bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Medication cost in a tertiary care coronary intensive care unit
Authors: Papakonstantinou P , Malliou A , Karakitsios A , Kochiadakis E , Simantirakis E
Published: May 2022

Funding Acknowledgements

Type of funding sources: None.

Introduction

The medication cost of critically ill patients varies among different countries as different health care strategies are applied in each country. The data for the cost of medications in Coronary Intensive Care Units (CICUs) is sparse in the literature.

Purpose

The purpose of this study was to assess the cost of medications of CICU patients in a Greek tertiary care CICU and search for clinical factors associated with increased cost.

Methods

We conducted a prospective single-center observational study, which enrolled consecutive CICU patients of a Greek University Hospital from 1st January 2014 until 31st May 2018. The cost analysis was based on the drugs’ hospital prices, given the assumption that each drug box was used for only one patient. We included only the drug costs. Other costs (personnel costs, cost of energy, cost of specific equipment, etc.) could not be estimated on an individual patient basis, and relevant data were not also available.

Results

Nine hundred forty-three (943) patients were enrolled. The total medication cost was 89,234.14 EUR. The average medication cost per patient was 94.63 ± 3.60 EUR. We included 673 men (71.4%) and 270 women (28.6%). The average cost for men was 91.95 EUR, while for women was 101.3 EUR. The patients’ median age was 68 years. The average cost per age group was 82.19 EUR for patients up to 50 years, 92.89 EUR for patients 51-60 years, 98.71 EUR for patients 61-70 years, 96.2 EUR for patients 71-80 years, and 99.38 EUR for patients over 80 years. The development of sustained cardiac tachyarrhythmias (sustained ventricular tachycardia, ventricular fibrillation, atrial tachycardia, atrial fibrillation, atrial flutter) increased the medication cost by 3.41 EUR. Type of arrhythmias (supraventricular, ventricular) did not have a statistically significant impact on the cost. The mean duration of CICU hospitalization for the patients who developed tachyarrhythmias (756 patients; 80.2%) was 3.89 + 4.90 days, while for the patients who did not develop (187 patients; 19.8%) was 2.79+3.31 days (P <0.001). The majority of the patients (648; 68.7%) was hospitalized due to acute coronary syndromes (ACS), while 295 (31.3%) patients hospitalized due to other cardiac diseases. The mean cost for the first group of patients (ACS) was 94.15 EUR while for the second was 95.69 EUR. Gender, smoking, hypertension, diabetes mellitus, hyperlipidemia, and left ventricular ejection fraction did not have a statistically significant impact on the total medication cost. However, increased creatinine levels and age were associated with prolonged CICU hospitalization and higher medication cost. More specifically, each year of age increased the medication cost by 0.32 EUR (p=0.014).

Conclusions

The development of sustained cardiac arrhythmias, creatinine level and age were the most important factors, which influenced the duration of hospitalization and the total medication cost.
Secondary prevention of coronary artery disease: a retrospective observational analysis of italian healthcare administrative data
Authors: Calabria S , Piccinni C , Ronconi G , Dondi L , Cinconze E , Pedrini A , Esposito I , Addesi A , Martini N , Maggioni AP
Published: May 2022

Funding Acknowledgements

Type of funding sources: Private grant(s) and/or Sponsorship. Main funding source(s): ACARPIA Farmaceutici S.r.l.

Background/Introduction

Prevalence and mortality rates in patients with a documented coronary artery disease (CAD) are high, mainly due to the suboptimal adherence to the recommendations of current guidelines on secondary prevention strategies.

Purpose

This study aimed to describe patients with CAD and eligible to secondary prevention and assess their 1-year healthcare resource consumption and costs, from the perspective of the Italian National Health Service (INHS).

Methods

From our database of Italian healthcare administrative data, reliably representative of the whole Italian population, a cross-linkage of demographics, hospital discharges and exemption code for disease cost sharing, through a unique anonymized identifying code, was performed. Patients aged ≥35 in 2018 (accrual period) with CAD (index date) and eligible to secondary prevention (by excluding subjects with end-stage kidney disease/neoplasia) were selected. They were characterized in terms of age, gender and comorbidities (from index date back to 2015) and followed for 1 year to assess drug consumption, hospitalizations and healthcare integrated costs.

Results

Out of >5 million inhabitants in the database in 2018, 46,063 patients aged ≥35 (1.3%) with CAD and eligible for secondary prevention were selected (72.1% males; mean age [±SD] 70±12). About half of them had 3 or more comorbidities of interest: mostly hypertension (90%), dyslipidaemia (72%) and diabetes (33%). During 1-year follow-up, at least one drug for secondary prevention was supplied to 96.4% of patients: mainly antiplatelets (83%), lipid lowering agents (83%) and β-blockers (73%). At the same time, 95.8% of the cohort was treated with at least one non-cardiovascular drug. The 30.6% of subjects were hospitalized at least once: 11.4% due to relevant cardiovascular causes (mostly acute coronary syndrome and heart failure), 9.1% due to other cardiovascular events and 17.5% because of non-cardiovascular events. On average, the INHS yearly paid €6,078 per patient: hospitalizations accounted for the 70% of the whole expenditure.

Conclusions

This study showed an integrated view of the relevant burden of CAD for patients and the INHS. A multidisciplinary and a more adherent approach to current guidelines are compelling to improve patients’ outcomes and reduce costs for the INHS.
Echocardiographic findings in COVID-19 patients with cardiovascular disease
Authors: Smyrnova G , Babkina T
Published: May 2022

Funding Acknowledgements

Type of funding sources: None.

Background

COVID-19 has rapidly spread around the world and threatened global health. Although this disease mainly affects the respiratory system, there is increasing evidence that SARS-CoV-2 also has effects on the cardiovascular system. Echocardiography is a valuable tool in the assessment of cardiovascular disease.

Purpose

The study’s purpose was to investigate the echocardiographic parameters in COVID-19 patients with cardiovascular disease (CVD).

Methods

Eighty-two patients (males, 54%; mean age, 64 ± 12 years) who were confirmed COVID-19 infection were enrolled in this study. Fourty (48.7%) patients had underlying CVD. Echocardiography was performed in all patients for evaluation of cardiac function.

Results

Size of right atrium (38.3 ± 4.7; 33.6 ± 4.5 mm) and right ventricle outflow tract (36.7 ± 4.4; 33.2 ± 4.1 mm), mitral E/Ea ratio (9.8 ± 3.1; 8.4 ± 2.7) were increased, whereas TAPSE (20.2 ± 3.9; 22.6 ± 3.5 mm) was decreased in patients with CVD compared with those without CVD.

Conclusion

The most frequent echocardiographic findings in COVID-19 patients with CVD was impaired systolic function of right ventricle and diastolic function of left ventricle.
Conjectures on Forest literature
Authors: Spencer Robert
Published: May 2022

These conjectures on two novels about woods or forests from different points and periods in the capitalist world-system, Thomas Hardy’s The Woodlanders (1887) and Annie Proulx’s Barkskins (2016), seek to demonstrate that forests are locations saturated with histories and rival ideologies. Forests are variously godless wastes, places of worship and spiritual renewal, as well as symbols of national, cultural and even racial identity. They are also portents of liberty, the liberty of nature from plantation monocultures, and the liberty of humans from conformity to the regimenting disciplines of capital. Timber is a ubiquitous and indispensable capitalist commodity much like coal or oil. But underground seams of coal and reservoirs of unprocessed crude oil obviously do not, as forests and forest literature often do, represent utopian visions of a post-capitalist future. Much recent work in the ‘energy humanities’ and on ‘the aesthetics of commodity frontiers’ neglects this capacity of literary texts to sketch alternatives to capital’s destructive and instrumentalising logic. This article therefore uses Andreas Malm’s important work on ‘fossil capital’ and his recent speculations on ‘wilderness literature’ to show how in two works of fiction the forest provides an image of a future beyond capital.
Uniportal video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery lobectomy in Bahrain: a case report
Authors: AlMukhodher Sundus , Asheer Mariam , Alfaqaawi Ghassan , Bader Osama
Published: May 2022

Uniportal video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery (VATS) is minimally invasive thoracic surgery that does not use a formal thoracotomy incision. It was first introduced by Dr Diego Gonzalez-Rivas in 2011. We report here our first case performed in Salmaniya Medical Complex in Bahrain using uniportal VATS lobectomy for a patient with colorectal cancer who had a lung metastasis. Uniportal VATS lobectomy is a safe and feasible procedure when performed by an experienced surgeon. It has remarkably reduced postoperative complications as well as the length of stay. However, survival percentage VATS lobectomy appears to be equivalent to survival percentage obtained with open lobectomy.
Mimic or coincidentally? TAFRO syndrome and systemic lupus erythematosus: A case-based review
Authors: Okyar Burak , Torun Bekir , Öktem Esen Saba , Bahar Abdulkadir Yasir , Yıldız Fatih , Çetin Gözde Yıldırım
Published: May 2022

Castleman’s disease (CD) is a rare, systemic disease with histopathological features of angiofollicular lymph node hyperplasia. In the literature, there are case-level reports that mimic or coexist with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) clinically and in the laboratory. Is this condition two separate diseases or is it an imitation of each other? A 73-year-old female patient was admitted to our clinic with arthritis, lymphadenopathy, fever, weight loss, and malar rash. He had a history of idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura and thrombosis in the right leg tibialis posterior and dorsalis pedis arteries. Excisional lymphadenopathy biopsy indicated a diagnosis of hyaline-vascular-type CD. She had anti-nuclear antibody >1/80 homogeneous pattern, anti-double stranded DNA (anti-dsDNA), Anti-Smith (Sm) antibody positivity, hypocomplementemia (C3 and C4), pleural effusion, and pericardial effusion. For this reason, the classification criteria of the European League Against Rheumatism/American College of Rheumatology were studied. Clinical findings, idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura history, antibody positivity, malar rash, and arthritis led us to the diagnosis of SLE. She was treated with 1 mg/kg/day prednisolone and hydroxychloroquine 200 mg 2 × 1. Azathioprine 2.5 mg/kg daily was added to the patient whose complaints did not improve. In the follow-ups, she completely recovered clinically and laboratory. SLE and CD are systemic diseases that overlap in many ways. The literature review shows that these two diseases may mimic each other or may coexist. This situation may be a reflection of a pathophysiological process that has not yet been clarified. This confusing process also affects the treatment decision. This confusing process also affects the treatment decision.
Multisystem Inflammatory Syndrome in Adults and Severe Toxoplasmosis: Similar Clinical Presentations, Potentially Severe Outcomes
Authors: Ardura Monica I , Montoya Jose G , Dyner LauraLe , Contopoulos-Ioannidis Despina G
Published: May 2022

We report a case of a 21-year-old previously healthy man who developed severe toxoplasmosis with chorioretinitis and myositis 2 months after receiving corticosteroids for presumed multisystem inflammatory syndrome in adults, in the setting of a recently acquired acute Toxoplasma infection, likely during a trip to Latin America.
Reliability of acetabular index measurement in developmental dysplasia of the hip screening by orthopaedic trainees: a comparative study
Authors: Elifranji Zuhdi O. , Yasin Mohamad , Al-Saber Munther , Mousa Khaled , Alaqrabawi Ihab , Alswerki Mohammad , Aldowekat Osama , AlTa’ani Zaid , Hammad Yazan , Al-Dalaien Nassar
Published: May 2022

Background:

Radiographic measurements are used for screening of developmental dysplasia of the hip (DDH) in children. The ability to detect acetabular dysplasia requires validated radiographic outcome measures. The acetabular index (AI) measurement has been shown to be a reliable measure worldwide. This study aims to test the reliability of the AI measurement in a DDH screening population by orthopedic junior and senior residents.

Methods:

The review examined 470 radiographs taken during 4 yr (2016-2019) in a university hospital. AI measurement was performed by two surgeons, four senior residents, and four junior residents at three different times. The intra- and interobserver reliability for each group was assessed.

Results:

The intraobserver reliability intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) for the AI measurement performed by seniors was excellent at 0.98 [confidence interval (CI) 0.98 to 0.99] for the right side and 0.99 (CI 0.98 to 0.99) for left side. Indistinguishably, the ICC for AI measurement performed by orthopaedic juniors for right and left side was excellent at 0.96 (CI 0.95 to 0.97) and 0.95 (CI 0.95 to 0.96), respectively. The overall ICCs for interobserver reliability for the AI measurement between professors, seniors and juniors for right and left side was between good and excellent at 0.89 (CI 0.87 to 0.90) and 0.89 (CI 0.87 to 0.91), respectively.

Conclusions:

Orthopaedic juniors are less reliable in terms of intra- and interobserver variability in detecting DDH in screening program in comparison with seniors using AI measurement in a pediatric orthopaedic clinic.

Level of Evidence:

Level III.
Transferability of an Artificial Intelligence Algorithm Predicting Rebubblings After Descemet Membrane Endothelial Keratoplasty
Authors: Hayashi Takahiko , Iliasian Rosa M. , Matthaei Mario , Schrittenlocher Silvia , Masumoto Hiroki , Tanabe Mao , Tabuchi Hitoshi , Siggel Robert , Bachmann Björn , Cursiefen Claus , Siebelmann Sebastian
Published: May 2022

Purpose:

To develop an artificial intelligence (AI) algorithm enabling corneal surgeons to predict the probability of rebubbling after Descemet membrane endothelial keratoplasty (DMEK) from images obtained using optical coherence tomography (OCT).

Methods:

Anterior segment OCT data of patients undergoing DMEK by 2 different DMEK surgeons (C.C. and B.B.; University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany) were extracted from the prospective Cologne DMEK database. An AI algorithm was trained by using a data set of C.C. to detect graft detachments and predict the probability of a rebubbling. The architecture of the AI model used in this study was called EfficientNet. This algorithm was applied to OCT scans of patients, which were operated by B.B. The transferability of this algorithm was analyzed to predict a rebubbling after DMEK.

Results:

The algorithm reached an area under the curve of 0.875 (95% confidence interval: 0.880–0.929). The cutoff value based on the Youden index was 0.214, and the sensitivity and specificity for this value were 78.9% (67.6%–87.7%) and 78.6% (69.5%–86.1%).

Conclusions:

The development of AI algorithms allows good transferability to other surgeons reaching a high accuracy in predicting rebubbling after DMEK based on OCT image data.
Change Over Time in Seasonality and Severity of Children Hospitalized With Respiratory Syncytial Virus Infection in Japan
Authors: Ozeki Shoko , Oshiro Makoto , Fukumi Daichi , Takeuchi Tomoya , Mii Sayaka , Nishikado Yuichi
Published: May 2022

Background:

Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) is the most common cause of bronchiolitis, and in temperate climates, late fall and winter epidemics of bronchiolitis are usually linked to RSV. In recent years in Japan, the RSV infection epidemic has occurred earlier, even during the hot season. This study aimed to evaluate the seasonal variation of RSV-associated hospitalizations over the past decade and the relationship between season and disease severity.

Methods:

This was a retrospective single-center study. Hospitalized children were studied between 2011 and 2019. RSV was detected using rapid antigen detection tests. Clinical information was obtained from medical records, and patients were classified by 4 seasons of admission and analyzed for changes over time.

Results:

Among 3750 children, 945 (25.2%) were RSV-positive. The seasonal proportion of hospitalized children who are RSV-positive showed a peak shift towards summer, with a turning point in 2016. Comparing 2011–2012 and 2018–2019, incidence increased from 6.8% to 46.3% during summer, whereas during fall decreased from 50.0% to 20.7% and decreased from 28.4% to 20.7% during winter (P < 0.05). A similar trend was observed in the number of children requiring oxygenation in the earlier period; however, after the transition, there was no significant difference between seasons.

Conclusions:

Our findings showed that the RSV epidemic shifted to peak during summer until 2016. There was an association between seasonality and severity, such that many younger children were hospitalized during the autumn and winter and required more oxygen; however, after 2016, this difference was no longer observed.
Clinical Features of Kawasaki Disease With Atlantoaxial Rotatory Fixation
Authors: Michihata Nobuaki , Suzuki Takanori , Honda Akira , Oka Itsuhiro , Yoshikawa Tetsushi , Saito Kazuyoshi , Matsui Hiroki , Fushimi Kiyohide , Yasunaga Hideo
Published: May 2022

Purpose:

Atlantoaxial rotatory fixation (AARF) is a rare complication of acute Kawasaki disease (KD). Early diagnosis and intervention are important for AARF because delayed diagnoses may incur neurological sequelae. However, previous studies on AARF associated with KD are limited, and its clinical characteristics and course are unknown. This study aimed to examine the clinical features and treatment course of KD with AARF using a Japanese national inpatient database.

Methods:

Using the Diagnosis Procedure Combination database, we identified KD patients who received intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIG) treatment between July 2010 and March 2020. The clinical characteristics of KD patients with AARF and their risk factors were evaluated using multivariable logistic regression analysis. We also examined the relationship between AARF, the proportion of coronary artery abnormalities (CAAs), IVIG resistance, length of stay and medical costs.

Results:

We identified 71,913 patients with KD, 166 of whom had AARF. The AARF group had older age, heavier bodyweight and atypical KD. In multivariable analysis, AARF was associated with older age [odds ratio (OR): 1.24; 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.19–1.29], lower body mass index (OR: 0.89; 95% CI: 0.82–0.96) and atypical KD (OR: 1.95; 95% CI: 1.12–3.40). AARF was not associated with CAAs (OR: 0.73; 95% CI, 0.23–2.32) and IVIG resistance (OR: 1.05; 95% CI, 0.74–1.49). However, AARF was associated with higher medical costs (difference, US$1064; 95% CI: 346–1781) and longer hospital stay (difference, 3.1 days; 95% CI: 1.7–4.4).

Conclusion:

AARF in patients with acute KD should be considered if cervical symptoms present in older patients with atypical KD.
Individual treatment expectations predict clinical outcome after lumbar injections against low back pain
Authors: Müller-Schrader Matthias , Heinzle Jakob , Müller Alfred , Lanz Christian , Häussler Oliver , Sutter Martin , Eggspühler Andreas , Mare Stefania , Toussaint Birte , Pereira Inês , Petzschner Frederike H. , Wiech Katja , Barth Jürgen , Witt Claudia M. , Stephan Klaas Enno , Manjaly Zina-Mary
Published: May 2022

Subjective expectations are known to be associated with clinical outcomes. However, expectations exist about different aspects of recovery, and few studies have focused on expectations about specific treatments. Here, we present results from a prospective observational study of patients receiving lumbar steroid injections against low back pain (N = 252). Patients completed questionnaires directly before (

), directly after (

), and 2 weeks after (

) the injection. In addition to pain intensity, we assessed expectations (and certainty therein) about treatment effects, using both numerical rating scale (NRS) and the Expectation for Treatment Scale (ETS). Regression models were used to explain (within-sample) treatment outcome (pain intensity at

) based on pain levels, expectations, and certainty at

and

. Using cross-validation, we examined the models' ability to predict (out-of-sample) treatment outcome. Pain intensity significantly decreased (P < 10−15) 2 weeks after injections, with a reduction of the median NRS score from 6 to 3. Numerical Rating Scale measures of pain, expectation, and certainty from

jointly explained treatment outcome (P < 10−15, R
2 = 0.31). Expectations at

explained outcome on its own (P < 10−10

) and enabled out-of-sample predictions about outcome (P < 10−4), with a median error of 1.36 on a 0 to 10 NRS. Including measures from

did not significantly improve models. Using the ETS as an alternative measurement of treatment expectations (sensitivity analysis) gave consistent results. Our results demonstrate that treatment expectations play an important role for clinical outcome after lumbar injections and may represent targets for concomitant cognitive interventions. Predicting outcomes based on simple questionnaires might be useful to support treatment selection.
Surgically Treated Carpal Tunnel Syndrome and Ulnar Nerve Entrapment at the Elbow in Different Occupations and their Effect on Surgical Outcome
Authors: Linde Filippa , Rydberg Mattias , Zimmerman Malin
Published: May 2022

Objective

We investigated whether certain occupations were over-represented among surgically treated carpal tunnel syndrome and ulnar entrapment at the elbow, and if manual occupation affected surgical outcome.

Methods

We included 9030 patients operated for CTS and 1269 for UNE registered in the Swedish National Quality Register for Hand Surgery (HAKIR) 2010–2016. Occupational data was retrieved from Statistics Sweden. Outcome was assessed using the QuickDASH questionnaire.

Results

In patients operated for CTS, there were more assistant nurses, attendants/care providers/personal assistants, nannies/student assistants, carpenters/bricklayers/construction workers, cleaners, nurses, and vehicle mechanics than in the general population. In the UNE population, assistant nurses and attendants/care providers/personal assistants were over-represented. Manual workers with CTS scored the preoperative QuickDASH higher than non-manual workers.

Conclusions

Manual workers are overrepresented among surgically treated CTS and UNE. Manual workers with CTS have more symptoms preoperatively than non-manual workers.
Commentary
Authors: Wassef Heidi R. , Colletti Patrick M.
Published: May 2022

Høilund-Carlsen and colleagues raise important issues related to amyloid PET, diagnosis of Alzheimer disease, and recently approved antiamyloid treatment aducanumab. We discuss new developments that may direct us to methods of presymptomatic detection of Alzheimer disease and development of effective prevention and therapy.
Bone Uptake in Prostate Cancer Patients
Authors: Letang Anouk , Crombé Amandine , Rousseau Caroline , Sargos Paul , Merlin Charles , Cantarel Coralie , Cazeau Anne-Laure
Published: May 2022

Purpose

68Gallium-labeled prostate-specific membrane antigen-11 (PSMA) PET/CT is the new reference to identify relapse during biochemical recurrence of prostate cancer (PCa). However, this method lacks specificity for bone foci. This study aimed to report the prevalence of PCa bone metastases and to assess the diagnostic performances of PSMA reporting and data systems (RADS), clinical, biological, and imaging features for identification.

Patients and Methods

A multicentric retrospective cohort of consecutive patients with biochemical recurrence after local treatment was analyzed. Clinical and biological features at initial staging and during recurrence were retrieved from medical reports. The metastatic status of each bone uptake on PSMA PET/CT was determined according to histopathology, comparisons with concomitant and previous conventional imaging, prostate-specific antigen kinetic, and follow-up. Two nuclear medicine physicians assessed PSMA-RADS, anatomic location, radiological patterns, SUVmax, and the presence of other molecular lesions. Univariate and multivariate analyses were conducted to identify independent predictors of PCa metastases.

Results

In the eligible population, 98/298 patients (32.9%) showed bone uptake on PSMA PET/CT. In patients with a final diagnosis, 28/81 lesions (34.6%) were metastases. PSMA-RADS-4 or 5 showed sensitivity of 79%, specificity of 94%, and accuracy of 89%. PSMA-RADS had a significantly higher area under the receiver operating characteristic curve than the initial reading in clinical practice (0.91 vs 0.83, P = 0.0074). Initial Gleason score ≥8, age ≤71 years at recurrence, and SUVmax >6.21 were independent predictors of PCa metastases in multivariate logistic regression (P = 0.0314, 0.0179, and 0.0003, respectively).

Conclusions

Most bone uptakes at PSMA PET/CT were benign lesions. PSMA-RADS, patients and tumor characteristics, and SUVmax could help identify PCa bone metastases.
Exploring governance issues between online food delivery platforms and restaurant partners in India
Authors: Yadav Nidhi , N. Meenakshi , Banerjee Parthasarathi
Published: May 2022

Purpose

This paper aims to explore the governance of external entities that lie outside the boundaries of digital platform firms by using the theoretical lens of the transaction cost theory (TCT). TCT offers alternative modes of governance for effectively managing transactions in market, hierarchy or hybrid scenarios providing a perfect framework to study platform governance.

Design/methodology/approach

The paper explores governance issues between restaurant partners and online food delivery platforms in India via qualitative analysis of semi-structured interviews of various stakeholders, including restaurant partners and platform managers.

Findings

The study reveals that information asymmetry, opportunism, control and trust deficit are the major strategic governance issues in online food delivery platforms.

Research limitations/implications

Though care had been taken to cover all types of restaurants, due to lockdown number of restaurants studied was restricted in number. Despite the restrictions, findings provided valuable insights into the governance issues of the digital platform. Challenging times like Covid-19 make the study even more crucial from the strategic perspective. The study also adds to the literature on platform governance and provides practical implications for account managers and policymakers.

Practical implications

The study uncovers various critical governance issues. These, if resolved using the right combination of governance mechanisms, will lead to increased partner participation and value creation on the platform.

Originality/value

Platforms outsource the value creation to external entities without having any hierarchical control over partners. The paper studies governance outside the boundaries of the firm using TCT. Hence, it helps to extend governance outside the boundaries of the firm.
Evaluation of modified turbulent viscosity on shedding dynamic of three-phase cloud cavitation around hydrofoil – numerical/experimental analysis
Authors: Hasani Malekshah Emad , Wróblewski Wlodzimierz , Bochon Krzysztof , Majkut Mirosław
Published: May 2022

Purpose

This paper aims to focus on the cavitating flow around the Clark-Y hydrofoil when the dissolved air is taken into account as the third phase. As the RNG k-epsilon model yields poor prediction due to overestimation of viscosity, the modification approaches including density corrected method, filter-based model and filter-based density correction model are used, and the turbulence model is modified. Also, the numerical results are compared with the experimental data.

Design/methodology/approach

The cavitating flow is known as a complex multi-phase flow and appeared in the regions where the local pressure drops under saturation vapor pressure. Many researches have been conducted to analyze this phenomenon because of its significant impact on the erosion, vibration, noise, efficiency of turbomachines, etc.

Findings

The experiments are conducted in a rectangular test section equipped with Clark-Y hydrofoil providing cavity visualization, instantaneous pressure and vibration fluctuations. The simulations are carried out for different cavitation numbers with and without dissolved air. The Fast Fourier Transform, continues wavelet transform and temporal-spatial distribution of gray level are implemented to extract and compare the shedding frequency of experiments and numerical predictions and cavitation evolution. It is concluded that the flow structure, shedding frequency and time-averaged characteristics are highly influenced by the dissolved air. Also, the numerical prediction will be more satisfactory when the modified turbulence models are applied.

Originality/value

To the best of the authors’ knowledge, the originality of this study is the modification of the turbulence model for better prediction of cavitating flow, and the validation of numerical results with corresponding experimental data.
Open source software adoption for development of institutional repositories in university libraries of Islamabad
Authors: Kabir Khan Muhammad , Sheikh Arslan
Published: May 2022

Purpose

This study aims to explore the present status of open-source institutional repository (IR) software’s usage in the university libraries of Islamabad. This study also investigates the views, satisfaction level and challenges of librarians in the adoption and use of IR software.

Design/methodology/approach

A survey was conducted to collect data from the Library Information Science (LIS) professionals working in the university libraries of Islamabad. Data were collected from all library professionals of the Islamabad university libraries by using a structured questionnaire. Out of the total 104 LIS professionals, 84 participated in the study with a response ratio of 80.76%.

Findings

The findings disclose that out of 23 universities recognized by Higher Education Commission (HEC) in Islamabad, 17 (public and private) have developed IRs. Currently, university libraries that have fully implemented the IRs are less as compared with those universities that have partially implemented IR software. However, a good number of university libraries are in the process to develop IRs. Free and open-source software is being used mostly in libraries as compared with in-house developed, locally developed or commercial software. The opinion of librarians about using IR software expressed a positive attitude of librarians. Some of the major challenges encountered by the librarians in using open-source IR software include selection of suitable software and materials for digitization, lack of cooperation from the parent organization, inadequate training opportunities and lack of skilled staff.

Research limitations/implications

This study is geographically limited to the university libraries in Islamabad.

Practical implications

This study will encourage the Pakistani LIS professionals to use open-source software for the development of IRs in their libraries.

Originality/value

This study concludes that the development of IRs in university libraries is a need of the hour. Although the launching of IRs requires certain skills and competencies, Pakistani librarians can overcome these challenges by mastering the ICT skills.
Understanding food choice factors of rural households from northwest Vietnam
Authors: Genova Christian , Umberger Wendy , Newman Suzie , Peralta Alexandra
Published: May 2022

Purpose

This study aims to investigate the food choice motivations of rural households using a cross-sectional dataset of 510 households from northwest Vietnam interviewed in 2016.

Design/methodology/approach

A modified Food Choice Questionnaire (FCQ) is used to assess factors related to food choice and explore relationships between food choice factors, diet quality and various sociodemographic characteristics.

Findings

Results show four distinct food choice factors: “Natural and healthy,” “Familiarity,” “Balanced diet” and “Convenience.” Two distinct consumer clusters are identified: “Health-conscious” households and “Pragmatic” households. “Health-conscious” households rank “Balanced diet” and “Natural and healthy” highly, while “Pragmatic” households prioritize “Convenience” and “Familiarity.” “Health-conscious” households have significantly more diverse diets, are wealthier and have a greater geographic concentration in the high vegetable density per capita-high elevation areas (36%). Their main food preparers are more educated and about 13% have Kinh ethnicity.

Research limitations/implications

Further research is warranted to explore the temporal dimension of parental food choice motivations given the changing agrifood system in Vietnam.

Originality/value

This study is one of the few studies that assess the food choice motivations among ethnic minority groups in a rural setting.
Brand love and ethnic identification: the mediating role of brand attachment among African American consumers
Authors: Madadi Rozbeh , Torres Ivonne M. , Fazli-Salehi Reza , Zúñiga Miguel Ángel
Published: May 2022

Purpose

From a distinctiveness theory and elaboration likelihood model (ELM) perspective, this study aims to investigate the determinants, the direct and indirect effects of ethnic identification on brand attachment, brand love and behavioral outcomes. The authors examine two types of products (high- vs low-involvement).

Design/methodology/approach

In a survey, participants were randomly assigned to four conditions consisting of two high-involvement (i.e. a smart watch and a car) and two low-involvement (i.e. a soda/soft drink and a shampoo) stimuli. A total of 192 respondents participated in this study; 39% were male, 61% were female and 90% were 18-22 years old.

Findings

In line with ELM, the authors offer evidence that ethnic advertising is more effective for low-involvement products targeted at African American consumers. Results also showed that brand attachment partially mediates the effect of ethnic identification with the ad (EthIdenAD) and brand love. In summary, the structural equation modeling (SEM) results support the efficacy of ethnic-targeted ads for developing brand attachment, brand love and behavioral outcomes.

Practical implications

Using ethnically targeted ads to target minority groups may not be sufficient to increase the efficacy of ads. According to distinctiveness theory, African Americans with different levels of ethnic identification will respond differently to ad attitudes, brand attachment, brand love, identification with the model in the ad and varying degrees of belief that the ad was targeted toward them.

Originality/value

This study examines the effect of ethnically targeted advertising on brand love, and behavioral outcomes with the mediation effect of brand attachment and moderation effect of product involvement. The results of this study suggest several theoretical and practical implications for marketing and brand management, including directions for advertising strategy and consumer–brand relationships.
But did they get it “right”? Deadly force, body-worn camera footage, and hindsight bias
Authors: Roche Sean Patrick , Fenimore Danielle M. , Taylor Paul
Published: May 2022

Purpose

American police agencies' swift adoption of body-worn camera (BWC) technology, coupled with the ubiquity of smartphones and social media, has led to a “new visibility” of policing. Video recordings are often touted as objective evidentiary accounts of police-civilian interactions. Yet even these recordings are rarely seen in a vacuum, but instead accompanied by headlines and accounts.

Design/methodology/approach

Using a diverse sample of young American adults (N = 943) and an experimental design incorporating a short poorly recorded BWC video embedded within a survey, this study investigates perceptions of the appropriateness of police behavior in an ambiguous situation where officers used deadly force on a Black civilian. All respondents viewed the same video, but were randomly assigned to one of four ultimate outcomes.

Findings

Respondents overwhelmingly reported the BWC video was personally important and significant for a subsequent investigation and public opinion. The experimental manipulation, along with background factors, exerted a substantial effect on perceptions of the officers' actions. Respondents found the officers' actions more appropriate when told the civilian held a weapon.

Originality/value

Americans are divided on the role of police in a democratic society. Objective accounts like video recordings may be used to build consensus, but our results, derived from a novel method and dataset, suggest deeper cognitive biases must also be overcome.
Benevolent leadership and organizational citizenship behaviors in a higher education context: a moderated mediation model
Authors: Nguyen Phong Dong , Khoi Nguyen Huu , Le Angelina Nhat Hanh , Ho Huong Xuan
Published: May 2022

Purpose

Drawing upon the conservation of resources (COR) theory, this paper investigates the moderated mediation model linking benevolent leadership to organizational citizenship behaviors towards the organization (OCBO) and towards individuals (OCBI) in the context of higher education. The mediating roles of leader-member exchange and affective commitment as well as the moderating roles of the two attachment styles—attachment anxiety and attachment avoidance—are also examined.

Design/methodology/approach

Data were collected from a sample of 333 university lecturers and analyzed using partial least square structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM).

Findings

The results demonstrate that leader-member exchange and affective commitment are mediating resources that help benevolent leaders motivate university lecturers to engage in two types of OCBs. Moreover, attachment anxiety and attachment avoidance act as the respective enhancer and inhibitor for the indirect effects of benevolent leadership on both OCBs through leader-member exchange. In contrast, the relationships between benevolent leadership and two types of OCBs through the mediating role of affective commitment are not contingent on the attachment styles of lecturers.

Practical implications

The findings suggest that university leaders who aim at promoting OCBs among lecturers should deploy benevolent leadership style to facilitate a positive social exchange relationship as well as foster their affective commitment. Such leadership style is especially effective in influencing lecturers who possess attachment anxiety personality traits.

Originality/value

This pioneer research develops and empirically tests a COR theory-grounded moderated mediation model pertaining to benevolent leadership and lecturers' OCBs. The findings contribute to the educational management literature by demonstrating that benevolent leadership, a crucial organizational resource, significantly motivates lecturers' voluntary and extra-role behaviors in a dynamic and contingent manner. Leader-member exchange and affective commitment are important mediating resources in the process of transforming benevolent leadership into beneficial behaviors. Further, the effectiveness of benevolent leadership largely depends on lecturers' personality traits of attachment anxiety and avoidance. These novel mediating and moderating findings demonstrate the sequential and interaction effects of various organizational and individual resources on lecturers' OCBs; thus, adding value to the COR theory's core principles, including resource caravans and resource investment behaviors.
Surgical residency training program in Somalia: Outcomes of 8 years
Authors: Alimoglu Orhan , Colapkulu Nuray
Published: May 2022

Objective

Improving global surgery through postgraduate medical training in Africa is needed. In this context, implementing surgical residency programs into international developments for global surgery might play a great role to achieve successful results in low‐income countries. The aim of this study is to provide insight about postgraduate surgical training program that was initiated in Somalia where there was no prior formal surgical residency program.

Methodology

A general surgery residency program was initiated within the collaboration of Istanbul Medeniyet University and Benadir University. Medical doctors from Somalia, who were successful on enrollment exams, were selected for the program. All residents completed a 3‐year course of theoretical and practical training, including 2 months at Istanbul Medeniyet University Department of General Surgery each year.

Results

Since 2013, 24 residents graduated from the program and 22 of them currently work as attending physicians in Somalia. Abdominal wall hernias, proctological diseases, cholelithiasis, thyroid diseases and breast diseases are the most common pathologies within the elective operations by graduated general surgeons. Also, appendectomy, infection‐induced perforation or ischaemia of colon and small bowel and acute mechanical intestinal obstruction due to tumours and adhesions are the most common emergency surgeries. Interventions due to blunt and penetrating trauma are frequently performed.

Conclusions

This surgical residency program provides surgical care and supports health systems in Somalia. We believe such programs are important to reduce global burden of surgical diseases.
Penoscrotal incarceration by metal ring: Case reports and literature review of management
Authors: Lo Bryan Shing Hin , Ng Ada Tsui Lin , Tsu James Hok Leung , Lam Wayne
Published: May 2022

Penile or penoscrotal incarceration is an uncommon urologic emergency. Herein we describe two patients who present with penoscrotal incarceration by metal rings. Both patients received successful emergency relief under anaesthesia. A literature review of the described management methods was performed to provide useful guidance to clinicians who may be unfamiliar with this clinical entity under emergency settings.
Neoadjuvant therapy in pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma: A competing risk analysis
Authors: Pacilio Carlo Alberto , Grassi Elisa , Gardini Andrea , Fappiano Francesca , Passardi Alessandro , Frassineti Giovanni Luca , Tamberi Stefano , Ercolani Giorgio
Published: May 2022

Objective

Most patients with pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma receive chemo‐radiotherapy as first approach, some of them with the future hope to undergo surgery.

Methodology

The aim of the study was to estimate the probabilities to receive surgery, to experience tumour progression or post‐operative recurrence. We performed a competing‐risk approach to estimate competing events of disease progression and surgery, as well as post‐operative recurrence and death without recurrence.

Results

Of 96 enrolled patients, 49 received chemotherapy because they were judged borderline resectable, 21 were locally advanced and 7 had liver‐only limited metastatic disease. Competing‐risk analyses showed that resectability status at diagnosis not only determines future probabilities of surgery, but also tumour progression and post‐operative recurrence (p < .05 in all cases). CA19‐9 decrease ≥50% predicted surgery (p = .032), whereas CA19‐9 ≥ 300 U/mL predicted post‐operative recurrence (p = .001). Younger age also predicted surgery (p = .001) and margin status predicted recurrence (p = .047). The combination of the competing events suggested that the best outcomes since diagnosis depended not only on resectability and final surgical margin, but also on the combination of relative decrease of CA19‐9 and its absolute value after therapy.

Conclusions

The combination of CA19‐9 decrease, added to resectability criteria, can be used to optimise the selection of surgical candidates.
Modulation of the laying performance and biochemical blood parameters of Japanese quails upon dietary Clanis bilineata larvae
Authors: Mao Yingming , Wang Kaili
Published: May 2022

This study was performed to evaluate the effects of dietary Clanis bilineata larvae (CBL) on laying performance and biochemical blood parameters of Japanese quails. CBL was used to replace 10% corn meal of the basic diet to formulate the treatment feed, while the basic diet without CBL served as control feed. CBL treatment increased egg production, egg weight, egg mass, feed consumption, yolk ratio, shell ratio and egg shape index and serum total protein, albumin, globulin, high‐density lipoprotein cholesterol, low‐density lipoprotein cholesterol, IgG and IgG and decreased feed conversion ratio and albumin ratio of eggs and serum aspartate aminotransferase, alanine aminotransferase, alkaline phosphatase, triglycerides and total cholesterol. The results indicated that CBL could improve laying performance and health status of Japanese quails.
The role of Australian clinical quality registries in pregnancy care: A scoping review
Authors: Campion Tarun Sai David , Daly J. Oliver , Wake Melissa , Ahern Susannah , Said Joanne M.
Published: May 2022

Background

Pregnancy represents a time of increased morbidity and mortality for women and their infants. Clinical quality registries (CQRs) collect, analyse and report key healthcare quality indicators for patient cohorts to improve patient care. There are limited data regarding existing CQRs in pregnancy. This scoping review aimed to: (1) identify Australian CQRs specific to pregnancy care and describe their general characteristics; and (2) outline their aims and measured outcomes

Methods

The scoping review was undertaken according to Joanna Briggs Institute guidelines. CQRs were identified using a systematic approach from publications (Ovid MEDLINE, PubMed, Google Scholar), peer consultation, the Australian register of clinical registries and web searches. Details surrounding general characteristics, aims and outcomes were collated.

Results

We identified two primary sources of information about pregnancy care. (1) Six CQRs are specific to pregnancy (Australia and New Zealand twin‐twin transfusion syndrome registry, Australian Pregnancy Register for women with epilepsy and those taking anti‐epileptic drugs, National Register of Antipsychotic Medication in Pregnancy, Australasian Maternity Outcomes Surveillance System, Neonatal Alloimmune Thrombocytopaenia Registry and the Diabetes in Pregnancy clinical register). (2) Fourteen observational cohort studies were facilitated by non‐pregnancy‐specific CQRs where a subsection of patients underwent pregnancy.

Conclusions

Australian CQRs currently report varied information regarding some selected conditions during pregnancy and offer therapeutic and epidemiological insight into their care. Further research into their effectiveness is warranted. We note the lack of a CQR spanning the common problems of pregnancy in general, where significant health, service and economic gains are possible.
Letter: birth cohort pattern of Helicobacter pylori infection rates
Authors: Sonnenberg Amnon
Published: May 2022

LINKED CONTENT

This article is linked to Sonnenberg papers. To view these articles, visit https://doi.org/10.1111/apt.16592
Letter: paying attention to the comorbidities or extraintestinal complications in patients with inflammatory bowel disease during the COVID‐19 pandemic
Authors: Yuan Wen‐Qiang , Li Fei , Yang Liu‐Chan , Yang Zai‐Li , Cui De‐Jun
Published: May 2022

LINKED CONTENT

This article is linked to Hadi et al papers. To view these articles, visit https://doi.org/10.1111/apt.16730.