bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Risk factors and comorbidities associated with central centrifugal cicatricial alopecia
Authors: Green Maxwell , Feschuk Aileen , Valdebran Manuel
Published: September 2023

Central centrifugal cicatricial alopecia (CCCA) is the most common form of scarring alopecia that most often affects Black women. The disease typically begins with hair loss in the center scalp, which progresses in a centripetal fashion. Both environmental insult and genetics have been implicated in CCCA etiology, although the exact pathophysiology remains unknown. Nevertheless, it is important that providers feel comfortable educating their patients on risk factors (RFs) for the development or worsening of CCCA, and potential comorbidities associated with the condition. Thus, the goal of this review was to summarize these factors. A comprehensive literature search was performed, and studies were included if they reported research on RFs for or comorbidities associated with, CCCA. A total of 15 studies were included: n = 5 researching RFs for CCCA and n = 10 researching comorbidities associated with CCCA. There was an association suggesting an increased risk of CCCA with traction hairstyles in n = 2/3 studies, previous pregnancies in n = 1/1 studies, and use of chemical hair relaxers in n = 1/3 studies. Additionally, age and total years of hair loss were associated with increased CCCA severity in n = 2/2 studies. Type 2 diabetes was positively associated with CCCA in n = 3/5 studies, uterine leiomyomas in n = 1/2 studies, hyperlipidemia in n = 1/2 studies, and vitamin D deficiency in n = 1/1 studies. Conflicting results regarding RFs and comorbidities associated with CCCA exist within the literature. Thus, further investigation in larger cohorts must be done, and future research into genes implicated in CCCA and their potential role in the development of other diseases is recommended.
Improving self-efficacy in behavioral health through interprofessional education
Authors: Wynn Stephanie T.
Published: September 2023

Interprofessional education (IPE) is important in preparing health profession students to practice in a workforce dependent on teamwork and collaboration. Many health profession students graduate without ever having active shared learning experiences in the academic setting. Opportunities for students to participate in activities that promote self-efficacy in competencies related to interprofessional collaborative practice are essential. The purpose of the project was to assess health profession students' perception of self-efficacy related to the core competencies of IPE. The project used a pre/post quantitative survey research design comprising a sample of students enrolled in clinical practicums in behavioral health care settings. Using standardized patients, students participated in timed simulated encounters. Participants (n = 36) completed the 16-item Interprofessional Education Collaborative Competency Self-Assessment Tool on conclusion of the learning activity. Survey responses were scored on a 5-point Likert-type scale, with high scores indicating a stronger level of agreement of perceived self-efficacy. On the postsurvey, most items were rated as “agree” or “strongly agree.” Item means ranged from 4.64 to 4.81. A positive association was found between students' self-efficacy and the utilization of standardized patients within an interprofessional experiential learning activity. The intervention contributed to improving self-efficacy in interprofessional competencies related to collaborative interaction and values.
Validation of the Modified Location-based Resect-and-discard Strategy Requiring Pathology Examination of Sigmoid Diminutive Polyps
Authors: Dong Zhiyu , Zhang Qiongmei , Chen Ye , Qian Xue , Chen Ying , Xu Shuchang
Published: September 2023

Background and Aims:

Recently, the location-based resect-and-discard (LBRD) strategy, which does not depend on optical diagnosis, was developed and demonstrated different surveillance interval agreement with the pathology-based reference in several researches. We aimed to evaluate the performance of LBRD in our first-time colonoscopy cohort, and improve the LBRD.

Methods:

The first-time colonoscopy with complete pathologic information were enrolled. The accuracy of LBRD strategy applied in diminutive polyps in different colonic segments was used as indicator to develop modified LBRD (mLBRD) strategy. Surveillance interval agreement with pathology-based reference was compared between LBRD and mLBRD. The ≥ 90% agreement with pathology was used as benchmark.

Results:

The polyps in sigmoid colon were significantly associated with higher proportion of neoplastic compared with polyps in rectum. The accuracy of LBRD applied in polyps in sigmoid colon were only 53.5%, which was significantly lower than that applied in polyps in other colonic segments. Thus, we hypothesized that mLBRD requiring pathology examination of diminutive polyps in sigmoid colon was more efficient in clinical use. The mLBRD significantly outperformed LBRD in surveillance interval agreement with pathology-based reference (90.2% vs. 83.4%, P<0.001), had lower proportion of patients assigned a longer surveillance interval (3.6% vs. 10.5%, P<0.001) and reached the benchmark, although the proportion of patients with an immediate surveillance interval recommendations and pathology examination avoided decreased.

Conclusions:

The mLBRD, but not LBRD, achieved sufficient surveillance interval agreement with pathology-based surveillance interval assignment and reduced over 30% of pathology examinations.
Terminal Lucidity in a Pediatric Oncology Clinic
Authors: Roehrs Philip , Fenwick Peter , Greyson Bruce , Kellehear Allan , Kothe Karalee , Nahm Michael , Roe Chris , Tassell-Matamua Natasha , Woollacott Marjorie
Published: September 2023

The sporadic occurrence of unusually enhanced mental clarity before death has been documented over time and cultures, and reported in patients with and without neurodegenerative diseases, psychiatric disorders, and other neurocognitive deficits, as well as those with nonterminal and terminal conditions. Using a purposive sampling method via existing professional networks, clinical presentations of terminal lucidity in pediatric populations, as witnessed by pediatric oncologists and medical personnel, were solicited. We document clinical presentations suggestive of terminal lucidity in children, which were compiled by their attending physician at two large tertiary pediatric hospitals. Unanticipated and unexplained changes in mental clarity, verbal communication, and/or physical capability in the days and hours before the death of the pediatric patients were observed. Each patient's medical condition should not have allowed for such changes. The phenomenon known as terminal lucidity provides a conceptual framework for these deviations, although more systematic documentation and clinical research is required before definitive conclusions can be drawn.
Meta-Analysis of Effects of Early Palliative Care on Health-Related Outcomes Among Advanced Cancer Patients
Authors: Cui Jiaxin , Fang Pei , Bai Jianjun , Tan Lanhui , Wan Changxiu , Yu Liping
Published: September 2023

Background

Early palliative care (PC) has received more attention for improving health-related outcomes for advanced cancer patients in recent years, but the results of previous studies are inconsistent.

Objectives

This study aimed to use meta-analysis and trial sequence analysis to evaluate the effect of early PC on health-related outcomes of advanced cancer patients.

Methods

All English publications were searched in PubMed, Web of Science, Embase, and the Cochrane Library from inception to March 2023 with a restriction that the study type was a randomized controlled trial.

Results

The results showed that early PC positively affected quality of life, satisfaction with care, and symptom burden reduction. However, early PC had no significant effect on anxiety or survival. Trial sequence analysis results showed that the effect of early PC on the quality of life was stable.

Discussion

This systematic review suggested that early PC could positively affect health-related outcomes for advanced cancer patients. Early PC can be used widely in clinical settings to improve health-related outcomes of advanced cancer. However, because of the trial sequence analysis results, further well-designed, clinical, randomized controlled trials with larger sample sizes are necessary to draw definitive conclusions.
The efficacy of climatotherapy on medical rehabilitation outcomes: a systematic review
Authors: Amatya Bhasker , Khan Fary
Published: September 2023

Climatotherapy is the planned medical application of climatic factors for the improvement of functioning and prevention or treatment of diseases. Various climatic factors affect the physical and psychosocial functioning in persons with various health conditions including neuromuscular conditions, rheumatic diseases, and chronic respiratory illness. This systematic review is an evidence-based overview of the efficacy of the application of various climatotherapy on rehabilitation outcomes. A comprehensive literature search was conducted using medical/health science databases: PubMed, EMBASE, CINAHL, and Cochrane Library (from inception till May 2022). Two reviewers independently performed study selection, data extraction, and appraised study quality. Due to heterogeneity amongst included trials, a qualitative analysis provided the best evidence synthesis. Overall, 11 randomized controlled trials and 7 observational studies, which evaluated the impact of different climatic factors/conditions (such as warm/cold climate and high altitudes) on patient outcomes postrehabilitation interventions, were included. Most studies scored “low” on quality assessment due to methodological limitations. The findings suggest evidence for the beneficial effect of a warm climate in reducing disability and improved participation in patients with rheumatological, neuromuscular, and chronic respiratory conditions. Rehabilitation interventions conducted in warmer climate tends to enhance physical activity in some of these conditions. No data was available for adverse effects or associated care costs. Although the impact of climatic factors on rehabilitation outcomes is widely documented, high-quality research is sparse in this area. More methodologically robust studies are needed to build evidence for the use of climatotherapy to enhance rehabilitative care.
Camptocormia and drop head syndrome secondary to myotonic dystrophy type 1: a case series and literature review
Authors: De La Rosa-Cabral Alexander , Irizarry Francisco , Ramos Edwardo
Published: September 2023

Camptocormia and drop head syndrome (DHS) is an abnormal flexion of the spine (kyphosis) caused by paraspinal muscle weakness. Camptocormia is used when the kyphosis is at the thoracolumbar levels and DHS is used when the kyphosis is in the cervical area. This manifestation can be seen in different populations including myotonic dystrophy type 1 (DM1). The purpose of this article is to present a case series of patients with DM1 developing camptocormia or DHS in addition to a literature review about pathophysiology, diagnosis, and treatment. The case series are 2 patients diagnosed with camptocormia and 1 patient diagnosed with DHS secondary to DM1 evaluated at a neuromuscular outpatient clinic. Physical examination showed flexible thoracolumbar kyphosis in 2 patients, and 1 patient presented with a flexible kyphotic cervical spine. Imaging studies showed atrophy of the paraspinal muscles (magnetic resonance imaging and computed tomography scan). Physical therapy was prescribed with poor results. The orthotic recommendation was given to patients with camptocormia with marked functional improvement. The DHS patient showed no improvement with an orthosis. In conclusion, camptocormia and DHS are possible long-term complications in patients with DM1. Clinically they present with flexible cervical and thoracic kyphosis due to atrophic changes with fatty infiltration at the paraspinal muscles. Physical therapy has poor results, and orthosis use has mixed results.
Polyethylene Glycol Fusion Restores Axonal Continuity and Improves Return of Function in a Rat Median Nerve Denervation Model
Authors: Frost Christopher , Salous Abdel , Ketheeswaran Suvethavarshini , Ngaage Ledibabari M. , Hanwright Philip J. , Ghergherehchi Cameron , Tuffaha Sami , Vaidya Dhananjay , Bittner George D. , Brandacher Gerald , Shores Jaimie T.
Published: September 2023

Background:

Polyethylene glycol (PEG) can fuse severed closely apposed axolemmas and restore axonal continuity. The authors evaluated the effects of PEG fusion on functional recovery in a rodent forelimb model of peripheral nerve injury.

Methods:

The median nerves of male Lewis rats (n = 5 per group) were transected and repaired with standard suture repair (SR), SR with PEG (PEG), or SR with PEG and 1% methylene blue (PEG+MB); a sham surgery group was also included. Proximal stimulation produced compound nerve and muscle action potentials recorded distally. The contralateral limb of each animal acted as an internal control for grip strength measurements.

Results:

Compound nerve and muscle action potentials immediately returned in all PEG and PEG+MB animals, but not in SR animals. The PEG and PEG+MB groups demonstrated earlier return of function by postoperative day (POD) 7 (62.6 ± 7.3% and 50.9 ± 6.7% of contralateral limb grip strength, respectively) compared with the SR group, in which minimal return of function was not measurable until POD 21. At POD 98, the PEG group grip strength recovered to 77.2 ± 2.8% and the PEG+MB grip strength recovered to 79.9 ± 4.4%, compared with 34.9 ± 1.8% recovery in the SR group (P < 0.05). The PEG and PEG+MB groups reached 50% of the sham group grip strength on POD 3.8 and POD 6.3, respectively, whereas the SR group did not reach 50% grip strength recovery of the sham group throughout the study period.

Conclusion:

PEG fusion plus neurorrhaphy with or without MB reestablished axonal continuity, shortened recovery time, and augmented functional recovery compared with suture neurorrhaphy alone.

Clinical Relevance Statement:

PEG fusion with neurorrhaphy may bypass Wallerian degeneration, leading to augmented and shortened functional recovery.
Using the Neuromuscular Junction Cellular Response to Predict Functional Recovery after Nerve Grafting in a Mouse Experimental Model
Authors: Lu Johnny Chuieng-Yi , Huang Yu-Han , Chen Angela Chien-Yu , Chuang David Chwei-Chin
Published: September 2023

Background:

Functional recovery following peripheral nerve injury worsens with increasing time of denervation before repair. Denervated muscle undergoes progressive atrophy that limits the extent to which motor endplates can be reinnervated. The aims of this study were to assess nerve injuries reconstructed at different time points and to identify various neural and muscle-based markers to predict functional outcome, including an in-depth look at the neuromuscular junction (NMJ).

Methods:

Adult wild-type C57BL/6J mice underwent surgery on the sciatic nerve and were divided into 5 groups: (1) nerve cut and repaired, (2) acute (nerve cut and immediately repaired with a 1-cm autograft), (3) subacute (nerve grafted 2 weeks after injury), (4) delayed (nerve grafted 4 weeks after injury), (5) nerve cut and capped. Functional recovery was measured by treadmill and electrodiagnostic tests. Nerves were harvested for histologic evaluation, and leg muscles, for histologic evaluation and NMJ immunofluorescent staining of motor endplate innervation and terminal Schwann cells (tSCs).

Results:

The delayed graft group performed worst in nearly all parameters. The subacute graft group shared more similarities with the acute group, especially the tSC response (subacute, 48%; acute, 51%) and motor endplate innervation pattern (subacute, 75%; acute, 72%). The only parameters to elucidate differences were muscle weight and motor endplate fragmentation. Traditional axon count failed to capture differences among the 3 groups.

Conclusion:

The tSC activity and NMJ innervation pattern can be used as predictive markers of functional recovery that capture differences among acute, subacute, and delayed nerve injuries.

Clinical Relevance Statement:

The tSC activity at the NMJ displayed by immunohistochemical methods can accurately reflect target muscle innervation over time. This can be used as a predictor of reinnervation when timing of nerve reconstruction is delayed, which can be a critically needed tool in clinical scenarios.
National Impact of SARS-CoV-2 Infection on HIV Virological Suppression in South Africa
Authors: Cassim Naseem , Hans Lucia , Venter W. D. Francois , Somayya Sarang , Da Silva Pedro , Stevens Wendy Susan
Published: September 2023

Background:

Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) severely disrupted routine health care globally. This study assessed the impact of successive COVID-19 waves on HIV viral load (VL) suppression in South Africa, using the national public sector laboratory database. Guidelines recommend VL monitoring at 6 months after treatment initiation, annually once if suppressed, or more frequently if unsuppressed.

Methods:

Specimen-level VL data were extracted for the period January 2019–December 2021. We assessed the national percentage of samples with a VL <50 (virological suppression), 50–999 (low-level viremia), and ≥1000 (viremia) copies/mL. Data were analyzed by calendar year and month. Data for 2019 (pre–COVID-19) were compared with the 2020 and 2021 calendar years (lockdowns imposed). The national number of COVID-19 cases was reported to indicate the wave periods as follows: 1 (ancestral)-June–August 2020; 2 (Beta)-December 2020–January 2021; 3 (Delta)-June–August 2021, and 4 (Omicron)-December 2021.

Results:

Data are reported for 17,460,264 samples, with 5,608,733, 5,840,056, and 6,011,475 tests performed in 2019, 2020, and 2021 respectively. Overall, a VL of <50, 50–999, and ≥1000 copies/mL were reported for 69.4%, 17.3%, and 13.4% of samples, respectively. A VL <50 copies/mL was reported for 67.7%, 70.3%, and 70.0% of patients in 2019, 2020, and 2021, respectively. For the 2020 and 2021 calendar years, the monthly percentage of patients with a VL <50 copies/mL ranged between 64.6% and 72.7%.

Conclusion:

Our findings indicate that COVID-19 has not had a substantial impact on the percentage of samples with virological suppression at the national level.
Pudendal Nerve Block Analgesia at the Time of Vaginal Surgery: A Randomized, Double-Blinded, Sham-Controlled Trial
Authors: Slopnick Emily A. , Sears Sarah B. , Chapman Graham C. , Sheyn David D. , Abrams Megan K. , Roberts Kasey M. , Pollard Robert , Mangel Jeffrey
Published: September 2023

Importance

Effective opioid-sparing postoperative analgesia requires a multimodal approach. Regional nerve blocks augment pain control in many surgical fields and may be applied to pelvic floor reconstruction.

Objective

This study aimed to evaluate the impact of pudendal nerve block on postoperative pain control and opioid consumption after vaginal surgery.

Study Design

In this randomized, double-blind, sham-controlled trial, we enrolled women undergoing pelvic reconstruction, excluding patients with chronic pelvic pain or contraindications to nonnarcotic analgesia. Patients were randomized to transvaginal pudendal nerve block (9 mL 0.25% bupivacaine and 1 mL 40 mg/mL triamcinolone) or sham injection (10 mL normal saline). Primary outcomes were pain scores and opioid requirements. Sixty patients were required to show a 20-mm difference on a 100-mm visual analog scale (VAS).

Results

We randomized 71 patients: 36 pudendal block and 35 sham. Groups were well matched in baseline characteristics and surgery type. Prolapse repairs were most common (n = 63 [87.5%]), and there was no difference in anesthetic dose or operative time. Pain scores were equivalent in the postanesthesia care unit (mean VAS, 53.1 [block] vs 56.4 [sham]; P = 0.517) and on postoperative day 4 (mean VAS, 26.7 [block] vs 35.5 [sham]; P = 0.131). On postoperative day 1, the intervention group reported less pain, but this did not meet our 20 mm goal for clinical significance (mean VAS, 29.2 vs 42.5; P = 0.047). A pudendal block was associated with lower opioid consumption at all time points, but this was not statistically significant.

Conclusions

Surgeon-administered pudendal nerve block at the time of vaginal surgery may not significantly improve postoperative pain control or decrease opioid use.
Objective Diplopia Outcomes for Patients Treated With Teprotumumab for Thyroid Eye Disease
Authors: Mudalegundi Shwetha , Huang Peng , Henderson Amanda D. , Carey Andrew R.
Published: September 2023

Background:

Thyroid eye disease (TED) is a condition caused by inflammatory damage to the periocular tissue that often leads to double vision. Teprotumumab is an insulin-like growth factor 1 receptor antibody that was FDA approved for the management of TED in 2020, although much is yet to be elucidated regarding its effects on diplopia outcomes among patients with TED. Diplopia is a significant and life-altering effect of TED. Previous studies have reported the effect of teprotumumab on double vision subjectively using the Gorman diplopia score. However, there is a gap in the literature addressing the effect of teprotumumab treatment on objective ocular alignment measures. The purpose of our study was to address this gap.

Methods:

We performed a retrospective review of patients who were diagnosed with TED, presented with diplopia, and treated with teprotumumab in a single-center academic ophthalmology practice. The primary outcome was change in ocular alignment in primary gaze position at 6 months (completion of teprotumumab treatment). Secondary outcomes included change in ocular alignment in other gaze positions, proptosis, eyelid position, and clinical activity score (CAS) at 6 months compared with baseline. To determine what factors may predict ocular alignment response to teprotumumab, we analyzed baseline characteristics among 3 groups, divided based on whether ocular alignment was worsened, stable, or improved at 6 months.

Results:

Seventeen patients met inclusion criteria, 3 (18%) worsened, 10 (59%) were stable, and 4 (24%) improved. CAS (P = 0.02) was significantly different among the groups and was higher in those who worsened and those who improved compared with those who remained stable. Right gaze horizontal prism deviation (P = 0.01) and left gaze horizontal prism deviation (P = 0.03) were significantly different among the groups, with a greater degree of left gaze horizontal prism deviation in the worse group than the stable group (P = 0.04).

Conclusions:

Our study demonstrated that most patients remained stable after teprotumumab treatment regarding ocular alignment in primary gaze and the number of patients who improved was slightly higher than the number of patients who worsened after teprotumumab treatment. There are some baseline measures, such as CAS and right and left gaze horizontal prism deviation that can help better predict how a patient will respond to teprotumumab treatment. Our results can better inform physicians of how to counsel patients with TED when considering teprotumumab therapy.
Smoking-informed methylation and expression QTLs in human brain and colocalization with smoking-associated genetic loci
Authors: Carnes Megan Ulmer , Quach Bryan C. , Zhou Linran , Han Shizhong , Tao Ran , Mandal Meisha , Deep-Soboslay Amy , Marks Jesse A. , Page Grier P. , Maher Brion S. , Jaffe Andrew E. , Won Hyejung , Bierut Laura J. , Hyde Thomas M. , Kleinman Joel E. , Johnson Eric O. , Hancock Dana B.
Published: September 2023

Smoking is a leading cause of preventable morbidity and mortality. Smoking is heritable, and genome-wide association studies (GWAS) of smoking behaviors have identified hundreds of significant loci. Most GWAS-identified variants are noncoding with unknown neurobiological effects. We used genome-wide genotype, DNA methylation, and RNA sequencing data in postmortem human nucleus accumbens (NAc) to identifycis-methylation/expression quantitative trait loci (meQTLs/eQTLs), investigate variant-by-cigarette smoking interactions across the genome, and overlay QTL evidence at smoking GWAS-identified loci to evaluate their regulatory potential. Active smokers (N=52) and nonsmokers (N=171) were defined based on cotinine biomarker levels and next-of-kin reporting. We simultaneously tested variant and variant-by-smoking interaction effects on methylation and expression, separately, adjusting for biological and technical covariates and using a two-stage multiple testing approach with eigenMT and Bonferroni corrections. We found >2 million significant meQTL variants (padj<0.05) corresponding to 41,695 unique CpGs. Results were largely driven by main effects; five meQTLs, mapping toNUDT12,FAM53B,RNF39, andADRA1B, showed a significant interaction with smoking. We found 57,683 significant eQTLs for 958 unique eGenes (padj<0.05) and no smoking interactions. Colocalization analyses identified loci with smoking-associated GWAS variants that overlapped meQTLs/eQTLs, suggesting that these heritable factors may influence smoking behaviors through functional effects on methylation/expression. One locus containingMUSTIN1andITIH4colocalized across all data types (GWAS + meQTL + eQTL). In this first genome-wide meQTL map in the human NAc, the enriched overlap with smoking GWAS-identified genetic loci provides evidence that gene regulation in the brain helps explain the neurobiology of smoking behaviors.
Patient-Derived Medullary Thyroid Cancer Organoids; a Model for Patient-tailored Drug and PET-Tracer Screening
Authors: Sondorp Luc H.J. , Jager Eline C. , Antunes Inês F. , Maturi Rufina , Jansen Liesbeth , Zandee Wouter T. , Brouwers Adrienne H. , Links Thera P. , Coppes Robert P. , Kruijff Schelto
Published: September 2023

Background

Medullary thyroid carcinoma (MTC) is a neuroendocrine tumor derived from the parafollicular C-cells of the thyroid gland. PET imaging, with various PET tracers, is performed when distant metastatic disease is suspected. After the recognition of progressive disease on imaging, targeted therapy may be initiated to prolong survival. Mutations in the gene encoding the REarranged during Transfection (RET) tyrosine kinase play a key role in the development of MTC. It seems that tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) inhibit tumor proliferation, but it remains challenging to determine the best patient specific treatment option. Here, we aim to set up anin vitroMTC organoid model to study its potential for patient-tailored drug-screening and uptake of PET tracers.

Methods

Dispersed cells obtained from surgical MTC biopsies were suspended in Matrigel with defined medium allowing MTC organoid formation. To study putative MTC stem cells, the self-renewal potential of organoids was tested by dissociation to single cells and re-plating. To check MTC origin, MTC-specific gene expression and proteins were characterized by qPCR and immunofluorescent (IF) staining. To investigate cytotoxicity, MTC-organoids (MTOs) were exposed to various TKIs after which hormone (calcitonin and CEA) excretion levels were determined. Lastly, we evaluated cell-specific uptake of clinically used Positron Emission Tomography (PET) tracers.

Results

Nine MTC biopsies were processed and cultured as MTOs. Eight MTO lines were used to determine organoid formation efficiency (OFE), which yielded a maximum OFE of 6.3% in passage 1 (p1), 5.9% in p2, and 9.4% in p3, indicating the presence of putative stem cells. IF staining showed expression of MTC-specific markers in both tissue and MTOs showing tissue resemblance. Tumor marker measurements in MTO medium showed MTC-specific production of calcitonin and CEA with changed concentrations after exposure to TKIs. Exposure to PET tracers showed significant uptake in the MTOs.

Conclusion

MTC organoids can be successfully cultured and resemble the tissue of origin in gene expression, protein expression and functionality. In addition, MTOs can take up PET tracers, and have the potential to be used as a prediction model for TKI treatment in the future.
COVID-19 Vaccine Acceptance and Hesitancy in Ghana: A Systematic Review
Authors: Akrong Godwin Banafo , Hiadzi Rosemond Akpene , Donkor Antonia Bernadette , Anafo Daniel Kwasi
Published: September 2023

The propensity to accept vaccines and factors that affect vaccine acceptance and hesitancy will determine the overall success of the COVID-19 vaccination program. Therefore, it is essential for countries to understand the factors that influence vaccine acceptance and hesitancy in order to prevent further future shocks, and it is necessary to have a thorough understanding of these factors. This study, as a result, aims to review selected published works in the domain of study and conduct valuable analysis to determine the most influential factors in COVID-19 vaccine acceptance and hesitancy in Ghana. The review also explored the acceptance rate of COVID-19 vaccines in Ghana. We selected published works from 2021 to April 2023 and extracted, analyzed, and summarized the findings based on the key factors that influence COVID-19 vaccine acceptance and hesitancy in Ghana, the acceptance rate in Ghana, the demographic factors that are often examined, and the study approach used to examine these factors. The study found that positive vaccination perception, safety, belief in vaccine efficacy, knowledge of COVID-19, and a good vaccine attitude influence COVID-19 vaccine acceptance in Ghana. The negative side effects of the vaccines, mistrust in the vaccine, lack of confidence in the safety of the vaccines, fear, and spiritual and religious beliefs all played significant roles in the factors influencing COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy. The demographic parameters frequently included in these studies that have a significant impact include educational attainment, gender, religious affiliation, age, and marital status.
Metabolic health tracking using Ultrahuman M1 continuous glucose monitoring platform in non- and pre-diabetic Indians: a multi-armed observational study
Authors: Chaudhry Monik , Kumar Mohit , Singhal Vatsal , Srinivasan Bhuvan
Published: September 2023

Background

CGM-based tracking is expanding in non-diabetic groups to meet wellness and preventive care needs. However, data is limited on short-term outcomes for glycemic control, insulin resistance and correlation of algorithm-derived score to known glycemic metrics in controlled settings, making benchmarking difficult. This is especially true for the high-risk Indian/South Asian demographic.

Objectives

To examine changes resulting from the Ultrahuman (UH) M1 CGM application-with concomitant FitBit tracker use in patterns of glucose variability (GV). Evaluate GV correlations with stress, sleep duration, inflammation, and activity. Examine correlations between UH metabolic score (UH-MS) and biomarkers of dysglycemia and insulin resistance.

Methods

Participants (N=53 non-diabetic, 52 pre-diabetic) wore the UH-M1 CGM and FitBit tracker for a 14-day period. HsCRP, cortisol, OGTT, HbA1c, HOMA-IR levels, and standard blood profile measurements were obtained.

Results

Mean glucose levels, restricted time in range (70-110mg/dL), and GV metrics were significantly different between non- and pre-diabetics and displayed improvements with M1 use. Strong correlations of specific GV metrics with inflammation were found in pre-diabetics, with modest correlation between sleep and activity in non-diabetics. Elevated HOMA-IR, HbA1c, and OGTT were linked with J-index and high blood glucose index in pre-diabetics, and low blood glucose index in non-diabetics. UH-MS displayed a strong inverse relationship with insulin resistance and glucose dysregulation.

Conclusions

The study presents the first guidance values of glycemic indices of non- and pre-diabetic Indians and supports the notion that short-duration CGM use with algorithm scores can affect positive changes in glucose management.
Discovering chromatin dysregulation induced by protein-coding perturbations at scale
Authors: Frenkel Max , Hujoel Margaux L.A. , Morris Zachary , Raman Srivatsan
Published: September 2023

Although population-scale databases have expanded to millions of protein-coding variants, insight into variant mechanisms has not kept pace. We present PROD-ATAC, a high-throughput method for discovering the effects of protein-coding variants on chromatin. A pooled library of variants is expressed in a disease-agnostic cell line, and single-cell ATAC resolves each variant’s effect on chromatin. Using PROD-ATAC, we characterized the effects of >100 oncofusions (a class of cancer-causing chimeric proteins) and controls and revealed that pioneer activity is a common feature of fusions spanning an enormous range of fusion frequencies. Further, fusion-induced dysregulation can be context-agnostic as observed mechanisms often overlapped with cancer and cell-type specific prior knowledge. We also showed that gain-of-function pioneering is common among oncofusions. This work provides a global view of fusion-induced chromatin. We uncovered convergent mechanisms among disparate oncofusions and shared modes of dysregulation across different cancers. PROD-ATAC is generalizable to any set of protein-coding variants.
Upgraded LauePt4 for rapid recognition and fitting of Laue patterns from crystals with unknown orientations
Authors: Huang Vincent W. , Liu Yafei , Raghothamachar Balaji , Dudley Michael
Published: September 2023

The LauePt program is a popular and easy-to-use crystallography tool for indexing and simulating X-ray Laue patterns, but its previous versions lack search functions for recognizing Laue patterns taken from crystals with unknown orientations. To overcome this obstacle, a major upgrade of the program, called LauePt4, is presented with three robust search schemes implemented: (i) crystal rotation along a single diffraction vector, (ii) a look-up method to search for reflection pairs matching the interplanar angle of two selected diffraction spots, and (iii) a more efficient look-up scheme to search for reflection triplets matching three interplanar angles. Extensive tests show that all these schemes, together with the convenient graphical user interfaces and highly optimized computing algorithms, are reliable and powerful for recognizing and fitting Laue patterns of any crystal taken under any diffraction geometry.
Synthesis and crystal structure of bis(tert-butyl isocyanide-κC)[5,10,15,20-tetrakis(4-chlorophenyl)porphyrinato-κ4
N]iron(II)
Authors: Nasri Soumaya
Published: September 2023

In the title compound, [FeII(C44H24Cl4N4)(C5H9N)2] or [FeII(TClPP)(t-BuNC)2] [where TClPP and t-BuNC are 5,10,15,20-tetrakis(4-chlorophenyl)porphyrinate and tert-butyl isocyanide ligands, respectively], the metal ion lies on an inversion center and is octahedrally coordinated by the N atoms of the porphyrin ring in the equatorial plane and by carbon atoms of the trans t-BuNC ligands in the axial sites. The Fe—N bond length of 2.0074 (14) Å suggests a low-spin complex (S = 0). The crystal packing of the title compound is sustained by C—H...Cl, C—H...N and C__H...Cg (Cg = the centroid of a pyrrole ring of the TClPP porphyrinate) interactions, leading to a three-dimensional network. The Hirshfeld surface (HS) analysis indicates that 61.4% of the intermolecular interactions are from H...H contacts while other contributions are from C...H/H...C, O...H/H...O and N...H/H...N interactions, which comprise 21.3%, 13.3% and 3.6% of the HS, respectively.
Does top managers' tenure matter to management accounting system design?
Authors: Ahmed Mohamed M.M.
Published: September 2023

Purpose

This study aims to investigate the relationship between top manager tenure and the sophistication level of management accounting system (MAS) in extant literature.

Design/methodology/approach

Cumulating evidence from 31 studies (N = 12,739), this study meta-analytically examines the central question of whether top managers' tenure is significantly associated with MAS sophistication after correcting individual studies for statistical artifacts. The study also assesses the strength of this association bniy exploring the influence of several moderating factors.

Findings

The findings show that long-tenured top managers are not significantly related to MAS sophistication. However, the moderator analtgcqyses indicate that the relationship between top manager tenure and MAS sophistication is moderated by tenure measurement type, firm sector and size. The study provides evidence for the significant moderation of tenure measurement type (i.e. position tenure). The results also argue that top manager tenure matters for MAS sophistication in small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and firms in the private sector.

Originality/value

The meta-analysis summarizes existing studies quantitatively to expand prior narrative reviews by providing definitive evidence of the overall effect of top manager tenure on MAS sophistication.
Evaluating the drivers for the implementation of automation techniques in the Nigerian construction sector
Authors: Oke Ayodeji Emmanuel , Aliu John , Fadamiro Patricia , Leo-Olagbaye Feyisetan , Jamir Singh Paramjit Singh , Samsurijan Mohamad Shaharudin
Published: September 2023

Purpose

Global construction sector studies have significantly explored the impact of automation techniques, revealing their transformative potential. However, research on their application within specific local contexts, especially in developing countries like Nigeria, is sparse. Nigeria presents a unique context marked by challenges such as skilled labor shortage, safety concerns and cost efficiency. Therefore, investigating the implementation of automation techniques in the Nigerian construction industry is crucial to address these challenges, bring transformative advancements and contribute to a more balanced global discourse on automation adoption. This study aims to fill this significant research gap.

Design/methodology/approach

A mixed research method was deployed which combined both qualitative and quantitative data collection and analysis. Two focus group discussions conducted with 23 experts from both industry and academic institutions (qualitative) yielded 17 drivers which were used to formulate a well-structured questionnaire (quantitative), which was disseminated to construction professionals. Collected data underwent analysis through various statistical techniques, including percentages, frequencies, mean item scores and exploratory factor analysis.

Findings

Principal component analysis (PCA) yielded four driver clusters namely: (1) performance-related drivers, (2) visualization and efficiency-related drivers, (3) technological and human-related drivers and (4) economic-related drivers.

Practical implications

The study provides empirical insights that can aid stakeholders, decision-makers, policymakers and the government in formulating strategies to promote automation techniques in the Nigerian construction industry and beyond.

Originality/value

This study's originality lies in its exploration of the untapped potential of automation techniques in the Nigerian construction industry, offering novel perspectives on how these technologies can address specific challenges such as skilled labor shortage, safety concerns and cost efficiency, thereby paving the way for transformative advancements in the sector.
Modelling the interrelationships of critical success factors of humanitarian supply chain: an intuitionistic fuzzy DEMATEL approach
Authors: Choudhary Sangita , Panda Tapan Kumar , Behl Abhishek
Published: September 2023

Purpose

Amid increasing frequency of disaster across the globe, humanitarian supply chain (HSC) has gained significant attention in recent times. This work aims to contribute towards improving the decision-making capabilities of relief organisations by offering more comprehensive understanding of the critical success factors (CSFs) concerning HSC. Hence, the current work attempts to classify CSFs as cause-and-effect factors and explore their relative importance in the stated significance.

Design/methodology/approach

Current work takes an explorative and deductive approach. It uses literature and experts' input to identify the CSFs for HSC and to develop a structural model for assessing these factors. Intuitionistic fuzzy DEMATEL (IF-D) is employed for modelling and analysing the cause-effect linkages among the CSFs. IF-D method is chosen as it is robust to vagueness of data and small samples.

Findings

The findings indicate that “motivated and committed employees” is the most influencing causal factor followed by “IT infrastructure”, and among effect factors, “physical network” carries the most significance followed by “anticipation capabilities.”

Practical implications

Relief organisations and stakeholders at various levels may put more emphasis on cause group factors with more influence on most critical effect factors to build more efficient and effective HSC to execute more impactful relief programs.

Originality/value

Current work explores the cause–effect relationships among the CSFs concerning HSC by implementing IF-D, which can be considered as the original contribution.
The significance of individual, group and future knowledge at a business level through the knowledge-based lens
Authors: Vu Oanh Thi Kim , Duarte Alonso Abel
Published: September 2023

Purpose

The purpose of this study is to enhance the conceptual and practical understanding of individual, group and future knowledge as perceived by company owners and managers operating in Vietnam. To date, knowledge gaps remain concerning this emerging economy, for instance, regarding the significance of knowledge management (KM) skills and innovativeness in positively affecting firms' journey. Overall, the study will add to the extant KM literature, partly address extant research gaps and develop a conceptual model. To support the study's literature foundation, the knowledge-based view framework will be considered.

Design/methodology/approach

An inductive approach and multi-case study were chosen. The views of 17 individuals in leadership positions representing six companies were gathered through semi-structured, in-depth interviews.

Findings

The analysis revealed the influence of seven dimensions. First, the importance of individuals' knowledge is conceptualised by the conspicuous, approach-based and self-initiated dimensions. Second, the collective action-based and collective approach-based knowledge dimensions illuminate the importance of group knowledge. Third, the externally and internally-oriented knowledge dimensions provide guidance and understanding concerning future knowledge. The analysis also underlines the alignment between the findings and the knowledge-based view in various areas.

Originality/value

The dimensions illuminating the research have practical implications for business owners/managers, for instance, motivational and rewarding strategies that companies could consider in order to enhance or maintain a high flow of knowledge acquisition and operationalisation. Furthermore, these implications could help foster a stronger entrepreneurial culture and benefit Vietnam or other emerging economies in their development and success journey. Conceptually, a developed framework affords a richer understanding of the different facets of knowledge at a company level.
A value-driven touchpoints strategy for managing the customer experience process
Authors: Baidya Mehir , Maity Bipasha , Goswami Susobhan
Published: September 2023

Purpose

Managers use several touchpoints to provide a positive experience for customers in an experience economy. Past studies ignored how the touchpoints complement one another in creating synergy, even though this issue has tremendous managerial implications. This research paper aims to examine the role of a set of value-driven touchpoints' in providing and managing the customer experience.

Design/methodology/approach

Four hypotheses were formulated concerning the relationship between various value-driven touchpoints and the consumer experience. Data were collected from 360 respondents, and an econometric model was fitted to the data.

Findings

The results showed that touchpoints representing economical, functional, informational and convenient values impact the customer experience and complement one another.

Practical implications

The findings of this study should assist managers in framing a customer-facing strategy for providing a positive experience to customers.

Originality/value

Using primary data and an econometric model, this research extends the theory on the relationship between value-driven touchpoints and customer experience, hence, adding value to the existing corpus of marketing literature.
On the prediction of stock price crash risk using textual sentiment of management statement
Authors: Yao Xiao , Wu Dongxiao , Li Zhiyong , Xu Haoxiang
Published: September 2023

Purpose

Since stock return and volatility matters to investors, this study proposes to incorporate the textual sentiment of annual reports in stock price crash risk prediction.

Design/methodology/approach

Specific sentences gathered from management discussions and their subsequent analyses are tokenized and transformed into numeric vectors using textual mining techniques, and then the Naïve Bayes method is applied to score the sentiment, which is used as an input variable for crash risk prediction. The results are compared between a collection of predictive models, including linear regression (LR) and machine learning techniques.

Findings

The experimental results find that those predictive models that incorporate textual sentiment significantly outperform the baseline models with only accounting and market variables included. These conclusions hold when crash risk is proxied by either the negative skewness of the return distribution or down-to-up volatility (DUVOL).

Research limitations/implications

It should be noted that the authors' study focuses on examining the predictive power of textual sentiment in crash risk prediction, while other dimensions of textual features such as readability and thematic contents are not considered. More analysis is needed to explore the predictive power of textual features from various dimensions, with the most recent sample data included in future studies.

Originality/value

The authors' study provides implications for the information value of textual data in financial analysis and risk management. It suggests that the soft information contained within annual reports may prove informative in crash risk prediction, and the incorporation of textual sentiment provides an incremental improvement in overall predictive performance.