bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Accessing opioid agonist treatment in prison in England and Scotland remains problematic – the views of people with lived experience
Authors: Webster Russell , Fearns Colin , Harriott Paula , Millar Lisa , Simpson Jardine , Wallace Jason , Wheatley Michael
Published: December 2023

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to examine lived experiences of opioid agonist treatment (OAT) during and immediately following release from detention in prisons in England and Scotland.

Design/methodology/approach

Surveys were completed by serving prisoners in both countries and by those recently released from prison (England only). The survey findings were discussed in focus groups of people with lived experience. The combined findings from the surveys and focus groups were shared with an expert group of prison OAT providers and people with lived experience with the purpose of making recommendations for more accessible and effective OAT in custodial environments and continuity of OAT on release

Findings

The quality and accessibility of OAT varied considerably between establishments. It was reported to be harder to access OAT in Scottish prisons. It was often hard for people in prison to get the dosage of OAT they felt they needed and it was generally harder to access buprenorphine than methadone in English prisons. Only Scottish people in prison were aware of long-lasting forms of buprenorphine. People in English prisons had mixed experiences of the help available in prison, with no improvement recorded since a 2016 study. People in Scottish prisons were more likely to rate the help available as poor.

Research limitations/implications

The number of people accessed while actually in prison (73) was reduced by the impact of the pandemic, making it more difficult to access people in prison and because some were resistant to participating on the basis that they had already been consulted for a wide variety of research projects focused on the impact of COVID. The Scottish cohort (a total of 19 individuals comprising 14 survey respondents and five focus group members) is clearly too small a number on which to base robust claims about differences in OAT provision between the English and Scottish prison systems..

Practical implications

The study identifies key barriers to accessing OAT in prisons and suggests key components of more user-friendly approaches.

Social implications

This study provides an overview of the recent lived experiences of people accessing OAT in prison and on release and offers valuable recommendations on how to make service provision more effective and consistent.

Originality/value

This study provides an overview of the recent lived experiences of people accessing OAT in prison and on release in England and Scotland and offers valuable recommendations on how to make service provision more effective and consistent.
Building a caring workplace: how managerial caring and perceived insider status shape subjective employee well-being
Authors: Aldabbas Hazem , Bettayeb Amel
Published: December 2023

Purpose

Although the study of factors that promote employee well-being is not a new research area, the impact of managerial caring and perceived insider status on subjective employee well-being is a relatively new and unexplored area within the management literature. Therefore, this study examined the relationship between managerial caring and subjective employee well-being while considering the mediating effect of perceived insider status. Based on social identity theory, the study hypothesized that perceived insider status mediates the link between managerial caring and subjective employee well-being.

Design/methodology/approach

The study analyzed data from 193 employees working across various industries in the United Arab Emirates using Process Macro Model 4.

Findings

The findings revealed a positive relationship between managerial caring and employee well-being, which was influenced by the mediating effect of perceived insider status.

Originality/value

The study’s results, which shed light on the process by which managerial caring positively affects employee well-being, provide valuable insights for developing a caring workplace. The findings make a significant contribution to the literature on managerial caring by explaining how the mediating role of perceived insider status influences the relationship between managerial caring and subjective employee well-being.
Psychometric analysis of the German version of the management standards indicator tool (MSIT-D)
Authors: Uglanova Ekaterina , Cousins Rosanna , Dettmers Jan
Published: December 2023

Purpose

This study aims to develop a reliable and valid German/Deutsch version of the management standards indicator tool (MSIT-D) to broaden the pool of instruments available to practitioners and to support international collaborations regarding this workplace management issue.

Design/methodology/approach

The MSIT-D was translated from English to German, then its psychometric properties examined using data from British employees (n = 321) and German employees (n = 358). Confirmatory factor analyses (CFAs) were used to evaluate the internal structure and measurement invariance, and Cronbach’s alpha was used to assess internal consistency. Comparisons were made with the German language risk assessment tool Fragebogen zur Gefährdungsbeurteilung psychischer Belastungen (FGBU) to examine concurrent and incremental validity. Criterion validity was checked using established measures of work-related health.

Findings

The MSIT-D has an equivalent seven-factor structure (demands, control, managerial support, peer support, relationships, role and change) as the original; the analyses confirmed configural and metric measurement invariance with the original scale. The internal consistency of the scales ranged from 0.82 to 0.91. Regarding criterion validity, the MSIT-D was positively correlated with emotional exhaustion and psychosomatic complaints and negatively correlated with work engagement and workability. The analyses yielded meaningful correlations between the MSIT-D dimensions and the FGBU.

Originality/value

This is the first study to develop a German version of the MSIT and confirm metric measurement invariance. This will allow a comparison of MSIT scores with related constructs between German- and English-speaking samples. As a reliable and valid instrument for assessing work-related stressors, the outcome of this study presents opportunities for developing a unified surveillance system for work-related stress at the European level.
A critical (theory) data literacy: tales from the field
Authors: Markham Annette , Pronzato Riccardo
Published: December 2023

Purpose

This paper aims to explore how critical digital and data literacies are facilitated by testing different methods in the classroom, with the ambition to find a pedagogical framework for prompting sustained critical literacies.

Design/methodology/approach

This contribution draws on a 10-year set of critical pedagogy experiments conducted in Denmark, USA and Italy, and engaging more than 1,500 young adults. Multi-method pedagogical design trains students to conduct self-oriented guided autoethnography, situational analysis, allegorical mapping, and critical infrastructure analysis.

Findings

The techniques of guided autoethnography for facilitating sustained data literacy rely on inviting multiple iterations of self-analysis through sequential prompts, whereby students move through stages of observation, critical thinking, critical theory-informed critique around the lived experience of hegemonic data and artificial intelligence (AI) infrastructures.

Research limitations/implications

Critical digital/data literacy researchers should continue to test models for building sustained critique that not only facilitate changes in behavior over time but also facilitate citizen social science, whereby participants use these autoethnographic techniques with friends and families to build locally relevant critique of the hegemonic power of data/AI infrastructures.

Originality/value

The proposed literacy model adopts a critical theory stance and shows the value of using multiple modes of intervention at micro and macro levels to prompt self-analysis and meta-level reflexivity for learners. This framework places critical theory at the center of the pedagogy to spark more radical stances, which is contended to be an essential step in moving students from attitudinal change to behavioral change.
Divergence and convergence of salient stakeholders' perceptions toward forensic accounting education: importance, obstacles and pedagogies
Authors: Alkhalaileh Rahaf Ibrahim , Alshurafat Hashem , Al-Hazaima Huthaifa
Published: December 2023

Purpose

This research study aims to identify barriers to incorporating forensic accounting into accounting curricula in Jordanian universities. The study examines the differences in perspectives among various accounting education stakeholders, including students, educators and accounting and auditing employees/managers, on forensic accounting education.

Design/methodology/approach

The research methodology is quantitative and involves administering a survey questionnaire. The data obtained are analyzed using techniques including t-test analysis, one-way ANOVA and post-hoc.

Findings

The study reveals that educators have a more favorable view toward incorporating forensic accounting into university accounting curricula in Jordan, while accountants and auditors (employees/managers) are more strongly convinced of its importance. Furthermore, the biggest challenge to integrating forensic accounting, as perceived by stakeholders, is the lack of related job opportunities.

Practical implications

The study significantly contributes to accounting education research by providing valuable information on barriers to incorporating forensic accounting into the accounting curricula of Jordanian educational institutions from the perceptive of various stakeholders. Therefore, this study may assist educators in overcoming obstacles in offering forensic accounting education.

Originality/value

The study carries important implications for the inclusion of forensic accounting in the accounting curricula of Jordanian educational institutions. By comprehending the different viewpoints of various stakeholders, educators and policymakers can address recognized challenges and strive for the effective integration of forensic accounting in accounting curricula. As a result, accounting students will receive a more comprehensive education, and graduates will be better equipped for successful careers in the field.
Analysis of global research trends on FinTech: a bibliometric study
Authors: Alfawareh Faraj Salman , Al-Kofahi Mahmoud
Published: December 2023

Purpose

The key aim of this study is to highlight current financial technology (FinTech) trends by conducting a bibliometric review of literature derived from the Scopus database.

Design/methodology/approach

A bibliometric analysis was conducted on articles gathered from the Scopus database. Microsoft Excel was used to perform the frequency analysis, VOSviewer for visualising the data, and Harzing’s Publish or Perish for the metrics citation.

Findings

According to this investigation, research into FinTech has been consistently increasing since 2008. The results indicate that the most active publisher of FinTech literature is Bina Nusantara University in Indonesia. In terms of country of publication, China is identified as the most active. The most cited author is Buckley, R.P., with Rabbani, M.R., having the most publications. It was also identified that FinTech researches come under three primary domains namely business management, computer science and economics.

Research limitations/implications

The primary limitation of this current study is that it only relied on one data source, i.e. Scopus. Implications wise, researchers and practitioners can gain a deeper understanding of FinTech from this study, which also describes the trend in related publications on the concept. Future studies could significantly benefit from the findings of the present paper.

Practical implications

The outcomes of this study can assist researchers in better comprehending and summarising the key drivers of FinTech. In addition, the findings can help new researchers identify the starting point for their research on FinTech.

Originality/value

As far as the authors are aware, this is the first study that reviews FinTech publications derived from Scopus from 2008 to 2022. Hence, it is a pioneering study into FinTech bibliometric analysis, providing an understanding of the structural knowledge by reviewing the timeline of academic progression in FinTech.
Digital service innovation in B2B markets
Authors: Kowalkowski Christian , Wirtz Jochen , Ehret Michael
Published: December 2023

Purpose

Technology-enabled business-to-business (B2B) services contribute the largest share to GDP growth and are fundamental for an economy’s value creation. This article aims to identify key service- and digital technology-driven B2B innovation modes and proposes a research agenda for further exploration.

Design/methodology/approach

This conceptual paper adopts a techno-demarcation view on service innovation, encompassing three core dimensions: service offering (the service product, or the “what”), service process (the “how”) and service ecosystem (the “who/for whom”). It delineates the implications of three digital technologies – the internet-of-things (IoT), intelligent automation (IA) and digital platforms – for service innovation across these core dimensions in B2B markets.

Findings

Digital technology has immense potential ramifications for value creation by reshaping all three core dimensions of service innovation. Specifically, IoT can transform physical resources into reconfigurable service products, IA can augment and automate a rapidly expanding array of service processes, while digital platforms provide the technical and organizational infrastructure for the integration of resources and stakeholders within service ecosystems.

Originality/value

This study suggests an agenda with six themes for further research, each linked to one or more of the three service innovation dimensions. They are (1) new recurring revenue models, (2) service innovation in the metaverse, (3) scaling up service innovations, (4) ecosystem innovations, (5) power dependency and lock-in effects and (6) security and responsibility in digital domains.
Sustainable supply chain management practices and firm performance: the mediating effect of firm capabilities
Authors: Asante-Darko Disraeli , Osei Vivian
Published: December 2023

Purpose

Academics and businesses alike have begun to recognise sustainability as a vital component of supply chain competitive advantage in recent years. Inconclusive results have been found in empirical studies of sustainable supply chain management (SSCM) that have ignored contextual variables concerning the dynamic role of firm capability in favour of testing alternative assumptions about the effect of various elements of the triple bottom line (TBL) on firm performance outcomes. The present study examines whether and how firm capabilities mediate the connection between SSCM, from a TBL standpoint, and firm financial performance outcomes.

Design/methodology/approach

Using the stakeholder theory, the study employed 325 survey responses from firms operating in different industries in Ghana (a less-researched context but one that plays a key role regarding SSCM practices) and the partial least squares structural equation model (PLS-SEM) technique to simultaneously assess the relationships amongst the variables.

Findings

It was discovered that the connections between all the TBL facets of SSCM practices and firm performance are positive and significant, and these relationships are mediated by firm capabilities.

Originality/value

By examining the underlying variables and relationships that contribute to the establishment of the rather complex relationship between SSCM practices from a TBL perspective and the performance of a firm, the research contributes to current knowledge on SSCM practices, firm capabilities and firm performance.
Using a digital app to monitor the effects of sexual harassment on mental health
Authors: Muazzam Amina , Shabbir Aqsa , Iqbal Naveed , Faran Muhammad , Munir Mubeena , Kamran Fatima
Published: December 2023

Purpose

Sexual harassment on public transport puts women at risk of mental health problems, apart from disrupting their lives and the harmful social consequences. This is especially the case for Pakistani women, for whom sexual harassment has been on the rise for the past decade. This study aims to explore how Pakistani women use strategies to cope with sexual harassment when using public transport and its mediating role in their issues with mental health.

Design/methodology/approach

Given that the data collection task on such a culturally sensitive topic was crucial, a mobile application for anonymized data collection was used, which appeared to be an effective strategy. Using the mobile application, 1,054 women who use public transport submitted their responses; however, the analysis is based on 250 usable responses. Their experience of harassment was measured using the Sexual Harassment Experience Questionnaire, their mental health using the Depression Anxiety Stress Scales and their coping strategies by the Brief Cope Inventory.

Findings

The results indicate that adaptive coping is a significant negative mediator between sexual harassment and mental well-being, whereas maladaptive coping is non-significant. Adaptive coping, i.e. “Acceptance” to admit the reality that the problem exists with all, and “Religion” to seek help spiritually to deal with the problem. Unfortunately, the findings show no suitable coping means to deal with the impact of sexual harassment on women who travel on public transport. This study also illustrates that using the right technologies can encourage participants to submit responses for culturally sensitive topics.

Originality/value

This study provides insight into the experience of street harassment in Pakistani women and how it is related to mental health. This study also explores the role of adaptive and maladaptive coping as an intervening variable between street harassment and mental health.
An extensive effect of religiosity on the purchasing decisions of halal products
Authors: Rafiki Ahmad , Hidayat Sutan Emir , Nasution Muhammad Dharma Tuah Putra
Published: December 2023

Purpose

This study aims to examine the moderator effect of religiosity on the relationship between halal brand awareness and habit towards purchasing decisions of halal products.

Design/methodology/approach

The quantitative method is used in this study. Descriptive and statistical (multiple and moderated regression) analyses are employed to test the hypothesis according to the research model. The data is collected using a cross-sectional design from 197 respondents consisting of business owners in North Sumatera, Indonesia.

Findings

It is found that both halal brand awareness and habit have a positive and significant effect on the purchasing decision of halal products. Meanwhile, religiosity significantly acts as a moderating variable in the relationship between awareness and purchasing decisions, as well as habit and purchasing decisions.

Research limitations/implications

This study revealed the important factor of religiosity as a moderating factor in purchase decisions of halal products. The government may need to collaborate with Islamic educational institutions to raise awareness of the halal concept and product awareness. It is assumed that individuals who know about the Islamic religion will have a higher degree of awareness of halal products compared to individuals with limited knowledge of Islam; thus, providers of Islamic education play a crucial role in raising the level of awareness of halal products. Schools may serve as catalysts for the dissemination of knowledge of halal products.

Originality/value

Developing halal product markets can be done by enhancing the religiosity level of consumers, one of them through attending formal or informal religious classes.
Circ_0008410 contributes to fibroblast‐like synoviocytes dysfunction by regulating miR‐149‐5p/HIPK2 axis
Authors: Su Wensi , Ye Zhifang , Wang Guangji , Huang Hui , Fang Yehan
Published: December 2023

Circular RNAs (circRNAs) play functional roles in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) progression. Fibroblast‐like synoviocytes (RASFs) are the main effectors in RA development. In this study, we explored the function and mechanism of circ_0008410 in RASFs. qRT‐PCR was used to detect the expression of circ_0008410, microRNA‐149‐5p (miR‐149‐5p), and homeodomain‐interacting protein kinase 2 (HIPK2). Cell counting kit‐8, EdU assay, flow cytometry, and transwell assay were performed to evaluate cell proliferation, apoptosis, migration, and invasion. Western blot measured the protein levels of related markers and HIPK2. The levels of IL‐1β, TNF‐α, and IL‐6 were tested by corresponding ELISA kits and Western blot. The combination between miR‐149‐5p and circ_0008410 or HIPK2 was detected by dual‐luciferase reporter assay or RNA immunoprecipitation (RIP) assay. Our data showed that circ_0008410 and HIPK2 were elevated, while miR‐149‐5p was downregulated in RA synovial tissues and RASFs. Circ_0008410 promoted RASF proliferation, migration, invasion, and inflammation while inhibiting apoptosis. MiR‐149‐5p was a target of circ_0008410, and its overexpression could reverse the promoting effects of circ_0008410 on RASF dysfunction. Moreover, miR‐149‐5p could target HIPK2 to suppress RASF proliferation, migration, invasion, and inflammation. Collectively, circ_0008410 promoted RASF dysfunction via miR‐149‐5p/HIPK2, which might provide a potential target for RA therapy.
Are layoffs an industry norm? Exploring how industry‐level job decline or growth impacts firm‐level layoff implementation
Authors: Chhinzer Nita
Published: December 2023

Corporate layoffs are a globally prolific organisational activity, but little is known about how industry‐level employment loss or gain impacts firm‐level layoff implementation. Grounded in institutional theory, this study posits that firms in industries experiencing employment decline align with a cost‐containment approach, while firms in industries experiencing employment growth focus on social exchange theory when executing employee layoffs. Analysis of 573 mass layoffs from March 2013 to May 2019 compared downsizing scope (layoff severity and frequency), explanations, alternatives, advance notice, and firm characteristics (unionisation and firm size) in employment gain versus loss industries. The findings indicate that meaningful differences exist. Firms operating in employment loss industries implement layoffs focused on cost‐containment, including less severe layoffs, less extensive but more demand‐decline focused explanations, and use more cost‐reduction layoff alternatives, when compared to layoffs in employment gaining industries. Firms operating in industries experiencing growth execute layoffs in a manner that maintains the social exchange expectations between employee‐employer. In addition, firms in declining industries are more likely to be unionised and larger than firms in growing industries. This research helps reconcile divergent layoff perspectives by considering how variations in external factors impact corporate layoffs.
Quantitative processing of broadband data as implemented in a scientific split‐beam echosounder
Authors: Andersen Lars Nonboe , Chu Dezhang , Handegard Nils Olav , Heimvoll Harald , Korneliussen Rolf , Macaulay Gavin J. , Ona Egil , Patel Ruben , Pedersen Geir
Published: December 2023

The use of quantitative broadband echosounders for biological studies and surveys can offer considerable advantages over narrowband echosounders. These include improved spectral‐based target identification and significantly increased ability to resolve individual targets. An understanding of current processing steps is required to fully utilise and further develop broadband acoustic methods in marine ecology.

We describe the steps involved in processing broadband acoustic data from raw data to frequency dependent target strength () and volume backscattering strength () using data from the EK80 broadband scientific echosounder as examples. Although the overall processing steps are described and build on established methods from the literature, multiple choices need to be made during implementation.

To highlight and discuss some of these choices and facilitate a common understanding within the community, we have also developed a Python code which will be made publicly available and open source. The code follows the steps using raw data from two single pings, showing the step‐by‐step processing from raw data to and .

This code can serve as a reference for developing custom code or implementation in existing processing pipelines, as an educational tool and as a starting point for further development of broadband acoustic methods in fisheries acoustics.
Causal relationship between worry, tension, insomnia, sensitivity to environmental stress and adversity, and erectile dysfunction: a study using Mendelian randomization
Authors: Zhang Hao , Wang Shiqi , Ma Sicheng , Zhang Chenming , Wang Zulong , Yan Peiyu
Published: December 2023

Background

This study aims to investigate the causal relationship between erectile dysfunction (ED) and psychological states including worry, tension, insomnia, sensitivity to environmental stress and adversity (SESA).

Method

This study the used two‐sample bi‐directional Mendelian randomization (MR) method. The study data was obtained from a pooled dataset of genome‐wide association studies (GWAS). The bi‐directional MR analysis was performed using inverse variance weighting, weighted median method, and MR‐Egger regression analysis to assess the causality between ED and psychological states including worry, tension, insomnia, SESA in terms of odd ratios (OR). The study tested for heterogeneity using the Cochran Q method and for multiple validity using the MR‐Egger and MR‐PRESSO methods.

Results

In forward MR analysis correlating worry, tension, insomnia, and SESA as exposures, no causal relationship was found between worry or tension and ED (p < 0.05). However, insomnia (p = 0.001, OR = 3.441, 95%CI = 1.593–7.435) and SESA (p = 0.004, OR = 1.804, 95%CI = 1.203–2.701) were found to have a significant causal effect on ED risk. The reverse MR analysis with ED as the exposure did not show any significant correlation (all p > 0.05).

Conclusion

Individuals with insomnia and SESA are at higher risk for developing ED. Clinical evaluation should be more thorough for these individuals. Insomnia can be treated simultaneously with psychological counseling to reduce the risk of ED. In addition, there is no evidence to suggest that worry and tension increase the risk of ED.
Prognostic value of pretreatment indocyanine green angiography in the acute uveitic phase of Vogt‐Koyanagi‐Harada disease
Authors: Tobaigy Mohannad F. , Abouammoh Marwan A. , AlBloushi Abdulrahman F. , Saifaldein Amjad Ameen , Gikandi Priscilla , Almousa Abdullah N. , Herbort Carl P. , El‐Asrar Ahmed Abu
Published: December 2023

Purpose

To investigate the prognostic value of pretreatment indocyanine green angiographic (ICGA) features in initial‐onset acute uveitis associated with Vogt‐Koyanagi‐Harada (VKH) disease.

Methods

Retrospective analysis of 84 patients (168 eyes). Main outcome measures were final visual acuity, development of ‘sunset glow fundus’ (SGF) and progression to chronic recurrent evolution.

Results

Thirty‐eight patients (76 eyes) presented in the phase preceding anterior segment (AS) inflammation (early presentation) and 46 patients (92 eyes) had AS inflammation at presentation (late presentation). The mean number of hypofluorescent dark dots (HDDs) and frequency of disc hyperfluorescence were more in the late presentation group (p < 0.001 for both comparisons), whereas the early presentation group showed higher frequencies of peripapillary punctate choroidal hyperfluorescence (p < 0.001) and hypofluorescent patches involving macula corresponding to the areas of exudative retinal detachment (p = 0.012). The mean number of HDDs and the frequency of disc hyperfluorescence were higher among eyes that developed SGF (p < 0.001 for both comparisons) and eyes that progressed to chronic recurrent evolution (p < 0.001; p = 0.001, respectively). The frequencies of peripapillary punctate choroidal hyperfluorescence and hypofluorescent patches corresponding to the areas of exudative retinal detachment were less in the eyes that developed SGF (p = 0.019; p = 0.003, respectively). Punctate choroidal hyperfluorescence elsewhere was less frequent in the eyes that developed SGF (p < 0.001) and eyes that progressed to chronic recurrent evolution (p = 0.002).

Conclusions

Pretreatment ICGA has a prognostic value in initial‐onset acute uveitis associated with VKH disease.
Therapeutic benefit of melatonin in 5‐fluorouracil‐induced renal and hepatic injury
Authors: Mansoori Razieh , Kazemi Sohrab , Almasi Darya , Hosseini Seyed Mohammad , Karim Bardia , Nabipour Majid , Moghadamnia Ali Akbar
Published: December 2023

Nephrotoxicity and hepatotoxicity include increased oxidative stress and apoptosis; as a result, liver and kidney damage are related to its pathogenesis. These are significant side effects caused in cancer patients treated with 5‐FU. In the research, 25 rats were divided into five groups, including control, 5‐FU and 5‐FU + 2.5, 5 and 10 mg/kg melatonin (MEL), and the protective impact of MEL against 5‐FU‐induced hepatorenal damage in rats was investigated. 5‐FU caused significant harm, resulting in severe renal failure and histopathological changes. It also increased BUN, creatinine and hepatic function markers levels while decreasing superoxide dismutase and glutathione peroxidase activity. Additionally, 5‐FU led to a notable increase in malondialdehyde content. However, MEL co‐administration to rats reversed most biochemical and histologic effects. In the control and MEL + 5‐FU groups, the values were comparable. The doses of MEL treatment had a significant positive impact on 5‐FU‐induced oxidative stress, apoptosis, lipid peroxidation and kidney damage. Our data concluded that MEL has an ameliorative effect on hepatorenal damage caused by 5‐FU.
PRESIDENTIAL ADDRESS: Lessons from Africa: Ubuntu, solidarity, dignity, kinship, and humility
Authors: Jecker Nancy S.
Published: December 2023

This paper addresses bioethics in the context of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID‐19) pandemic. The Introduction (Section 1) highlights that at the field's inception, infectiousness was not front and center. Instead, infectious disease was widely perceived as having been conquered. This made it possible for bioethicists to center values such as individual autonomy, informed consent, and a statist conception of justice. Section 2 urges shifting to values more fitting for the moment the world is in. To find these, it directs attention to the Global South, and in particular, Africa, and to the values of ubuntu, solidarity, dignity, kinship, and humility. The paper concludes (in Section 3) that 21st‐century challenges facing bioethics are increasingly global, and calls on bioethicists themselves to be more globally inclusive in their approaches.
Spermatozoa in mice lacking the nucleoporin NUP210L show defects in head shape and motility but not in nuclear compaction or histone replacement
Authors: Al Dala Ali Maha , Longepied Guy , Nicolet Aurore , Metzler‐Guillemain Catherine , Mitchell Michael J.
Published: December 2023

Biallelic loss‐of‐function mutation of NUP210L, encoding a testis‐specific nucleoporin, has been reported in an infertile man whose spermatozoa show uncondensed heads and histone retention. Mice with a homozygous transgene intronic insertion in Nup210l were infertile but spermatozoa had condensed heads. Expression from this insertion allele is undefined, however, and residual NUP210L production could underlie the milder phenotype. To resolve this issue, we have created Nup210lem1Mjmm, a null allele of Nup210l, in the mouse. Nup210lem1Mjmm homozygotes show uniform mild anomalies of sperm head morphology and decreased motility, but nuclear compaction and histone removal appear unaffected. Thus, our mouse model does not support that NUP210L loss alone blocks spermatid nuclear compaction. Re‐analyzing the patient's exome data, we identified a rare, potentially pathogenic, heterozygous variant in nucleoporin gene NUP153 (p.Pro485Leu), and showed that, in mouse and human, NUP210L and NUP153 colocalize at the caudal nuclear pole in elongating spermatids and spermatozoa. Unexpectedly, in round spermatids, NUP210L and NUP153 localisation differs between mouse (nucleoplasm) and human (nuclear periphery). Our data suggest two explanations for the increased phenotypic severity associated with NUP210L loss in human compared to mouse: a genetic variant in human NUP153 (p.Pro485Leu), and inter‐species divergence in nuclear pore function in round spermatids.
A systematic review and a meta‐analysis on the incidence of obstetric anal sphincter injuries during vaginal delivery
Authors: Orlando Alessandra , Thomas Gregory , Murphy Jamie , Hotouras Alexander , Bassett Paul , Vaizey Carolynne
Published: December 2023

Aim

The incidence of obstetric anal sphincter injuries (OASIS) has increased in the past two decades despite improved awareness of the risk factors. This study aimed to define the incidence of OASIS in women with different features (instrumental delivery or other variables).

Methods

A systematic review was conducted on articles reporting the incidence of OASIS. This review aims to examine the association of instrumentation and OASIS by performing a formal systematic review of the published literature. Databases used for the research were MEDLINE, Embase, CINAHL and ‘Maternity and infant care’ databases.

Results

Two independent reviewers screened the selected articles. 2326 duplicates were removed from the total of 4907 articles. The remaining 2581 articles were screened for title and abstract. 1913 articles were excluded due to irrelevance. The remaining 300 were screened as full text. Primiparity associated with the use of forceps were the features associated with the highest incidence of OASIS in the selected articles (19.4%). OASIS in all women had an overall incidence of 3.8%. The incidence of OASIS in all women by geographical region was the highest (6.5%) in North America.

Conclusions

There are various factors that impact on the incidence of OASIS and the combination of some of these, such as the use of forceps in primiparas, resulted in the highest incidence of OASIS. The lack of international consensus is limiting the improvements that can be done to reduce OASIS rates and improve best clinical practice.
Updated DPYDHapB3 haplotype structure and implications for pharmacogenomic testing
Authors: Turner Amy J. , Haidar Cyrine E. , Yang Wenjian , Boone Erin C. , Offer Steven M. , Empey Philip E. , Haddad Andrew , Tahir Saba , Scharer Gunter , Broeckel Ulrich , Gaedigk Andrea
Published: December 2023

The DPYD gene encodes dihydropyrimidine dehydrogenase, the rate‐limiting enzyme for the metabolism of fluoropyrimidines 5‐fluorouracil and capecitabine. Genetic variants in DPYD have been associated with altered enzyme activity, therefore accurate detection and interpretation is critical to predict metabolizer status for individualized fluoropyrimidine therapy. The most commonly observed deleterious variation is the causal variant linked to the previously described HapB3 haplotype, c.1129‐5923C>G (rs75017182) in intron 10, which introduces a cryptic splice site. A benign synonymous variant in exon 11, c.1236G>A (rs56038477) is also linked to HapB3 and is commonly used for testing. Previously, these single‐nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) have been reported to be in perfect linkage disequilibrium (LD); therefore, c.1236G>A is often utilized as a proxy for the function‐altering intronic variant. Clinical genotyping of DPYD identified a patient who had c.1236G>A, but not c.1129‐5923C>G, suggesting that these two SNPs may not be in perfect LD, as previously assumed. Additional individuals with c.1236G>A, but not c.1129‐5923C>G, were identified in the Children's Mercy Data Warehouse and the All of Us Research Program version 7 cohort substantiating incomplete SNP linkage. Consequently, testing only c.1236G>A can generate false‐positive results in some cases and lead to suboptimal dosing that may negatively impact patient therapy and prospect of survival. Our data show that DPYD genotyping should include the functional variant c.1129‐5923C>G, and not the c.1236G>A proxy, to accurately predict DPD activity.
Pharmacokinetics of dacarbazine and unesbulin and CYP1A2‐mediated drug interactions in patients with leiomyosarcoma
Authors: Gao Lan , Kaushik Diksha , Van Tine Brian A. , Ingham Matthew A. , Attia Steven , Meyer Christian F. , Schwartz Gary K. , Maliakal Pius , Baird John D. , Ma Jiyuan , Barrett Rosemary , D'Silva Dhiren , O'Keefe Kylie , Kong Ronald
Published: December 2023

Unesbulin is being investigated in combination with dacarbazine (DTIC) as a potential therapeutic agent in patients with advanced leiomyosarcoma (LMS). This paper reports the pharmacokinetics (PK) of unesbulin, DTIC, and its unreactive surrogate metabolite 5‐aminoimidazole‐4‐carboxamide (AIC) in 29 patients with advanced LMS. Drug interactions between DTIC (and AIC) and unesbulin were evaluated. DTIC (1000 mg/m2) was administered to patients with LMS via 1‐h intravenous (i.v.) infusion on day 1 of every 21‐day (q21d) cycle. Unesbulin dispersible tablets were administered orally twice weekly (b.i.w.), starting on day 2 of every cycle, except for cycle 2 (C2), where unesbulin was dosed either on day 1 together with DTIC or on day 2, 1 day after DTIC administration. The PK of DTIC, AIC, and unesbulin in cycle 1 (C1) and C2 were estimated using noncompartmental analysis. DTIC and AIC were measurable immediately after the start of infusion and reached maximum plasma concentration (Cmax) immediately or shortly after end of infusion at 1.0 and 1.4 h (time to Cmax), respectively. Co‐administration of unesbulin orally at 200 mg or above with DTIC inhibited cytochrome P450 (CYP)1A2‐mediated DTIC metabolism, resulting in 66.7% reduction of AIC exposures. Such inhibition could be mitigated when unesbulin was dosed the day following DTIC infusion. Repeated unesbulin dosing demonstrated evidence of clinical CYP1A2 induction and increased AIC Cmax by 69.4% and area under concentration‐time curve to infinity by 57.9%. No meaningful difference in unesbulin PK was observed between C2 and C1. The combination therapy of 1000 mg/m2 i.v. DTIC q21d and 300 mg unesbulin b.i.w. in a staggered regimen is well‐tolerated in patients with LMS.
Outcomes of intermediate or high‐risk CMML patients treated with hypomethylating agents combined with venetoclax: A single center experience
Authors: Li Chao , Deng ChengXin , Wu Ping , Liu KaiFan , Huang Xin , Li MingMin , Chen XiaoMei , Geng SuXia , Lai PeiLong , Weng JianYu , Du Xin
Published: December 2023

Chronic myelomonocytic leukemia (CMML) treatment remains a pressing clinical challenge. We conducted a retrospective analysis on 52 CMML cases, exploring the effectiveness of combining venetoclax (Vene) with hypomethylating agents (HMAs). The study's findings show promise: the HMAs plus Vene group (n = 13, 53.8%) demonstrated superior overall response rates compared to the HMA monotherapy (mono) group (n = 19, 31.6%) and HMA plus arsenic trioxide group (n = 9, 22.2%) by the second cycle, and notably higher response rates (53.8% vs. 15.7%, p = 0.04) compared to the HMA mono group after four cycles. Over a median follow‐up of 14.7 months, the HMAs plus Vene group exhibited significantly lower cumulative mortality (23.1%) compared to the other two groups (p = 0.003 and p = 0.008, respectively). Furthermore, this group displayed extended overall survival compared to the others. The study also delved into the molecular mechanisms, revealing significant BCL2 mRNA overexpression in patients with CMML. These findings suggest the potential for HMAs combined with Vene therapy in CMML but emphasize the necessity for further prospective studies to determine its precise role in managing CMML.
The impact of increased hepatic glucose production caused by empagliflozin on plasma glucose concentration in individuals with type 2 diabetes and nondiabetic individuals
Authors: Abdelgani Siham , Khattab Ahmed , Adams John , Baskoy Gozde , Triplitt Curtis , DeFronzo Ralph A. , Abdul‐Ghani Muhammad
Published: December 2023

Aim

To examine the impact of increased hepatic glucose production (HGP) on the decrease in plasma glucose concentration caused by empagliflozin in individuals living with diabetes and in nondiabetic individuals.

Methods

A total of 36 individuals living with diabetes and 34 nondiabetic individuals were randomized to receive, in double‐blind fashion, empagliflozin or matching placebo in a 2:1 treatment ratio. Following an overnight fast, HGP was measured with 3‐3H‐glucose infusion before, at the start of, and 3 months after therapy with empagliflozin.

Results

On Day 1 of empagliflozin administration, the increase in urinary glucose excretion (UGE) in individuals with normal glucose tolerance was smaller than in those with impaired glucose tolerance and those living with diabetes, and was accompanied by an increase in HGP in all three groups. The amount of glucose returned to the systemic circulation as a result of the increase in HGP was smaller than that excreted by the kidney during the first 3 h after empagliflozin administration, resulting in a decrease in fasting plasma glucose (FPG) concentration. After 3 h, the increase in HGP was in excess of UGE, leading to a small increase in plasma glucose concentration, which reached a new steady state. After 12 weeks, the amount of glucose returned to the circulation due to the empagliflozin‐induced increase in HGP was comparable with that excreted by the kidney in all three groups.

Conclusion

The balance between UGE and increase in HGP immediately after sodium‐glucose cotransporter‐2 (SGLT2) inhibition determined the magnitude of decrease in FPG and the new steady state which was achieved. After 12 weeks, the increase in HGP caused by empagliflozin closely matched the amount of glucose excreted by the kidneys; thus, FPG level remained stable despite the continuous urinary excretion of glucose caused by SGLT2 inhibition.
Oro‐dental trauma burden and mouthguard usage among contact sports players: A call for sports dentistry initiatives in Sri Lanka
Authors: Udayamalee Iresha , Amarasinghe Hemantha , Zhang Ping
Published: December 2023

Background/Aim

Contact sports‐related oro‐dental trauma contributes to a significant proportion of sports injuries among school children. Oro‐dental trauma imposes a detrimental impact on the oral health‐related quality of life. However, the burden of oro‐dental trauma among contact sports players and their practices of mouthguards remains a research gap in Sri Lanka. The current study bridges that while providing evidence for contextual changes such as initiating sports dentistry.

Materials and Methods

The study was conducted among 1340 adolescent contact sports players in Colombo district, Sri Lanka; 63.1% males and 36.9% females (age 13–18), who were enrolled in football, rugby, hockey, boxing, basketball, and martial arts in the school setting. A checklist was administered to obtain demographic information, sports practices, and the use of mouthguards. An oral examination was conducted for those who experienced oro‐dental trauma during the last 12 months.

Results

Self‐reported oro‐dental trauma pooled prevalence of the contact sports players was 35.9% (95% CI = 33.3–38.5), with males' preponderance. Dental trauma was present in 23.8% (n = 319), while 15.8% were uncomplicated and 8% were complicated. Soft tissue injuries were present in 12.1% (n = 162). Oro dental trauma (ODT) was highly prevalent among boxing, rugby, and hockey players. Only 20.8% (n = 279) of players used mouthguards. However, 91.0% (n = 254) of them were using ready‐made mouthguards. Mouthguard use and the type of mouthguard showed statistically significant associations across the type of oro‐dental trauma among contact sports players.

Conclusions

Contact sports‐related oro‐dental trauma prevalence is as high as 35.9% among Colombo district school children in Sri Lanka. However, their level of mouthguard usage is shallow at 20.8%. Further research is necessary to investigate the reasons behind this, and national guidelines should be developed to prevent and manage sports‐related accidental injuries.
Assessing the existence of pantropical butterflies: A review of accurate taxonomy, biogeography and life history traits
Authors: Taberer Tabitha R.
Published: December 2023

Various biological groups include genera that occur in tropical regions of continents that are separated by thousands of kilometres of ocean. However, in such pantropical groups, the taxonomic classification is often erroneous so that some of these cases may rather represent convergent evolution of distantly related species. Once monophyly of pantropical genera is firmly established, we can ask how these groups have become globally spread and what traits facilitate reaching a wide distribution.

Some butterfly genera are considered pantropical and are a good system to ask such questions because we have a relatively large amount of information about their distribution, phylogeny and life history traits.

Phylogeographic analyses have revealed that dispersal across land bridges throughout the Cenozoic period was typical for butterflies and that older clades are typically more widely distributed across the globe than more recently diverged clades.

Results here also showed that certain life history traits, such as larval polyphagy and habitat generalism, correlate with a large range size in butterflies, although research biases towards temperate rather tropical regions exist.

This review emphasises the first and foremost need for accurate taxonomy to prove phylogenetic monophyly in pantropical genera. Only when these evolutionary relationships are firmly established can we improve our understanding of the driving forces of their distributions and range sizes.
I and thou in dialogue: Becoming more relational in couple therapy
Authors: Whiting Jason B. , Wendt Douglas M. , Eisert Brady C. , Fife Stephen T.
Published: December 2023

Couple therapists have the unique and challenging opportunity of helping people find deeper connection in their intimate relationships. These clinicians apply therapeutic models and interventions designed to help couples. However, many of these models are derived from theoretical, scientific, and sociocultural traditions that conceptualize human phenomena as individualistic and reductionistic, and the language in these theories may not match clients' experiences, which include deeply relational phenomena such as love and loss. We review how Western scientific and sociocultural traditions have shaped conceptualization of problems and clinical intervention in couple therapy. In contrast, we provide an alternative, strongly relational framework for couple therapy that draws upon philosophical perspectives asserting that relational, rather than individual, experience is fundamental in human interaction. These ideas provide relational language which can influence how couple therapy is viewed and enacted. Specifically, we discuss how a strongly relational approach changes how therapists understand and intervene with conflict, abuse, love, and deception. This relational framework can help couples in their own goals to become more unified. Implications for the therapeutic relationship, interventions, and scholarship are provided.