bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Securities regulation and capital market development in Nigeria: recurring challenges and prospect for solution
Authors: Nwatu Samuel Ihuoma , Arum Edwin Chukwuemeka , Chime Ikechukwu P.
Published: September 2023

Purpose

The purpose of this paper, therefore, is to amplify the imperativeness for a re-oriented regulatory approach that prioritizes constructive engagement with the regulated communities, harnessing the existing pool of savings and retention of market participation.

Design/methodology/approach

The paper adopts a doctrinal legal research design with data drawn from primary and secondary sources of law. The primary sources include case laws and statutes, and the secondary sources include book chapters, journal articles and other internet-sourced materials.

Findings

The paper finds that the status quo in Nigeria if left to continue would spell severe economic disaster for Nigeria’s securities administration, but a well-structured realignment of the regulations would boost the country’s securities market effectiveness.

Research limitations/implications

The research’s conclusions and suggestions might only be applicable to Nigeria’s particular situation with regard to capital market development and securities regulation. Other nations or locations with distinct regulatory systems, market structures and economic situations may not be able to immediately adapt it. When extending the research results outside of the Nigerian environment, caution should be exercised. For regulatory agencies and policymakers, the research offers insightful suggestions. The analysis may pinpoint certain areas where policy changes are required to address reoccurring problems and improve the chances for a healthy capital market.

Practical implications

For Nigeria’s regulatory frameworks controlling securities to be strengthened, this paper would be crucial. To make sure they are in line with global best practices, this entails examining and revising current laws, rules and standards. A stronger regulatory environment may also result from the implementation of harsher enforcement procedures and consequences for noncompliance. It is also required for creating market infrastructure, fostering market integration and cooperation, facilitating access to capital, monitoring and evaluation. It would also benefit investor education and protection.

Social implications

Addressing these persistent issues and potential remedies in Nigeria’s capital market development and securities regulation would have various advantageous social effects. These include improved market infrastructure, more financial inclusion, improved investment protection for investors and improved market openness and integrity. Such results will help Nigerian society as a whole by fostering economic expansion, job creation, wealth distribution and general social progress.

Originality/value

This paper is the original work of the authors and has not been published anywhere nor submitted to another journal for publication.
Fathoming fraud: unveiling theories, investigating pathways and combating fraud
Authors: Mandal Abinash , S. Amilan
Published: September 2023

Purpose

Although corporations exert considerable efforts to uphold ethical standards in their business operations, fraud instances persist as an enduring and formidable challenge within organisations, defying their utmost efforts. The presence of fraud poses a substantial and recurring threat to corporations, leading to significant financial losses on an annual basis. This emphasises the crucial need for a comprehensive understanding of the factors contributing to fraudulent activities and the intricate nature of fraud risk factors inherent in business operations. Therefore, this paper aims to enhance the efficacy of fraud detection and prevention measures through critical analysis and refinement of established fraud theories, drawing upon the existing literature on this subject matter.

Design/methodology/approach

This paper offers a comprehensive qualitative analysis of the existing literature, thoroughly reviewing prominent models that aim to elucidate the underlying motivations behind fraudulent behaviour. Moreover, drawing upon the existing theoretical foundation, this study conceptualises a model that enhances the understanding of the crucial factors contributing to fraudulent behaviour.

Findings

The study presents new theoretical insights concerning the role of personal integrity in fraudulent decision-making, presenting refined interventions that enhance comprehension of the underlying drivers of fraud occurrences and strategies for prevention. Furthermore, the study reveals a comprehensive three-part approach to improving organisational health through strengthening compliance mechanisms and cultivating an ethical-values-based culture.

Originality/value

The study introduces a novel conceptual framework, the personal ethic-based fraud motivation model, which offers a deeper understanding of the factors and conditions influencing individuals’ propensity to engage in fraudulent activities. Furthermore, this study presents a three Cs strategy that effectively delineates the influential forces that drive individuals to surmount fraud risks.
Population dynamics of Listeria spp., Salmonella spp., and Escherichia coli on fresh produce: A scoping review
Authors: Bolten Samantha , Belias Alexandra , Weigand Kelly A. , Pajor Magdalena , Qian Chenhao , Ivanek Renata , Wiedmann Martin
Published: September 2023

Collation of the current scope of literature related to population dynamics (i.e., growth, die‐off, survival) of foodborne pathogens on fresh produce can aid in informing future research directions and help stakeholders identify relevant research literature. A scoping review was conducted to gather and synthesize literature that investigates population dynamics of pathogenic and non‐pathogenic Listeria spp., Salmonella spp., and Escherichia coli on whole unprocessed fresh produce (defined as produce not having undergone chopping, cutting, homogenization, irradiation, or pasteurization). Literature sources were identified using an exhaustive search of research and industry reports published prior to September 23, 2021, followed by screening for relevance based on strict, a priori eligibility criteria. A total of 277 studies that met all eligibility criteria were subjected to an in‐depth qualitative review of various factors (e.g., produce commodities, study settings, inoculation methodologies) that affect population dynamics. Included studies represent investigations of population dynamics on produce before (i.e., pre‐harvest; n = 143) and after (i.e., post‐harvest; n = 144) harvest. Several knowledge gaps were identified, including the limited representation of (i) pre‐harvest studies that investigated population dynamics of Listeria spp. on produce (n = 13, 9% of pre‐harvest studies), (ii) pre‐harvest studies that were carried out on non‐sprouts produce types grown using hydroponic cultivation practices (n = 7, 5% of pre‐harvest studies), and (iii) post‐harvest studies that reported the relative humidity conditions under which experiments were carried out (n = 56, 39% of post‐harvest studies). These and other knowledge gaps summarized in this scoping review represent areas of research that can be investigated in future studies.
Efficacy of paclitaxel‐carboplatin with bevacizumab as a late‐line therapy for patients with advanced nonsquamous non‐small cell lung cancer: A platinum rechallenge
Authors: Sugisaka Jun , Toi Yukihiro , Kawashima Yosuke , Domeki Yutaka , Aiba Tomoiki , Kawana Sachiko , Nakamura Atsushi , Yamanda Shinsuke , Kimura Yuichiro , Sugawara Shunichi
Published: September 2023

Background

There is no well‐established late‐line treatment for advanced nonsquamous non‐small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Therefore, we retrospectively determined the efficacy and safety of platinum rechallenge with paclitaxel‐carboplatin and bevacizumab in patients with nonsquamous NSCLC as a late‐line therapy in a clinical setting.

Methods

Thirty patients with nonsquamous NSCLC who received paclitaxel‐carboplatin with bevacizumab therapy as a late‐line treatment at Sendai Kousei Hospital (Miyagi, Japan) between December 2011 and December 2021 were enrolled into the study. The efficacy and safety of this treatment were evaluated. The patients were further categorized into responders and nonresponders, and predictive factors of treatment response were estimated.

Results

The median progression‐free survival (PFS) was 6.3 (range, 4.9–6.8) months, and the median overall survival (OS) was 11.8 (range, 7.2–17.2) months. There were no significant differences in PFS and OS between patients with and those without epidermal growth factor receptor mutations. In the univariate analyses of this study, responders were younger than nonresponders (p = 0.012). No fatal adverse events were reported.

Conclusions

With the increase in the number of treatment options in recent years, the sequence of treatments and overall therapeutic strategy are becoming increasingly important. Thus, platinum rechallenge with paclitaxel‐carboplatin and bevacizumab, a late‐line treatment for patients with nonsquamous NSCLC, may be an effective therapeutic option.
Acute versus late endoscopic dacryocystorhinostomy in treatment of acute dacryocystitis: A prospective randomised trial with an 18‐month follow‐up
Authors: Lilja Markus , Leivo Tiina , Uusitalo Marita , Vento Seija , Virkkula Paula , Blomgren Karin
Published: September 2023

Purpose

To compare the long‐term symptom resolution and use of resources of performing endoscopic dacryocystorhinostomy (enDCR) in acute or delayed phase in patients with acute dacryocystitis (AD).

Methods

This prospective, randomised controlled trial was conducted in Helsinki University tertiary Eye and Ear, Nose and Throat (ENT) Hospitals between September 2013 and January 2019. Fifty patients aged 18 and above presenting with AD in the emergency care were randomised into acute and delayed enDCR surgery groups, performed in 1 week or 4 months from the diagnosis of AD. The follow‐up time was 18 months. Outcome measures were subjective epiphora, lacrimal symptoms and visual analogue scale (VAS) pain scores, the number of hospitalised and unhealthy days, use of medication and openness in lacrimal syringing and dye test.

Results

EnDCR was performed on 24 patients in the acute and 19 in the delayed group. There were no significant differences between the groups in follow‐up lacrimal symptoms, syringing test, dye test or use of resources. At the 18 months' follow‐up, 21/23 (91.3%) in the acute group and 12/13 (92.3%) in the delayed group had no disturbing lacrimal symptoms. When reoperations and dropouts are considered, beneficial outcome was 22/24 (91.7%) in the acute and 12/16 (75%) (p = 0.195) in the delayed group. The acute group had significantly fewer pain medication days than the delayed group, 3 versus 10.5 (p = 0.03).

Conclusion

Acute enDCR is associated with fewer pain medication days and equal resolution of lacrimal symptoms and use of resources.
Letter: Safety after cessation of nucleos(t)ide analogue therapy in patients with chronic hepatitis B infection
Authors: Liu Yen‐Chun , Jeng Wen‐Juei , Chien Rong‐Nan
Published: September 2023

LINKED CONTENT

This article is linked to Hsu et al papers. To view these articles, visit https://doi.org/10.1111/apt.17614 and https://doi.org/10.1111/apt.17681
Editorial: Unveiling new horizons for liver steatosis genetic variants beyond hepatocellular carcinoma diagnosis ‐ exploring the potential of HSD17B13 inhibition
Authors: Valenti Luca , Casirati Elia
Published: September 2023

LINKED CONTENT

This article is linked to Innes et al paper. To view this article, visit https://doi.org/10.1111/apt.17638
Waitlist and post‐transplant outcomes among candidates listed for liver transplant: Liver alone versus simultaneous liver kidney listings
Authors: Singal Ashwani K. , Kuo Yong‐Fang
Published: September 2023

Background

Data comparing waitlist and post‐transplant outcomes of liver transplantation (LT) alone (LTA) versus simultaneous liver kidney (SLK) listings are limited.

Aim

To examine 90‐days waitlist and 1‐year post‐transplant outcomes of LT listings since Organ Procurement Transplant Network (OPTN) policy for SLK, who had cirrhosis with eGFR <30 mL/min or on dialysis at listing.

Methods

Adults (08/2017–03/2021) with first LT listing (2628 SLK) were stratified on renal function from listing: acute kidney injury (AKI): rise of serum creatinine by ≥0.3 mg/dL or <42 days hemodialysis; chronic kidney disease (CKD): eGFR <60 mL/min for ≥90 days or ≥42 days hemodialysis.

Results

Among 7094 adults analyzed, 90‐days competing cumulative waitlist mortality was 18.2% in LTA + CKD (n = 37), 15.3% in LTA + AKI (n = 3337), 15% in SLK + AKI (n = 2070), and 11% in SLK + CKD (n = 403), p < 0.001. On fine and gray model, compared to SLK + CKD, LTA + AKI had 1.4–fold waitlist mortality. On a median post‐transplant follow up of 1 year, patient survival was similar comparing LTA versus SLK for AKI (89% each, p = 0.83), for CKD (93 vs. 86%, p = 0.55), but lower in recipients listed for SLK with no AKI or CKD (93 vs. 88%, p = 0.02), adjusted hazard ratio (95% CI) of 0.7 (0.4–1.2). Among 1024 LTA recipients without AKI or CKD from listing, 117 were listed for SLK, and their 1‐year survival was poorer compared to LT alone listings (79 vs. 95%, p < 0.002, adjusted HR 3.6 (1.3–10.3); p = 0.015).

Conclusions

Among candidates with renal dysfunction at listing for LT, those listed for LT alone should receive transplant promptly to optimise waitlist outcomes. Those listed for SLK should wait to receive both organs to optimise post‐transplant outcomes.
A UK national survey of enteral feed use in people with diabetes 2022
Authors: Flanagan Daniel , Lake Andrea K. , Green Mark , Roberts Aled , Dhatariya Ketan ,   the Joint British Diabetes Societies for Inpatient Care
Published: September 2023

Aims

Enteral feeding is commonly used to manage a variety of medical conditions in hospitals. For people with diabetes this can present a specific challenge for glucose management. To address gaps in our understanding of modern enteral feeding outcomes and to help with the development of more specific guidance on maintaining glycaemic control, we conducted a national survey on the management of enteral feeding against the standards in the nationally adopted Joint British Diabetes Societies for Inpatient Care (JBDS) guidelines.

Methods

A questionnaire was developed using the 2018 JBDS guideline as a template this questionnaire was sent out by email to all 220 UK specialist diabetes teams. Databases of Diabetes UK, the Association of British Diabetologists (ABCD) and the Diabetes Inpatient Specialist Nurse UK Group were used.

Results

Twenty‐six hospitals responded, 11 had guidelines for the management of insulin with enteral feeding. There were three main feed regimens used: continuous 24‐h feeding, a single feed with one break in 24 h, or multiple feeds in 24 h. There were five regimens in common use: premixed insulin, isophane insulin, analogue basal insulin, variable rate intravenous insulin or basal bolus insulin. Overall glucose control was poor for all regimens and combinations. Continuous feed showed better glucose control than a single feed with a break, mean (±SD) glucose 12.4 mmol/L (5.6) versus 15.1 mmol/L (6.9) p < 0.005, but no group showed optimal control.

Conclusions

Managing diabetes control during enteral feeding remains a challenge. Our survey showed that glucose control during this treatment is suboptimal.
Intra‐articular triamcinolone acetonide injection results in increases in systemic insulin and glucose concentrations in horses without insulin dysregulation
Authors: Boger Brooke L. , Manfredi Jane M. , Loucks Abigail R. , Salamey Maya Z. , Kapeller Lydia E. , Fricano Allie G. , Winkler Ani , Yob Chelsey , Colbath Aimee C.
Published: September 2023

Background

Corticosteroids are a commonly used, inexpensive intra‐articular treatment for osteoarthritis which may increase the risk for laminitis in horses due, in part, to hyperinsulinaemia. Humans with metabolic syndrome experience increases in insulin and glucose concentrations post‐injection, but responses in horses are unknown.

Objectives

To determine the effect of a single intra‐articular (IA) dose of triamcinolone acetate (TA) on blood insulin and glucose concentrations.

Study design

Before‐after study.

Methods

Ten horses with normal insulin regulation as assessed by an oral sugar test received 18 mg of TA into one middle carpal joint. Insulin and glucose concentrations were evaluated at baseline and 4, 6, 8, 24, 48, and 72 h following IA corticosteroid injection. Differences from baseline were evaluated using a repeated measures ANOVA with Dunnett's multiple comparison testing or a Friedman test with Dunn's correction (significant at p < 0.05).

Results

Mean ± SD blood insulin concentration post IA TA injection was increased at 6 h (15.8 ± 3.1 μIU/mL, p = 0.01), 24 h (23 ± 5.8 μIU/mL, p ≤ 0.001), and 48 h (29 ± 13 μIU/mL, p ≤ 0.01) compared to baseline (10 ± 12.3 μIU/mL), with the peak at 48 h. Median ± 95% CI blood glucose concentration post IA TA injection was increased at 6 h (112.7 ± 20.3 mg/dL, p = 0.006), 8 h (112.9 ± 21.4 mg/dL, p = 0.004), 24 h (122.6 ± 14.6, p ≤ 0.0001), and 48 h (123.5 ± 15.4 mg/dL, p ≤ 0.0001) compared to baseline (89.2 ± 6.6 mg/dL), with the peak at 48 h.

Main limitations

Only horses with normal insulin regulation were evaluated.

Conclusions

Blood insulin and glucose concentrations modestly increased for 48 h following IA TA.
Funding Strategies in a Rising Interest Rate and a Flattening Yield Curve Environment
Authors: Abuaf Niso
Published: September 2023

The author suggests that an optimal corporate funding strategy may be a “barbell” that combines short‐term borrowings (to exploit still low short‐term rates) with some long‐term borrowing to lock in historically low interest rates against the possibility of rising inflation and interest rates. Abuaf shows that a “barbell” funding strategy is on the “efficient frontier” of corporate liability structure, i.e., the curve tracing the lowest cost and lowest standard deviation points. Such strategies consist of a barbell with occasional medium‐term borrowings, but with some “rollover” or funding risk attached.

Once the efficient frontier has been delineated, the chief financial officer can use breakeven analysis to choose the optimal maturity mix. The choice between fixed and floating interest rates will depend upon management's tolerance for earnings fluctuations resulting from moves in shortterm rates.

While most of the existing literature predicts that a lot of short‐term debt leads to early default, Abuaf sees that an upward sloping yield curve can easily make shortterm debt cheaper than longterm although it comes at the cost of higher volatility. It follows that in a flatter yield curve environment, longer maturities may be more attractive. If a company's revenues are highly correlated with short‐term rates, it should keep maturities relatively short, however.

If, as Abuaf thinks most likely, that interest rates increase 100 basis points across the curve, CFOs should lengthen maturities now.
Financing Urban Revitalization: A Pro‐Growth Template
Authors: Hanke Steve H. , Walters Stephen J.K.
Published: September 2023

The co‐authors recommend American cities adopt a particular property‐tax rate cutting strategy. They contrast relatively prosperous San Francisco with impoverished Baltimore. Both cities actually raised property taxes frequently between 1950 and 1975 with roughly the same results–falling population and rising crime. During the same period, many other cities also raised tax rates to make up for lower economic output, thereby encouraging more people and businesses to leave.

The change in San Francisco's economic fortunes did not arise out of either a successful crime‐fighting program (it had worse crime than Baltimore in 1975) or through the rising prosperity of Silicon Valley forty miles to its south (still too small and far away to make a difference). Rather, the inflection point for San Francisco was in 1978 when a statewide referendum (“Proposition 13”) limited property taxes to 1% of assessed value. San Francisco's revenue declined by 18% the next year, 1979, but by 1982, its revenue was 66% higher than before Prop 13, despite the lower rates.

Prop 13 improved cash flows to owners of real property in San Francisco and protected their property rights. Investors bought, built, and improved the city's residential and commercial capital stock, attracting new residents and creating new job opportunities

Politicians are reluctant to try to adopt Prop 13‐like measures on their own, however, because the short‐term consequences for politicians are painful as several years are required for underlying economic activity to grow enough to offset rate cuts.

The key is to build a financial bridge before crossing the river through four‐steps:

1. Announce a property tax rate cap that is immediately binding but which would take effect over several years in the future. Rational investors would immediately begin to invest and expand the city's tax base.

2. During the transition period, the city should limit its spending to a “maintenance of service” level, while allocating any added revenue to an escrow fund.

3. The city should supplement this reserve with the proceeds of sales of assets on its balance sheet via sale‐and‐leaseback contracts (SLBs).

4. If revenue falls in the short run, cash would be withdrawn from the escrow fund in order to continue to maintain levels of government services at accustomed levels.
Effect of coffee thermocycling on the surface roughness and stainability of denture base materials with different chemical compositions manufactured with additive and subtractive technologies
Authors: Çakmak Gülce , Weber Franziska Alexandra , Donmez Mustafa Borga , Kahveci Çiğdem , Schimmel Martin , Yilmaz Burak
Published: September 2023

Objective

To evaluate the effect of coffee thermocycling (CTC) on the surface roughness (Ra) and stainability of denture base materials with different chemical compositions fabricated by using additive and subtractive manufacturing.

Materials and Methods

Disk‐shaped specimens were additively (FREEPRINT denture, AM) or subtractively (G‐CAM, GSM and M‐PM, SM) fabricated from three pink denture base materials in different chemical compositions (n = 10). Ra was measured before and after polishing, while color coordinates were measured after polishing. Specimens were subjected to CTC (5000 cycles) and measurements were repeated. Color differences (ΔE00) after CTC were calculated. Ra among different time intervals within materials was evaluated by using repeated measures analysis of variance (ANOVA), while 1‐way ANOVA was used to evaluate the Ra of different materials within each time interval and the ΔE00 values. Color coordinates within each material were compared by using paired samples t‐tests (α = 0.05).

Results

Ra before polishing was the highest for all materials (p < 0.001), while SM had its lowest Ra after CTC and AM had its lowest Ra after polishing (p ≤ 0.008). Before polishing, AM had the highest Ra among the materials (p < 0.001). After polishing, SM had higher Ra than AM (p < 0.001). After CTC, GSM had the lowest Ra (p ≤ 0.048). SM had the lowest (p ≤ 0.031) and AM had the highest (p < 0.001) ΔE00. CTC decreased the a* and b* values of SM and AM (p ≤ 0.017), and increased the L* values of AM (p < 0.001).

Conclusions

Polishing significantly reduced the surface roughness of all materials. CTC did not increase the surface roughness of materials above the clinically acceptable threshold. Only AM had perceptible color change when previously reported threshold values for denture base materials were considered.

Clinical Significance

Tested denture base materials may have similar surface stability after coffee thermocycling. However, subtractively manufactured denture base materials may have improved color stability when subjected to long‐term coffee consumption.
Does political ecology need the approval of geologists?
Authors: Fressoz Jean‐Baptiste
Published: September 2023

Geologists are currently considering whether the ‘Anthropocene’ constitutes a new geological epoch. Political and historical interpretations of the Anthropocene can help us understand the origins of the environmental crisis – but these should not be led by its geological definition.
Food security and the Anthropocene
Authors: Bhunnoo Riaz
Published: September 2023

A growing population, climate change and changing diets pose unprecedented threats to our food security.
Imagination and will in the Anthropocene
Authors: Laybourn‐Langton Laurie
Published: September 2023

What stories can remind us that the ecological and the social are inseparable? How can we face up to the enormity of environmental collapse? IPPR Progressive Review's Laurie Laybourn‐Langton interviews activist and former climate diplomat John Ashton on collectively building a politics for the Anthropocene and the challenge facing younger generations.
Transdermal patches: Do they really works?—A comparative study of ketoprofen versus diclofenac analgesic patches in minor oral surgery
Authors: Kalita Flora , Gehlot Neelima , Gupta D. S. , Mitra Subhajit
Published: September 2023

Aim and objectives

A prospective split mouth study was done to compare the efficacy of transdermal ketoprofen versus diclofenac patch after therapeutic orthodontic tooth extraction based on four parameters – pain intensity (VAS), number of rescue analgesia intakes, local allergic reactions and patient tolerability for immediate and 3 consecutive postoperative days.

Materials and methods

In total, 33 (66 extraction sites) patients were divided into the ketoprofen patch group and the diclofenac patch group. A single ketoprofen patch (70 cm2 30 mg) was applied following extraction of premolars of the 1st and 4th quadrants and patients were recalled after 1 week for extractions of premolars of the 2nd and 3rd quadrants and diclofenac patch (50 cm2 100 mg) was applied on the deltoid region of the right arm, respectively. Patients were then evaluated under the above‐mentioned parameters.

Results

Ketoprofen transdermal patch was found to be more effective in terms of controlling postoperative pain and the minimum number of rescue analgesia tablets taken as compared to diclofenac (statistically significant on 1st and 2nd day) though the former showed the incidence of a local allergic reaction (p‐value 0.002, 0.002 and 0.012), respectively, in few cases which were not seen in case of diclofenac.

Conclusion

Overall, both the transdermal patches are effective in terms of safety and providing analgesia, though more research are needed in proving the safeness and efficiency of these transdermal patches with large sample size.
Women–state relations: The gendered politics of social protection provisioning in Zambia
Authors: Pruce Kate
Published: September 2023

Despite clear gendered differences in rights and responsibilities, these variations within citizen‐state relations are often overlooked. Drawing on Ranjita Mohanty's concept of women–state relations and Nancy Fraser's trivalent theory of social justice, this paper asks how access to social assistance is shaped by gender. Analysing the processes of policy design and implementation of Zambia's social cash transfer scheme, the paper examines perceptions of roles and responsibilities in the private domain and claims to state assistance in the public sphere. Based on 77 key informant interviews with institutional stakeholders, and 16 focus group discussions with cash transfer (non‐)beneficiaries, the research finds a predominant belief that ‘able‐bodied’ men and women should be working but dramatically different expectations of women and men in the household. The paper argues that social policies can be rights‐determining rather than rights‐based, demonstrated by the changes to Zambia's targeting model based on perceived responsibilities, with material consequences for citizens and particularly women.
Image Fusion Algorithm using Grey Wolf optimization with Shuffled Frog Leaping Algorithm
Authors: Mosa Afrah U , Mahmoud Al-Jawher Waleed A
Published: September 2023

Data fusion is a “formal framework in which are expressed the means and tools for the alliance of data originating from different sources.” It aims at obtaining information of greater quality; the exact definition of 'greater quality will depend upon the application. It is a famous technique in digital image processing and is very important in medical image representation for clinical diagnosis. Previously many researchers used many meta-heuristic optimization techniques in image fusion, but the problem of local optimization restricted their searching flow to find optimum search results. In this paper, the Grey Wolf Optimization (GWO) algorithm with the help of the Shuffled Frog Leaping Algorithm (SFLA) has been proposed. That helps to find the object and allows doctors to take some action. The optimization algorithm is examined with a demonstrated example in order to simplify its steps. The result of the proposed algorithm is compared with other optimization algorithms. The proposed method's performance was always the best among them.
A Hybrid Multiwavelet Transform with Grey Wolf Optimization Used for an Efficient Classification of Documents
Authors: Salman Ahmed Hussein , Mahmoud Al-Jawher Waleed Ameen
Published: September 2023

In machine learning, feature selection is crucial to increase performance and shorten the model's learning time. It seeks to discover the pertinent predictors from high-dimensional feature space. However, a tremendous increase in the feature dimension space poses a severe obstacle to feature selection techniques. Study process to address this difficulty, the authors suggest a hybrid feature selection method consisting of the Multiwavelet transform and Gray Wolf optimization. The proposed approach minimizes the overall downsides while cherry picking the benefits of both directions. This notable wavelet transform development employs both wavelet and vector scaling functions. Additionally, multiwavelets have orthogonality, symmetry, compact support, and significant vanishing moments. One of the most advanced areas of study of artificial intelligence is optimization algorithms. Grey Wolf Optimization (GWO) here produced artificial techniques that yielded good performance results and were more responsive to current needs. Keywords — About four key words or phrases in order of importance, separated by commas, used to compile the subject index for the last issue for the year.
Effectiveness of mHealth interventions for improving health attendance: an umbrella review protocol
Authors: Kumar Sadhna , Kuchewar Vaishali , Karuveettil Vineetha
Published: September 2023

Objective:

The objective of this umbrella review is to assess the effectiveness of mobile health (mHealth) interventions for improving health care attendance.

Introduction:

Health attendance is a critical part of health service delivery and is considered a behavior influenced by personal characteristics, service availability, nature of the treatment and consultation, and social determinants. Various interventions are available to foster good health attendance behavior, and mHealth interventions are one of the common go-to solutions; however, there is ambiguity regarding their effectiveness.

Inclusion criteria:

Systematic reviews, with or without meta-analysis, that specifically examine the impact of mHealth interventions on health care attendance will be considered. The review will not be restricted to any particular disease, health problem, stream, or system of care, nor will it be limited by population characteristics (eg, age, gender, socio-economic status) or context (setting can be at any level of care).

Methods:

The JBI methodology for umbrella reviews will be followed, and MEDLINE (Ovid), Scopus, CINAHL, Cochrane Central, and JBI Evidence Synthesis will be searched for sources of evidence. Unpublished and gray literature sources, such as ProQuest Dissertations and Theses, OAIster, and Google Scholar, will also be searched. The review will be limited to English-language articles published from the inception of the databases to the present. Two independent reviewers will perform title, abstract, and full-text screening, while a customized data extraction form will be used for data extraction. The JBI critical appraisal checklist for systematic reviews and research syntheses will be applied. Certainty of evidence for health attendance outcomes will be assessed following GRADE approach.

Review registration:

PROSPERO CRD42023405677
Reaching the limit in autonomous racing: Optimal control versus reinforcement learning
Authors: Song Yunlong , Romero Angel , Müller Matthias , Koltun Vladlen , Scaramuzza Davide
Published: September 2023

A central question in robotics is how to design a control system for an agile mobile robot. This paper studies this question systematically, focusing on a challenging setting: autonomous drone racing. We show that a neural network controller trained with reinforcement learning (RL) outperformed optimal control (OC) methods in this setting. We then investigated which fundamental factors have contributed to the success of RL or have limited OC. Our study indicates that the fundamental advantage of RL over OC is not that it optimizes its objective better but that it optimizes a better objective. OC decomposes the problem into planning and control with an explicit intermediate representation, such as a trajectory, that serves as an interface. This decomposition limits the range of behaviors that can be expressed by the controller, leading to inferior control performance when facing unmodeled effects. In contrast, RL can directly optimize a task-level objective and can leverage domain randomization to cope with model uncertainty, allowing the discovery of more robust control responses. Our findings allowed us to push an agile drone to its maximum performance, achieving a peak acceleration greater than 12 times the gravitational acceleration and a peak velocity of 108 kilometers per hour. Our policy achieved superhuman control within minutes of training on a standard workstation. This work presents a milestone in agile robotics and sheds light on the role of RL and OC in robot control.
High-throughput functional trait testing for bacterial pathogens
Authors: Stromberg Zachary R. , Phillips Shelby M. B. , Omberg Kristin M. , Hess Becky M.
Published: September 2023

Functional traits are characteristics that affect the fitness and metabolic function of a microorganism. There is growing interest in using high-throughput methods to characterize bacterial pathogens based on functional virulence traits. Traditional methods that phenotype a single organism for a single virulence trait can be time consuming and labor intensive. Alternatively, machine learning of whole-genome sequences (WGS) has shown some success in predicting virulence. However, relying solely on WGS can miss functional traits, particularly for organisms lacking classical virulence factors. We propose that high-throughput assays for functional virulence trait identification should become a prominent method of characterizing bacterial pathogens on a population scale. This work is critical as we move from compiling lists of bacterial species associated with disease to pathogen-agnostic approaches capable of detecting novel microbes. We discuss six key areas of functional trait testing and how advancing high-throughput methods could provide a greater understanding of pathogens.
Steamed broccoli sprouts alleviate DSS-induced inflammation and retain gut microbial biogeography in mice
Authors: Holman Johanna M. , Colucci Louisa , Baudewyns Dorien , Balkan Joe , Hunt Timothy , Hunt Benjamin , Kinney Marissa , Holcomb Lola , Stratigakis Allesandra , Chen Grace , Moses Peter L. , Mawe Gary M. , Zhang Tao , Li Yanyan , Ishaq Suzanne L.
Published: September 2023

Inflammatory bowel diseases (IBDs) are devastating conditions of the gastrointestinal tract with limited treatments, and dietary intervention may be effective and affordable for managing symptoms. Glucosinolate compounds are highly concentrated in broccoli sprouts, especially glucoraphanin (GLR), and can be metabolized by certain mammalian gut bacteria into anti-inflammatory isothiocyanates, such as sulforaphane. Gut microbiota exhibit biogeographic patterns, but it is unknown if colitis alters these or whether the location of glucoraphanin-metabolizing bacteria affects anti-inflammatory benefits. We fed specific pathogen-free C57BL/6 mice either a control diet or a 10% steamed broccoli sprout diet and gave a three-cycle regimen of 2.5% dextran sodium sulfate (DSS) in drinking water over a 34-day experiment to simulate chronic, relapsing ulcerative colitis (UC). We monitored body weight, fecal characteristics, lipocalin, serum cytokines, and bacterial communities from the luminal- and mucosal-associated populations in the jejunum, cecum, and colon. Mice fed the broccoli sprout diet with DSS treatment performed better than mice fed the control diet with DSS, and had significantly more weight gain, lower Disease Activity Index scores, lower plasma lipocalin and proinflammatory cytokines, and higher bacterial richness in all gut locations. Bacterial communities were assorted by gut location but were more homogenous across locations in the control diet + DSS mice. Importantly, our results showed that broccoli sprout feeding abrogated the effects of DSS on gut microbiota, as bacterial richness and biogeography were similar between mice receiving broccoli sprouts with and without DSS. Collectively, these results support the protective effect of steamed broccoli sprouts against dysbiosis and colitis induced by DSS.

IMPORTANCE

Evaluating bacterial communities across different locations in the gut provides a greater insight than fecal samples alone and provides an additional metric by which to evaluate beneficial host-microbe interactions. Here, we show that 10% steamed broccoli sprouts in the diet protects mice from the negative effects of dextran sodium sulfate-induced colitis, that colitis erases biogeographic patterns of bacterial communities in the gut, and that the cecum is not likely to be a significant contributor to colonic bacteria of interest in the DSS mouse model of ulcerative colitis. Mice fed the broccoli sprout diet during colitis performed better than mice fed the control diet while receiving DSS. The identification of accessible dietary components and concentrations that help maintain and correct the gut microbiome may provide universal and equitable approaches to IBD prevention and recovery, and broccoli sprouts represent a promising strategy.
Metastatic paraganglioma presenting with spinal cord compression requiring urgent surgery
Authors: Gauci Zachary , Giordano Imbroll Miriam , Sciberras Giusti Ebony , Agius Shawn , Gruppetta Mark
Published: September 2023

We report a rare case of a functional bladder paraganglioma diagnosed in a young man who presented with acute compressive thoracic myelopathy secondary to vertebral metastasis. A histological diagnosis of a metastatic paraganglioma was made following biopsy of a rib lesion. CT revealed a lesion in the inferior wall of the bladder, which demonstrated avid uptake on 68Ga-DOTATATE PET/CT. Serum metanephrine levels were more than 40 times the upper limit of normal. The patient was hypertensive and treatment with doxazosin was initiated. In view of neurological deterioration, he required urgent spinal decompression to preserve neurological function and prevent permanent paraplegia. Despite inadequate alpha-blockade, surgery was successful, and the perioperative course was uneventful. Alpha-blockade was subsequently optimised. Treatment with cyclophosphamide, vincristine and dacarbazine was started but, in view of disease progression, treatment was subsequently changed to sunitinib.
Non-erosive gastro-oesophageal reflux disease and incidence of oesophageal adenocarcinoma in three Nordic countries: population based cohort study
Authors: Holmberg Dag , Santoni Giola , von Euler-Chelpin My , Färkkilä Martti , Kauppila Joonas H , Maret-Ouda John , Ness-Jensen Eivind , Lagergren Jesper
Published: September 2023

Objective

To assess the incidence rate of oesophageal adenocarcinoma among patients with non-erosive gastro-oesophageal reflux disease compared with the general population.

Design

Population based cohort study.

Setting

All patients in hospital and specialised outpatient healthcare in Denmark, Finland, and Sweden from 1 January 1987 to 31 December 2019.

Participants

486 556 adults (>18 years) who underwent endoscopy were eligible for inclusion: 285 811 patients were included in the non-erosive gastro-oesophageal reflux disease cohort and 200 745 patients in the validation cohort with erosive gastro-oesophageal reflux disease.

Exposures

Non-erosive gastro-oesophageal reflux disease was defined by an absence of oesophagitis and any other oesophageal diagnosis at endoscopy. Erosive gastro-oesophageal reflux disease was examined for comparison reasons and was defined by the presence of oesophagitis at endoscopy.

Main outcome measures

The incidence rate of oesophageal adenocarcinoma was assessed for up to 31 years of follow-up. Standardised incidence ratios with 95% confidence intervals were calculated by dividing the observed number of oesophageal adenocarcinomas in each of the gastro-oesophageal reflux disease cohorts by the expected number, derived from the general populations in Denmark, Finland, and Sweden of the corresponding age, sex, and calendar period.

Results

Among 285 811 patients with non-erosive gastro-oesophageal reflux disease, 228 developed oesophageal adenocarcinomas during 2 081 051 person-years of follow-up. The incidence rate of oesophageal adenocarcinoma in patients with non-erosive gastro-oesophageal reflux disease was 11.0/100 000 person-years. The incidence was similar to that of the general population (standardised incidence ratio 1.04 (95% confidence interval 0.91 to 1.18)), and did not increase with longer follow-up (1.07 (0.65 to 1.65) for 15-31 years of follow-up). For validity reasons, we also analysed people with erosive oesophagitis at endoscopy (200 745 patients, 1 750 249 person-years, and 542 oesophageal adenocarcinomas, corresponding to an incidence rate of 31.0/100 000 person-years) showing an increased overall standardised incidence ratio of oesophageal adenocarcinoma (2.36 (2.17 to 2.57)), which became more pronounced with longer follow-up.

Conclusions

Patients with non-erosive gastro-oesophageal reflux disease seem to have a similar incidence of oesophageal adenocarcinoma as the general population. This finding suggests that endoscopically confirmed non-erosive gastro-oesophageal reflux disease does not require additional endoscopic monitoring for oesophageal adenocarcinoma.
Exploring COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy and uptake in Nairobi’s urban informal settlements: an unsupervised machine learning analysis of a longitudinal prospective cohort study from 2021 to 2022
Authors: Rajshekhar Nandita , Pinchoff Jessie , Boyer Christopher B , Barasa Edwine , Abuya Timothy , Muluve Eva , Mwanga Daniel , Mbushi Faith , Austrian Karen
Published: September 2023

Objectives

To illustrate the utility of unsupervised machine learning compared with traditional methods of analysis by identifying archetypes within the population that may be more or less likely to get the COVID-19 vaccine.

Design

A longitudinal prospective cohort study (n=2009 households) with recurring phone surveys from 2020 to 2022 to assess COVID-19 knowledge, attitudes and practices. Vaccine questions were added in 2021 (n=1117) and 2022 (n=1121) rounds.

Setting

Five informal settlements in Nairobi, Kenya.

Participants

Individuals from 2009 households included.

Outcome measures and analysis

Respondents were asked about COVID-19 vaccine acceptance (February 2021) and vaccine uptake (March 2022). Three distinct clusters were estimated using K-Means clustering and analysed against vaccine acceptance and vaccine uptake outcomes using regression forest analysis.

Results

Despite higher educational attainment and fewer concerns regarding the pandemic, young adults (cluster 3) were less likely to intend to get the vaccine compared with cluster 1 (41.5% vs 55.3%, respectively; p<0.01). Despite believing certain COVID-19 myths, older adults with larger households and more fears regarding economic impacts of the pandemic (cluster 1) were more likely to ultimately to get vaccinated than cluster 3 (78% vs 66.4%; p<0.01), potentially due to employment requirements. Middle-aged women who are married or divorced and reported higher risk of gender-based violence in the home (cluster 2) were more likely than young adults (cluster 3) to report wanting to get the vaccine (50.5% vs 41.5%; p=0.014) but not more likely to have gotten it (69.3% vs 66.4%; p=0.41), indicating potential gaps in access and broader need for social support for this group.

Conclusions

Findings suggest this methodology can be a useful tool to characterise populations, with utility for improving targeted policy, programmes and behavioural messaging to promote uptake of healthy behaviours and ensure equitable distribution of prevention measures.
Contact lens-related complications in austere conditions among military personnel: a systematic review
Authors: Bhanot Kunal , Jefferys S , Clipstone K , Guest S , Blanch R J
Published: September 2023

Introduction

Military service personnel are required to deploy to austere environments where they are exposed to harsh conditions. Many service personnel continue to wear contact lenses when deployed as they are an effective alternative to spectacles by affording superior ergonomic functionality, although they are associated with significant complications. We aimed to explore the prevalence and type of contact lens-related complications among deployed service personnel worldwide.

Methods

A systematic review was conducted in accordance with the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses 2020 statement. PubMed, Medline, CINAHL and EMBASE databases were searched for relevant articles published between 1950 and 2023. The keywords ‘contact lens’ and ‘military’ or ‘army’ or ‘navy’ or ‘air force’ and ‘austere’ or ‘deployed’ or ‘adverse’ were used.

Results

Five eligible articles were included. Excluded articles reported contact lens wear in the firm base, were not related to military personnel or did not involve the deployed setting. Major complications associated with contact lens wear included microbial keratitis and contact lens-related discomfort. Excluding case reports, the overall incidence of contact lens-related complications ranged from 0.35% to 25.4%. The three case reports included in this systematic review describedAcanthamoebakeratitis,Nocardiakeratitis and contact lens-related discomfort as significant complications. These case reports also detailed time to initial presentation and type of contact lens worn when complications were encountered. Types of deployed conditions service personnel were exposed to included desert, temperate and underwater environments.

Conclusions

We highlight a scarcity of recent data regarding contact lens-related complications in the deployed setting. While contact lens-wearing service personnel are at risk of infectious keratitis and contact lens-related discomfort, we recommend good-quality data collection on contact lens wearing schedules and complication rates to steer guidance on contact lens wear in service personnel.