bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Challenges in Managing University Land Use to Generate Income: A Review
Authors: Minhat Muhamat Nur Fadhli , Md Yunus Norhidayah , Zainudin Ainur Zaireen , Berahim Nur , Jagun Zainab Toyin
Published: October 2022

Public universities have recently struggled to maintain operating costs due to a budget reduction from Federal Government. Thus, universities must diversify their revenue streams by utilizing the land as one of their valuable assets. However, since the university is not a for-profit institution, it is difficult for them to generate income from land use. This study examines the challenges that universities encounter when managing the usage of their land for the purpose of generating income. The challenges are determined using content analysis of secondary data and the result of this study has identified the four main challenges.
Mediating Effect of Corporate Sustainability Strategy on Wellbeing and Sustainability of FELDA Settlers
Authors: Johan Zaimy Johana , Zamri Nur Aini Farhanah , Canggih Clarashinta
Published: October 2022

The palm oil business is currently at stake due to labour shortages and high input costs, which affects the FELDA settlers to sell palm oil fruits as the millers refuse to purchase them. Consequently, the desire for more sustainable products has led researchers to investigate the issues and challenges faced by FELDA settlers. This research aims to identify the impact of FELDA settlers' social, environmental, and financial well-being, with mediating effect of corporate sustainability strategy. The findings postulate that social, environmental, and financial well-being were mediated by corporate sustainability strategy, while corporate sustainability strategy's direct relationship with sustainability was accepted.
Family CEOs and CSR performance in Ibero-American family firms
Authors: Briano Turrent Guadalupe del Carmen , Rodríguez Ariza Lázaro , Watkins Fassler Karen
Published: October 2022

Basado en la teoría de agencia conductual, este trabajo tiene como objetivo analizar la relación entre los CEOs familiares y las prácticas sociales y ambientales adoptadas por empresas familiares cotizadas en Iberoamérica, y cómo la composición del consejo de administración (tamaño, independencia y participación de mujeres consejeras) modera esta relación. Un panel de datos no balanceado integrado por 836 observaciones-año durante el periodo 2011-2016 es adoptado para realizar diversos análisis econométricos. Los resultados muestran que los CEOs familiares incrementan el desempeño social, particularmente en los aspectos relacionados a prácticas laborales, condiciones de trabajo y derechos humanos. La principal limitación del trabajo es la muestra de estudio, centrada en aquellas empresas con mayor capitalización en los mercados de valores de cuatro países en Iberoamérica. Esta investigación contribuye en extender la literatura comparativa internacional en empresas familiares y pone de manifiesto que la preservación de la riqueza socio-emocional constituye un mecanismo estratégico para los CEOs familiares, lo cual a su vez, favorece el desempeño no financiero de empresas Iberoamericanas.
Feasibility of Monitoring Patients Who Have Cancer With a Smart T-shirt: Protocol for the OncoSmartShirt Study
Authors: Steen-Olsen Emma Balch , Pappot Helle , Green Allan , Langberg Henning , Holländer-Mieritz Cecilie
Published: October 2022

Background

Studies have shown that there may be dissimilar perceptions on symptoms or side effects between patients with cancer and health care professionals. This may lead to symptomatic patients notifying the clinic irregularly or not telling the clinic at all. Wearables could help identify symptoms earlier. Patients with low socioeconomic status and less self-awareness of their health may benefit from this. A new design of wearables is a smart t-shirt that, with embedded sensors, provides measurement flows such as electrocardiogram, thoracic and abdominal respiration, and temperature.

Objective

This study evaluates the feasibility of using a smart t-shirt for home monitoring of biometric sensor data in adolescent and young adult and elderly patients during cancer treatment.

Methods

The OncoSmartShirt study is an explorative study investigating the feasibility of using the Chronolife smart t-shirt during cancer treatment. This smart t-shirt is designed with multiple fully embedded sensors and electrodes that engender 6 different measurement flows continuously. A total of 20 Danish patients with cancer ≥18 years old in antineoplastic treatment at Department of Oncology Rigshospitalet Denmark will be recruited from all cancer wards, whether patients are in curative or palliative care. Of these 20 patients, 10 (50%) will be <39 years old, defined as adolescent and young adult, and 10 (50%) will be patients >65 years old, defined as elderly. Consenting patients will be asked to wear a smart t-shirt daily for 2 weeks during their treatment course.

Results

The primary outcome is to determine if it is feasible to wear a smart t-shirt throughout the day (preferably 8 hours per day) for 2 weeks. Inclusion of patients started in March 2022.

Conclusions

The study will assess the feasibility of using the Chronolife smart t-shirt for home monitoring of vital parameters in patients with cancer during their treatment and bring new insights into how wearables and biometric data can be used as part of symptom or side-effect recognition in patients with cancer during treatment, with the aim to increase patients’ quality of life.

Trial Registration

ClinicalTrials.gov NCT05235594; https://beta.clinicaltrials.gov/study/NCT05235594

International Registered Report Identifier (IRRID)

PRR1-10.2196/37626
Melanoma Identification and Management in an Unsheltered Male Using Teledermatology: Street Medicine Perspective
Authors: Eachus Emily , Rasul Taha , Henderson Armen
Published: October 2022

Skin cancers are concerning for unsheltered people experiencing homelessness because of their high levels of sun exposure. Currently, there is little data on the prevalence of skin cancers in people experiencing homelessness. Skin diseases are often untreated in people experiencing homelessness due to a lack of access to specialized care. Miami Street Medicine (MSM) is an organization that provides people experiencing homelessness in the Miami Health District with medical care in a nonclinical street setting, near overpasses, sidewalks, and encampments. We present a case of an unsheltered 59-year-old male with a pigmented, 2 cm × 2 cm facial lesion that developed over several years. Through a teledermatology consultation, his lesion was highly suspicious of melanoma and further evaluation was recommended. Due to a lack of insurance, he could not be treated at any dermatology clinic. Coincidentally, 2 weeks later, he developed cellulitis of his lower extremity and was admitted to the local safety-net hospital through the emergency department. By coordinating with his primary inpatient team, MSM was able to include a biopsy of the lesion as part of his hospital stay. The results demonstrated melanoma in situ. The vital course of action was to ensure treatment before metastasis. After registration for insurance and follow-up with a surgical oncology team, he is weeks away from excision and reconstruction surgery. His unsheltered status made follow-up difficult, but MSM bridged the gap from the street to the clinical setting by incorporating teledermatology into patient evaluations and leveraging connections with community shareholders such as charitable clinics and volunteer physicians. This case also represents the barriers to care for cancer-based dermatologic outreach among people experiencing homelessness.
Barriers and facilitators of obtaining SDoH of patients with cancer through the EHR using natural language processing technology: A qualitative study (Preprint)
Authors: Alpert Jordan , Kim Hyehyun (Julia) , McDonnell Cara , Guo Yi , George Thomas J. , Bian Jiang , Wu Yonghui
Published: October 2022

BACKGROUND

Social determinants of health (SDoH), such as geographic neighborhoods, access to healthcare, education, and social structure are important factors affecting people’s health and health outcomes. SDoH of patients are scarcely documented in a discrete format in electronic health records (EHRs) but are often available in free-text clinical narratives such as physician notes. Innovative methods like natural language processing (NLP) are being developed to identify and extract SDoH from EHRs, but it is imperative that the input of key stakeholders is included as NLP systems are designed.

OBJECTIVE

Understand the feasibility, challenges, and benefits of developing an NLP system to uncover SDoH from clinical narratives by conducting interviews with key stakeholders: 1) clinicians, 2) data analysts, 3) citizen scientists and 4) patient navigators.

METHODS

Individuals who frequently work with SDoH data were invited to participate in in-depth, semi-structured interviews. All interviews were recorded and subsequently transcribed. After coding transcripts and developing a codebook, the constant comparative method was used to generate themes.

RESULTS

A total of 16 participants were interviewed (five data analysts, four patient navigators, four physicians, and three citizen scientists). Two themes emerged related to collecting SDoH: 1) the importance of SDoH data and 2) SDoH arises during patient-clinician communication. The challenges of collecting SDoH data included: 1) informal communication and 2) the need for expertise and knowledge about SDoH. Ways of improving how SDoH data can be incorporated into health services research and patient care were to 1) empower patients and 2) make the data actionable.

CONCLUSIONS

Extracting SDoH from EHRs was considered valuable and necessary, but obstacles such as narrative data format can make the process difficult. NLP can be a potential solution, but as the technology is developed, it is important to consider how key stakeholders document SDoH, apply the NLP systems, and use the extracted SDoH in health outcome studies.natural language processing, qualitative, social determinants of health, electronic health records
New sources of papain: SEM and SDS‐PAGE analysis to determine the natural tenderizer from papaya latex and senesced leaves
Authors: Kartika Aprilia Indra , Kusuma Hapsari Sulistya , Darmawati Sri
Published: October 2022

This study aims to determine the effectiveness of papaya‐fruit latex and yellow‐senesced leaves as a natural and organic tenderizer. The fruit and leaves of the plant were ground to powder, while 0 g, 10 g, 15 g and 20 g variations were used to cover 50 g of meat for 4 h. Subsequently, the Bradford and Kjeldahl methods were used to determine the protein content, while the protein profile was analyzed using SDS‐PAGE and confirmed using a Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM). The results showed that the protein concentration in mutton after fruit latex treatment was 41%, which was higher than the concentration of beef at 29.86%. Furthermore, the beef lost protein bands and its molecular weight fell from 225 kDa to 86 KDa, while the mutton experienced a reduction from 100 kDa to 65 kDa, which was significantly smaller than for raw meat. A single protein band was also observed at 21.6 kDa in the sample, indicating the presence of papain enzyme protein. Meanwhile, the SEM results showed that collagen and myofibril in the muscles were damaged in the treated meats. Based on these results, treatment with papaya fruit latex and yellow papaya leaves increases the tenderness of meat.
Effects of Quality of Financial Statements and CEO Turnover
Authors: Huang Yu-Ting , Chen Peng-Tung , Huang Hung-Tu , Chou Hsiu-Chen
Published: October 2022

The purpose of this study is to explore the effect of CEO turnover and CFO turnover on earnings management. In addition, Taiwan’s authorities will require listed companies to complete the establishment of audit committee replacing supervisors in 2022. Corporate governance is not an overnight phenomenon. It has been existing from a long time. It is only that the beginning of 21st century when colossal enterprises started to fall, government across globe started giving it due credit. The present paper is an attempt to trace the history of corporate governance. It starts with discussing various theories which led to the development of such an important concept and then dwells on various models in which economies employ corporate governance in their structure and finally the evolution of corporate governance across globe. The paper sheds light on important committees and reforms which have been the genesis of corporate governance across globe. It undertakes an extensive literature review on different aspects of corporate governance. Corporate governance is a concept which still debatable among experts in describing it. The purpose of this study is to explore how the implementation and principal problems of good corporate governance in the management of current limited liability company.
COMPARATIVE ASSESSMENT OF THE QUALITY OF PARKIA BIGLOBOSA TRUNK BARK POWDERS JACQ. BENTH (FABACEAE-MIMOSOIDEAE) INTENDED FOR THE PHARMACEUTICAL PRODUCTION OF PHYTO-DRUGS
Authors: OUEDRAOGO SALFO , TRAORE TATA KADIATOU , ATCHADE BOLADE CONSTANTIN , OUEDRAOGO NOUFOU , SEMDE RASMANE
Published: October 2022

Objective: This study was conducted to determine the physicochemical characteristics and organic and inorganic contaminants of Parkia biglobosa trunk bark powders collected in four localities (Gonse, Yako, Bobo and Nobere) of Burkina Faso.
Methods: The parameters studied were the physicochemical characters, the contents of heavy metals, pesticides and the microbial quality according to the methods of the European Pharmacopoeia.
Results: The study of these parameters revealed a residual moisture content of less than 10% and a uniform pH, macroscopical character and particle sizes for all raw materials. Total ash ranged from 0.09 to 0.96 for powders from Yako and Bobo, respectively. Contaminant assessment revealed that Parkia biglobosa trunk bark contains high levels of manganese (Mn) and lead (Pb). The microbial analysis shows that the trunk bark powders from Gonse, Yako and Bobo complied with the specifications of the European Pharmacopoeia.
Conclusion: These quality control studies allowed the correct identification, characterization and determination of the appropriate harvesting sites for pharmaceutical production of phytomedicine.
Environmental Taxation: Importance and International and National Experiences of its Application
Authors: Duarte Isa Guimarães , Oliveira Caio Coêlho de , Fontes Alessandra Renata Freitas
Published: October 2022

This research aims to study taxation as incentives for environmental protection. It is a study that explores, through national and international experiences, the mechanisms of taxation application to achieve this end. The present research was carried out by means of a bibliographic review through periodicals, conpedios and theses of the most significant authors in the area of Environmental taxation. In the end, it was understood that even though it is an important mechanism of behavioral change, it is little used in Brazil.
OIL RENTS, INSTITUTIONAL DEVELOPMENT, AND TOTAL FACTOR PRODUCTIVITY
Authors: Cuevas Ahumada Víctor M. , Calderón Villarreal Cuauhtémoc
Published: October 2022

This paper investigates the determinants of total factor productivity (TFP) using a panel data model involving 15 petroleum exporting countries during the period 2008-2019. The econometric evidence, based on the Arellano-Bond generalized method of moments, shows that: 1) education raises TFP, which suggests that highly qualified workers are more able to develop new technologies and absorb existing technologies, 2) oil rents lower TFP, which is consistent with the natural resource curse (NRC) hypothesis and, therefore, with the view that rent-seeking and corruption prevent some oil-rich nations from prospering, and 3) the interaction term involving oil rents and institutional development yields a positive effect on TFP, which means that imposing the rule of law, eradicating corruption and improving regulatory quality can effectively contribute to reversing the negative effect of oil abundance on TFP.
Intense Geomagnetic Storms in The Maximum Phase of Solar Cycle 24 Observed From a Low-Latitude Ground Station
Authors: Lazzús Juan A. , Salfate Ignacio , Vega-Jorquera Pedro
Published: October 2022

Debido a las complejidades de la investigación magnetosférica, la instalación y gestión de nuevas estaciones terrestres magnéticas de acuerdo con los estándares modernos es crucial para monitorear las perturbaciones magnetosféricas y los fenómenos relacionados. En respuesta al desarrollo de nuevas herramientas in situ y conjuntos de datos tomados en tierra que respalden estos estudios, se evaluaron los datos generados por la estación terrestre magnética de baja latitud de La Serena (en las coordenadas geográficas: ‒29.827, ‒71.261; y coordenadas magnéticas: ‒16.55, 0.17) para describir tormentas geomagnéticas intensas. Esta estación en la ciudad de La Serena (Chile), es dependiente del Laboratorio de Física Espacial y Atmosférica de la Universidad de La Serena (LAFESAT). Con estos datos, estudiamos las cinco tormentas geomagnéticas más intensas (Dst <‒100 nT) ocurridas durante la fase máxima del ciclo solar 24 (desde 2014 hasta principios de 2016). Los resultados muestran que las variaciones de la componente H de las mediciones de la estación La Serena son consistentes con las variaciones del índice Dst reportadas para cada tormenta analizada, obteniendo valores de coeficiente de correlación de hasta 0.97 para tormentas con Dst <‒200 nT. Además, nuestros resultados son consistentes con la fuerte influencia que tienen de los sistemas de corriente magnetosférica/ionosférica sobre el componente H durante una intensa tormenta geomagnética.
Content of Total Organic Carbon Using Random Forest, Borehole Imaging, and Fractal Analysis: A Methodology Applied in the Cretaceous La Luna Formation, South America
Authors: Leal F. Jorge A. , Ochoa G. Luis H. , Sarmiento P. Gustavo A.
Published: October 2022

Esta investigación presenta un enfoque alternativo para calcular el contenido de carbono orgánico total utilizando registros de cable y técnicas de aprendizaje automático; específicamente, imágenes resistivas de pozo, su resistividad promedio y registro de rayos gamma son empleados para entrenar un modelo regresivo. La metodología se aplicó en la Formación La Luna, la cual ha sido reportada como una de las principales rocas generadoras de Colombia y el oeste de Venezuela. El objetivo de este trabajo es enseñar a una máquina como reconocer patrones entre rasgos fractales en imágenes de pozo y su contenido de carbono orgánico total. El aprendizaje automático implementado se basa en técnicas de aprendizaje por conjuntos, en este caso, un conjunto de árboles de decisión conocido como bosques aleatorios. Los datos empleados tienen un total de 960 mediciones de registros, los cuales fueron divididos aleatoriamente en 80% para entrenamiento y 20% para validación. El resultado es equivalente a la curva obtenida con una regresión semilogarítmica del carbono orgánico medido en el núcleo contra valores de registro de densidad. La precisión de este método es suficientemente alta para ser considerada durante evaluaciones petrofísicas, mostrando un error medio cuadrático de 0.44% y un coeficiente de correlación de Pearson de 0.88. La metodología depende de la calidad de la imagen y cualquier anomalía en estos datos aumentará el error. El modelo generado debe ser recalibrado para otras formaciones, pozos horizontales, desviados y cuando se empleen registro de imágenes durante la perforación.
Effect of Panchagavya on Sesamum Indicum
Authors: Ramkumar Ramachandran , Arjunan Shyam , S Adhithya , Gomez Levin Anbu
Published: October 2022

Abstract: The Panchagavya is a combination of five products obtained from the cow which is used in traditional medicine and it has been experimented by various organic farmers.It has a significant role in providing Resistance to pests and disease and increasing the overall yield.The present research work was carried out to study the effect of panchagavya spray on growth,yield and Biochemical changes of Sesamum indicum. A field Experiment was conducted to find the variation in growth, Biochemical and yield parameters of Sesamum indicum Under different concentrations are control,1,3,5,7.5 and10% of panchagavya,and also at two stages of plant,where two stages are seedling and yielding stage and all the biochemical parameters were increased in 3% concentration Since there was an increasein growth and Yield at low concentration of panchagavya.It is proposed that,The panchagavya can be used for Sesamum indicum after diluted properly.
A Study of on-Street Parking Vehicle in Sonipat City
Authors: Verma Nilesh Kumar , Chaudhary Mr. Harivansh Kumar , Soni Mr. Deepak Kumar
Published: October 2022

Abstract: Street parking is a type of common parking, known for its efficiency in terms of land area use and convenience to motorists, because they allow them to park the vehicles near destinations point. There are some advantages and disadvantages of on- street parking that continue to vary depending on the circumstances. Today, urban transport planners are facing difficulties and want to know where and when kerb parking should be provided confirming that the benefits and drawback of it. Again, if the query arrives about parking pattern, it should be parallel parking or inclined. Before leaving or limiting parking in the street, you must explore in different aspects which has already done. After an extensive review, we come to the conclusion after the study that on-street parking should be probhited on some major streets. It should be constructed on minor roads as it can provide a safe user friendly environment in this context. The objective of the study is to cover important locations of Sonipat city which having high number of on street parking problem. In all the survey we cover almost four sites that is Gandhi chowk sector 14, Tulip point, Dada Bhature wala Restaurant, Kache-Quarter. The study consists of a survey on the use of car parks by the fixed period sampling method. We suggest, kerb street parking should be parallel, not angled, because later it is dangerous in all respects. The study also suggest some prohibition of on-street parking at some defined locations.
A Comparative Study on Performance of Conventional and Pre-Engineered Steel Frames Subjected to Crane Load
Authors: S Dhanya M , G Dr. Chidananda
Published: October 2022

Abstract: Conventional steel frames are low rise steel frames with roofing systems of truss and roof coverings. Standard hot rolled sections are used for truss elements which are usually much heavier than what is actually required as per the design. Pre– Engineered steel frames are the steel frames in which excess steel is tapered as per the bending moment requirements. In present study, conventional (pratt type) steel roof truss and pre-engineered (portal type) steel roof frame with crane load is considered for an industrial warehouse construction located in Davangere city. 2D Modelling of both conventional and pre-engineered steel frame with crane load is done using STAAD Pro. software. Both the steel frames are subjected to different combinations of Dead load (DL), Live load(LL), Crane Load(CL) and Wind load(WL) as per IS 800 (2007) codal provisions. For the factored bending moments and shear force, referring IS 800 (2007) codal provisions, crane gantry girder is designed as a laterally unsupported member having a combination of I and channel sections. The members of both conventional and pre-engineered steel frames with crane load are designed for the worst load combination as per IS 800(2007) codal provisions. It is concluded that about 25% reduction in quantity of steel can be achieved by choosing pre-engineered steel frame than the conventional steel frame.
Estudio transcultural Brasil-Perú sobre las motivaciones para la parentalidad y sus variables predictoras
Authors: Varas Giuliana Violeta Vasquez , Borsa Juliane Callegaro
Published: October 2022

El objetivo de este estudio es investigar las diferencias en los niveles de motivaciones positivas para la parentalidad (MPP) entre brasileros y peruanos y determinar si la nacionalidad modera significativamente el efecto de seis variables sociodemográficas y dos variables individuales en estas. La muestra estuvo compuesta por 1373 peruanos y 1464 brasileros. Las edades de los participantes oscilaron entre 18 y 68 años (M = 29.68; DE = 6.29). Se realizaron análisis factorial confirmatorio multigrupo y de ecuaciones estructurales multigrupo. Los resultados evidencian que la muestra peruana presenta mayores niveles de MPP generales y específicas en comparación con la muestra brasileira. También se encontró que el efecto de la variable grado de instrucción sobre la MPP general no es moderada significativamente por la nacionalidad. Por otro lado, los efectos de las variables tener o no tener hijos, tener o no tener pareja, renta familiar, positividad y religiosidad son influenciadas por la población de la cual provienen. El principal aporte del estudio es presentar evidencias de que la influencia de variables contextuales y personales en las motivaciones para la parentalidad está supeditada al contexto en el cual el sujeto está incluido.
ESTATAIS BRASILEIRAS: COMPARATIVO DO DESEMPENHO ECONÔMICO-FINANCEIRO ENTRE EMPRESAS PÚBLICAS E PRIVADAS
Authors: Favalessa dos Santos Alex , Vianna Brugni Talles , Beiruth Aziz Xavier , Camargos Avelino Bruna
Published: October 2022

Objetivo: O objetivo deste artigo foi verificar se existem evidências estatísticas de que o desempenho econômico-financeiro das empresas estatais brasileiras listadas difere do desempenho das empresas não estatais atuantes em diferentes mercados.
Método / Abordagem: Compuseram a amostra empresas listadas nas bolsas B3, Nasdaq e Nyse, no período de 2010 a 2017. Para testar as hipóteses foram utilizados modelos estatísticos com dados em painel; para mensurar o desempenho, foram empregados os indicadores ROA e ROE como proxies de rentabilidade, e o índice de giro de ativos (IGA) como proxy para eficiência.
Principais resultados: Os resultados indicam que as empresas privadas são mais rentáveis do que as públicas.
Contribuições metodológicas / sociais / gerenciais: Os achados poderão auxiliar os investidores nas decisões de aplicação de seus recursos e servir como subsídio aos gestores públicos para a tomada de decisão quanto à manutenção ou criação de empresas estatais.
Originalidade / relevância: A pesquisa procura esclarecer por meio de indicadores contábeis se, mesmo as empresas estatais listadas, sujeitas em tese, a um maior controle regulatório, fiscalizatório e a uma maior pressão por parte de seus investidores privados para obtenção de lucros, sofrem com os desvios de seus recursos para o atendimento de aspectos sócio políticos, que seriam refletidos por um menor desempenho.
A Ratio Model for Benchmarking and Forecasting Hospital Facility Operating Expenses in Washington State: Plant, Property, and Equipment as a Key Metric
Authors: Call Steven , Smithwick Jake , Sullivan Kenneth
Published: October 2022

The purpose of this research is to evaluate the feasibility of using ratios between common hospital utilization, or financial metrics, and facility operating expenses as a model for budget forecasting and benchmarking. The researchers reviewed each U.S. state's department of health website for the availability of hospital utilization reports, and financial statements, and assessed the strength of association between these metrics and hospital facility operating expenses. Although many states report some hospital utilization and financial metrics to the public, Washington was the only state to report these utilization metrics and financial statements along with detailed cost information for facility operations. Correlations were used to evaluate the strength of the relationship between various utilization and financial metrics with facility operating expenses at Washington hospitals; this research shows there is moderate to strong associations between facility operating expenses and several utilization metrics including available beds, admissions, and gross square feet (GSF). Additionally, this research shows there is a strong association between hospital facility operating expenses and plant, property, and equipment (PPE), a common balance sheet value. The researchers illustrate, via the development of a ratio model, how health care facility and finance professionals can benchmark or rationalize facility operating expenses to support overall hospital profit margin impact. Moreover, this ratio model can be used to predict or forecast future operating expenses for planned capital construction projects to better understand total facility lifecycle costs.
Exercise Prescription Practices of a Group of Canadian Internal Medicine Physicians
Authors: Kuhnow Alexi , Workman Stephen
Published: October 2022

Background: Internal Medicine (IM) physicians are in a prime role to prescribe exercise for chronic disease management. Our main objectives were to investigate the exercise prescription (EP) practices of IM physicians, and identify barriers and facilitators to EP.Methods: We emailed a confidential 16-item survey to 194 IM physicians practicing in the Central Zone of the Nova Scotia Health Authority (NSHA). The survey software Opinio was used for data collection and descriptive statistics.Results: A total of 108 IM physicians completed the survey (response rate = 55.7%). Sixty-five participants reported regular EP (60.2%). The main barriers to EP were lack of resources, time, and training. Facilitators included having patient education materials and EP pads available.Interpretation: Although most participants reported that exercise was important for chronic disease man-agement, about 40% did not report regularly prescribing it. Enabling facilitators and addressing barriers may improve EP practices for this group of IM physicians.
RésuméContexte : Les internistes jouent un rôle de premier plan en matière de prescription d’exercice dans la prise en charge des maladies chroniques. Nos principaux objectifs visaient à étudier les pratiques de prescription d’exercice (PE) chez les internistes et à cerner les facteurs qui entravent ou facilitent la PE.Méthodologie : Nous avons fait parvenir par courriel à 194 internistes de la zone centrale de la Régie de la santé de la Nouvelle-Écosse un sondage confidentiel comportant 16 questions. Nous avons utilisé le logiciel de sondage Opinio pour la collecte des données et les statistiques descriptives.Résultats : Au total, il y a eu 109 répondants (taux de réponse = 56,2 %) et 108 d’entre eux ont rempli le sondage. Soixante-cinq participants ont indiqué qu’ils prescrivaient régulièrement de l’exercice (60,19 %). Les principaux obstacles à la PE sont le manque de ressources, le manque de temps et le manque de formation. Les facteurs facilitants sont l’accès à du matériel pédagogique destiné aux patients et à des ordonnanciers conçus pour la PE.Interprétation : Bien que la plupart des participants indiquent que l’exercice est important dans la prise en charge des maladies chroniques, environ 40 % d’entre eux ne le prescrivent pas régulièrement. Promouvoir les facteurs facilitants et s’attaquer aux obstacles pourraient améliorer les pratiques de PE chez ce groupe d’internistes.
Small-Cell Lung Cancer Presenting with Ocular and Scalp Metastases
Authors: Doshi Samik , Landry Cameron , Slaughter Graham
Published: October 2022

In this article, we present an unusual first presentation of small-cell lung cancer with eye and skin metastases. This case reveals the importance of considering malignancy to explain visual symptoms or skin lesions with the appropriate oncologic risk factors. The epidemiologic, diagnostic, and treatment characteristics of these rare metastatic complications are summarized here.
RésuméDans ces images et l’article correspondant, nous présentons les premières manifestations inhabituelles d’un cancer du poumon à petites cellules avec métastases oculaires et cutanées. Ce cas révèle l’importance de tenir compte de la malignité pour expliquer des symptômes visuels ou des lésions cutanées par les facteurs de risque oncologiques appropriés. Nous résumons les caractéristiques épidémiologiques, diagnostiques et thérapeutiques de ces complications métastatiques rares.
The Expansion of Medical Assistance in Dying in the COVID-19 Pandemic Era and Beyond
Authors: Whitelaw Sera , Lemmens Trudo , Van Spall Harriette G.C.
Published: October 2022

In 2015, the Canadian parliament passed a law permitting adults to request Medical Assistance in Dying (MAiD) when they have a grievous, irremediable medical condition that causes unbearable suffering and their natural death is reasonably foreseeable. Following a constitutional challenge, a Quebec lower court, ruled in the Truchon vs. Canada AG case that the restriction to a reasonably foreseeable death is an unjustifiable impingement on the right to life, liberty, and security of the person and the right to equality. In response, the government expanded the MAiD law in March 2021 through Bill C-7 to include those who are not approach-ing their natural death. Bill C-7 is a potentially harmful approach to justice for vulnerable groups such as the elderly, disabled, or those with chronic illnesses. The COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted serious problems with how we care for the vulnerable members of our society. In this article, we explore what has gone wrong and what has raised serious concerns, while proposing potential options to consider when developing new laws, systems, and processes to improve societal equity.
RésuméEn 2015, le gouvernement fédéral a adopté une nouvelle loi permettant aux adultes de demander l’aide médicale à mourir (AMM) dans certaines circonstances, notamment les problèmes de santé graves et irrémédiables qui provoquent des souffrances insupportables et dont la mort naturelle est raisonnablement prévisible. À la suite d’une contestation constitutionnelle, un tribunal de première instance de la province de Québec a statué, dans l’affaire Truchon c. Procureur général du Canada, que la restriction à une mort raisonnablement prévisible constitue une atteinte injustifiable au droit à la vie, à la liberté et à la sécurité de la personne. En réponse à ce verdict, le gouvernement a modifié la loi sur l’AMM en mars 2021 par l’intermédiaire du projet de loi C-7 pour y inclure les personnes chez qui la mort n’est pas dans un avenir prévisible. Le projet de loi C-7 est une approche de la justice potentiellement préjudiciable aux groupes vulnérables, comme les personnes âgées, handicapées ou atteintes de maladies chroniques. La pandémie de COVID-19 a mis en lumière de graves problèmes concernant la façon dont on prend soin des membres vulnérables de notre société. Dans cet article, nous explorons ce qui a mal fonctionné et ce qui a suscité de vives inquiétudes, tout en proposant des options possibles à envisager lors de l’élaboration de nouvelles lois, de nouveaux systèmes et de nouveaux processus pour améliorer l’équité sociale.
A hybrid deep learning framework driven by data and reaction mechanism for predicting glycolic acid production
Authors: Zhou Xin , Li Zhiyang , Feng Xiang , Yan Hao , Chen De , Yang Chaohe
Published: October 2022

Selective oxidation at low temperatures without alkali of biomassis a
promising and sustainable avenue to manufacture glycolic acid (GA), a
biodegradable functional material to protect the environment. However,
producing glycolic acid with high selectivity and yield using the
traditional research and development approach is time-consuming and
labor-intensive. To this context, a hybrid deep learning framework
driven by data and reaction mechanisms for predicting sustainable
glycolic acid production was proposed, considering the lack of related
reaction mechanisms in the machine learning algorithms. Results showed
that the fully connected residual network exhibited superior performance
(average R2=0.98) for the multi-task prediction of conversion rate, GA,
and by-product yields, therefore employed for the following super
parameters optimization by the genetic algorithm. The L further
identifies that using the optimized operating parameters, the fossil
energy demand and greenhouse emissions have decreased by 2.96% and
3.00%, respectively.
Orbital Emphysema as a Result of Chest Tube Placement for Recurrent Pneumothorax
Authors: Land Matthew , Shin Eunice , Kim Dooho
Published: October 2022

Iatrogenic orbital emphysema from chest tube insertion is a rare but
potentially serious complication due to potential optic neuropathy from
orbital compartment syndrome. Herein, we present a rare case of orbital
emphysema in the setting of pneumothorax and chest tube insertion.
Case Report of Chronic Eosinophilic Leukemia Associated with Long-Term Use of Infliximab
Authors: Morse William , Nawaz Haroon , Choudhry Ayesha
Published: October 2022

We present a patient who has been diagnosed with Hypereosinophilic
syndrome, later determined to be chronic eosinophilic leukemia, after
long-term treatment with infliximab for ulcerative colitis. Follow-up
immunochemistry showed that discontinuation of infliximab improved the
polyclonality of eosinophils in our patient.
A Necessary and Sufficient Condition for the Existence of Global Solutions to Semilinear Parabolic Equations on Bounded Domains
Authors: Chung Soon-Yeong , Hwang Jaeho
Published: October 2022

The purpose of this paper is to give a necessary and sufficient
condition for the existence and non-existence of global solutions of the
following semilinear parabolic equations u t = Δ u + ψ ( t ) f ( u ) ,
in Ω × ( 0 , t ∗ ) , under the Dirichlet boundary condition on a bounded
domain. In fact, this has remained as an open problem for a few decades,
even for the case f ( u ) = u p . As a matter of fact, we prove: there
is no global solution for any initial data if and only if ∫ 0 ∞ ψ ( t )
f ( ‖ S ( t ) u 0 ‖ ∞ ) ‖ S ( t ) u 0 ‖ ∞ dt = ∞ for every nonnegative
nontrivial initial data u 0 ∈ C 0 ( Ω ) . Here, ( S ( t ) ) t ≥ 0 is the
heat semigroup with the Dirichlet boundary condition.
Impact of Transobturator Sling Surgery on Hip Joint Function: Research Article
Authors: Hasan mahmod , Zamstein Omri , Herman Amir , Yohay Zehava , Eshkoli Tamar , Sarhan Bilal , Yohay Neriya , Mustafa Susana , Weintraub Adi
Published: October 2022

Objective To date, apart from groin and thigh pain, there is a paucity
of data regarding the association between transobturator tape (TOT)
surgery and lower extremity function. We have aimed to evaluate the
association between TOT and various indices of hip joint pain and
function. Design Prospective cohort study Settings and Population 37
patients who underwent TOT surgery for the treatments of stress urinary
incontinence (SUI). Methods Various tests and questionnaires aimed to
assess hip function and surgery outcomes were completed before and after
the TOT surgery, at the post-operative clinic. Paired data were compared
using the paired sample t-test, after testing for normal distribution.
Main Outcome Measures Hip range of motion (ROM), joint function and
muscle strength, walking functions, leg length, subjective effect of
surgery on patients’ quality of life and the impact of urinary
incontinence on daily activities, mental and physical quality of life.
Results Decrease in ROM was observed in most cardinal movements of the
hip. An increase in leg length following TOT was observed (mean
difference in centimeters for both legs 0.87-0.88; p<0.001).
An overall trend of decreased strength was noticed, significant for hip
adduction. The IIQ-7 and UDI-6 questionnaires demonstrated a significant
improvement in urinary function (31.95- and 25.27-point reduction
respectively; p<0.05 for both). No significant change was
noted in gait function following surgery. Results of the FJS assessment
revealed no difference in patient’s awareness of their hip joint.
Conclusion Our findings provide support for a yet underestimated
association between TOT surgery and hip dysfunction.
A rare case of cortisol and estradiol secreting PNET of the adrenal gland: a case report
Authors: Naghizadeh Mohammad , sajjad raheleh , talebzade hamid , asadi narges , salimi fereshteh
Published: October 2022

: We report a rare case of cortisol secreting extracranial primary
neuroectodermal tumor (PNET) originating from adrenal gland in
adulthood. PNETs are typically not functional, making this case
extremely rare. cortisol secreting PNETS are as of yet, unheard of.
Cofactor engineering for efficient production of α-farnesene by rational modification of NADPH and ATP regeneration pathway in Pichia pastoris
Authors: Chen sheng-ling , Liu tingshan , Zhang weiguo , Xu Jian-Zhong
Published: October 2022

α-Farnesene, an acyclic volatile sesquiterpene, plays important roles in
aircraft fuel, food flavoring, agriculture, pharmaceutical and chemical
industries. Here, we enhanced α-farnesene production through
reconstructing the biosynthetic pathways of NADPH and ATP in Pichia
pastoris. First, the native oxiPPP was reconstructed by over-expressing
the key enzymes in oxiPPP or/and inactivating glucose-6-phosphate
isomerase (PGI), indicating that combined over-expression of ZWF1 and
SOL3 improves NADPH supply and thus increasing α-farnesene production
while inactivation of PGI was not because of the decreased cell growth.
Next, different expression level of heterologous cPOS5 were introduced
into P. pastoris, and found that low intensity expression of cPOS5
facilitated α-farnesene biosynthesis. Finally, ATP was increased by
overexpression of APRT and inactivation of GPD1. The resultant strain P.
pastoris X33-38 produced 3.09±0.37 g/L of α-farnesene in shake-flask
fermentation, which was 41.7% higher than that of the parent strain.
These results provide a new perspective to construct industrial-strength
α-farnesene producer by rational modification of NADPH and ATP
regeneration pathway in P. pastoris.
Chronic high glucose causes podocyte epithelial-mesenchymal transition through lactate-induced histone lactylation
Authors: Zheng Ting , Gu Yan-Ping , Wang Jiang-Meng , Gu Pan-Pan , Huang Ting-Ting , Gou Ling-Shan , Liu Yao-Wu
Published: October 2022

Background and Purpose: Diabetic nephropathy (DN) closely relates to
morphological and functional changes in podocytes, and anaerobic
glycolysis represents the predominant energy source of podocytes.
However, it is unknown whether lactate accumulation in chronic high
glucose caused epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) of podocytes
through lactate-derived histone lactylation. Experimental Approach: We
examined biomarkers of podocytes and mesenchymal cells as well as
lactylation of histone lysine residues (HKla) in mouse MPC cells
cultured with high glucose (HG) or lactate (LA). Moreover, these indices
were observed in MPCs after HG co-culture with multiple interventions of
lactate levels, and differently expressed genes (DEGs) were screened
using RNA sequencing. Finally, renal pathological characteristics and
histone lactylation were investigated in diabetic mice with
lactate-lowering treatments. Key Results: Both HG and LA decreased
nephrin levels while increased collagen IV levels in MPCs, and HG and LA
stimulation synchronously elevated HKla levels. However, co-treatment
with oxamate or dichloroacetate reducing lactate levels alleviated
decreases in nephrin and ZO-1 levels and increases in collagen IV and α
smooth muscle actin levels as well as HKla levels in HG-cultured MPCs,
but co-treatment with rotenone diversely affected these indices. RNA
sequencing found eleven DEGs in HG-cultured MPCs after oxamate or
dichloroacetate intervention and qPCR experiments validated four of
them. Importantly, oxamate or dichloroacetate treatment attenuated renal
functions, EMT, and histone lactylation in kidney of diabetic mice.
Conclusion and Implications: This study clarified that lactate mediated
chronic high glucose-caused podocyte EMT through lactate-induced histone
lactylation, and then promoted the pathological process of DN.
Alternation in follow-up echocardiographic indices in patients with COVID-19: a prospective cohort study
Authors: Pasebani Yeganeh , Kahe Zohre , Rafati Ali , Salimi Nastaran , Rezaei Yousef , Rahnamoun Zahra , Mousavi Nasrin , Haghighattalab Arezoo Vadadi , Samiei Niloufar
Published: October 2022

Background Cardiovascular complications are frequently reported
among patients with pulmonary coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19)
infection. Echocardiography has been immensely implemented for
diagnosing cardiovascular involvements. We aimed to evaluate the changes
in echocardiographic parameters in health care workers infected with
COVID-19 during follow-up. Methods This prospective study was
conducted during Iran’s third COVID-19 wave in November 2020 among
health care workers who were infected with COVID-19 but otherwise
healthy. A total of 100 patients underwent echocardiographic examination
six to eight weeks following recovery, an early follow-up. Six months
after the COVID-19 diagnosis, as the late follow-up, 63 subjects
underwent echocardiographic evaluations. Moreover, based on clinical and
radiological evidence, individuals were categorized into two groups of
non-severe and severe COVID-19. Results The participants’ mean
age was 40.4±8.1 years. In the non-severe COVID-19 group, Right
Ventricle Free-Wall Global Longitudinal Strain (RVFWGLS) significantly
decreased in the follow-up echocardiogram (-32.3±4.6% vs. -28.8±5.8%,
p-value=0.002). RV Fraction Area Change (RV-FAC) (46.6% [43.6-53]
vs. 39.7% [25-43] , p-value <0.001) and, Tricuspid
Annular Plane Systolic Excursion (TAPSE) (21 mm [19-24] vs. 23 mm
[20-25], p-value=0.09) did not show a significant change. In the
severe COVID-19 group in late echocardiogram, RVFWGLS showed no
statistically significant change (-28.3%±3.5 vs. -28.6%±5.1,
p-value=0.79). The RV-FAC (47.2% [42.3-52.2] vs. 36.4%
[31.1-45], p-value=0.002) showed a significant decrease, and TAPSE
(22.5 mm [19.1-24.2] vs. 23 mm [21-25], p-value= 0.55) was
comparable. Conclusion Although LV and RV functions did not
vary significantly over time in our entire cohort, different patterns of
changes were discovered according to baseline function.
Long-term Outcomes Among Young Adults With Type 2 Diabetes Based on Durability of Glycemic Control: Results From the TODAY Cohort Study
Authors:   TODAY Study Group,   TODAY Study Group, Higgins Janine , Chernausek Steven D. , El Ghormli Laure , Isganaitis Elvira , Kelsey Megan M. , Marcus Marsha D. , McKay Siripoom , Siska Maggie , Srinivasan Shylaja , Gubitosi-Klug Rose
Published: October 2022

OBJECTIVE

To examine the effect of different patterns of durable glycemic control on the development of comorbidities among youth with type 2 diabetes (T2D) and to assess the impact of fasting glucose (FG) variability on the clinical course of T2D.

RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS

From the Treatment Options for Type 2 Diabetes in Adolescents and Youth (TODAY) study, 457 participants (mean age, 14 years) with mean diabetes duration <2 years at entry and a minimum study follow-up of 10 years were included in these analyses. HbA1c, FG concentrations, and β-cell function estimates from oral glucose tolerance tests were measured longitudinally. Prevalence of comorbidities by glycemic control status after 10 years in the TODAY study was assessed.

RESULTS

Higher baseline HbA1c concentration, lower β-cell function, and maternal history of diabetes were strongly associated with loss of glycemic control in youth with T2D. Higher cumulative HbA1c concentration over 4 years and greater FG variability over a year within 3 years of diagnosis were related to higher prevalence of dyslipidemia, nephropathy, and retinopathy progression over the subsequent 10 years. A coefficient of variability in FG ≥8.3% predicted future loss of glycemic control and development of comorbidities.

CONCLUSIONS

Higher baseline HbA1c concentration and FG variability during year 1 accurately predicted youth with T2D who will experience metabolic decompensation and comorbidities. These values may be useful tools for clinicians when considering early intensification of therapy.