bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Measuring quality of gout management in residential aged care facilities
Authors: Nguyen Amy D , Lind Kimberly E , Day Richard O , Ross Daniel , Raban Magdalena Z , Georgiou Andrew , Westbrook Johanna I
Published: November 2022

Objective

Gout, a common form of arthritis, can be controlled successfully with pharmacotherapy and is thus an ideal model for examining chronic disease management. Our aim was to examine treatment of gout evaluated in accordance with general management guidelines for gout as applied to Australian residential aged care facilities.

Methods

Electronic health record data linked with aged care clinical notes and electronic medication administration information (11 548 residents in 68 residential aged care facilities, >65 years of age) were interrogated to identify people with gout, other chronic conditions and gout medication use. The outcomes examined were the proportion receiving urate-lowering therapy (ULT; preventative medication) and/or colchicine/non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) (to treat gout flares), the number of ULT and colchicine/NSAID treatment episodes (periods of continuous days of medication use) and the duration of these treatment episodes.

Results

The cohort included 1179 residents with gout, of whom 62% used a ULT, with a median of one episode of use for a very short duration [median = 4 days, median of use in total (i.e. repeated use) = 52 days]. Among residents with gout, 9% also used colchicine or an NSAID. Female residents were less likely to receive ULT and for shorter periods.

Conclusion

Nearly one-third of residents with gout did not receive ULT. In those receiving ULT, recurrent short courses were common. Overall, management of gout in aged care residents appears to be suboptimal, largely owing to intermittent and short exposure to ULT, and with female residents at greater risk of poor gout management.
18F-FDG PET/CT parameters for prediction of response to neoadjuvant therapy and prognosis in rectal cancer
Authors: Ebinç Senar , Güzel Yunus , Oruç Zeynep , Kömek Halil , Kalkan Ziya , Can Canan , Taşdemir Bekir , Urakçi Zuhat , Kaplan Muhammet Ali , Küçüköner Mehmet , Işikdoğan Abdurrahman
Published: November 2022

Objective

This study aims to investigate the role of F-18 fluorodeoxyglucose PET/computed tomography (18F-FDG PET/CT) parameters in the prediction of treatment response and the prognosis in locally advanced rectal cancer.

Methods

We investigated the relationship of 18F-FDG PET/CT parameters [rectal metabolic tumor volume (MTV), rectal total lesion glycolysis (TLG), rectal standard uptake value (SUV) max, rectal highest peak SUV, lymph node MTV, lymph node TLG, lymph node highest peak SUV] with the pathological response and disease-free survival (DFS) in 60 patients who received neoadjuvant therapy for a diagnosis of locally advanced rectal cancer. Patients with a total score of 0 were assigned to the low-risk group, patients with a score of 1 were assigned to the intermediate-risk group and patients with a score of 2 were assigned to the high-risk group.

Results

The multivariate analysis revealed that, from baseline PET CT parameters, lymph node highest peak SUV strongly predicted the pathological response at a cutoff value of 2.23. DFS was predicted by the lymph node highest peak SUV at a cutoff value of 3.13 and by the MTV value at a cutoff value of 27 cm3. The risk scoring performed with regard to rectal MTV and lymph node highest peak SUV values determined a median DFS of 19 months in patients with a risk score of 2, whereas the median DFS was not reached in patients with risk scores of 0 and 1 (P < 0.001).

Conclusion

This study determined that rectal MTV and lymph node highest peak SUV predicted the response to neoadjuvant therapy and DFS.
The combined tumor-nodal glycolytic entropy improves survival stratification in nonsmall cell lung cancer with locoregional disease
Authors: Chen Yu-Hung , Lue Kun-Han , Chu Sung-Chao , Chang Bee-Song , Lin Chih-Bin
Published: November 2022

Objective

To investigate whether combining primary tumor and metastatic nodal glycolytic heterogeneity on 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose PET (18F-FDG PET) improves prognostic prediction in nonsmall cell lung cancer (NSCLC) with locoregional disease.

Methods

We retrospectively analyzed 18F-FDG PET-derived features from 94 patients who had undergone curative treatments for regional nodal metastatic NSCLC. Overall survival (OS) and progression-free survival (PFS) were analyzed using univariate and multivariate Cox regression models. We used the independent prognosticators to construct models to predict survival.

Results

Combined entropy (entropy derived from the combination of the primary tumor and metastatic nodes) and age independently predicted OS (both P = 0.008) and PFS (P = 0.007 and 0.050, respectively). At the same time, the Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group status was another independent risk factor for unfavorable OS (P = 0.026). Our combined entropy-based models outperformed the traditional staging system (c-index = 0.725 vs. 0.540, P < 0.001 for OS; c-index = 0.638 vs. 0.511, P = 0.003 for PFS) and still showed prognostic value in subgroups according to sex, histopathology, and different initial curative treatment strategies.

Conclusion

Combined primary tumor-nodal glycolytic heterogeneity independently predicted survival outcomes. In combination with clinical risk factors, our models provide better survival predictions and may enable tailored treatment strategies for NSCLC with locoregional disease.
Cost Effectiveness of Universal Screening for Blunt Cerebrovascular Injury: A Markov Analysis
Authors: Ali Ayman , Broome Jacob M , Tatum Danielle , Abdullah Youssef , Black Jonathan , Simpson John Tyler , Salim Ali , Duchesne Juan , Taghavi Sharven
Published: November 2022

Background:

Blunt cerebrovascular injury (BCVI) is a significant cause of morbidity and mortality following blunt trauma. Numerous screening strategies exist, although which is used is institution and physician dependent. We sought to identify the most cost-effective screening strategy for BCVI, hypothesizing that universal screening would be optimal among the screening strategies studied.

Study Design:

A Markov decision analysis model was used to compare the following screening strategies for identification of BCVI: (1) no screening (NS); (2) Denver criteria (DC); (3) extended Denver criteria (eDC); (4) Memphis criteria (MC); and (5) universal screening. The base-case scenario modeled 50-year-old patients with blunt traumatic injury excluding isolated extremity injures. Patients with BCVI detected on imaging were assumed to be treated with antithrombotic therapy, subsequently decreasing risk of stroke and mortality. One-way sensitivity analyses were performed on key model inputs. A single year horizon was utilized with an incremental cost-effectiveness ratio (ICER) threshold of $100,000 per quality-adjusted life-year (QALY).

Results:

The most cost-effective screening strategy for patients with blunt trauma among the strategies analyzed was universal screening. This method resulted in the lowest stroke rate, mortality, cost, and highest QALY. An estimated 3,506 strokes would be prevented annually as compared to eDC (ICER of $71,949 for universal screening vs. ICER of $12,736 for eDC per QALY gained) if universal screening were implemented in the United States. In one-way sensitivity analyses, universal screening was the optimal strategy when the incidence of BCVI was >6%.

Conclusion:

This model suggests universal screening may be the cost-effective strategy for BCVI screening in blunt trauma for certain trauma centers. Trauma centers should develop institutional protocols that take into account individual BCVI rates.
Gene Sequencing: Key for Analyzing Mutation in SARS-CoV-2
Authors: Khadka Ram Bahadur , Pandey Jitendra , Chaudhary Gautam Prasad , Karki Khim Dhoj , Sapkota Himal , Gyawal Rabin
Published: November 2022

Genomic sequencing is a sole platform that recognizes and characterizes novel mutants of microorganisms existing in various clinical samples. The main objective of this article is to summarize and provide relevant information regarding genomic sequencing platforms that are widely applied for analyzing mutations in SARS-CoV-2. Various data and literature were reviewed from scientific database like PubMed, Scopus, Google scholars and internet in order to provide collective and reliable information on genomic sequencing. Various Variants of Concern (VOC) and Variants of Interest (VOI) with higher transmissibility and infectivity are detected around the globe among which Nepal is also at high risk stage. According to the Ministry of Health and Population (MOHP) delta variants (B.1.617.2), alpha variants (B.1. 1.7), kappa variants(B.1.617.1) and newly emerged sub lineage of delta variants (A.Y.1) are the predominant one that are circulating in the country. Therefore, severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 whole genome sequencing, Next generation sequencing (Illumina MiSeq. and Oxford Nanopore Minion) or Sanger method based on amplicon sequencing are the best optional platforms for the detection of VOC and VOI and to continue monitoring of widespread SARS-CoV-2 for proper therapy and prevention of COVID-19. Besides, variations occurring in the fragment of virus genome may produce gene dropout obstructing with laboratory molecular assays and epidemiological surveys, therefore it is very crucial to detect those markers with the aid of gene sequencing methods in order to establish higher molecular testing strategies.
Population pharmacokinetics and exposure-response analysis of sotrovimab in the early treatment of COVID-19
Authors: Sager Jennifer E. , El-Zailik Asma , Passarell Julie , Roepcke Stefan , Li Xiaobin , Aldinger Melissa , Nader Ahmed , Skingsley Andrew , Alexander Elizabeth L. , Yeh Wendy W. , Mogalian Erik , Garner Chad , Peppercorn Amanda , Shapiro Adrienne E. , Reyes Maribel
Published: November 2022

Sotrovimab is a recombinant human monoclonal antibody that has been shown to prevent progression to hospitalization or death from severe disease in non-hospitalized high-risk patients with mild-to-moderate COVID-19 following either intravenous (IV) or intramuscular (IM) administration. Population pharmacokinetic (popPK) and exposure-response (ER) analyses were performed to characterize sotrovimab PK and the relationship between exposure and response (probability of progression), as well as covariates that may contribute to between-participant variability in sotrovimab PK and efficacy following IV or IM administration. Sotrovimab PK was described by a two-compartment model with linear elimination; IM absorption was characterized by a sigmoid absorption model. PopPK covariate analysis led to the addition of the effect of body weight on systemic clearance and peripheral volume of distribution, sex on IM bioavailability and first-order absorption rate (KA), and body mass index on KA. However, the magnitude of covariate effect was not pronounced and was therefore not expected to be clinically relevant based on available data to date. For ER analysis, sotrovimab exposure measures were predicted using the final popPK model. An ER model was developed using the exposure measure of sotrovimab concentration at 168 hours that described the relationship between exposure and probability of progression within the ER dataset for COMET-TAIL. The number of risk factors (≤1 vs >1) was incorporated as an additive shift on the model-estimated placebo response but had no impact on overall drug response. Limitations in the ER model may prevent generalization of these results to describe the sotrovimab exposure-progression relationship across SARS-COV-2 variants.
Comparison of AI-integrated pathways with human-AI interaction for population mammographic screening
Authors: Frazer Helen ML , Peña-Solorzano Carlos A , Kwok Chun Fung , Elliott Michael S , Chen Yuanhong , Wang Chong ,   the BRAIx team, Lippey Jocelyn , Hopper John , Brotchie Peter , Carneiro Gustavo , McCarthy Davis J
Published: November 2022

Artificial intelligence (AI) holds promise for improving breast cancer screening, but many challenges remain in implementing AI tools in clinical screening services. AI readers compare favourably against individual human radiologists in detecting breast cancer in population screening programs. However, single AI or human readers cannot perform at the level of multi-reader systems such as those used in Australia, Sweden, the UK, and other countries. The implementation of AI readers in mammographic screening programs therefore demands integration of AI readers in multi-reader systems featuring collaboration between humans and AI. Successful integration of AI readers demands a better understanding of possible models of human-AI collaboration and exploration of the range of possible outcomes engendered by the effects on human readers of interacting with AI readers. Here, we used a large, high-quality retrospective mammography dataset from Victoria, Australia to conduct detailed simulations of five plausible AI-integrated screening pathways. We compared the performance of these AI-integrated pathways against the baseline standard-of-care “two reader plus third arbitration” system used in Australia. We examined the influence of positive, neutral, and negative human-AI interaction effects of varying strength to explore possibilities for upside, automation bias, and downside risk of human-AI collaboration. Replacing the second reader or allowing the AI reader to make high confidence decisions can improve upon the standard of care screening outcomes by 1.9–2.5% in sensitivity and up to 0.6% in specificity (with 4.6–10.9% reduction in the number of assessments and 48–80.7% reduction in the number of reads). Automation bias degrades performance in multi-reader settings but improves it for single-readers. Using an AI reader to triage between single and multi-reader pathways can improve performance given positive human-AI interaction. This study provides insight into feasible approaches for implementing human-AI collaboration in population mammographic screening, incorporating human-AI interaction effects. Our study provides evidence to support the urgent assessment of AI-integrated screening pathways with prospective studies to validate real-world performance and open routes to clinical adoption.
Diabetic control and compliance using HbA1C testing guidelines in public healthcare facilities of Gauteng province, South Africa
Authors: Ngalulawa Kone , Naseem Cassim , Innocent Maposa , Jaya Anna George
Published: November 2022

Objective

This study aimed at evaluating diabetic control and compliance with testing guidelines, across healthcare facilities of Gauteng Province, South Africa as well as factors associated with time to achieve control. South Africa’s estimated total unmet need for care for patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus is 80%.

Research design, methods and findings

The data of 511781 patients were longitudinally evaluated. Results were reported by year, age category, race, sex, facility and test types. HbA1c of ≤7 was reported as normal, >7 - ≤9 as poor control and >9% as very poor control. The chi-squared test was used to assess the association between a first-ever HbA1c status and variables listed above. The Kaplan Meier analysis was used to assess probability of attaining control among those who started with out-of-control HbA1C. The extended Cox regression model assessed the association between time to attaining HbA1C control from date of treatment initiation and several covariates. We reported hazard ratios, 95% confidence intervals and p-values.

Data is reported for 511781 patients with 705 597 laboratory results. Poorly controlled patients constituted 51.5%, with 29.6% classified as very poor control. Most poorly controlled patients had only one test over the entire study period. Amongst those who started with poor control status and had at least two follow-up measurements, the likelihood of achieving good control was higher in males (aHR=1.16; 95% CI:1.12-1.20; p<0.001) and in those attending care at hospitals (aHR=1.99; 95% CI:1.92-2.06; p<0.001).

Conclusion

This study highlights poor adherence to guidelines for diabetes monitoring.

Author(s) summary

-

Worldwide, diabetes mellitus is an escalating public health crisis and, the second among the top ten leading natural causes of death in South Africa.

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With most patients exhibiting poor control using HbA1C testing, this study undertook an audit to check the percentage of patients who follow testing guidelines for monitoring diabetes in the public healthcare facilities of Gauteng province, South Africa.

-

Overall, the guidelines for monitoring diabetes are not followed.

-

The study highlights the need to find innovative ways to improve monitoring of diabetic patients in an effort to curb complications of the disease.
Maternal diabetes and offspring use of dental services – Northern Ireland national cohort study
Authors: Salami Anas , Karim Ikhlas El , Lundy Fionnuala , Loney Tom , Donaldson Michael , O’Neill Ciaran
Published: November 2022

Introduction

A small number of literature has posited a link between prenatal exposure to gestational diabetes mellitus and an increased risk of developmental defects in the enamel of offspring. However, the evidence remains inconclusive.

Aims

This study examined the relationship between the diabetes status of mothers and the use of dental services by offspring to that pregnancy.

Material and methods

Anonymised data from a cohort of mothers who carried a child to term in Northern Ireland between 2012 and 2017 and service use by the child were taken from administrative databases from March 2015 to September 2021. Descriptive statistics, differences in means and regression analyses were used to examine the relationship between service use and maternal diabetes status, controlling for covariates.

Results

In multivariate analyses that controlled inter alia for age and deprivation, diabetes status was negatively related to restoration, extraction, prevention, and total service use. In the analysis of the COVID period, pre-COVID prevention was negatively related to extractions, restorations, prevention, and services in general.

Conclusion

The relationship between maternal diabetic status and aspects of offspring use of dental services was contrary to that suggested in previous studies and warrants more detailed investigation using this valuable data resource.
Assessing the Causal Effect of Blood Pressure on Renal Cancer in the UK Biobank via Mendelian Randomisation
Authors: Clifton Lei , Liu Xiaonan , Collister Jennifer A , Littlejohns Thomas J , Hunter David J
Published: November 2022

1.

Background

Hypertension is associated with increasing risk of renal cancer in observational studies, but there is insufficient evidence on whether hypertension is a causal factor for renal cancer.

Methods

We analysed data from 313,520 individuals of White British ancestry aged 40-69 years at baseline from the UK Biobank prospective cohort. We used polygenic risk scores (PRS) for SBP and DBP, respectively, in Mendelian randomisation analyses to assess the causal effect of blood pressure on renal cancer. Our primary outcome is renal-parenchyma cancer, and we used bladder cancer as a negative control. We conducted additional sensitivity analyses, using individual SNPs from the PRS as instruments, to ensure the MR results are robust.

Results

Among the study population, 1159 participants developed renal-parenchyma cancer over the median of 12.5 years of follow-up. Every 5 mmHg increase in measured SBP and DBP was significantly associated with increased risk for renal-parenchyma cancer (HR: 1.04; 95% CI: 1.02-1.05; p < 0.001 and HR: 1.07; 95% CI: 1.03-1.10; p < 0.001 respectively). Consistent with observational association analyses, we observed statistically significant associations between each 5 mmHg genetically elevated BP and risk of renal-parenchyma cancer, with DBP (HR: 1.17; 95% CI: 1.07-1.27; p < 0.001) having a stronger association than SBP (HR: 1.09; 95% CI: 1.02-1.17; p = 0.009). These significant associations were maintained in sensitivity analyses. We observed a null association of genetically predicted blood pressure with bladder cancer.

Conclusions

These findings provide evidence that elevated BP is causally associated with renal-parenchyma cancer.
Midwifery care providers’ childbirth and immediate newborn care competencies: a cross-sectional study in Benin, Malawi, Tanzania and Uganda
Authors: Moller Ann-Beth , Welsh Joanne , Agossou Christian , Ayebare Elizabeth , Chipeta Effie , Dossou Jean-Paul , Gross Mechthild M , Houngbo Gisele , Hounkpatin Hashim , Kandeya Bianca , Mwilike Beatrice , Petzold Max , Hanson Claudia
Published: November 2022

Evidence-based quality care is essential for reducing the high burden of maternal and newborn mortality and morbidity in sub-Saharan Africa. Provision of quality care results from interaction between several components of the health system including competent midwifery care providers. We assessed midwifery care providers’ childbirth and immediate newborn competencies as part of the Action Leveraging Evidence to Reduce perinatal morTality and morbidity (ALERT) project in Benin, Malawi, Tanzania, and Uganda. We used a self-administered questionnaire assessing knowledge, and skills drills observations assessing skills and behaviours in the 16 ALERT maternity wards. A total of 302 participants took part in the knowledge assessment and 113 skills drills were conducted. The assessments revealed knowledge gaps in frequency of fetal heart rate monitoring and timing of umbilical cord clamping. More than half of the participants scored poorly on aspects related to routine admission tasks, clinical history-taking and rapid and initial assessment of the newborn in the skills drills assessment, while higher scores were achieved in active management of the third stage of labour. The assessment also suggested a lack of involvement of women in decision-making, illustrated by the failure to encourage women to ask questions and failing to report clinical findings back to them. Participants furthermore indicated a lack of support from their managers, supervision and access to education and training resources. Inadequate competency level of the midwifery care providers may be due to gaps in pre-service training but possibly furthermore related to the structural and operational facility characteristics including continuing professional development. Investment and actioning on these findings are needed when developing and designing pre-service and in-service training to ensure women, newborns and families have access to evidence-based and quality midwifery care when needed.

Trial registration

PACTR202006793783148—June 17th, 2020.
Predicting Alzheimer’s Disease with Multi-Omic Data: A Systematic Review
Authors: Davis Anthony , Mendoza Wilson , Leach Daniel , Marques Oge
Published: November 2022

Abstract

Background and Purpose

Alzheimer’s Disease (AD) is a complex neurodegenerative disease that has been becoming increasingly prevalent in recent decades. Efforts to identify predictive biomarkers of the disease have proven difficult. Advances in the collection of multi-omic data and deep learning algorithms have opened the possibility of integrating these various data together to identify robust biomarkers for predicting the onset of the disease prior to the onset of symptoms. This study performs a systematic review of recent methods used to predict AD using multi-omic and multi-modal data.

Methods

We systematically reviewed studies from Google Scholar, Pubmed, and Semantic Scholar published after 2018 in relation to predicting AD using multi-omic data. Three reviewers independently identified eligible articles and came to a consensus of papers to review. The Quality in Prognosis Studies (QUIP) tool was used for the risk of bias assessment.

Results

22 studies which use multi-omic data to either predict AD or develop AD biomarkers were identified. Those studies which aimed to directly classify AD or predict the progression of AD achieved area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC) between .70 - .98 using varying types of patient data, most commonly extracted from blood. Hundreds of new genes, single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs), RNA molecules, DNA methylation sites, proteins, metabolites, lipids, imaging features, and clinical data have been identified as successful biomarkers of AD. The most successful techniques to predict AD have integrated multi-omic data together in a single analysis.

Conclusion

This review has identified many successful biomarkers and biosignatures that are less invasive than cerebral spinal fluid. Together with the appropriate prediction models, highly accurate classifications and prognostications can be made for those who are at risk of developing AD. These early detection of risk factors may help prevent the further development of cognitive impairment and improve patient outcomes.
Calculating functional diversity metrics using neighbor-joining trees
Authors: Cardoso Pedro , Guillerme Thomas , Mammola Stefano , Matthews Thomas J. , Rigal Francois , Graco-Roza Caio , Stahls Gunilla , Carvalho Jose Carlos
Published: November 2022

The study of functional diversity (FD) provides ways to understand phenomena as complex as community assembly or the dynamics of biodiversity change under multiple pressures. Different frameworks are used to quantify FD, either based on dissimilarity matrices (e.g., Rao entropy, functional dendrograms) or multidimensional spaces (e.g. convex hulls, kernel-density hypervolumes). While the first does not enable the measurement of FD within a richness/divergence/regularity framework, or results in the distortion of the functional space, the latter does not allow for comparisons with phylogenetic diversity (PD) measures and can be extremely sensitive to outliers.

We propose the use of neighbor-joining trees (NJ) to represent and quantify functional diversity in a way that combines the strengths of current FD frameworks without many of their weaknesses. Our proposal is also uniquely suited for studies that compare FD with PD, as both share the use of trees (NJ or others) and the same mathematical principles.

We test the ability of this novel framework to represent the initial functional distances between species with minimal functional space distortion and sensitivity to outliers. The results using NJ are compared with conventional functional dendrograms, convex hulls, and kernel-density hypervolumes using both simulated and empirical datasets.

Using NJ we demonstrate that it is possible to combine much of the flexibility provided by multidimensional spaces with the simplicity of tree-based representations. Moreover, the method is directly comparable with PD measures, and enables quantification of the richness, divergence and regularity of the functional space.
Triose phosphate utilization stress during photosynthesis addressed with dynamic assimilation measurements
Authors: McClain Alan M. , Sharkey Thomas D.
Published: November 2022

Oscillations in CO2assimilation rate and associated fluorescence parameters have been observed alongside the triose phosphate utilization (TPU) limitation of photosynthesis for nearly 50 years. However, the mechanics of these oscillations are poorly understood. Here we utilize the recently developed Dynamic Assimilation Techniques (DAT) for measuring the rate of CO2assimilation to increase our understanding of what physiological condition is required to cause oscillations. We found that TPU limiting conditions alone were insufficient, and that plants must enter TPU limitation quickly to cause oscillations. We found that ramps of CO2caused oscillations proportional in strength to the speed of the ramp, and that ramps induce oscillations with worse outcomes than oscillations induced by step change of CO2concentration. An initial overshoot is caused due to a temporary excess of available phosphate. During the overshoot, the plant out-performs steady state TPU and ribulose 1,5-bisphosphate regeneration limitations of photosynthesis but cannot exceed the rubisco limitation. We performed additional optical measurements which support the role of photosystem I reduction and oscillations in availability of NADP+and ATP in supporting oscillations.

Highlight

Rapid CO2changes cause more oscillations of photosynthetic rate than a step change in CO2or slowly changing CO2. Photosystem I acceptor side limitations may play a role.
A country-wide examination of effects of urbanization on common birds
Authors: Brouwer Lyanne , de Vries Lisenka , Sierdsema Henk , van der Jeugd Henk
Published: November 2022

Urbanization forms one of the most drastic alterations of the environment and poses a major threat to wildlife. The human-induced modifications of the landscape may affect individual’s fitness and thereby result in population declines. Research on how urbanization affects fitness traits has shown mixed results, but typically contrasted data from few urban and non-urban sites collected over short time frames from single species. It thus remains unknown whether we can generalize across species, whereas such knowledge is crucial for population predictions that are needed for conservation management. Here, we use data from a nation-wide citizen science project to examine variation in survival and body mass and size of common passerine birds, collected along an urbanization gradient in the Netherlands over an 8-year period. Although the overall association between urbanization and survival was slightly negative, there was strong support for lower survival in three species, and higher survival in two of the 11 species examined. Effects of urbanization on body mass and size also varied but were far less strong and there was no evidence that they mediated the impacts on survival. Our results imply that body mass and size cannot be used as indicators for urban-associated patterns of survival. Furthermore, the species-specific survival responses indicate that care should be taken when predicting the effects of ongoing urbanization for communities, because even closely related species can show different responses. Moreover, the contrasting survival successes among species suggests that ongoing urbanization may lead to shifts in community structure and loss of biodiversity.
Study of droplet generation in an E-shaped microchannel using two-phase level-set method
Authors: Chatterjee Liana , Chatterjee Sulagna
Published: November 2022

Droplet-based microfluidics is the study of microfluidic device, where droplets are generated mainly using two methods i.e., active, and passive methods. The manipulation of these droplets in microfluidic channels is an immensely useful technology in various scientific fields such as biological, biomedical studies, and drug delivery. Recently droplets with a core-shell structure have achieved considerable interest due to their unique properties and varied applications.

Droplet splitting as an important feature of droplet-based microfluidic systems has been widely used. In the present paper, two-dimensional numerical simulations have been done to examine the droplet splitting process in an E Junction geometry microchannel. The two-phase level set method (LSM) has been used to analyze the mechanism of droplet formation and droplet splitting in an immiscible liquid/liquid two-phase flow. Governing equations on the flow field have been studied and solved using COMSOL Multiphysics software. The model was developed to simulate the mechanism of droplet splitting at the E-junction microchannel. This study provides a passive technique to split up microdroplets at the E-junction.
Combining reverse Monte Carlo analysis of X-ray scattering and extended X-ray absorption fine structure spectra of very small nanoparticles
Authors: Winterer Markus , Geiß Jeremias
Published: November 2022

Finite size effects in partial pair distribution functions generate artefacts in the scattering structure factor and scattering intensity. It is shown how they can be overcome using a binned version of the Debye scattering equation. Accordingly, reverse Monte Carlo simulations are used for very small nanoparticles of LaFeO3 with diameters below 10 nm to simultaneously analyse X-ray scattering data and extended X-ray absorption fine structure spectra at the La K and Fe K edges. The structural information obtained is consistent regarding local structure and long-range order.
Operational performance model for banks: a dynamic data envelopment approach
Authors: Bangarwa Preeti , Roy Supriyo
Published: November 2022

Purpose

Operational performance is critical for the banking sector for both managers and other stakeholders as it strongly affects the overall performance of the banking system. Traditional performance measures such as ratio analysis encountered certain shortcomings. At this juncture, data envelopment analysis (DEA) approaches are increasingly applied in bank efficiency studies. However, basic DEA models ignored the interactions between consecutive terms and focused primarily on measuring performance independently for each study period. All this is required to develop an operational performance model that can enable the long-term decision model.

Design/methodology/approach

An attempt has been made to develop a dynamic DEA within a non-radial category to measure interconnection activities considering non-performing loans as an undesirable link. This study uses the Indian banking dataset from 2015 to 2019. The study's research design directs three directions: ‘comparison of the dynamic DEA with the traditional static DEA model, areas of inefficiencies that are investigated for each factor using the factor efficiency index and the robustness results highlighting the performance difference between bank categories.'

Findings

Comparing with static DEA results, the study confirms that the dynamic model best measures long-term operational performance due to the linkage between consecutive terms. The efficiency analysis concludes that the input factor that requires the most improvement is ‘fixed assets' and ‘deposits'. The output factor that needs the most progress is ‘non-interest income'. The robustness of the developed model is proven by ownership categories present within the Indian banking system. At a significance level of 10%, the result of both the separate and dynamic model for privately owned banks is significantly better than that of publicly owned banks.

Originality/value

This paper proposes an operational efficiency model for Indian banks in line with undesirable output. The mean factor efficiency analysis related to non-radial DEA modelling enhances managerial flexibilities in determining improvement initiatives.
Systems literacy amongst air force logisticians in Nigeria
Authors: Akeel Usman Umar
Published: November 2022

Purpose

The purpose of this research is to assess the current level of systems literacy of air force logisticians in Nigeria.

Design/methodology/approach

This research undertook an assessment of the knowledge of air force logistics officers on systems thinking with the aid of a qualitative questionnaire. The questionnaire featured questions on the level of literacy and application of systems thinking by air force logisticians in Nigeria.

Findings

The research finds that the majority of the air force logistics officers have very low levels of knowledge and training in systems thinking.

Originality/value

The research is a unique effort to ascertain the level of systems thinking literacy and training in air force logistics in Nigeria. The study presents a baseline and justification for intervention through an improvement of the logistics curricula used in air force training institutions in Nigeria.
Audit quality and independence concerns after major audit reforms within a developing country: stakeholder perceptions from Vietnam
Authors: Nguyen Lan Anh , Kend Michael , Luong Hoa
Published: November 2022

Purpose

The purpose of this exploratory study is to investigate the perceptions of key stakeholders in Vietnam on the impact on audit quality and independence after major reforms to audit.

Design/methodology/approach

Using new institutional sociology, this study seeks to explain how Vietnamese external auditors and accountants have responded to audit reforms and provides perceptions on how audit quality and independence may have been impacted. This study draws on semi-structured interviews conducted with 33 highly experienced participants, representing various stakeholder groups in Vietnam.

Findings

The findings indicate that after almost a decade since the full implementation of the Law of Independent Audit (2011) in Vietnam, the audit and assurance market in Vietnam is characterised by low quality audits, a lack of compliance with standards and auditor independence concerns, specifically amongst the smaller audit practitioners. Participants indicated that competition for new audit clients or retaining existing clients is a priority over improving audit quality and independence.

Originality/value

By examining a combination of different factors relating to audit quality and independence, the authors further demonstrate the impact of these factors in Vietnam, helping audit professionals and regulators to have a better and more meaningful understanding of that state of the audit profession. This study also considers audit concerns or issues arising because of the COVID-19 pandemic in Vietnam.
Intellectual connections in mission statements scholarship: a future research agenda
Authors: Aladag Omer Faruk , Koseoglu Mehmet Ali
Published: November 2022

Purpose

This study aims to explore the intellectual connections of mission statement research to identify the influential domains of source knowledge and emergent areas of research for future studies.

Design/methodology/approach

The authors deployed bibliometric methods, namely, citation, co-citation and network analysis. The authors collected data from the Scopus and Web of Science databases and analyzed the connections of the most influential articles.

Findings

The authors identified four knowledge domains that informed the mission statements literature: guidance on mission statement development, the value of mission statements, mission statements and organizational issues, mission statement content and communication. And the authors spotted four opportunities for knowledge advancement based on theoretical frameworks, performance measures, content and context.

Practical implications

Practitioners should think beyond the immediate benefits of mission statements, such as performance and legitimacy improvement. Instead, they should focus on long-term benefits, information advantages and democratizing the development phase of mission statements.

Originality/value

Mission statements have attracted scholarly attention over the past 40 years. Despite the formation of a considerable body of knowledge, intellectual connections of mission statement research have been largely neglected. Previous studies had a narrow focus or insufficient coverage of the literature. To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this is the first full-scale bibliometric study on the intellectual connections of the mission statements literature.
Conceptualizing and Measuring Abatement from the Opioid Epidemic: A Case Study from Pennsylvania
Authors: RHUBART DANIELLE , CHEN QIUSHI , STERNER GLENN , NEWTON ROBERT , SHAW BETHANY , SCANLON DENNIS
Published: November 2022

Policy Points

In 2021, four major pharmaceutical manufacturers and distributors reached a proposed settlement agreement with 46 state Attorneys General of $26 billion to address their liabilities in fueling the US opioid epidemic. It raises important questions about abatement conceptualization and measurement for allocating settlement funds among substate entities.

We outline the political economy tensions undergirding the settlement and allocation, introduce an abatement conceptual framework, describe how an abatement formula was developed for Pennsylvania to allocate settlement funds, and summarize considerations for future settlement allocation efforts.

Documenting the challenges and experiences of this task is essential to inform future efforts.
GENTRIFICATION IN TOKYO: Formation of the Tokyo West Creative Industry Cluster
Authors: Kidokoro Tetsuo , Fukuda Ryo , Sho Kojiro
Published: November 2022

Inner‐city areas function as incubators of creative industries in metropolitan cities. The areas adjacent to Tokyo's city center also play an important role as a location for small to medium‐sized creative industries. First, against this background, this article explores the relationship between the characteristics of locations of creative industries and Tokyo's built environment. Aside from the city center itself, where the creative industries’ major customers are located, the authors observed a creative industry cluster to the west of the city center. We named this area the Tokyo West Creative Industry Cluster (TWCIC) and found that a ‘live–work’‐style cluster has developed there, which functions as an incubation place for creative industries. Second, by conducting a case study on urban regeneration in progress in the Shibuya Station area, a core area of the TWCIC, we further examine how gentrification caused by property‐led urban regeneration is now threatening the TWCIC. The article concludes that commercialization and purification will eventually widen spatial inequality and lead to the loss of the unique culture of tolerance and freedom that has hitherto nurtured the creative culture in TWCIC. Consequently, fundamental changes are required in property‐led creative city policies.
Maturing conversations: developing climate engagement through group dialogues
Authors: Gillespie Sally
Published: November 2022

Climate change is a threat to global ecosystems, societies and psychological well‐being. As a collectively driven phenomena, I argue that it requires collective responses and action. In order to ease the trauma of awakening to, and engaging with, climate and ecological breakdown, I suggest that individuals and communities need to build safe containers and establish support to help us recognize resistance, explore defences and feel into the territory beyond the known and familiar. Using participatory research as a case study, this paper considers the often intense feelings of confusion, tension and fear that can be generated by climate disruption, and the developmental processes that can arise when these feelings are well supported and contained. My experience suggests that when people are given a safe facilitated space to identify and share their feelings and thoughts, fears and hopes, dreams and images with others, it stimulates a creative process of collective engagement and sense‐making that has the potential to seed personal and social transformation and action. I suggest that Jungian practitioners in particular can play a valuable role by facilitating dialogues and inquiries which are attuned to collective symbolic processes and which incorporate the imaginal realm of story, dream, and image.
Contextualizing eco‐anxiety and eco‐anger: tentative responses to visceral and numinous emotions
Authors: Rozuel Cécile , Bellehumeur Christian R.
Published: November 2022

In this paper, we explore how the emotions of eco‐anxiety and eco‐anger can be perceived as potentially constructive responses to the climate crisis. We examine the context in which these emotions are experienced and expressed in light of the relationship between human beings and Nature. We argue that these eco‐emotions are both visceral and numinous, and that this dual characteristic is critical when determining how best to respond to eco‐anxiety and eco‐anger. We propose that a suitable approach to this challenge is to draw from the imagination and the symbolic domain, and we offer personal reflections on what this process may look like.
Treatment response in acute myeloid leukaemia—Clues in the biopsy core
Authors: Aguilar Navarro Alicia G. , Tikhonova Anastasia N.
Published: November 2022

In their paper the authors describe distinct transcriptomic changes associated to treatment response in core bone marrow biopsies from patients with acute myeloid leukaemia. This finding raises the possibility that stratifying patients for treatment according to their transcriptomic profiles could improve patients' response and prognosis.

Commentary on: Treaba et al. Transcriptomics of AML core bone marrow biopsies reveals distinct therapy response‐specific osteo‐mesenchymal profiles. Br J Haematol 2023;200:740–754.
Systematic review of the psychometric properties of cultural adaptations and translations of the Children's Assessment of Participation and Enjoyment (CAPE)
Authors: Abid Manel , Demers Isabelle , Mercier Catherine , Maltais Désirée B.
Published: November 2022

Background

The Children's Assessment of Participation and Enjoyment (CAPE) is the most widely used questionnaire for the assessment of children participation. While several cultural adaptations and translations exist, the quality of the methods used to produce them, as well as their psychometric properties, remains unclear. The aim of this systematic review was to evaluate the different translated and/or culturally adapted versions of the CAPE for children and youth with and without disabilities.

Method

A search was performed in five electronic databases CINAHL (EBSCO), MEDLINE (OVID), EMBASE (ELSEVIER), PSYCINFO (OVID), and WEB OF SCIENCE Core Collection (CLARIVATE), for articles available in French or English with the last update in July 2022. All studies related to a cultural adaptation and/or translation of the CAPE were retained and evaluated based on established guidelines for cross‐cultural adaptations and measurement properties. The extraction was done independently by two authors. A critical appraisal of translation and psychometric properties methods was performed. Critical appraisal of the articles was done using the Guidelines for the Process of Cross‐Cultural Adaptation of Self‐Report Measures tool and the COnsensus‐based Standards for the selection of health Measurement Instruments (COSMIN) methodology.

Results

The search identified 642 studies (321 duplicates removed), 16 of which underwent full‐text review. Nine studies met all inclusion criteria and underwent analysis. According to the recommended steps for cross‐cultural adaptations, one study performed 100% of the steps and two others performed 80%. None of the studies met all the recommendations for the evaluation of psychometric properties. A full evaluation of reliability and internal consistency were reported by 74% of studies. None of the studies reported a full evaluation of responsiveness, agreement and/or construct validity.

Conclusions

This review demonstrated limitations in the robustness of the methods used to develop and evaluate translated and culturally adapted versions of CAPE. To ensure valid and reliable results when conducting future research using the CAPE, it is recommended to fully evaluate the psychometric properties of the existing versions and to produce other translated and culturally adapted versions of the questionnaire.