bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Factors associated with health CEO turnover - a scoping review
Authors: Mathew Nebu Varughese , Liu Chaojie , Khalil Hanan
Published: July 2024

Background

Chief Executive Officer’s (CEO) are integral leaders of health care organisation. Over the last two decades in United States (US) hospitals, it has been noted that CEO turnover rates are increasing, and it was reported that the CEO turnover rates have augmented from 14% in 2008 to 18% in 2017 in the private sector. In Australia, it was discovered that during two years, 41 executives had 18 distinct positions. It has been highlighted that the increasing CEO turnover is a major issue for Australian and international health care organisations. Some of the negative consequences of CEO turnover include organisational instability, high financial costs, loss of human capital and adverse effects on staff morale and patient care.

Objective

Our scoping review aimed to map and summarise the evidence associated with CEO turnovers in both health and non-health setting, and answer the following questions: 1. What are the reasons for CEO departure?, 2. What are the strategies to minimise CEO turnover?

Results

A protocol explaining the objectives, inclusion criteria and methods for this scoping review were specified in advance and published. This scoping review included 17 studies (13 health and 4 non-health setting) published over a 31-year period that investigated and described the increasing CEO turnover rates. All 17 studies identified causes of CEO turnover along with certain studies identifying facilitators of CEO retention. We classified CEO’s departure reasons into three major themes: organizational, performance, and personal. Organisational factors include CEO departures due to issues within the organisation, performance factors include issues with CEO’s work and personal factors captures personal reasons for CEO’s leaving their job.

Conclusion

CEOs are under immense pressure to deliver good results and drive growth while satisfying the interests of internal and external stakeholders. There are various reasons for CEO’s departure however the most common factor identified is organisational.
Efficacy and safety of maintenance therapy with anlotinib for advanced cholangiocarcinoma after first-line chemotherapy and the variations in efficacy based on different neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR)
Authors: Li Hui , Zhang Jue , Gu Lili
Published: July 2024

Objective

This study aimed to evaluate the clinical efficacy and safety of anlotinib as maintenance therapy in patients with advanced cholangiocarcinoma following first-line chemotherapy.

Methods

This retrospective study enrolled 154 patients with advanced biliary tract cancer admitted to the hospital between January 2020 and December 2022. All patients received first-line intravenous chemotherapy with gemcitabine combined with cisplatin, oxaliplatin, or tegafur. Among the 106 patients who achieved disease control, 47 received oral anlotinib hydrochloride (12 mg daily, 2 weeks on/1 week off) as maintenance therapy. Clinical efficacy, including ORR, DCR, DOR, PFS, and OS, was compared between the anlotinib maintenance and non-maintenance groups. Subgroup analysis based on NLR levels was also performed.

Results

Among the 47 anlotinib maintenance patients, the ORR was 21.28% and the DCR was 51.06%. The median DOR was 36 weeks, and the median PFS was 43 weeks in the anlotinib group, versus 28 weeks and 38 weeks in the non-maintenance group, respectively. The median OS was not reached in the anlotinib group but was 48 weeks in the non-maintenance group. Patients receiving anlotinib maintenance had significantly longer DOR, PFS, and OS (all p < 0.05). Patients with low NLR levels had better survival benefits from anlotinib.

Conclusion

Maintenance therapy with anlotinib demonstrates potential efficacy and a reliable safety profile in patients with advanced cholangiocarcinoma following first-line treatment. The efficacy of anlotinib therapy appears to be influenced by NLR levels. Further validation with larger sample sizes is warranted to strengthen the robustness and reliability of the results.
Novel energy optimizer, meldonium, rapidly restores acute hypobaric hypoxia-induced brain injury by targeting phosphoglycerate kinase 1
Authors: Liu Fengying , He Huanhuan , Yang Weijie , Wang Daohui , Sui Xin , Sun Yangyang , Wang Shuai , Yang Yi , Xiao Zhenyu , Yang Jun , Wang Yongan , Luo Yuan
Published: July 2024

Background

Acute hypobaric hypoxia-induced brain injury has been a challenge in the health management of mountaineers; therefore, new neuroprotective agents are urgently required. Meldonium, a well-known cardioprotective drug, has been reported to have neuroprotective effects. However, the relevant mechanisms have not been elucidated. We hypothesized that meldonium may play a potentially novel role in hypobaric hypoxia cerebral injury.

Methods

We initially evaluated the neuroprotection efficacy of meldonium against acute hypoxia in mice and primary hippocampal neurons. The potential molecular targets of meldonium were screened using drug-target binding Huprot™ microarray chip and mass spectrometry analyses after which they were validated with surface plasmon resonance (SPR), molecular docking, and pull-down assay. The functional effects of such binding were explored through gene knockdown and overexpression.

Results

The study clearly shows that pretreatment with meldonium rapidly attenuates neuronal pathological damage, cerebral blood flow changes, and mitochondrial damage and its cascade response to oxidative stress injury, thereby improving survival rates in mice brain and primary hippocampal neurons, revealing the remarkable pharmacological efficacy of meldonium in acute high-altitude brain injury. On the one hand, we confirmed that meldonium directly interacts with phosphoglycerate kinase 1 (PGK1) to promote its activity, which improved glycolysis and pyruvate metabolism to promote ATP production. On the other hand, meldonium also ameliorates mitochondrial damage by PGK1 translocating to mitochondria under acute hypoxia to regulate the activity of TNF receptor-associated protein 1 (TRAP1) molecular chaperones.

Conclusion

These results further explain the mechanism of meldonium as an energy optimizer and provide a strategy for preventing acute hypobaric hypoxia brain injury at high altitudes.
The cervical cancer related distribution, coinfection and risk of 15 HPV types in Baoan, Shenzhen, in 2017–2023
Authors: Li Rukai , Meng Weiwei , Zuo Yunhai , Xu Yanli , Wu Shaonan
Published: July 2024

Cervical cancer is one of the most common malignant tumours. Human papillomavirus (HPV) infection is the main cause of this cancer so that it could be prevented by screening and early treatment. Developing reginal screen protocols of maximum public health efficacy requires in-depth understandings of local HPV distribution and consequential cancer risks. Therefore, test results of HPV genotyping, cytology testing (TCT) and colposcopy inspection with biopsy were collected in this retrospective research. Data included by this research involved 63,906 women received screen related tests from Shenzhen Baoan Shiyan People’s Hospital and the subsidiary institutes between 2017.01 and 2023.05. 10,238 colposcopies were performed in this period collecting 8,716 samples and 814 high-grade CIN were discovered. Within the 763 high-grade CIN cases with both TCT and HPV testing results, 232 were tested cytologically normal but only 30 were negative in HPV test. Besides, the rates of high-grade CIN observed in coinfection were all lower than the estimated rates generated from related single infection. HPV 52, 58 and 16 were found to be the most common types in Baoan, Shenzhen. The result also suggested that HPV coinfections should not increase risk for cervical cancers.
Successful and sustained implementation of a behaviour-change informed strategy for emergency nurses: a multicentre implementation evaluation
Authors: Curtis Kate , Kennedy Belinda , Considine Julie , Murphy Margaret , Lam Mary K. , Aggar Christina , Fry Margaret , Shaban Ramon Z. , Kourouche Sarah
Published: July 2024

Background

Implementing evidence that changes practice in emergency departments (EDs) is notoriously difficult due to well-established barriers including high levels of uncertainty arising from undifferentiated nature of ED patients, resource shortages, workload unpredictability, high staff turnover, and a constantly changing environment. We developed and implemented a behaviour-change informed strategy to mitigate these barriers for a clinical trial to implement the evidence-based emergency nursing framework HIRAID® (History including Infection risk, Red flags, Assessment, Interventions, Diagnostics, communication, and reassessment) to reduce clinical variation, and increase safety and quality of emergency nursing care.

Aim

To evaluate the behaviour-change-informed HIRAID® implementation strategy on reach, effectiveness, adoption, quality (dose, fidelity) and maintenance (sustainability).

Methods

An effectiveness-implementation hybrid design including a step–wedge cluster randomised control trial (SW-cRCT) was used to implement HIRAID® with 1300 + emergency nurses across 29 Australian rural, regional, and metropolitan EDs. Evaluation of our behaviour-change informed strategy was informed by the RE-AIM Scoring Instrument and measured using data from (i) a post HIRAID® implementation emergency nurse survey, (ii) HIRAID® Instructor surveys, and (iii) twelve-week and 6-month documentation audits. Quantitative data were analysed using descriptive statistics to determine the level of each component of RE-AIM achieved. Qualitative data were analysed using content analysis and used to understand the ‘how’ and ‘why’ of quantitative results.

Results

HIRAID® was implemented in all 29 EDs, with 145 nurses undertaking instructor training and 1123 (82%) completing all four components of provider training at 12 weeks post-implementation. Modifications to the behaviour-change informed strategy were minimal. The strategy was largely used as intended with 100% dose and very high fidelity. We achieved extremely high individual sustainability (95% use of HIRAID® documentation templates) at 6 months and 100% setting sustainability at 3 years.

Conclusion

The behaviour-change informed strategy for the emergency nursing framework HIRAID® in rural, regional, and metropolitan Australia was highly successful with extremely high reach and adoption, dose, fidelity, individual and setting sustainability across substantially variable clinical contexts.

Trial registration

ANZCTR, ACTRN12621001456842. Registered 25 October 2021.
Clinical efficacy of arthroscopic high-intensity suture binding combined with button plate suspension fixation in the treatment of posterior cruciate ligament tibial avulsion fractures
Authors: Zhang Pei , Liu Wenkang , Chen Pengtao , Fei Wenyong , Hu Hansheng , Wen Dan
Published: July 2024

Purpose

To assess the clinical efficacy of arthroscopic treatment for posterior cruciate ligament (PCL) tibial avulsion fractures using high-intensity suture binding combined with button plate suspension fixation.

Methods

We retrospectively analyzed clinical data from 32 patients with PCL tibial avulsion fractures treated at our hospital from July 2020 to August 2023. We recorded operation time, intraoperative and postoperative complications, and used imaging to assess fracture reduction and healing. Pain and knee function were evaluated using the Visual Analogue Scale (VAS), range of knee motion, Lysholm score, and International Knee Documentation Committee (IKDC) score.

Study Design

Case series; Level of evidence, 4.

Results

All patients were followed for 6 to 18 months, averaging 13.6 months. All incisions healed successfully without postoperative complications. X-rays taken on the first postoperative day showed satisfactory fracture reduction. Three-month post-surgery imaging confirmed healed fractures and no internal fixation failures. At the final follow-up, knee function was well recovered, with only one patient exhibiting a positive posterior drawer test of degree I. Furthermore, the mean VAS score was 0. 5 (range 0.0 to 1.0), active knee extension was 2. 2° (range 0.0 to 5.0), and active knee flexion was 137.7° (range 130.0 to 145.0). The mean Lysholm score was 91.5(range 89.3 to 94.0), and the IKDC score averaged 83.8 ± 3.7, and these outcomes showed statistically significant improvement from preoperative levels (P < 0.001).

Conclusions

Arthroscopic high-intensity suture binding combined with button plate suspension fixation for PCL tibial avulsion fractures offers several benefits: it is minimally invasive, results in less postoperative pain, enables earlier functional exercise, and provides satisfactory clinical outcomes with fewer complications.
Systemic inflammation attenuates the repair of damaged brains through reduced phagocytic activity of monocytes infiltrating the brain
Authors: Gaire Sushil , An Jiawei , Yang Haijie , Lee Keon Ah , Dumre Manisha , Lee Eun Jeong , Park Sang-Myun , Joe Eun-Hye
Published: July 2024

In this study, we examined how systemic inflammation affects repair of brain injury. To this end, we created a brain-injury model by stereotaxic injection of ATP, a damage-associated molecular pattern component, into the striatum of mice. Systemic inflammation was induced by intraperitoneal injection of lipopolysaccharide (LPS-ip). An analysis of magnetic resonance images showed that LPS-ip reduced the initial brain injury but slowed injury repair. An immunostaining analysis using the neuronal marker, NeuN, showed that LPS-ip delayed removal of dead/dying neurons, despite the fact that LPS-ip enhanced infiltration of monocytes, which serve to phagocytize dead cells/debris. Notably, infiltrating monocytes showed a widely scattered distribution. Bulk RNAseq analyses showed that LPS-ip decreased expression of genes associated with phagocytosis, with PCR and immunostaining of injured brains confirming reduced levels of Cd68 and Clec7a, markers of phagocytic activity, in monocytes. Collectively, these results suggest that systemic inflammation affects properties of blood monocytes as well as brain cells, resulting in delay in clearing damaged cells and activating repair processes.
IGF1R signaling induces epithelial-mesenchymal plasticity via ITGAV in cutaneous carcinoma
Authors: Lopez-Cerda Marta , Lorenzo-Sanz Laura , da Silva-Diz Victoria , Llop Sandra , Penin Rosa M. , Bermejo Josep Oriol , de Goeij-de Haas Richard , Piersma Sander R. , Pham Thang V. , Jimenez Connie R. , Martin-Liberal Juan , Muñoz Purificación
Published: July 2024

Background

Early cutaneous squamous cell carcinomas (cSCCs) generally show epithelial differentiation features and good prognosis, whereas advanced cSCCs present mesenchymal traits associated with tumor relapse, metastasis, and poor survival. Currently, the mechanisms involved in cSCC progression are unclear, and the established markers are suboptimal for accurately predicting the clinical course of the disease.

Methods

Using a mouse model of cSCC progression, expression microarray analysis, immunofluorescence and flow cytometry assays, we have identified a prognostic biomarker of tumor relapse, which has been evaluated in a cohort of cSCC patient samples. Phosphoproteomic analysis have revealed signaling pathways induced in epithelial plastic cancer cells that promote epithelial-mesenchymal plasticity (EMP) and tumor progression. These pathways have been validated by genetic and pharmacological inhibition assays.

Results

We show that the emergence of epithelial cancer cells expressing integrin αV (ITGAV) promotes cSCC progression to a mesenchymal state. Consistently, ITGAV expression allows the identification of patients at risk of cSCC relapse above the currently employed clinical histopathological parameters. We also demonstrate that activation of insulin-like growth factor-1 receptor (IGF1R) pathway in epithelial cancer cells is necessary to induce EMP and mesenchymal state acquisition in response to tumor microenvironment-derived factors, while promoting ITGAV expression. Likewise, ITGAV knockdown in epithelial plastic cancer cells also blocks EMP acquisition, generating epithelial tumors.

Conclusions

Our results demonstrate that ITGAV is a prognostic biomarker of relapse in cSCCs that would allow improved patient stratification. ITGAV also collaborates with IGF1R to induce EMP in epithelial cancer cells and promotes cSCC progression, revealing a potential therapeutic strategy to block the generation of advanced mesenchymal cSCCs.

Graphical Abstract

During cSCC progression, cancer cells evolve from the epithelial to the mesenchymal state, which is associated with poor prognosis. The current investigation reveals that, at intermediate cSCC stages (MD/PD-SCC), epithelial cancer cells activate IGF1R and ITGAV signaling to acquire EMP and progress to the aggressive mesenchymal state in response to TME-derived factors. In addition, ITGAV allows the identification of these epithelial plastic cancer cells and functions as a prognostic biomarker of tumor relapse.
Features of the CD1 gene family in rodents and the uniqueness of the immune system of naked mole-rat
Authors: Gunbin Konstantin V. , Kopeina Gelina S. , Zhivotovsky Boris , Zamaraev Alexey V.
Published: July 2024

Cluster of Differentiation 1 (CD1) proteins are widely expressed throughout jawed vertebrates and present lipid antigens to specific CD1-restricted T lymphocytes. CD1 molecules play an important role in immune defense with the presence or absence of particular CD1 proteins frequently associated with the functional characteristics of the immune system. Here, we show the evolution of CD1 proteins in the Rodentia family and the diversity among its members. Based on the analysis of CD1 protein-coding regions in rodent genomes and the reconstruction of protein structures, we found that Heterocephalus glaber represents a unique member of the suborder Hystricomorpha with significant changes in protein sequences and structures of the CD1 family. Multiple lines of evidence point to the absence of CD1d and CD1e and probably a dysfunctional CD1b protein in Heterocephalus glaber. In addition, the impact of CD1d loss on the CD1d/Natural killer T (NKT) cell axis in the naked mole-rat and its potential implications for immune system function are discussed in detail.
Efficacy of vitamin C on chemotherapy-related anemia in pancreatic cancer: study protocol for a randomized controlled trial
Authors: Wang Xinyue , Zhu Xinzhe , Liu Yi , Liu He , Xiao Zhiwen , Luo Guopei
Published: July 2024

Background

In the treatment of advanced pancreatic cancer, chemotherapy plays a pivotal role. Despite its effectiveness, this regimen is often marred by side effects such as anemia, neuropathy, fatigue, nausea, and malnutrition, which significantly affect patients’ tolerance to the treatment. Some studies have shown that vitamin C could potentially augment chemotherapy’s tolerability, notably by boosting iron absorption, ameliorating anemia, and relieving pain and numbness in hands and feet. Nevertheless, the integration of vitamin C with chemotherapy to mitigate toxic side effects and enhance the quality of life for advanced pancreatic cancer patients has not been examined in any randomized controlled trials to date.

Methods

A prospective, single-center, open-label, randomized controlled trial will be conducted at Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center from September 2023 to September 2026. A total of at least 100 patients with advanced pancreatic adenocarcinoma exhibiting distant metastases will be recruited and randomly assigned to the chemotherapy group or the chemotherapy plus vitamin C group. The primary endpoint is the rate of anemia. Secondary endpoints include the rate of grade 3 neuropathy, change of numeric rating scale, quality of life, and overall survival.

Discussion

This study aims to assess the impact of low-dose vitamin C on enhancing the quality of life for patients with metastatic pancreatic cancer undergoing gemcitabine and nab-paclitaxel chemotherapy.

Trial registration

The trial was registered with the ClinicalTrials.gov (NCT06018883) on August 31, 2023.
Hilbert-curve assisted structure embedding method
Authors: Zahoránszky-Kőhalmi Gergely , Wan Kanny K. , Godfrey Alexander G.
Published: July 2024

Motivation

Chemical space embedding methods are widely utilized in various research settings for dimensional reduction, clustering and effective visualization. The maps generated by the embedding process can provide valuable insight to medicinal chemists in terms of the relationships between structural, physicochemical and biological properties of compounds. However, these maps are known to be difficult to interpret, and the ‘‘landscape’’ on the map is prone to ‘‘rearrangement’’ when embedding different sets of compounds.

Results

In this study we present the Hilbert-Curve Assisted Space Embedding (HCASE) method which was designed to create maps by organizing structures according to a logic familiar to medicinal chemists. First, a chemical space is created with the help of a set of ‘‘reference scaffolds’’. These scaffolds are sorted according to the medicinal chemistry inspired Scaffold-Key algorithm found in prior art. Next, the ordered scaffolds are mapped to a line which is folded into a higher dimensional (here: 2D) space. The intricately folded line is referred to as a pseudo-Hilbert-Curve. The embedding of a compound happens by locating its most similar reference scaffold in the pseudo-Hilbert-Curve and assuming the respective position. Through a series of experiments, we demonstrate the properties of the maps generated by the HCASE method. Subjects of embeddings were compounds of the DrugBank and CANVASS libraries, and the chemical spaces were defined by scaffolds extracted from the ChEMBL database.

Scientific contribution

The novelty of HCASE method lies in generating robust and intuitive chemical space embeddings that are reflective of a medicinal chemist’s reasoning, and the precedential use of space filling (Hilbert) curve in the process.

Availability

https://github.com/ncats/hcase

Graphical Abstract
“A day in the life” – telemedicine in family medicine and its relationship with practicing physicians’ satisfaction: a cross-sectional study
Authors: Zacay Galia , Adler Limor , Schonmann Yochai , Azuri Joseph , Yehoshua Ilan , Vinker Shlomo , Heymann Anthony D , Afek Shani , Golan Cohen Avivit , Green Ilan , Hoffman Robert , Shani Michal
Published: July 2024

Background

Telemedicine has expanded rapidly in recent years, and many encounters that were conducted in person now take place remotely. This study aimed to assess primary care physicians’ (PCPs) attitudes towards the different modalities of patient care.

Methods

This is a cross-sectional nationwide descriptive study conducted in Israel. We asked PCPs to document an entire workday and answer a short questionnaire after each visit. The questions addressed the type of visit (face-to-face, remote synchronous [telephone/video], or remote asynchronous [online requests]), the perceived quality of the visit, and the physicians’ feelings at the end of each visit. Before documenting their working day, we asked the participants to answer a questionnaire about their general attitudes toward different modalities of medical visits and how they affect their well-being and burnout.

Results

Sixty physicians documented 2,025 visits, of which 39% took place in person, 36% stemmed from online patient requests, 18% were telephone meetings, < 1% were video meetings, and 6% consisted of other types of contact. Mixed effects logistic regressions were used to model the visits’ evaluation. The odds ratios (ORs) for perceived medical quality of visits focused on medical tasks were lower for non-face-to-face visits: OR = 0.39, 95% CI 0.25–0.59 for remote synchronous, and OR = 0.14, 95% CI 0.09–0.23 for remote asynchronous. The perceived medical quality of visits focused on administrative tasks was lower for remote asynchronous than for face-to-face visits (OR = 0.31, 95% CI 0.14–0.65). We found no association between medical quality and patients, physicians, or clinic characteristics. The inappropriateness of the visit modality was also associated with lower medical quality (OR = 0.13, 95% CI 0.09–0.18). We found a correlation between perception of medical quality and physicians’ feelings at the end of the visits, Spearman’s r = 0.82 (p < 0.001).

Conclusions

A substantial portion of the visits was dedicated to administrative tasks and remote medicine. In comparison, physicians rated face-to-face visits’ quality higher than remote visits. Policymakers should intervene to minimize administrative work, reduce PCPs’ administrative workload, and direct patients to the optimal visit modality for their complaints. These steps would increase medical quality, reduce burnout, and mitigate the shortage of PCPs.
Blood–brain barrier alterations and their impact on Parkinson’s disease pathogenesis and therapy
Authors: Lau Kristina , Kotzur Rebecca , Richter Franziska
Published: July 2024

There is increasing evidence for blood–brain barrier (BBB) alterations in Parkinson’s disease (PD), the second most common neurodegenerative disorder with rapidly rising prevalence. Altered tight junction and transporter protein levels, accumulation of α-synuclein and increase in inflammatory processes lead to extravasation of blood molecules and vessel degeneration. This could result in a self-perpetuating pathophysiology of inflammation and BBB alteration, which contribute to neurodegeneration. Toxin exposure or α-synuclein over-expression in animal models has been shown to initiate similar pathologies, providing a platform to study underlying mechanisms and therapeutic interventions. Here we provide a comprehensive review of the current knowledge on BBB alterations in PD patients and how rodent models that replicate some of these changes can be used to study disease mechanisms. Specific challenges in assessing the BBB in patients and in healthy controls are discussed. Finally, a potential role of BBB alterations in disease pathogenesis and possible implications for therapy are explored. The interference of BBB alterations with current and novel therapeutic strategies requires more attention. Brain region-specific BBB alterations could also open up novel opportunities to target specifically vulnerable neuronal subpopulations.
Dementia awareness in Egypt: what do people really know?
Authors: Ashour Aya Ahmed , Sabry Noha Ahmed , Ashour Ayat Diaa Eldeen , Kassem Hend Nassef , Alwerdani Mariam M. , Nofal Marwa Abdelaal , Mohamed Nareman Aly , Abdalgeleel Shimaa Abdalaleem , Khalaf Ola Osama
Published: July 2024

Background

Dementia is a pressing problem for families and society. In 2019, a total of 57.4 million people worldwide were estimated to be living with dementia, and this number will almost double every 20 years, especially in Africa and the Middle East. This study aimed to investigate knowledge about dementia among the Egyptian population. A cross-sectional online survey was conducted among a sample of adult Egyptians using a socio-demographics data sheet and a designed dementia knowledge questionnaire.

Results

Nearly one-third (33.4%) had a poor knowledge score. The items most often answered incorrectly were the sudden onset of cognitive problems as characteristic of dementia (59.3%). The highest percentage of good knowledge was in the manifestations and prevention domains (62.20% and 67.18%, respectively). On the other hand, the lowest rate of good knowledge was in the treatment and life impact domains (35.23% and 25.70%, respectively). Not working in the medical field (OR 2.656, 95% CI: 1.504–4.688, p < 0.001), had no contact with dementia patients (OR 1.910, 95% CI: 1.229–2.970, p = 0.004), no previous knowledge on dementia (OR 3.184, 95% CI: 1.797–5.642, p < 0.001), or never heard about dementia "Marad Alkharaf" (OR 6.385, 95% CI: 4.127–9.878, p < 0.001) were significantly associated with poorer dementia knowledge.

Conclusion

The findings of our study indicated variable levels of knowledge of dementia among Egyptians. Our recommendation is to encourage conducting campaigns for raising public awareness about dementia and through media that has an important and widespread effect in reaching the Egyptian population.
Ellagic acid supplementation ameliorates cisplatin-induced liver injury in mice by inhibiting the NF-κB pathway and activating the Nrf2/HO-1 pathway
Authors: Zhang Xueyong , Liu Yue , Liu Mingchao , Ma Qiang , Hao Zhihui , Tang Shusheng , Dai Chongshan
Published: July 2024

Cisplatin (cis-diaminodichloroplatinum II, CDDP), an essential chemotherapeutic agent, can cause potential hepatotoxicity, but the underlying molecular mechanisms remain unclear. In this study, the protective effects of ellagic acid (EA) on CDDP exposure-induced hepatotoxicity and the underlying molecular mechanisms were investigated in a mouse model. Mice were randomly divided into control, CDDP model, EA100 (i.e., 100 mg/kg/day), and CDDP plus 25, 50, or 100 mg/kg/day EA groups. Mice in all the CDDP-treated groups were intraperitoneally injected with 20 mg/kg/day CDDP for two days. For all EA cotreatments, the mice were orally administered EA for seven days. Our results revealed that CDDP treatment resulted in liver dysfunction, oxidative stress, and caspase activation, which were effectively attenuated by EA cotreatment in a dose-dependent manner. Furthermore, EA supplementation significantly downregulated the CDDP exposure-induced protein and mRNA expression of NF-κB, IL-1β, TNF-α, and IL-6 but further upregulated the protein and mRNA expression of Nrf2 and HO-1. Molecular docking analysis revealed strong interactions between EA and the NF-κB or Keap1 proteins. In conclusion, our results revealed that EA supplementation could ameliorate CDDP-induced liver toxicity in mice by activating the Nrf2/HO-1 signaling pathway and inhibiting the NF-kB signaling pathway.
Workshops of Empire
Authors: Rahnama Sara
Published: July 2024

The French colonial state created an increasing number of artisanal training workshops for rural Algerian women during the interwar period. In earlier eras, some similar workshops had been managed and run by individual settler women or religious groups, but a new model of state control over these workshops emerged in the 1920s and 1930s. Throughout the French colonial project in Algeria, the state had resisted working to improve Algerian women's status, claiming that to do so risked provoking the ire of Algerian men. This article examines the brief interwar moment in which the colonial state targeted Algerian women. It draws on an underexamined archival source base from both Algeria and France to explore how administrators used workshops to transform rural Algerian women into waged workers and inculcate them with French culture. Women's workshops were thus at the intersection of multiple state projects, including racial capitalism.
Effervescent Seas
Authors: Fawell Charles Bégué
Published: July 2024

Just before the First World War, the largest French shipping line operating in the Indo-Pacific, the Compagnie des Messageries Maritimes, reported that 44 percent of its personnel were non-Europeans. Made up of French colonial subjects and foreign citizens, this workforce hailed from across the layover ports of the empire's Indo-Pacific steamship highways. Portrayed by French labor leaders as strikebreaking scabs, and by the large shipping companies as docile peons, these “indigenous” seafarers were largely erased from French imperial and labor history before the First World War. Mobilizing archives from France, the United Kingdom, and Vietnam, especially ships’ logs from the 1880s to the 1910s, this article reassesses the place of the French empire's Asian and African seafarers within an intensifying labor movement and an incipient imperial security state. Revisiting everything from mobile acts of outright rebellion to subtly assertive practices of placemaking, the article argues that indigenous seafarers had begun forging a disruptive politics of mobile labor well before the First World War. Their ability to wield power in the face of stigmatization and precarization, the article suggests, points to the underexplored tensions between the “New Imperial” French state and the subcontracted shipping lines on which it depended.
The Dynamic Effects of Recycling on Oligopoly Competition: Evidence from the US Paper Industry
Authors: Watkins Eddie
Published: July 2024

Consumer recycling generates new intermediate inputs. If some of the inputs are used to manufacture a substitute for the original product, the primary seller faces an incentive to reduce current output and raise rivals’ future costs. I find that firms in the US paper industry facing exposure to future competition from the recycled sector, based on differences between product specific recycling technologies, reduced output more than firms not exposed to the recycled sector as consumer recycling increased. I then use the model to illustrate how the strategic response to recycling affects environmental policy. (JEL D43, L13, L73, Q53, Q58)
Negotiating Cooperation under Uncertainty: Communication in Noisy, Indefinitely Repeated Interactions
Authors: Dvorak Fabian , Fehrler Sebastian
Published: July 2024

Case studies of cartels and recent theory suggest that communication is a key factor for cooperation under imperfect monitoring, where actions can only be observed with noise. We conduct a laboratory experiment to study how communication affects cooperation under different monitoring structures. Pre-play communication reduces strategic uncertainty and facilitates very high cooperation rates at the beginning of an interaction. Under perfect monitoring, this is sufficient to reach a high and stable cooperation rate. However, repeated communication is important to maintain a high level of cooperation under imperfect monitoring, where players face additional uncertainty about the history of play. (JEL C72, C73, D81, D82, D83)
Limited Strategic Thinking and the Cursed Match
Authors: Bochet Olivier , Magnani Jacopo
Published: July 2024

In vertically differentiated matching markets with private information, agents face an acceptance curse: being accepted as a partner conveys bad news. We experimentally investigate whether individuals anticipate the acceptance curse in such an environment. We test the effect of an exogenous change in reservation values, making some types more selective and inducing significant changes in the posterior distribution of match qualities. Consistent with limited strategic sophistication, subjects don’t respond to this manipulation. Through additional investigation and structural estimations, we suggest a mechanism explaining the lack of subjects’ response: out-of-equilibrium beliefs are quantitatively more important than limited conditional thinking. (JEL C78, C91, D82)
Technological changes, work, and inequalities in Latin America: Rethinking post-pandemic social protection options
Authors: Castro Mario Henrique de Oliveira , Lanzara Arnaldo Provasi
Published: July 2024

This article analyzes the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on the heterogeneous and unequal labor markets in Latin America. It emphasizes the need for countries in the region to rethink their social protection options in the face of problems related to the growth of informality and work precariousness. In addition to demonstrating the very unequal incidence of these effects across Latin American countries, the article highlights the main risks they face in the current scenario of intense transformations in the productive system and employment relations, partly precipitated by the advent of the pandemic. Finally, the importance of intersectoral and coordinated social protection measures to face these problems is discussed, such as strengthening state capacities to implement passive and active employment policies, which are deficient in the region, and creating effective public systems for professional training.
Comparison of modified extended right lobe graft versus modified right lobe graft in adult living donor liver transplantation: Experience from Pakistan
Authors: Ghafar Abdul , Ullah Kaleem , Abbas Syed Hasnain , Bilal Ahmad Hafiz
Published: July 2024

Objectives: To compare the outcomes of modified extended right lobe graft (MERLG) and modified right lobe graft (MRLG) in living-donor liver transplantation (LDLT).
Methods: This retrospective study was performed at the Liver transplant department of the Pir Abdul Qadir Shah Jeelani Institute of Medical Sciences Hospital, Gambat, Pakistan, from March 2019 to September 2020. The outcomes of 20 MERLG donors and recipients were compared to those of 74 MRLG donors and recipients. Demographics, operative parameters, complications, hospital stay, and one-year survival were compared between the two groups.
Results: The mean graft volume of the MERLG group was more (637.10 ± 71.35 g) than in the MRLG group (562.27 ± 57.77 g), (p= 0.001). Donor blood loss was higher in the MERLG group (680.10±170.60 ml) compared to the MRLG group (650.23±190.65 ml), p=0.527. In addition, the operative time was longer in the MERLG group (345.80±76.90 min) than in the MRLG group (318.12±100.80 min) (p= 0.257). The MERLG recipients were sicker (mean MELD score of 22.54±3.67) than the MRLG (18.86±4.37) (p=0.001). The drain output was higher in the MRLG group (1340 ± 470.32 ml) than in the MERLG group (1110 ± 450.60 ml) (P =0.045). No significant difference was found when comparing postoperative laboratory results and complications between the donor and recipient groups (p >0.05). Kaplan-Meier analysis showed a 95% one-year survival in MERLG group compared to 90.7% in the MRLG group (p=0.549).
Conclusion: With appropriate technical expertise, MERLGs are technically safe and feasible in LDLT donors without any added risks. MERLGs also yielded better outcomes in sick recipients.
doi: https://doi.org/10.12669/pjms.40.8.7825
How to cite this: Ghaffar A, Ullah K, Abbas SH, Bilal H. Comparison of modified extended right lobe graft versus modified right lobe graft in adult living donor liver transplantation: Experience from Pakistan. Pak J Med Sci. 2024;40(8):---------.  doi: https://doi.org/10.12669/pjms.40.8.7825
This is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.
Implementation of Chernobyl optimization algorithm based feature selection approach to predict software defects
Authors: Anand Kunal , Jena Ajay Kumar , Das Himansu
Published: July 2024

Background Software defects can have catastrophic consequences. Therefore, fixing these defects is crucial for the evolution of software. Software Defect Prediction (SDP) enables developers to investigate unscramble faults in the inaugural parts of the software progression mechanism. However, SDP faces many challenges, including the high magnitude of attributes in the datasets, which can degrade the prognostic performance of a defect forecasting model. Feature selection (FS), a compelling instrument for overcoming high dimensionality, selects only the relevant and best features while carefully discarding others. Over the years, several meta-heuristic algorithms such as the Genetic Algorithm (GA), Particle Swarm Optimization (PSO), Differential Evolution (DE), and Ant Colony Optimization (ACO) have been used to develop defect prediction models. However, these models suffer from several drawbacks, such as high cost, local optima trap, lower convergence rate, and higher parameter tuning. To overcome the above shortcomings, this study aims to develop an innovative FS technique, namely, the Chernobyl Optimization Algorithm (FSCOA), to unwrap the most informative features that can produce a precise prediction model while minimizing errors. Methods The proposed FSCOA approach mimicked the process of nuclear radiation while attacking humans after an explosion. The proposed FSCOA approach was combined with four widely used classifiers, namely Decision Tree (DT), K-nearest neighbor (KNN), Naive Bayes (NB), and Quantitative Discriminant Analysis (QDA), to determine the finest attributes from the SDP datasets. Furthermore, the accuracy of the recommended FSCOA method is correlated with existing FS techniques, such as FSDE, FSPSO, FSACO, and FSGA. The statistical merit of the proposed measure was verified using Friedman and Holm tests. Results The experimental findings showed that the proposed FSCOA approach yielded the best accuracy in most cases and achieved an average rank of 1.75, followed by the other studied FS approaches. Furthermore, the Holm test showed that the p-value was lower than or equivalent to the value of α/(A-i), except for the FSCOA and FSGA and FSCOA and FSACO models. Conclusion The experimental findings showed that the prospective FSCOA procedure eclipsed alternative FS techniques with higher accuracy in almost all cases while selecting optimal features.
Effectiveness of Tunnelling Modification Technique Using Platelet-rich Fibrin and Connective Tissue Graft in Gingival Recession: A Systematic Review
Authors: Sandra Popy , Cahyani Adiati Esti , Khairiyah Nurul , Sulijaya Benso , Soeroso Yuniarti
Published: July 2024

Background Gingival recession is a concern in aesthetic and functional perspective. The tunneling technique (TT) is one of the effective root coverage treatments in some gingival recession defects and is associated with favorable outcomes. This paper aims to evaluate the effectiveness of platelet-rich fibrin (PRF) and connective tissue graft (CTG) in gingival recession treatment with TT. Methods This systematic review used the PRISMA method and electronic bibliographic searches were conducted on seven databases (Google Scholar, Wiley, Pubmed, Sage, Ovid Technologies, Quintessence Publishing, Springer) from December 2018 to January 2023. The search focused on randomized clinical trials (RCTs) that reported TT outcomes in the treatment of Miller class I and II recession with a minimum of six months follow-up. Results Three out of 399 studies met the inclusion criteria. The three selected studies presented PRF and CTG use in multiple gingival recessions to evaluate tissue condition and clinical parameters before and after the surgical procedure. The clinical parameters evaluated were probing pocket depth (PPD), recession width (RW), width of keratinized gingiva (WKG), and vertical depth of recession (VDR). TT with PRF and TT with CTG is effective in treating gingival recession. PRF is well accepted by patients with a less invasive procedure compared to the CTG procedure. However, TT with CTG showed better results in all parameters at follow-up. Conclusions TT with PRF can be used as an alternative to treat some gingival recession defects. However, TT with CTG produced better clinical results in recession closure.
The Artificial Intelligence in Public Health Toolkit: A novel resource for stakeholder engagement
Authors: Wright Alison J. , Jermutus Eva , Howes Ella , O'Mara-Eves Alison , Veall Clement , Ives Jennie , Michie Susan
Published: July 2024

Background Artificial intelligence (AI) has considerable potential to enhance public health. People using AI systems for public health decisions, or who are affected by such decisions, may need to understand how these systems work, or articulate how much they want decision-makers to trust the system. This public engagement project, part of the Human Behaviour-Change Project, aimed to a) explore people’s views regarding trust in, and use of, AI for public health decisions and, based on that, b) create a toolkit of resources to facilitate people critically questioning the use of an AI system. Methods Six online, public engagement workshops were conducted in England in 2021 to inform the content and design of the toolkit. Twenty-four people including members of the public, public health professionals, and researchers worked with a graphic designer to create the toolkit. Results The resulting ‘AI in Public Health Toolkit’ contains resources to enable people to evaluate AI systems and provides a roadmap for the decision process, a set of suggested questions to ask about an AI system, a guide to features of good answers and a ‘personal views tool’ prompting reflection on the answers received. Participants suggested that public health decision-makers should use the Toolkit to consult people representative of those affected by the decision to recommend whether an AI system should be used in that instance. Conclusions The ‘AI in Public Health Toolkit’ has the potential to facilitate public engagement in the use of AI in public health. The Toolkit gives those developing AI-driven systems a sense of the public’s queries regarding such systems. The resources in the Toolkit can also facilitate conversations about broader AI applications to healthcare and public services.
The genome sequence of a drosophilid fruit fly, Drosophila helvetica Burla 1948
Authors: Obbard Darren J. ,   Wellcome Sanger Institute Tree of Life Management, Samples and Laboratory team,   Wellcome Sanger Institute Scientific Operations: Sequencing Operations,   Wellcome Sanger Institute Tree of Life Core Informatics team,   Tree of Life Core Informatics collective,   Darwin Tree of Life Consortium
Published: July 2024

We present a genome assembly from an individual male Drosophila helvetica (drosophilid fruit fly; Arthropoda; Insecta; Diptera; Drosophilidae). The genome sequence spans 224.20 megabases. Most of the assembly is scaffolded into 6 chromosomal pseudomolecules, including the X and Y sex chromosomes. The mitochondrial genome has also been assembled and is 15.96 kilobases in length.
Kreacja siebie w świecie wirtualnym jako krok ku wyzwoleniu
Authors: Ziemian Weronika Anna
Published: July 2024

Artykuł analizuje, jak nowoczesne technologie wspierają emancypację grup mniejszościowych poprzez autokreację i ekspresję. Zaczyna od omówienia opresji w dyskursie społecznym, podkreślając trudności związane z językowymi ograniczeniami. Następnie skupia się na uprawomocnieniu perspektywy pierwszoosobowej i strategiach komunikacji, mających przełamać dyskursywne przemilczanie. Przedstawia przykłady wykorzystania technologii, takie jak zwiększenie zasięgu komunikacji, budowanie społeczności i awataryzacja, jako narzędzi umożliwiających mniejszościom wyrażanie się i zyskiwanie głosu, przyczyniając się do budowy bardziej równościowego społeczeństwa.