Wagner Christine
Published: July 2022

Borrelia burgdorferi, the tick-transmitted spirochete agent of Lyme disease, has a highly segmented genome with a linear chromosome and various linear or circular plasmids. Here, by imaging several chromosomal loci and 16 distinct plasmids, we show thatB. burgdorferiis polyploid during growth in culture and that the number of genome copies decreases during stationary phase.B. burgdorferiis also polyploid inside fed ticks and chromosome copies are regularly spaced along the spirochete’s length in both growing cultures and ticks. This patterning involves the conserved DNA partitioning protein ParA whose localization is controlled by a potentially phage-derived protein, ParZ, instead of its usual partner ParB. ParZ binds its own coding region and acts as a centromere-binding protein. While ParA works with ParZ, ParB controls the localization of the condensin, SMC. Together, the ParA/ParZ and ParB/SMC pairs ensure faithful chromosome inheritance. Our findings underscore the plasticity of cellular functions, even those as fundamental as chromosome segregation.
ArtinM Cytotoxicity in B cells derived from Non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma is regulated by CD45 phosphatase activity and Src family kinases
Authors: Barboza Bruno Rafael , de Oliveira Thomaz Sandra Maria , de Carvalho Airton , Espreafico Enilza Maria , Miyamoto Jackson Gabriel , Tashima Alexandre Keiji , Camacho Maurício Frota , Zelanis André , Roque-Barreira Maria Cristina , da Silva Thiago Aparecido
Published: July 2022

Receptors on the immune cell surface have a variety of glycans that may account for the immunomodulation induced by lectins, which have a carbohydrate recognition domain (CRD) that binds to monosaccharides or oligosaccharides in a specific manner. ArtinM, a D-mannose-binding lectin obtained fromArtocarpus heterophyllus, has affinity for the N-glycans core. Immunomodulation by ArtinM toward the Th1 phenotype occurs via its interaction with TLR2/CD14 N-glycans on antigen-presenting cells, as well as recognition of CD3γ N-glycans on murine CD4+ and CD8+ T cells. ArtinM exerts a cytotoxic effect on Jurkat human leukemic T cell line and human myeloid leukemia cell line (NB4). The current study evaluated the effects of ArtinM on murine and human B cells derived from non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma. We found that murine B cells are recognized by ArtinM via the CRD, and the ArtinM stimulus did not augment the proliferation rate or production of IL-2. However, murine B cells incubation with ArtinM augmented the rate of apoptosis, and this cytotoxic effect of ArtinM was also seen in human B cell lines sourced from non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma Raji cell line. This cytotoxic effect was inhibited by the phosphatase activity of CD45 on Lck, and the protein kinases of the Src family contribute to cell death triggered by ArtinM.
TMEM164 is an acyltransferase that forms ferroptotic polyunsaturated ether phospholipids
Authors: Reed Alex , Ware Timothy , Li Haoxin , Bazan J. Fernando , Cravatt Benjamin F.
Published: July 2022

Ferroptosis is an iron-dependent form of cell death driven by the oxidation of polyunsaturated (PUFA) phospholipids. Large-scale genetic screens have pointed to a specialized role for PUFA ether phospholipids (ePLs) in promoting ferroptosis. Our understanding of the enzymes involved in PUFA ePL production, however, remains incomplete. Here we show using a combination of pathway mining of genetic dependency maps, AlphaFold-guided structure predictions, and targeted lipidomics that the uncharacterized transmembrane protein TMEM164 – genetic ablation of which has been shown to protect cells from ferroptosis – is a cysteine active-center enzyme that selectively transfers C20:4 acyl chains from phosphatidylcholine to lyso-ePLs to furnish PUFA-ePLs. TMEM164-null cells show substantial reductions in PUFA-ePLs, but not PUFA ester phospholipids, supporting that the selective suppression of PUFA-ePLs is sufficient to protect cells from ferroptosis and designating TMEM164 as a key enzyme specifically responsible for regulating this class of lipids.
Common neural mechanisms control attention and working memory
Authors: Zhou Ying , Curtis Clayton E. , Sreenivasan Kartik , Fougnie Daryl
Published: July 2022

Although previous studies point to qualitative similarities between working memory (WM) and attention, the degree to which these two constructs rely on shared neural mechanisms remains unknown. Focusing on one such potentially shared mechanism, we tested the hypothesis that selecting an item within WM utilizes similar neural mechanisms as selecting a visible item via a shift of attention. We used fMRI and machine learning to decode both the selection among items visually available and the selection among items stored in WM in human subjects (both sexes). Patterns of activity in visual, parietal, and to a lesser extent frontal cortex predicted the locations of the selected items. Critically, these patterns were strikingly interchangeable; classifiers trained on data during attentional selection predicted selection from WM, and classifiers trained on data during selection from memory predicted attentional selection. Using models of voxel receptive fields, we visualized topographic population activity that revealed gain enhancements at the locations of the externally and internally selected items. Our results suggest that selecting among perceived items and selecting among items in WM share a common mechanism. This common mechanism, analogous to a shift of spatial attention, controls the relative gains of neural populations that encode behaviorally relevant information.

Significance statement

How we allocate our attention to external stimuli that we see and to internal representations of stimuli stored in memory might rely on a common mechanism. Supporting this hypothesis, we demonstrated that not only could patterns of human brain activity predict which items were selected during perception and memory, but that these patterns were interchangeable during external and internal selection. Additionally, this generalized selection mechanism operates by changes in the gains of the neural populations both encoding attended sensory representations and storing relevant memory representations.
Haplotype and population structure inference using neural networks in whole-genome sequencing data
Authors: Meisner Jonas , Albrechtsen Anders
Published: July 2022

Accurate inference of population structure is important in many studies of population genetics. Here we present HaploNet, a method for performing dimensionality reduction and clustering of genetic data. The method is based on local clustering of phased haplotypes using neural networks from whole-genome sequencing or dense genotype data. By using Gaussian mixtures in a variational autoencoder framework, we are able to learn a low-dimensional latent space in which we cluster haplotypes along the genome in a highly scalable manner. We show that we can use haplotype clusters in the latent space to infer global population structure using haplotype information by exploiting the generative properties of our framework. Based on fitted neural networks and their latent haplotype clusters, we can perform principal component analysis and estimate ancestry proportions based on a maximum likelihood framework. Using sequencing data from simulations and closely related human populations, we show that our approach is better at distinguishing closely related populations than standard admixture and principal component analysis software. We further show that HaploNet is fast and highly scalable by applying it to genotype array data of the UK Biobank.
Re-examining age-related loyalty for low-involvement purchasing
Authors: Mecredy Philip , Wright Malcolm , Feetham Pamela , Stern Philip
Published: July 2022

Purpose

Previous research on age-related loyalty is sparse, contradictory and suffers from methodological limitations and criticisms. This study aims to apply two methodological advances to fresh purchasing data to give a much clearer picture of age-related differences in brand loyalty.

Design/methodology/approach

An online brand choice survey (n = 1,862) is used to examine age-related loyalty within three low-involvement categories in New Zealand. The polarisation index (φ) is adopted as the measure of loyalty to control for confounding influences present in prior research. Results for chronological age are validated through comparison with results for measures of cognitive, biological and sociological age, as well as household life cycle.

Findings

Contrary to prior research, age-related differences in loyalty are detected in two of the three low-involvement categories studied. The third category does not show detectable loyalty for any age group. Although differences in brand loyalty are broadly present across all age measures, no alternative measure outperforms chronological age in detecting variations in age-related loyalty.

Research limitations/implications

To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this is the first evidence that age-related brand loyalty is present in low-involvement categories. However, effects are small and easily obscured by confounding factors. More research is needed to determine how results vary by category.

Practical implications

Despite showing minor differences in loyalty, older consumers still purchase from a wide portfolio of brands and so should not be ignored by marketers. Future research can investigate loyalty for older consumers by adopting the method of analysing differences in polarisation (φ) for chronological age groups.

Originality/value

Previous contradictory findings and methodological concerns about measurement of age-related loyalty are resolved through use of the polarisation index (φ) as a measure of loyalty and by confirmation that chronological age performs as well as any other age measure.
A collaboratory model for creation of digital language archives in India
Authors: R. Karthick Narayanan , Takhellambam Meiraba
Published: July 2022

Purpose

This paper aims to explore a model of digital language archiving based on a collaboration between under-resourced indigenous communities and an institutional library. The model’s effectiveness is assessed in creating resources and digital language archives to support speaker communities and language documentation programmes for endangered and lesser-known languages in India.

Design/methodology/approach

The model of SiDHELA, the first indigenous language archive developed in India at Sikkim University by the Centre for Endangered Languages in collaboration with the Central Library, is described.

Findings

This study finds that localised repositories developed in collaboration with institutional libraries work as a more effective and accessible resource centre for indigenous communities, rather than the centralised data stores that collate all language data, which is the dominant method of language documentation in the world.

Social implications

It is the authors’ belief that the active role of libraries in language documentation and preservation of indigenous knowledge will open future gateways for language revitalization for under-resourced languages of the world.

Originality/value

SiDHELA is a novel attempt at localised digital language archiving in collaboration with indigenous communities of Sikkim and the North Bengal region of India.
Job security, value congruence, and work outcomes: revisiting the mediating role of work engagement
Authors: Gupta Anuj , Chakravorty Arjun , Garg Neha , Singh Pankaj
Published: July 2022

Purpose

Though the concept of work engagement has been extensively explored in the academic literature, however, with engagement levels declining globally – causing hike in undesired employee attitudes and behaviours – there is a need to revisit its antecedents and consequences that bear higher current relevance. Within the context of the Indian information technology (IT) sector, this study aims to explore the role of job security and value congruence as two critical antecedents which not only lead to increased engagement levels but also consequently yield the enhanced perception of change, amplified general life satisfaction and reduced intent to leave among employees.

Design/methodology/approach

Data were collected from 363 software developers (SDs) in India using the survey questionnaire method and structured equation modelling was used to test the proposed measurement and structural model. The results supported the proposed hypotheses and confirmed the role of work engagement as a mediator between the studied antecedents and consequences.

Findings

Results from a study of 363 SDs across India support the proposed hypotheses and confirm the role of work engagement as a mediator between the studied antecedents and consequences.

Research limitations/implications

This study was cross-sectional; therefore, caution is necessary while making any causal inferences. Further work based on longitudinal data would strengthen these findings.

Practical implications

The findings of the study will provide the decision-makers of IT companies with tools to increase engagement among SDs thereby increasing favorable outcomes for organizations and individual employees in the current times.

Originality/value

The study establishes job security and value congruence, as two critical yet cost-effective measures that today’s organization need to integrate into its human resources functions not just to boost employee engagement levels but also to control spiraling costs due to unintended turnover, employee’s resistance of organizational changes and employee ill-being. Future research avenues and practical implications have been discussed.
Factors influencing making a choice and accessing a hearing aid among elders with hearing disability: mixed methods
Authors: Dindamrongkul Ramida , Riewpaiboon Wachara , Yimtae Kwanchanok , Krityakiarana Warin , Niyomphol Wiraman
Published: July 2022

Purpose

Hearing aid (HA) using is an option for enhancing the sound transmission. It effectively improves hearing ability during communication. In Thailand, two-third of hearing impaired persons were elders, while the utilization of an HA was low. This study aims to explore how the decision was made on the use of HA among the hearing impaired elderly.

Design/methodology/approach

Mixed-methods sequential explanatory design was used by starting with a retrospective study to identify the prevalence of HA use and influencing factors including demographic and clinical data. Total, 199 elders with moderate to severe hearing impairment were enrolled. Qualitative data collection for thematic analysis was conducted by interviewing 28 participants to reveal elders’ subjective reasoning.

Findings

It was found that 25.63% of elders used an HA, whereas age, types of health insurance and disability registration were significant influencing factors. Six themes of subjective reasoning emerged including social activities, disability perspective, social support, medical and personnel, rights and accessibility and benefit of HA, which determined the elders’ decisions on HA use.

Originality/value

This study broadened insights of the elders’ decision process on HA use, which was mutually made by both health-care professional and care recipients. The elders themselves would make the final decision. Not only objective indications but also subjective reasoning of users played significant roles on HA acquisition. To enhance HA use among hearing impaired elders, patient engagement in decision-making was crucial while hearing counselling and elimination of reimbursement barriers became essential.
Capabilities for enhancing supply chain resilience and responsiveness in the COVID-19 pandemic: exploring the role of improvisation, anticipation, and data analytics capabilities
Authors: Munir Manal , Jajja Muhammad Shakeel Sadiq , Chatha Kamran Ali
Published: July 2022

Purpose

This study aims to identify critical capabilities to address unforeseen and novel disruptions, such as those instigated by COVID-19, and explore their role as essential enablers of supply chain resilience and responsiveness, leading to improved performance.

Design/methodology/approach

The structural equation modeling technique was employed for analyzing the proposed associations using survey data from 206 manufacturers operating during the COVID-19 pandemic in a developing country, Pakistan.

Findings

Key findings show how improvisation and anticipation act distinctly yet jointly to facilitate supply chain resilience and responsiveness during the COVID-19 pandemic. Also, data analytics capability positively affects anticipation and improvisation, which mediate the effect of data analytics on supply chain resilience and responsiveness.

Research limitations/implications

The findings contribute to the theoretical and empirical understanding of the existing literature, suggesting that a combination of improvisation, anticipation and data analytics capabilities is highly imperative for enhancing supply chain resilience and responsiveness in novel and unexpected disruptions.

Originality/value

This is the first study to examine the impact of data analytics on improvisation and anticipation and the latter as complementary capabilities to enhance supply chain resilience and responsiveness. The empirical investigation explores the interplay among data analytics, improvisation, and anticipation capabilities for enhancing supply chain resilience, responsiveness, and performance during the unforeseen and novel disruptions, such as brought to bear by the COVID-19 pandemic.
Into the eXperience-verse: the strategic frontier of cloud business innovation and value co-creation
Authors: Ramaswamy Venkat , Narayanan Krishnan
Published: July 2022

Purpose

The authors introduce readers to the eXperience-verse revolution, the next strategic frontier of cloud business innovation and value co-creation.

Design/methodology/approach

The eXperience-verse revolution unfolds concurrently with the evolution of the digital technologies and as enterprises learn to harness them and create greater and more unique, personalized value to all stakeholding individuals-as-experiencers.

Findings

Unlike the previous four Industrial Revolutions driven by technology, this new era requires an “experience-first” frame of reference of value creation by every enterprise.

Practical/implications

Emerging technologies are leveraged at the moment of engagement between the enterprise and the experiencers?the goal is to engender value to the individual-as-experiencer.

Originality/value

As industry clouds now accelerate strategic business innovation of interactive experience ecosystems, a whole new dimension of value-innovation and value-creation is being created - the “eXperience-verse”.
Diagnostic accuracy of endoscopic ultrasound with artificial intelligence for gastrointestinal stromal tumors: A meta‐analysis
Authors: Ye Xiao Hua , Zhao Lin Lin , Wang Lei
Published: July 2022

Objectives

Gastrointestinal stromal tumors (GISTs) are thought to have a malignant potential. However, utilizing endoscopic ultrasound (EUS) to differentiate GISTs from other types of subepithelial lesions (SELs) remains challenging. Artificial intelligence (AI)‐based diagnostic systems for EUS have been reported to have a promising performance, although the results of the previous studies remain controversial. In this meta‐analysis, we aimed to assess the diagnostic accuracy of AI‐based EUS in distinguishing GISTs from other SELs.

Methods

A literature search was conducted on MEDLINE and EMBASE databases to identify relevant articles. The sensitivity, specificity, and area under the summary receiver operating characteristic curve (AUROC) of eligible studies were analyzed.

Results

Seven studies were eligible for the final analysis. The combined sensitivity and specificity of AI‐based EUS were 0.93 (95% confidence interval [CI] 0.88–0.96) and 0.78 (95% CI 0.67–0.87), respectively. The overall diagnostic odds ratio of AI‐based EUS for GISTs was 36.74 (95% CI 17.69–76.30) with an AUROC of 0.94.

Conclusions

AI‐based EUS showed high diagnostic ability and might help better differentiate GISTs from other SELs. More prospective studies on the diagnosis of GISTs using AI‐based EUS are warranted in clinical setting.
Relationship between consolidation tumor ratio and tumor‐infiltrating lymphocytes in small‐sized lung adenocarcinoma
Authors: Ono Yuki , Tagawa Tetsuzo , Kinoshita Fumihiko , Haratake Naoki , Takada Kazuki , Kohno Mikihiro , Takenaka Tomoyoshi , Kamitani Takeshi , Shimokawa Mototsugu , Oda Yoshinao , Mori Masaki , Yoshizumi Tomoharu
Published: July 2022

Background

Consolidation tumor ratio (CTR) is associated with cancer progression and histological invasiveness in lung adenocarcinoma (LAD). However, little is known about the association between CTR and immune‐related factors, including tumor‐infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs) density or tumor expression of programmed death ligand 1 (PD‐L1) and indoleamine 2,3‐dioxygenase 1 (IDO1) in small‐sized LAD.

Methods

This study included 258 patients with LAD (<3 cm) who underwent surgery. Patients were assigned to four groups: CTR = 0; 0 < CTR <0.5; 0.5 ≤ CTR <1 (ground‐glass opacity [GGO] group); and CTR = 1 (pure‐solid group). CD4+, CD8+, and FoxP3+ TIL density and PD‐L1 and IDO1 tumor expression were assessed by immunohistochemistry.

Results

Among the GGO group, CD8+ and FoxP3+ TIL density increased significantly with increasing CTR (p < 0.001 and p < 0.001, respectively). Moreover, PD‐L1 and IDO1 expression was significantly higher in the pure‐solid group than in the GGO group (p < 0.001 and p < 0.001, respectively).

Conclusions

CTR was correlated with the abundance of CD8+ and FoxP3+ TILs in the GGO group. PD‐L1 and IDO1 positivity rates were significantly higher in the pure‐solid group than in the GGO group. Increased CTR may be correlated with immunosuppressive condition.
Radiation‐induced pseudomembranous tracheobronchitis: A report of two cases
Authors: Choi Hye Sook
Published: July 2022

Radiation therapy can cause radiation pneumonitis, organizing pneumonia, and lung fibrosis. Radiation‐induced pseudomembranous bronchitis is a rare condition. Here, we describe a rare case each of pseudomembranous tracheobronchitis and pseudomembrane with total bronchial obstruction which developed after thoracic radiotherapy. A 50‐year‐old man presented paroxysmal severe cough 1 month after concurrent chemoradiotherapy for small‐cell lung cancer. Bronchoscopy revealed a whitish membrane in the trachea and bronchus, which were the fields of radiation. Another 60‐year‐old man complained of dyspnea 7 months after radiation therapy for metastatic lymph node adenocarcinoma. Bronchoscopy demonstrated a membrane with total obstruction of right lower lobar bronchus, which was the area of radiation. The pathological findings of histological examination in both cases demonstrated radiation‐induced pseudomembranous tracheobronchitis. Patients in both cases responded well to steroids and the pseudomembrane disappeared. If patients who have received thoracic radiation therapy complain of persistent cough, bronchoscopy may be helpful.
Could international human rights obligations motivate countries to implement tobacco cessation support?
Authors: Meier Benjamin Mason , Raw Martin , Shelley Donna , Bostic Chris , Gupta Anahita , Romeo‐Stuppy Kelsey , Huber Laurent
Published: July 2022

Background and aims

The World Health Organization (WHO) Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC) seeks to realize the right to health through national tobacco control policies. However, few states have met their obligations under Article 14 of the FCTC to develop evidence‐based policies to support tobacco cessation. This article examines how human rights obligations could provide a legal and moral basis for states to implement greater support for individuals to overcome their addiction to tobacco.

Analysis

The United Nations (UN) has a well‐established legal framework for promoting human rights, looking to the right to health to realize health autonomy. Where addiction undermines autonomy, it is widely acknowledged that addiction presents a significant barrier to cessation for individuals who use tobacco, undermining the right to health. The UN human rights system could, therefore, provide a complementary basis for monitoring state obligations under Article 14 of the FCTC, identifying challenges to FCTC implementation and motivating states to support tobacco cessation.

Conclusions

The United Nations' human rights system offers a mechanism that could be used to monitor Framework Convention on Tobacco Control implementation in national policy, facilitating accountability for the progressive realization of cessation support.
Definition matters: assessment of tolerance to the effects of alcohol in a prospective cohort study of emerging adults
Authors: O'Dean Siobhan M. , Mewton Louise , Chung Tammy , Clay Peter , Clare Philip J. , Bruno Raimondo , Yuen Wing See , McBride Nyanda , Swift Wendy , Isik Ashling , Upton Emily , Tibbetts Joel , Johnson Phoebe , Kypri Kypros , Slade Tim
Published: July 2022

Background and aims

Tolerance to the effects of alcohol is an important element in the diagnosis of alcohol use disorders (AUD); however, there is ongoing debate about its utility in the diagnosis AUD in adolescents and young adults. This study aimed to refine the assessment of tolerance in young adults by testing different definitions of tolerance and their associations with longitudinal AUD outcomes.

Design

Prospective cohort study.

Settings

Australia.

Participants

A contemporary cohort of emerging adults across Australia (n = 565, mean age = 18.9, range = 18–21 at baseline).

Measurements

Clinician‐administered Structured Clinical Interview for DSM‐IV Research Version (SCID‐IV‐RV) assessed for AUD criteria across five interviews, at 6‐month intervals over 2.5 years. Tolerance definitions were operationalized using survey‐type response (yes/no), clinician judgement (SCID‐IV‐RV), different initial drinking quantity and percentage increase thresholds and average heavy consumption metrics. AUD persistence was operationalized by the number of times AUD was present across the 2.5‐year study period (n = 491), and new‐onset AUD was operationalized as any new incidence of AUD during the follow‐up period (n = 461).

Findings

The (i) SCID‐IV‐RV clinician judgement [odds ratio (OR) = 2.50,P = 0.005], (ii) an initial drinking quantity threshold of four to five drinks and 50% minimum increase (OR = 2.48,P = 0.007) and (iii) 50% increase only (OR = 2.40,P = 0.005) were the tolerance definitions more strongly associated with any new onset of AUD throughout the four follow‐up time‐points than other definitions. However, these definitions were not associated with persistent AUD (Ps > 0.05). Average heavy consumption definitions of tolerance were most strongly associated with persistent AUD (OR = 6.66,P = 0.001; OR = 4.65,P = 0.004) but not associated with new‐onset AUD (Ps > 0.05).

Conclusions

Initial drink and percentage change thresholds appear to improve the efficacy of change‐based tolerance as an indicator for new‐onset alcohol use disorder diagnosis in self‐report surveys of young adults. When predicting persistent alcohol use disorder, average heavy consumption‐based indicators appear to be a better way to measure tolerance than self‐reported change‐based definitions.
High‐throughput analysis of amniotic fluid proteins associated with histological chorioamnionitis in preterm premature rupture of membranes using an antibody‐based microarray
Authors: Lee Seung Mi , Park Kyo Hoon , Joo Eunwook , Jeong Da Eun , Lee Ji Eun , Lee Kyong‐No , Shin Sue
Published: July 2022

Problem

To identify potential proteins in the amniotic fluid (AF) that may be associated with histologic chorioamnionitis (HCA) in patients with preterm premature rupture of membranes (PPROM) using antibody‐based microarray analysis.

Method of study

This was a retrospective cohort study involving 100 singleton pregnant women with PPROM at 24–34 weeks who underwent amniocentesis and delivered within 120 h of amniocentesis. First, the AF proteomes of 15 patients with PPROM and HCA were compared with those of 15 gestational age‐matched patients without HCA using a protein microarray. Next, 12 candidate proteins associated with HCA were further validated in 100 consecutive patients with PPROM by ELISA.

Results

Of 507 proteins assessed in the microarray analysis, 46 showed significant intergroup differences. Further quantification confirmed that the levels of EN‐RAGE, IL‐6, MMP‐9, TNFR2, SPARC, TSP2, and uPA were higher in the AF of PPROM patients with HCA than in those without. Multivariate analyses also showed that elevated AF EN‐RAGE, IL‐6, MMP‐9, and TNFR2 levels were independently associated with HCA when adjusted for baseline variables. The frequency of the highest quartile of the aforementioned proteins significantly increased as the total grade of HCA increased; the risk of HCA significantly increased with increasing AF levels of each protein (P for trend < .001).

Conclusions

Using protein–antibody microarray technology, we discovered several potential AF proteins (EN‐RAGE, IL‐6, MMP‐9, and TNFR2) independently associated with HCA in patients with PPROM. Furthermore, we demonstrated a direct correlation between the gradation of the intra‐amniotic inflammatory response and HCA severity.
Tax morale, fiscal capacity, and war
Authors: Belmonte Alessandro , Teobaldelli Désirée , Ticchi Davide
Published: July 2022

This paper studies the effects of mobilization for war on the development of fiscal capacity and the values of tax compliance (tax morale). We propose a dynamic setting where governments may invest resources to improve the efficiency of the fiscal apparatus and the citizens' tax morality in order to raise the necessary revenues for the defense against a threat (external or internal), and parents optimally choose to transmit their preferences of tax compliance to children. Despite fiscal capacity and tax morale are initially substitutes, we show how a dynamic complementarity may arise in equilibrium from a more efficient transmission of the values of tax compliance in countries with high fiscal capacity, and this may explain why they tend to move together over time. Under reasonable conditions, we obtain that the effect of a higher threat of war on the steady‐state level of the culture of tax compliance is negative when fiscal capacity is relatively low, and positive when the latter is large. We show cross‐country evidence based on war frequency, fiscal capacity, and tax morale that is consistent with the results of our theory.
Living in the non‐alcoholic fatty liver disease silent epidemic: a qualitative systematic review of patients' perspectives
Authors: Ng Cheng Han , Lim Wen Hui , Chin Yip Han , Yong Jie Ning , Zeng Rebecca Wenling , Chan Kai En , Tan Darren Jun Hao , Fu Clarissa Elysia , Tang Ansel Shao Pin , Goh Lay Hoon , Devi Kamala , Chew Nicholas W. S. , Mak Lung‐Yi Loey , Tamaki Nobuharu , Huang Daniel Q. , Noureddin Mazen , Siddiqui Mohammad Shadab , Loomba Rohit , Sanyal Arun J. , Muthiah Mark
Published: July 2022

Background

Non‐alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) affects one‐fourth of the global population. Yet, the care of these patients is limited and awareness of NAFLD remains low in the general public. Investigations into the lives of these patients are often forgotten and traditional quantitative studies only paint part of the picture.

Aim

To assess the first‐hand accounts of these individuals and their perspective on living with NAFLD.

Methods

A systematic search was conducted on Medline, Embase, CINAHL, PsycINFO and Web of Science database for qualitative literature regarding patients' perspectives on NAFLD. An inductive thematic analysis was conducted to generate themes and supportive subthemes.

Results

We incuded eight articles in the review. There were three major themes including the impact on the quality of life, knowledge and information, and attitudes and perceptions on care. The impact of the quality of life details the emotional and physical distress of NAFLD. Knowledge and information include the lack of sufficient communication between healthcare providers and patients with a distinct knowledge gap. Attitudes and perceptions on care extrapolate the current active participation of patients and needs of the patients and the future care that they desire.

Conclusion

This review synthesises first‐hand accounts of individuals with NAFLD. With the growing burden of NAFLD, future public interventions must consider individual views for success to be found. The identified themes serve as a forefront for consideration for public policies. Ultimately, NAFLD is a multisystem disease, which must be managed by a multidisciplinary team.