bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Reproducible spectral CT thermometry with liver-mimicking phantoms for image-guided thermal ablation
Authors: Liu Leening P. , Pua Rizza , Rosario-Berrios Derick N. , Sandvold Olivia F. , Perkins Amy E. , Cormode David P. , Shapira Nadav , Soulen Michael C. , Noël Peter B.
Published: October 2023

Objectives

Evaluate the reproducibility, temperature sensitivity, and radiation dose requirements of spectral CT thermometry in tissue-mimicking phantoms to establish its utility for non-invasive temperature monitoring of thermal ablations.

Materials and Methods

Three liver mimicking phantoms embedded with temperature sensors were individually scanned with a dual-layer spectral CT at different radiation dose levels during heating and cooling (35 to 80 °C). Physical density maps were reconstructed from spectral results using a range of reconstruction parameters. Thermal volumetric expansion was then measured at each temperature sensor every 5°C in order to establish a correlation between physical density and temperature. Linear regressions were applied based on thermal volumetric expansion for each phantom, and coefficient of variation for fit parameters was calculated to characterize reproducibility of spectral CT thermometry. Additionally, temperature sensitivity was determined to evaluate the effect of acquisition parameters, reconstruction parameters, and image denoising. The resulting minimum radiation dose to meet the clinical temperature sensitivity requirement was determined for each slice thickness, both with and without additional denoising.

Results

Thermal volumetric expansion was robustly replicated in all three phantoms, with a correlation coefficient variation of only 0.43%. Similarly, the coefficient of variation for the slope and intercept were 9.6% and 0.08%, respectively, indicating reproducibility of the spectral CT thermometry. Temperature sensitivity ranged from 2 to 23 °C, decreasing with increased radiation dose, slice thickness, and iterative reconstruction level. To meet the clinical requirement for temperature sensitivity, the minimum required radiation dose ranged from 20, 30, and 57 mGy for slice thickness of 2, 3, and 5 mm, respectively, but was reduced to 2 mGy with additional denoising.

Conclusions

Spectral CT thermometry demonstrated reproducibility across three liver-mimicking phantoms and illustrated the clinical requirement for temperature sensitivity can be met for different slice thicknesses. Moreover, additional denoising enables the use of more clinically relevant radiation doses, facilitating the clinical translation of spectral CT thermometry. The reproducibility and temperature accuracy of spectral CT thermometry enable its clinical application for non-invasive temperature monitoring of thermal ablation.
Automated Extraction and Classification of Drug Prescriptions in Electronic Health Records: Introducing the PRESNER Pipeline
Authors: Colón-Ruiz Cristóbal , Fitzgerald Tomas , Segura-Bedmar Isabel , Birney Ewan , Herrero-Zazo Maria
Published: October 2023

Electronic health record (EHR) systems with prescription data offer vast potential in pharmacoepidemiology and pharmacogenomics. The large amount of clinical data recorded in these systems requires automatic processing to extract relevant information. This paper introduces PRESNER, a name entity recognition (NER) and classification pipeline for EHR prescription data.

The pipeline uses the pre-trained transformer Bio-ClinicalBERT fine-tuned on UK Biobank prescription entries manually annotated with medication-related information (drug name, route of administration, pharmaceutical form, strength, and dosage) as the core NER system. Moreover, PRESNER also maps drugs to the Anatomical Therapeutic and Chemical (ATC) classification system and distinguishes between systemic and non-systemic drug products. It outperformed a baseline model combining the state-of-the-art Med7 and a dictionary-based approach from the ChEMBL database with a macro-average F1-score of 0.95 vs 0.71. In addition to UK Biobank prescription data, PRESNER can also be applied to other English prescription datasets, making it a versatile tool for researchers in the field.
COVID-19 and Influenza Infection Prevention and Control Measures in U.S. Jails, Prisons, and Detention Centers: A Scoping Review
Authors: Westgard Leo Knudsen , Ngassa Yvane , Grussing Emily , Wurcel Alysse G. , Tiako Max Jordan Nguemeni
Published: October 2023

Background

People who are incarcerated or detained are at a high risk of infection and death due to viruses spread through droplets, including SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19) and influenza. Increased risk is largely associated with structural and institutional conditions of detainment, including but not limited to congregate settings, poor ventilation, and barriers to accessing care. The lessons learned from managing previous infectious outbreaks can inform preventative measures for future emerging outbreaks.

Aims

Our project aims to analyze infection prevention and control measures for COVID-19 and influenza in U.S. correctional facilities.

Methods

We searched the PubMed and Embase databases for manuscripts evaluating the effectiveness of influenza or COVID-19 mitigation measures. Then, we reviewed the reference lists from our results to identify manuscripts not captured by the initial search.

Results

Out of the 553 articles initially found, only 28 met the inclusion criteria, with 27 focusing on COVID-19. Two additional studies were added after reviewing reference lists. Effective measures to prevent the spread of both infections included vaccines, testing, de-densification, limiting movement, masks, and contact tracing.

Conclusion

Improved infrastructure, stakeholder collaboration, and research on sustainable responses are needed to address disproportionate impacts on people who are incarcerated or detained.
Genetic neurodevelopmental clustering and dyslexia
Authors: Ciulkinyte Austeja , Mountford Hayley S , Fontanillas Pierre ,   23andMe Research Team, Bates Timothy C , Martin Nicholas G , Fisher Simon E , Luciano Michelle
Published: October 2023

Dyslexia is a learning difficulty with neurodevelopmental origins, manifesting as reduced accuracy and speed in reading and spelling despite adequate education. Dyslexia is substantially heritable and frequently co-occurs with other neurodevelopmental conditions, particularly attention deficit-hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). The purpose of this paper was to elucidate how genetic factors predisposing to dyslexia correlate with risk for other neurodevelopmental and psychiatric traits. A large-scale genome-wide association study (GWAS) of dyslexia diagnosis self-report (51,800 cases and ∼1.1 million controls), together with GWAS of ADHD, autism, Tourette syndrome, anxiety, depression, schizophrenia, bipolar, obsessive compulsive disorder, anorexia, were analysed using Genomic Structural Equation Modelling (GenomicSEM) to construct a genomic structural model. The final model consisted of five correlated latent genomic factors described as F1) internalising disorders, F2) psychotic disorders, F3) compulsive disorders, F4) neurodevelopmental conditions, and F5) attention and learning difficulties, which includes ADHD and dyslexia. This latent factor was moderately correlated with internalising disorders (.40) and, to a lesser extent, with neurodevelopmental conditions (.25) and psychotic disorders (.17), and negatively with compulsive disorders (-.16). Unlike ADHD, most of the genomic variance in dyslexia was unique, suggesting a more peripheral relation to psychiatric traits. We further investigated genetic variants underlying both dyslexia and ADHD. This implicated 49 loci (40 of which were not reported in GWAS of the individual traits) mapping to 174 genes (121 not found in GWAS of individual traits). Our study has discovered novel pleiotropic variants and confirms via GenomicSEM the heightened genetic relation between dyslexia and ADHD versus other psychiatric traits. In future, analyses including additional co-occurring traits such as dyscalculia and dyspraxia, for which there are currently no large-scale GWAS, will allow a more clear definition of the attention and learning difficulties genomic factor, yielding further insights into factor structure and pleiotropic effects.
GWAS meta-analysis of psoriasis identifies new susceptibility alleles impacting disease mechanisms and therapeutic targets
Authors: Dand Nick , Stuart Philip E , Bowes John , Ellinghaus David , Nititham Joanne , Saklatvala Jake R , Teder-Laving Maris , Thomas Laurent F , Traks Tanel , Uebe Steffen , Assmann Gunter , Baudry David , Behrens Frank , Billi Allison C , Brown Matthew A , Burkhardt Harald , Capon Francesca , Chung Raymond , Curtis Charles J , Duckworth Michael , Ellinghaus Eva , FitzGerald Oliver , Gerdes Sascha , Griffiths Christopher E M , Gulliver Susanne , Helliwell Philip , Ho Pauline , Hoffmann Per , Holmen Oddgeir L , Huang Zhi-ming , Hveem Kristian , Jadon Deepak , Köhm Michaela , Kraus Cornelia , Lamacchia Céline , Lee Sang Hyuck , Ma Feiyang , Mahil Satveer K , McHugh Neil , McManus Ross , Modalsli Ellen H , Nissen Michael J , Nöthen Markus , Oji Vinzenz , Oksenberg Jorge R , Patrick Matthew T , Perez-White Bethany E , Ramming Andreas , Rech Jürgen , Rosen Cheryl , Sarkar Mrinal K , Schett Georg , Schmidt Börge , Tejasvi Trilokraj , Traupe Heiko , Voorhees John J , Wacker Eike Matthias , Warren Richard B , Wasikowski Rachael , Weidinger Stephan , Wen Xiaoquan , Zhang Zhaolin ,   BSTOP study group,   Estonian Biobank research team, Barton Anne , Chandran Vinod , Esko Tõnu , Foerster John , Franke Andre , Gladman Dafna D , Gudjonsson Johann E , Gulliver Wayne , Hüffmeier Ulrike , Kingo Külli , Kõks Sulev , Liao Wilson , Løset Mari , Mägi Reedik , Nair Rajan P , Rahman Proton , Reis André , Smith Catherine H , Meglio Paola Di , Barker Jonathan N , Tsoi Lam C , Simpson Michael A , Elder James T
Published: October 2023

Psoriasis is a common, debilitating immune-mediated skin disease. Genetic studies have identified biological mechanisms of psoriasis risk, including those targeted by effective therapies. However, the genetic liability to psoriasis is not fully explained by variation at robustly identified risk loci. To move towards a saturation map of psoriasis susceptibility we meta-analysed 18 GWAS comprising 36,466 cases and 458,078 controls and identified 109 distinct psoriasis susceptibility loci, including 45 that have not been previously reported. These include susceptibility variants at loci in which the therapeutic targets IL17RA and AHR are encoded, and deleterious coding variants supporting potential new drug targets (including inSTAP2,CPVLandPOU2F3). We conducted a transcriptome-wide association study to identify regulatory effects of psoriasis susceptibility variants and cross-referenced these against single cell expression profiles in psoriasis-affected skin, highlighting roles for the transcriptional regulation of haematopoietic cell development and epigenetic modulation of interferon signalling in psoriasis pathobiology.
Use of Probiotics in the Prevention of Clostridioides difficile Infections during Antibiotic Exposure: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis
Authors: Dabrowski Veronica
Published: October 2023

Clostridioides difficileinfections are a growing concern in the hospital setting. Current prevention methods include infection control strategies, antibiotic stewardship, and proper hand hygiene. However, the occurrence ofC. difficilestill manages to cause nosocomial outbreaks especially in vulnerable populations. Probiotics have been historically questioned for their use in the prevention of antibiotic-associated diarrhea and more specifically,C. difficileinfections.

This meta-analysis pools 10 randomized controlled trials for the prevention ofClostridioides difficileinfections (CDI) from reviewing the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL).A prioriinclusion criteria remained as follows: RCTs, blinded/open trials, all populations, articles, or conference abstracts. Exclusion criteria excluded publications published outside 2013-2023*, non-English language trials, pre-clinical trials/protocols, case reports/series/systematic reviews, duplicates, probiotics not specified in methods, non-RCTs, incomplete/no outcomes reported, no confirmation ofClostridioides difficileinfection. Probiotic strains tested in these trials mainly includedLactobacillus spp. and Bifidobacterium spp. Some studies showed significant benefits while others did not find significant improvement in the prevention ofC. difficileinfections.

The meta-analysis suggests that probiotics may have a positive effect in preventing CDI during antibiotic treatment. The study results had large levels of statistical heterogeneity which indicates an argument for further large-scale research to provide more definitive evidence on the efficacy of probiotics in CDI prevention.
Development and validation of a nomogram for predicting overall survival of patients with ischemic cardiomyopathy and heart failure: a post-hoc analysis of the Surgical Treatments for Ischemic Heart Failure (STICH) trail
Authors: Guo Pengju , He Chang , Li Junlei , Jiang Youxu , Wang Feng , Wang Jiaxiang , Lin Bin , Feng Deguang
Published: October 2023

Purpose

To establish a nomogram for predicting the overall survival (OS) of patients with ischemic cardiomyopathy and heart failure based on the Surgical Treatment for Ischemic Heart Failure (STICH) trail.

Methods

Patients who had valid key variables in the hypothesis 1 were included and randomly divided into the training and validation groups (7:3 ratio). Using Cox proportional hazards model, predictors for the OS in training group were identified and integrated to establish a nomogram for predicting 1-year, 3-year, 5-year, and ten-year survival probability. The nomogram performance was evaluated using Harrell’s concordance index (C-index), time-dependent receiver operating characteristic curve, decision curve analysis, and Kaplan-Meier survival analysis.

Results

940 of 1212 patients who had valid key variables were included. Seven predictors, including treatment type, gender, estimated glomerular filtration rate, Charlson co-morbidity index, 6-minute walk, end-systolic volume index and mitral regurgitation class were identified to establish the nomogram. The C-indices of the nomogram were 0.641 (95% CI: 0.627-0.655) and 0.649 (95% CI: 0.627-0.671) for training and validation groups, respectively. The calibration curves revealed consistency between predicted and observed survival. The area under 1-year, 3-year, 5-year, and ten-year OS receiver operating characteristic curves were 0.634, 0.616, 0.630 and 0.638 in the training group, respectively. Decision curve analysis showed effective net benefits of the model in clinical decision-making. Divided by the cutoff values of prognostic indices, low-risk patients showed better OS than those with high risk in training and validation groups (both p < 0.0001).

Conclusion

The current nomogram can effectively predict the OS of patients with ischemic cardiomyopathy and heart failure, provide information about multidisciplinary therapeutic that may prolong the survival time, and serve as a perfect tool in conjunction with the STS and EuroSCORE II risk models in clinical decision making.
Characteristic variables of acute ischemic stroke categorized according to body mass index classifications
Authors: Senda Joe , Amakusa Yoshinobu , Hirunagi Tomoki , Ida Ruido , Muro Hidenori , Otani Takahito , Nakagawa-Senda Hiroko , Naito Takehiro , Kato Takenori , Hasegawa Toshinori , Kawaguchi Katsuhiro , Katsuno Masahisa
Published: October 2023

BACKGROUNND

We investigated the characteristic variables of acute ischemic stroke categorized according to body mass index (BMI).

METHODS

From a registry of 1676 consecutive acute ischemic stroke cases, 965 cases (622 men and 434 women; mean age 71.53 ± 12.42 years) were selected based on eligibility criteria. These participants were divided into four cohorts according to BMI classifications: BMI < 18 (underweight), 18.5 ≤ BMI < 25 (normal weight), 25 ≤ BMI < 30 (overweight), and BMI ≥ 30 (obese). To avoid bias, propensity score analyses were performed; the confounding variables of sex and age were adjusted.

RESULTS

The underweight cohort (n = 82) had an older, largely female population. The overweight (n = 212) and obese cohorts (n = 48) had younger populations. The analyses revealed no significant differences in neurological outcomes among the four cohorts. Furthermore, higher risks of hyperlipidemia, dyslipidemia, and diabetes mellitus were associated with the higher BMI cohorts in participants with acute ischemic stroke. Findings revealed higher rates of usage of antidiabetic and antidyslipidemic medications in the overweight cohort (p = 0.007, p = 0.003; respectively) and raised values of triglycerides, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, and glycated hemoglobin in the obese cohort (p = 0.044, p = 0.019, p < 0.001; respectively) than in the normal weight cohort. By contrast, the lower BMI cohort (underweight) did not have hyperlipidemia.

CONCLUSIONS

The importance of focusing on the management of dyslipidemia, hyperlipidemia, and hyperglycemia for acute ischemic stroke in patients who are overweight or obese has been highlighted.
The molecular basis of Abelson kinase regulation by its αI-helix
Authors: Paladini Johannes , Maier Annalena , Habazettl Judith Maria , Hertel Ines , Sonti Rajesh , Grzesiek Stephan
Published: October 2023

Abelson tyrosine kinase (Abl) is regulated by the arrangement of its regulatory core, consisting sequentially of the SH3, SH2 and kinase (KD) domains, where an assembled or disassembled core corresponds to low or high kinase activity, respectively. It was recently established that binding of type II ATP site inhibitors, such as imatinib, generates a force from the KD N-lobe onto the SH3 domain and in consequence disassembles the core. Here, we demonstrate that the C-terminal αI-helix exerts an additional force towards the SH2 domain, which correlates both with kinase activity and type II inhibitor-induced disassembly. The αI- helix mutation E528K, which is responsible for the ABL1 malformation syndrome, strongly activates Abl by breaking a salt bridge with the KD C-lobe and thereby increasing the force onto the SH2 domain. In contrast, the allosteric inhibitor asciminib strongly reduces Abl’s activity by fixating the αI-helix and reducing the force onto the SH2 domain. These observations are explained by a simple mechanical model of Abl activation involving forces from the KD N-lobe and the αI-helix onto the KD/SH2SH3 interface.
How long is long? Word length effects in reading correspond to minimal graphemic units: An MEG study in Bangla
Authors: Moitra Swarnendu , Chacón Dustin A. , Stockall Linnaea
Published: October 2023

This paper presents a magnetoencephalography (MEG) study on reading in Bangla, an east Indo-Aryan language predominantly written in an abugida script. The study aims to uncover how visual stimuli are processed and mapped onto abstract linguistic representations in the brain. Specifically, we investigate the neural responses that correspond to word length in Bangla, a language with a unique orthography that introduces multiple ways to measure word length. Our results show that MEG signals localised in the anterior left fusiform gyrus, at around 130ms, are highly correlated with word length when measured in terms of the number of minimal graphemic units in the word rather than independent graphemic units (akśar) or phonemes. Our findings suggest that minimal graphemic units could serve as a suitable metric for measuring word length in non-alphabetic orthographies such as Bangla.
Early delta cortical tracking to non-verbal auditory stimuli predicts reading skills: A one-year longitudinal study
Authors: Zugarramurdi Camila , Fernández Lucía , Lallier Marie , Valle-Lisboa Juan Carlos , Carreiras Manuel
Published: October 2023

The precision of cortical tracking of auditory rhythmic stimuli in low frequency ranges coding for prosodic (delta) and syllabic (theta) amplitude modulations in the speech signal has been proposed to contribute to the development of phonological processing and reading acquisition. The present study investigates the role of low frequency cortical tracking of non-verbal auditory stimuli in reading acquisition through a longitudinal design from before the onset of formal reading instruction until one year afterwards. At time one, 40 prereading children performed a passive listening task of amplitude modulated white noise presented in the delta (2 Hz) and theta (4 Hz) frequency bands, while their neural activity was recorded via EEG. At time two, at the end of first grade, children’s reading skills were assessed. Results show significant cortical tracking in prereading children at both frequencies, with larger responses for theta than for delta rate non-verbal auditory stimuli. Importantly, only pre-reding cortical tracking measures for delta rate stimuli predicted reading acquisition one year later. These findings underscore the role of early neural synchronization to delta rate rhythmic auditory stimuli to reading acquisition and support the potential important role of early prosodic processing for the development of future reading skills.
Introduction of Dicistrovirus IRESs into UAS/SV40-polyA constructs results in premature polyadenylation and strong overexpression of the upstream ORF inDrosophilaanimals
Authors: Lidsky Peter V. , Dmitriev Sergey E. , Andino Raul
Published: October 2023

To evaluate the properties of insect virus internal ribosomal entry sites (IRESs) for protein expression inDrosophila, we have introduced Cricket Paralysis virus (CrPV) and Drosophila C virus (DCV) IRESs into UAS/SV40-polyA vector. We found that introduction of IRESs induce premature polyadenylation, resulting in both truncation of the mRNA, and an increase in mRNA levels of approximately 40-fold. The increase in mRNA levels was accompanied by increased resistance to nonsense-mediated mRNA decay (NMD)-mediated degradation. Our results suggest that premature polyadenylation increases mRNA stability in the SV40 polyadenylation site-containing constructs, suggesting a novel method for robust overexpression of transgenes inDrosophila.
A novelin vivosystem to study coral biomineralization in the starlet sea anemone (Nematostella vectensis)
Authors: Foster Brent , Hugosson Fredrik , Scucchia Federica , Enjolras Camille , Babonis Leslie , Hoaen Will , Martindale Mark Q.
Published: October 2023

Coral reefs are important for maintaining healthy marine ecosystems and are declining rapidly due to increasing environmental stresses. Coral conservation efforts require a mechanistic understanding of how these stresses may disrupt biomineralization, but progress in this area has been slow primarily because corals are not easily amenable to laboratory research. Some cellular characteristics of biomineralization are well characterized, such as the role of carbonic anhydrases, the polarized secretion of ions, and the secretion of “intrinsically disordered proteins” (IDPs) into extracellular microenvironments. We highlight how the starlet sea anemone (Nematostella vectensis) can serve as a tractable model to interrogate the cellular mechanisms of coral biomineralization. We have developed transgenic constructs using genes involved in biomineralization from several animal phyla that can be injected intoNematostellazygotes. These constructs are designed so translated proteins may be purified using TEV protease or Histidine tags to study their physicochemical properties. Using a fluorescent tag, we confirm ectopic expression of the coral biomineralizing protein SpCARP1 in liveNematostellaembryos and adults and demonstrate via calcein staining that calcium ions co-localize with SpCARP1 in carbonate and calcium enriched seawater. Our findings suggest that SpCARP1 can induce the formation of amorphous calcium carbonate precursors inN. vectensis, consistent with its suspected role in the early stages of coral biomineralization. These results lay a fundamental groundwork for establishingN. vectensisas a novelin vivosystem to explore the evolutionary and cellular mechanisms of biomineralization, improve coral conservation efforts, and even develop novel biomaterials.

Graphical Abstract
HIV-HBV Co-infections in Central India: Prevalence, Clearance Rates, and Long-term Outcomes from a Decade of Experience at a Tertiary Care Center
Authors: Kunkal Uppal Rashmi , Mishra Nitu , Tiwari Jyoti , Saad Talha , Vyas Ashish Kumar , Rai Amardeep , Rawat Sumit K
Published: October 2023

Two of the most infamous viruses, the Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and hepatitis B virus (HBV) have similar transmission routes. Consequently, some individuals might get co-infected with both viruses resulting in increased deaths and prolonged disease. Even among healthy (Non-immunocompromised) persons, chances of getting persistent HBV infection are 5-10%, however among persons harboring HIV, HBV the persistence rates might escalate up to 15 %. Such increased suffering might occur despite the longevity provided by starting highly active anti-retroviral therapy (HAART), which is the current standard treatment.

Our pioneering study, in our region aims to assess the prevalence of HIV-HBV co-infection, clearance rates of HBV, demographic characteristics of affected individuals, and long-term outcomes. By shedding light on these aspects, we hope to gain valuable insights into the impact of such co-infections and pave the way for better management and care of individuals facing this dual challenge.

We studied 1808 persons enrolled for HIV treatment from amongst 170,019 persons screened. Higher co-infection of HIV-HBV was observed in males as compared to females, with the age group of 31-40 years being most affected. The most common route of infection, was heterosexual contact accounting for 86% of cases, accounting for majority co-infections. Over the years, we noticed a decline in the number of HIV-HBV co-infected cases, with the nadir occurring in 2015. Seroprevalence of co-infections was 2.37%, but despite this observed low sero-prevalence HBV clearance was relatively poor among the co-infected, as only 4 (9.3%) able to clear the infection after initiation of HAART. Our study highlights that chances of HBV clearance among the co-infected are worse than that observed among otherwise heathy populations thus also highlighting the urgent need for universal HBV vaccination in all HIV-affected persons, underscoring the importance of providing special attention to them.
Glaucoma medication adherence and associated factors among adult glaucoma patients in Ethiopia: A systematic review and meta-analysis
Authors: Abore Kibruyisfaw Weldeab , Fole Estifanos Bekele , Abebe Mahlet Tesfaye , Tekle Natnael Fikadu , Tilahun Robel Bayou , Chinkey Fraol Daba , Abera Michael Teklehaimanot
Published: October 2023

Background

Glaucoma medications are one important pillar of glaucoma management to control intraocular pressure. If left uncontrolled, intraocular pressure causes progressive visual loss and blindness. Thus, adherence to glaucoma medication is vital to prevent optic nerve damage and its consequences. This study was conducted to systematically summarize the magnitude of glaucoma medication adherence and the associated factors among adults with glaucoma in Ethiopia.

Methods

Database Searches to identify research articles was conducted on PubMed, EMBASE, Cochrane, AJOL, SCOPUS, and Google scholar without restriction on the date of publication. Data extraction was done using a data extraction Excel sheet. Analysis was performed using STATA version 16. Heterogeneity was assessed using I2statistics. Pooled prevalence and pooled odds ratio with a 95% confidence interval using a random effect model were computed.

Result

We included 6 studies with a total of 2101 participants for the meta-analysis. The magnitude of adherence to glaucoma medication was found to be 49.46% (95% CI [41.27-57.66]). Urban residence (OR=1.89, 95% CI; 1.29-2.49), normal visual acuity (OR=2.82, 95% CI; 0.85-4.80, P=0.01), and payment means for medication (OR=0.22, 95% CI; 0.09-0.34) were found to be statistically significant predictors of adherence.

Conclusion

The magnitude of glaucoma medication adherence is lower than expected. Place of residence, visual acuity, and payment means had statistically significant associations with glaucoma medication adherence. Tailored health education on medication adherence and subsidization of glaucoma medication is recommended.
CaCO3Nanoparticles Delivering MicroRNA-200c Suppress Oral Squamous Cell Carcinoma
Authors: Ding Qiong J , Remy Matthew T. , Upara Chawin , Hu Jue , Mata Andrés V. Mora , Haes Amanda J. , Lanzel Emily , Sun Hongli , Buchakjian Marisa R. , Hong Liu
Published: October 2023

MicroRNA (miR)-200c suppresses the initiation and progression of oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC), the most prevalent head and neck cancer with high recurrence, metastasis, and mortality rates. However,miR-200c-based gene therapy to inhibit OSCC growth and metastasis has yet to be reported. To develop an miR-based gene therapy to improve the outcomes of OSCC treatment, this study investigates the feasibility of plasmid DNA encodingmiR-200cdelivered via non-viral CaCO3-based nanoparticles to inhibit OSCC tumor growth. CaCO3-based nanoparticles with various ratios of CaCO3and protamine sulfate (PS) were utilized to transfect pDNA encodingmiR-200cinto OSCC cells and the efficiency of these nanoparticles was evaluated. The proliferation, migration, and associated oncogene production, as well asin vivotumor growth for OSCC cells overexpressingmiR-200cwere also quantified. It was observed that, while CaCO3-based nanoparticles improve transfection efficiencies of pDNAmiR-200c, the ratio of CaCO3to PS significantly influences the transfection efficiency. Overexpression ofmiR-200csignificantly reduced proliferation, migration, and oncogene expression of OSCC cells, as well as the tumor size of cell line-derived xenografts (CDX) in mice. In addition, a local administration of pDNAmiR-200cusing CaCO3delivery significantly enhancedmiR-200ctransfection and suppressed tumor growth of CDX in mice. These results strongly indicate that the nanocomplexes of CaCO3/pDNAmiR-200cmay potentially be used to reduce oral cancer recurrence and metastasis and improve clinical outcomes in OSCC treatment. (227 words)
Promoting sustainable learning among accounting students: evidence from field experimental design
Authors: Hadi Noor Ul , Abdel-Razzaq Assim Ibrhaim
Published: October 2023

Purpose

Several studies have attempted to explain the integration of sustainable development in business school curricula. However, little is known about who (male students vs female students), at which age (under 21, 21–25 and 26–30) and at which stage of their undergraduate education (freshman, junior or senior) can attain and retain an adequate understanding of sustainability in accounting education. For this reason, the present study aims to investigate the students' interest in sustainability in accounting with respect to their demographic factors.

Design/methodology/approach

The study used a quantitative research design where data were collected at a single point in time. Further, an independent sample t-test, one-way ANOVA and factorial design were performed on 132 responses conveniently collected from accounting students in the College of Business Administration (COBA) at Prince Mohammad Bin Fahd University (PMU) in Al Khobar, Saudi Arabia.

Findings

The study found no differences between the attitudes of male and female students toward sustainability in accounting education. Similarly, no statistical differences were found in the three age categories identified in this study. However, significant results were found throughout the different academic classifications (seniority): freshman students, junior students and senior students. Further, differences in the mean scores for freshman and junior accounting students were different between the male and female students, indicating that both male and female senior students' attitudes toward sustainability in accounting education were higher than those of male and female freshman and junior accounting students. The study concluded that students achieve an adequate understanding of sustainability in accounting education related to the relativism category of the Perry model of intellectual development.

Originality/value

Literature on attitude of students toward sustainability in education, specifically accounting education, is questionable and needs further exploration. This is due to the fact that only a small number of accounting students have been exposed to sustainable accounting education. Similarly, a recent study found a significant deficiency in sustainable accounting education in four Saudi Arabian universities, with only 4.5% of respondents knowing the comprehensive definition of sustainable development and 88% respondents having very low to low familiarity with the term sustainability.
Brand new: how visual context shapes initial response to logos and corporate visual identity systems
Authors: Wertz Robert A.
Published: October 2023

Purpose

When a new logo is released, it does not have an established meaning in the mind of the viewer. As logos have become more highly scrutinized by consumers and critics, it has become more important to understand viewers’ initial responses to logos. While other studies have researched the impact of aesthetic choices on viewer reaction to logos, this study aims to understand the effect of the surrounding visual identity system when a new logo is introduced.

Design/methodology/approach

This study combines a content analysis of 335 posts on the logo review website Brand New with the voting data from their polls to understand how visual context correlates with a viewer’s initial response.

Findings

Increased amounts of visual context correlate to an improved response from viewers. Different types of context that can be presented – from logo variations and environmental examples to videos and animation – have varied effects.

Practical implications

When releasing a new logo, companies and organizations may receive a better response from viewers if they provide more visual context. Animations may also provide an improved response.

Originality/value

This study takes a novel approach to exploring viewer responses to logos by combining content analysis with voting data. While most studies use fictitious or abstract logo designs, this study uses actual logos and context to better understand viewer responses.
When frontline robots emerge: the double-edged-sword effect of anticipated trust on intention to switch brands after service failure
Authors: Cui Jinsheng , Zhang Mengwei , Zhong Jianan
Published: October 2023

Purpose

This research aims to investigate the influence of consumers' anticipated trust in service providers on brand switching intention and its underlying psychological mechanism. More importantly, this study explores the moderating role of type of service providers (human staff/humanoid robots/nonhumanoid robots).

Design/methodology/approach

This study adopted two single-factor between-subjects experimental designs and tested the hypotheses in two typical service failure scenarios: Study 1, a hotel scenario (N = 403); and Study 2, a restaurant scenario (N = 323).

Findings

The results suggest that there is an inverted U-shaped relationship between consumers' anticipated trust and tolerance of service failure and that such tolerance has a mediating effect on the relationship between anticipated trust and brand switching intention. Moreover, when service failure is caused by a humanoid service robot, a moderate anticipated trust level of consumers is most conducive to increasing tolerance, which in turn reduces their propensity to switch brands.

Originality/value

This study examines the nature of the relationship between anticipated trust and tolerance in a service failure context, revealing an inverted U-shaped relationship. More importantly, the boundary conditions under which different service provides have an influence on this relationship are incorporated. Finally, this study explores the influence of service failure tolerance on brand switching intentions in a technological context, enriching consumer–brand relationship research.
Gender diversity effects on investment decisions: a study of Shark Tank
Authors: Hussain Shahid , Rasheed Abdul , Mahmood Mahmoona
Published: October 2023

Purpose

This paper investigates gender disparity in investment decisions within the popular American TV show Shark Tank.

Design/methodology/approach

The research uses a comprehensive dataset of 925 pitches from 14 seasons and 316 episodes, covering August 2009 to May 2023.

Findings

Contrary to previous studies, the findings indicate that female entrepreneurs do n'ot face discrimination in terms of their pitching success rates, regardless of their industry affiliation. However, the authors did observe that female entrepreneurs tend to receive lower valuations, both self-assessed and in final deals. This suggests a self-imposed gender gap in venture capital and angel investing, likely stemming from lower entrepreneurial aspirations among women.

Originality/value

To tackle this issue, the authors propose promoting female venture capital by increasing the representation of female entrepreneurs and business angels on Shark Tank. Such role models can inspire aspiring women in these fields. Additionally, the authors believe that mixed-gender founder teams, comprising both men and women, can play a significant role in developing promising startups with viable business models.
Post-adversarial appreciation: a novel re-conceptualisation of posttraumatic growth
Authors: Harding-White Madison , Mojtahedi Dara , Carson Jerome
Published: October 2023

Purpose

This paper aims to explore current inconsistencies within the theoretical framework of current posttraumatic growth (PTG) literature in support of the suggestion for an alternative novel phenomenon labelled “post-adversarial appreciation”.

Design/methodology/approach

This re-conceptualisation has developed from the findings of empirical research conducted by the authors and their understanding of PTG.

Findings

Significant inconsistencies persist across the PTG literature in relation to the parameters required for PTG to manifest. It appears that PTG or an alternative concept labelled adversarial growth does take place following adverse/traumatic events, but that a separate phenomenon may better explain positive improvements in perceived personal appreciation during such events. This phenomenon is theorised by the authors as “post-adversarial appreciation”.

Originality/value

This paper suggests the existence of a novel phenomenon that may address many of the inconsistencies and present within the current PTG literature. This highlights a significant need for further research within the field of trauma and adversity in relation to positive outcomes which may result from such negative experiences.
Do ties still bind? Analyst behaviour after financial restatements
Authors: Wu Yi (Ava) , Kuang Yu Flora , Lee Gladys , Zhai Kerui
Published: October 2023

We find that, compared to non‐connected analysts, analysts with professional connections to a coverage firm (i.e., connected analysts) are more likely to continue covering the firm after it issues a restatement. Furthermore, connected analysts are more likely to issue pessimistic earnings forecasts and to downgrade stock recommendations for the firm after its financial restatement. Our results also reveal the costs and benefits associated with connected analysts' pessimism – a reduced market reaction to the analysts' pessimistic research on the restating firm, and a positive effect on the market's perception of the quality of the analysts' research on non‐restating firms.
Emergency presentations for older persons with low back pain: An increasing clinical and economic challenge
Authors: Ellem Rod , Pickering Rowan , Marks Darryn , Todd James , Brown Jarryd , Roberts Shelley , Michaleff Zoe A.
Published: October 2023

Objective

To determine whether differences exist for older persons presenting to Emergency Departments (EDs) with lower back pain (LBP) in terms of management, health service resource use and cost when compared to younger patients with LBP.

Methods

Retrospective analysis of routinely collected electronic medical record data from January 2015 to July 2021. Data from 11,098 adults presenting with LBP to two large regional Australian EDs were analysed over a 5‐year period. Rates of presentation, investigation, medication use, spinal surgery and cost were assessed for all participants with respect to age groups (over or under 65 years of age), diagnosis and time. Multivariable logistic regression analysis was employed to assess the contribution of presentation characteristics to the risk of inpatient admission and to investigate the variable effect of patient age.

Results

Older people represented 23% (n = 2565) of all LBP presentations, with a growing proportion of presentations over time. More than 1 in 4 patients over 65 were admitted (n = 703, 27%), with CT imaging being proportionately three times more prevalent (24% vs. 6%), and average cost double (AU$3973 vs. $1671) that of the younger population. Consultation by an ED physiotherapist was associated with lower admission risk across all adult presentations (OR 0.52, 95% CI [0.40 to 0.67]).

Conclusions

Older persons are over‐represented amongst gradually increasing rates of LBP presentations to EDs and associated with escalating cost of care and hospital resource use. Older patients present a different clinical and economic profile to younger patients, supporting the provision of individualised management recommendations.
Treatment burden on patients receiving intravitreal anti‐VEGF for wet age‐related macular degeneration
Authors: Vinge Erik , Bro Tomas
Published: October 2023

Purpose

The aim of this study was to map the treatment burden for patients with wet age‐related macular degeneration (wAMD).

Method

Patients with ongoing treatment with anti‐VEGF for wAMD at a Swedish eye unit underwent a survey about the time spent receiving treatment, caregiver assistance, way of transportation, self‐rated vision and negative experiences associated with the treatment such as discomfort, anxiety or transportation problems. Information about current visual acuity, number of treatments and current treatment intervals were obtained from medical records.

Results

The study included 93 patients with an average age of 79.9 years, 68% were women. The average interval between treatments was 7.3 weeks, and 26% had active treatment in both eyes. On average, patients had to spend 2.7 h (2.4–2.9: 95% CI) per treatment and a caregiver assisted the patient in 58% of cases. Caregivers spent on average 2.6 h (2.5–2.8: 95% CI) per visit, and 19% needed to take time off work. The majority (91%) of patients did not experience any transportation problems associated with treatment. A multivariate logistic regression analysis showed a significantly lower odds ratio for discomfort with higher self‐rated vision and a significantly higher odds ratio for discomfort with longer treatment intervals.

Discussion

Anti‐VEGF treatment is an effective treatment for wAMD. However, the relatively short treatment intervals place a considerable burden on patients and their relatives regarding time. Although the patients in this study had to spend a lot of time to receive treatment, the majority did not experience any problems associated with treatment.
Finnish paediatric study found a low incidence of bacterial meningitis from 2011 to 2018 but a substantial proportion of nosocomial meningitis
Authors: Niemelä Sakke , Lempinen Laura , Löyttyniemi Eliisa , Grönroos Juha O. , Luoto Raakel , Peltola Ville , Jero Jussi
Published: October 2023

Aim

This study examined the predisposing factors, clinical picture, bacterial aetiology and clinical outcomes of infants and children with bacterial meningitis (BM).

Methods

The medical records of patients under 16 years of age, treated by Turku University Hospital, Finland, from 2011 to 2018, were screened for meningitis using the International Classification of Diseases, Tenth Revision codes. Patients were included if bacteria were detected in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) or other predefined laboratory variables indicated BM, despite CSF testing negative for bacteria. The Glasgow Outcome Scale (GOS) was used to determine outcomes.

Results

We identified 37 children with BM: 22 infants aged 0–89 days and 15 children aged 90 days to 15 years. The overall incidence was approximately 5.7/100 000/year. Nosocomial meningitis was documented in 51%. Bacterial growth was detected in the CSF or blood cultures of the majority of patients (57%). Escherichia coli (14%), group B streptococcus (11%) and Streptococcus pneumoniae (8%) were the most common pathogens. There were 14% of patients with unfavourable outcomes, namely GOS scores of 1–4, but no deaths.

Conclusion

The incidence of paediatric BM was low during the study period, but the proportion of nosocomial meningitis was substantial. The frequency of unfavourable long‐term outcomes was relatively low.
Alaska's ban on sentence bargaining
Authors: McCannon Bryan C.
Published: October 2023

Plea bargaining dominates the U.S. criminal justice system and has garnered calls to reduce its prevalence. In 2013 Alaska's Attorney General acted banning a practice known as sentencing bargaining where the prosecutor negotiates with the defense over the length of the incarceration. I provide the first causal identification of this policy's impact on the plea bargaining rate. I show that the policy, by leaving open the charging discretion (in effect allowing charge bargaining), was ineffective at changing plea bargaining's prevalence across the state. Policymakers should look elsewhere for tools if they want to mitigate its rate.
Plasma neurofilament light chain predicts Alzheimer's disease in patients with subjective cognitive decline and mild cognitive impairment: A cross‐sectional and longitudinal study
Authors: Mazzeo Salvatore , Ingannato Assunta , Giacomucci Giulia , Manganelli Alberto , Moschini Valentina , Balestrini Juri , Cavaliere Arianna , Morinelli Carmen , Galdo Giulia , Emiliani Filippo , Piazzesi Diletta , Crucitti Chiara , Frigerio Daniele , Polito Cristina , Berti Valentina , Bagnoli Silvia , Padiglioni Sonia , Sorbi Sandro , Nacmias Benedetta , Bessi Valentina
Published: October 2023

Background and purpose

We aimed to evaluate the accuracy of plasma neurofilament light chain (NfL) in predicting Alzheimer's disease (AD) and the progression of cognitive decline in patients with subjective cognitive decline (SCD) and mild cognitive impairment (MCI).

Methods

This longitudinal cohort study involved 140 patients (45 with SCD, 73 with MCI, and 22 with AD dementia [AD‐D]) who underwent plasma NfL and AD biomarker assessments (cerebrospinal fluid, amyloid positron emission tomography [PET], and 18F‐fluorodeoxyglucose‐PET) at baseline. The patients were rated according to the amyloid/tau/neurodegeneration (A/T/N) system and followed up for a mean time of 2.72 ± 0.95 years to detect progression from SCD to MCI and from MCI to AD. Forty‐eight patients (19 SCD, 29 MCI) also underwent plasma NfL measurements 2 years after baseline.

Results

At baseline, plasma NfL detected patients with biomarker profiles consistent with AD (A+/T+/N+ or A+/T+/N−) with high accuracy (area under the curve [AUC] 0.82). We identified cut‐off values of 19.45 pg/mL for SCD and 20.45 pg/mL for MCI. During follow‐up, nine SCD patients progressed to MCI (progressive SCD [p‐SCD]), and 14 MCI patients developed AD dementia (progressive MCI [p‐MCI]). The previously identified cut‐off values provided good accuracy in identifying p‐SCD (80% [95% confidence interval 65.69: 94.31]). The rate of NfL change was higher in p‐MCI (3.52 ± 4.06 pg/mL) compared to non‐progressive SCD (0.81 ± 1.25 pg/mL) and non‐progressive MCI (−0.13 ± 3.24 pg/mL) patients. A rate of change lower than 1.64 pg/mL per year accurately excluded progression from MCI to AD (AUC 0.954).

Conclusion

Plasma NfL concentration and change over time may be a reliable, non‐invasive tool to detect AD and the progression of cognitive decline at the earliest stages of the disease.