Insignificant Results Research Articles

Entrepreneurial intentions among business undergraduates: The Malaysian case

This study aims to uncover the factors influencing entrepreneurial intention among business undergraduates in Malaysia. The theory of planned behavior suggests that personal attitude, subjective norms, perceived behavioral control, and entrepreneurial education influence entrepreneurial intentions. Questionnaires were disseminated to 400 respondents, with 200 valid responses considered for statistical analysis. The results of multiple linear regression suggest that personal attitude, perceived behavioral control, and entrepreneurial education significantly influence entrepreneurial intentions. The insignificant results obtained for subjective norms warrant further investigation. Theoretical and practical implications are discussed in light of the findings.

The effectiveness of a mobile mammography units in breast cancer screening

Breast cancer remains the leading cause of death in the female population. Screening studies are conducted in order to detect the disease at an early stage. At the same time, domestic authors emphasize the lack of alternatives to preventive mammography in breast cancer screening and the prospects of using mobile mammographs for early diagnosis of breast cancer and precancerous breast diseases.Aim. To evaluat the results of the use of mobile mammography units for active and early detection of breast cancer.Materials and methods. The research uses methods of content analysis, information and analytical materials of Russian and foreign researchers, and forms of federal statistical observation. Statistical research methods were used to analyze the data obtained.Results. Regression analysis with a very low probability of error (p = 0.001) showed that the larger the total volume of mammographic studies with preventive purposes in the subjects of the Russian Federation, the higher the proportion of cases of active detection of breast cancer, although this relationship is rather weak. Taking into account the obtained value of R2 (0.192), only 19.2% of the increase in the proportion of breast cancer cases detected actively can be explained by an increase in the volume of preventive mammograms. The correlation analysis showed that the volumes of preventive mammograms performed using mobile devices in the subjects of the Russian Federation were not associated with either the proportion of breast cancer cases detected actively or with the proportion of breast cancer cases detected in the early stages. At the same time, it is worth noting that the obtained value of p ≥ 0.5 indicates a statistically insignificant result of evaluating the relationship between variables, the interpretation of which should be performed with caution.Conclusion. Despite the high cost of mobile mammography units, the increase in their number in the subjects of the Russian Federation and the growth in their activities, the contribution of these diagnostic devices to solving the problem of early and active diagnosis of breast cancer remains uncertain. More promising are personalized approaches to the timely detection of cancers, including breast cancer, based on an assessment of the individual risk of their occurrence.

Discrimination against migrants: does social capital moderate harmful effects on mental health?

Abstract The harmful mental health effects of perceived discrimination are well established. Yet, the role of regional-level social capital in mitigating these effects remains underexplored. Using data from the German Socioeconomic Panel (SOEP; 2010-2021) we apply random effects models to assess the effect of perceived discrimination on mental health (mcs subscale of the SF-12) adjusting for individual socio-demographic factors and regional-level socioeconomic deprivation. We assess interaction with general social capital (civic organisations, electoral turnout, generalised trust) and migrant-specific resources (proportion of non-nationals and share of far-right votes). We juxtapose non-refugee migrants (n = 13478) with refugees subject to mobility restrictions (n = 5558) to assess for bias introduced by selective mobility into regions. In the non-refugee sample, we confirm negative effects of frequent discrimination experiences on mcs (ß: -3.74; 95%CI: -4.39, -3.08). Moderation analyses show insignificant results for general social capital, but a negative interaction effect of proportion of non-nationals (ß: -0.71; 95%CI: -1.34, -0.08). Analyses among refugees confirm the negative effect of discrimination on mcs (ß: -6.29; 95%CI: -7.49, -5.08) and the moderating effect of the proportion of non-nationals (ß: -1.63; 95%CI: -2.78, -0.48), as well as showing a positive moderation effect for generalised trust (ß: 0.84; 95%CI: 0.11-1.57). Results demonstrate the negative implications of living in areas with a high proportion of non-nationals for migrants experiencing discrimination, which may be explained by the higher marginalisation of migrants in these areas and increased service access barriers. The absence of a moderation effect of general social capital appears to be the result of selection bias, with positive effects of generalised trust seen for refugee migrants. Key messages • Ethnic discrimination affects mental health of refugee and non-refugee migrants. • The effect of discrimination on mental health are stronger in areas with higher proportion of non-nationals.

The impact of changes in macroeconomic factors on banks’ lending behaviour

Loans are a critical transmission channel for commercial banks as well as an important revenue source. Macroeconomic factors are not within the control of commercial banks, however, select factors are observed to have a direct impact on lending behaviour in studies around the world. This study examined the relationship between macroeconomic variables and the lending behaviour of banks in South Africa for the period ranging from 2001 to 2022. Quarterly time series data was employed using the Autoregressive Distributed Lag Model (ARDL). The empirical results of the paper revealed that there is a long-run relationship between the repurchase rate (repo rate), inflation, the real effective exchange rate (REER) and lending behaviour in South Africa. The REER and inflation were both found to have a positive relationship, whilst the repo rate had a negative relationship. In addition, Gross Domestic Product (GDP), the activity rate and sovereign credit rating (SCR) changes returned insignificant results. Overall, these findings show that select macroeconomic factors do influence lending behaviour in South Africa. Furthermore, the results suggest that monetary policy decisions have a direct influential effect on lending and the South African Reserve Bank (SARB) has implemented their policies effectively.

Associations between acupuncture and uses of opioids and neuropsychiatric medication following chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy among patients with breast cancer.

216 Background: Chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy (CIPN) features debilitative neuropathic pain and neurologic deficits, commonly present in breast cancer population exposed to certain chemo-agents. Given suboptimal effects often rendered by limited therapeutic options, CIPN is associated to psychological distress and drug-seeking behaviors, which leads to heightened functional impairment and disease burden. Acupuncture has gained clinical recognitions for alleviating pain and mental distress, but its impact on medication uses for pain or psychiatric disorders in CIPN remains unclear. As such, this study aims to investigate the association between acupuncture and use of these medications among breast cancer patients experiencing CIPN. Methods: This survival analysis utilized data from the TriNetX Network comprising real-time electronic health records from over 60 healthcare organizations across the United States. Breast cancer patients over 18 at the index date within 01/01/1997 (inception of acupuncture practice in US) and 05/10/2023, diagnosed with CIPN after exposure to chemo-agents such as taxane, platinum, vinca alkaloids, thalidomide, or bortezomib, were identified as the baseline cohort. Patients who received at least three acupuncture sessions post CIPN diagnosis were compared to those without any acupuncture record. Endpoints included prescription of sedative/hypnotics, anti-depressants, anti-psychotics, anti-convulsant agents, and opioid analgesics, within a twelve-month follow-up period after index date. Antibiotics use was the negative control outcome. A 1:1 propensity-score-matching (PSM) method was applied for between-group balance of demographics, BMI, cancer treatment history, health comorbidities, and concurrent medications, followed by hazard ratios and 95% CI calculation using Cox regression model. Results: Among 398 PSM pairs, acupuncture group demonstrated significantly lower hazards of sedative/hypnotics (HR= 0.74, 95% CI 0.61-0.9), anti-depressants (HR= 0.75, 95% CI 0.61-0.93), anti-psychotics (HR= 0.74, 95% CI 0.58-0.96), anticonvulsants (HR= 0.48, 95% CI 0.27-0.87), and opioids (HR= 0.78, 95% CI 0.65-0.94) use, whereas antibiotics showed insignificant result (HR= 0.75, 95% CI 0.55-1.02). The significance sustained after sensitivity analyses, excluding patients with concurrent other cancers, and narrowing follow-up period down to the last nine months to concentrate on treatment effects. Conclusions: Our study suggests a decreased need of opioids and neuropsychiatric medication associated with acupuncture treatment among breast cancer patients endorsing CIPN. Rigorous clinical studies are warranted to validate the causal underpinnings.

The Efficacy of Oral/Intravenous Corticosteroid Use in COVID-19 Patients: A Systematic Review.

The COVID-19 pandemic is prompting extensive investigation into potential treatments, including the use of corticosteroids to manage inflammation and mitigate severe disease outcomes. Therefore, this systematic review aimed to evaluate the efficacy of oral/intravenous corticosteroids in the management of COVID-19. A comprehensive search was conducted across major scientific databases such as MEDLINE, Scopus, and Cochrane for relevant studies published from 2019-2024. The inclusion criteria included studies investigating the use of oral/intravenous corticosteroids in COVID-19 patients >18 years with a randomized placebo-controlled trial method. Non-placebo-controlled studies, studies using combined treatments with other drugs, as well as protocol articles, conference proceedings, review articles, and non-English studies were excluded. A narrative synthesis approach was adopted given the significant methodological diversity. The results showed that a total of 12 studies met the inclusion criteria covering the use of three drugs, including dexamethasone (three), hydrocortisone (two), and methylprednisolone (seven). The outcome parameters used for each study were different. Among the total 12 studies, five showed insignificant results for hydrocortisone (two) and methylprednisolone (three), while others reported significant results. This systematic review suggested that oral/intravenous corticosteroids might confer clinical benefits in the management of COVID-19, particularly in reducing mortality and severe disease outcomes. However, further investigation was needed to establish standardized protocols regarding dosage, duration, and safety considerations to optimize efficacy and minimize potential adverse effects.

Vitamin D deficiency and the need to replenish it in COVID-19

More than five years have passed since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, but although the fundamental role of vitamin D’s effect on the immune system is quite obvious to the vast majority of specialists, there are publications expressing a sharply negative attitude towards the use of vitamin D preparations for the treatment of patients infected with SARSCoV- 2. The purpose of the work: «generalization of international experience on the issue of vitamin D deficiency in COVID-19 patients and the need to replenish it.» From the archive of the National Library of Medicine of the USA, containing 15,768 full versions of articles on the effect of vitamin D on the incidence of coronavirus in the population, we selected 49 articles presenting the results of clinical use of vitamin D preparations for the treatment of patients with a confirmed diagnosis of COVID-19. Of these, the results of 38 studies involving more than 3,800 patients infected with SARS-CoV-2 showed positive results of using vitamin D preparations as a therapeutic agent for the treatment of patients with a confirmed diagnosis of COVID-19 (improvement of inflammation markers, reduction of the need for artificial ventilation, reduction of the length of stay in the clinic, reduction of hospital mortality). In three more articles, the authors conclude that the use of vitamin D preparations for the treatment of patients with COVID-19 is ineffective, but they contain information about the usefulness of such use, although the differences in results in the intervention groups and control groups are not statistically significant. Seven articles indicate zero results from the use of vitamin D preparations, and one article says that taking vitamin D worsened the condition of critically ill patients. The ratio of positive, positive, but statistically insignificant, zero and negative results of clinical trials of vitamin D preparations for the treatment of patients with a confirmed diagnosis of COVID-19 (38:3:7:1) It is significantly biased towards the usefulness of vitamin D supplements to reduce the severity of the disease and reduce hospital mortality from coronavirus infection. The most common type of vitamin D drug used in COVID-19 therapy is cholecalciferol, calcidiol is less often used, and calcitriol and ergocalciferol are used even less often (isolated cases have been described). To date, calcidiol has demonstrated the greatest effectiveness in the complex therapy of COVID -19.

Understanding Mutual Funds Performance with mediation of Human Capital and GDP-Growth in Pakistan Mutual Funds: Demonstration of Structural Equation Model

This work sheds light on the complex interplay between mutual fund performance, using human capital, and GDP growth as mediating variables in Pakistan through the lens of Structural Equation Modeling. By employing this sophisticated analytical approach, the findings uncovered nuanced nexus that traditional methods might have overlooked. The findings underscore the critical role of GDP-Growth and human capital as a mediating factor, suggesting that investments in mutual funds could have far-reaching effects on the financial performance on individual investors. Moreover, the demonstrated link between GDP-growth and mutual fund outcomes highlights the intricate web of economic factors influencing investment landscapes. Our findings thus reveal that the impact of the market factor and GDP growth on portfolio returns shows statistically significant estimates both mediation models. However, size-factor shows two portfolios significant while two portfolios insignificant results using both mediating variables. However, the value factor shows highly significant in both mediating models but reveal insignificant nexus with HC-Growth as mediating variable using only FF3FM. Moreover, momentum factor shows insignificant results for both mediating models. As Pakistan continues to develop its mutual fund market, policymakers and fund managers alike would do well to consider these interconnections in their decision-making processes.

Evaluation of dimensional accuracy and surface roughness of lingual bracket slot –An in vitro study

The paradigm shift with the increasing number of adults and teens seeking aesthetic options for orthodontic treatment led to the increased demand for lingual orthodontics. When it comes to size and slot dimensions, lingual brackets are very different from labial brackets.With the rise of lingual orthodontics in our everyday practice, it's more critical than ever for practitioners to understand these potential bracket size variations. The resistance to sliding mechanics can occur if the contact angle between the archwire and bracket increases, this creates the need for precise bracket slot dimension. The amount of friction varies proportionally to the accuracy of the dimensions and the roughness of the bracket slot.To evaluate the precision of commercially available orthodontic lingual bracket slots in inch dimensions with manufacturers’ published dimensions using a stereomicroscope and to compare the surface roughness of commercially available orthodontic lingual bracket slots using an atomic force microscope.Lingual brackets from four different manufacturers were taken for evaluation of slot dimensions. Twenty brackets of each manufacturer were randomly selected. Trinocular Stemi 2000 Stereo Zoom Microscope with Digital Camera (Carl Zeiss, Germany) was used for measurement of bracket slot dimensions. An atomic Force Microscope (AFM) (Nanoscope® IV Di digital instrument, California, USA) was used to evaluate the surface roughness of lingual bracket slots. Comparison of dimensions between mesial processes and comparison of dimensions between distal processes showed that the difference was only marginal with no significant statistic value. Statistically significant results proved that slot dimensions were not precise as per the manufacturer’s standards for given lingual brackets and were oversized for all bracket systems. Statistically insignificant results showed that the bracket systems were similar concerning the surface roughness of the bracket.The analyzed series of lingual bracket systems exhibited significant differences with manufacturers’ standards in slot dimension, which will clinically result in torque play. Lack of standardization of slot dimensions during the manufacturing process may be clinically associated with undesirable tooth positioning and movement; inferring that the bracket systems were similar concerning the surface roughness of the bracket slot.

Assessing the Relationship between Hospital Process Digitalization and Hospital Quality – Evidence from Germany

Hospital digitalization aims to increase efficiency, reduce costs, and/ or improve quality of care. To assess a digitalization-quality relationship, we investigate the association between process digitalization and process and outcome quality. We use data from the German DigitalRadar (DR) project from 2021 and combine these data with two process (preoperative waiting time for osteosynthesis and hip replacement surgery after femur fracture, n = 516 and 574) and two outcome quality indicators (mortality ratio of patients hospitalized for outpatient-acquired pneumonia, n = 1,074; ratio of new decubitus cases, n = 1,519). For each indicator, we run a univariate and a multivariate regression. We measure process digitalization holistically by specifying three models with different explanatory variables: (1) the total DR-score (0 (not digitalized) to 100 (fully digitalized)), (2) the sum of DR-score sub-dimensions’ scores logically associated with an indicator, and (3) sub-dimensions’ separate scores. For the process quality indicators, all but one of the associations are insignificant. A greater DR-score is weakly associated with a lower mortality ratio of pneumonia patients (p < 0.10 in the multivariate regression). In contrast, higher process digitalization is significantly associated with a higher ratio of decubitus cases (p < 0.01 for models (1) and (2), p < 0.05 for two sub-dimensions in model (3)). Regarding decubitus, our finding might be due to better diagnosis, documentation, and reporting of decubitus cases due to digitalization rather than worse quality. Insignificant and inconclusive results might be due to the indicators’ inability to reflect quality variation and digitalization effects between hospitals. For future research, we recommend investigating within hospital effects with longitudinal data.

Stylized facts of metaverse non-fungible tokens

Non-Fungible Tokens (NFTs) within the metaverse represent a rapidly emerging sector in the digital asset space. This paper provides a comprehensive review of the metaverse’s history and an analysis of the stylized facts of five metaverse NFTs: Axie Infinity, Decentraland, Enjin Coin, Theta Network, and The Sandbox. We examine market efficiency, volatility clustering, leverage effects, and the return-volume relationship. Our key findings show that all NFT returns exhibit kurtosis values significantly exceeding the standard value of three, indicating more peaked and heavier-tailed distributions than a normal distribution. Autocorrelation analysis reveals statistically insignificant results, suggesting minimal influence of past returns on current returns. The Hurst exponent fluctuates between 0.3 and 0.8, indicating relative inefficiency in log returns with varying degrees of trend reinforcement and anti-persistence. The GARCH(1,1) model confirms the presence of volatility clustering, with high persistence of volatility shocks over time, and most NFT returns exhibit a negative leverage effect, where negative returns decrease volatility. These findings provide critical insights for investors, content creators, and policymakers, emphasizing the need for innovative strategies and regulatory considerations in this evolving ecosystem. A comparative analysis using alternative metaverse-related assets from Bloomberg and Yield Guild Games enhances the robustness of our findings, enriching the academic discourse on digital assets and laying the groundwork for future research in metaverse NFTs.

Comparison of the Effect of Bioglass, Chitosan, and SDF Compounds on Remineralization of Primary Caries Lesions in Primary Teeth: An in vitro Study.

Dental caries are among the most common oral and dental diseases affecting adults and children. To prevent caries, either the factors that cause caries should be reduced or the host resistance should be increased. Several compounds, such as bioglass, chitosan, and silver diamine fluoride (SDF), can enhance enamel remineralization. This study was conducted to investigate the effects of chitosan, bioglass, chitosan-bioglass, and SDF compounds on remineralizing primary enamel lesions. In this in vitro study, seventy-two primary canine teeth were collected. The teeth were exposed to a demineralization solution for 72 hours to create primary caries lesions. The primary Vickers microhardness test (VMT) was conducted to measure the initial values. The samples were randomly divided into six groups (n=12): Group 1: bioglass-chitosan solution; Group 2: chitosan; Group 3: bioglass solution; Group 4: SDF; Group 5: remineralization solution; Group 6: distilled water. The solutions of Groups 1, 2, and 3 were applied to the samples for 7 days, while the SDF solution was applied only once. The samples were immersed in an artificial saliva solution, which was refreshed daily. After the treatment, the final Vickers microhardness test (VMT) values were recorded. The data were analyzed statistically using a two-way ANOVA and Tukey's test (p< 0.05). The results indicated a statistically significant effect of remineralizing compounds on both pre-treatment and post-treatment microhardness (p< 0.0001). However, no significant difference in microhardness was observed between the groups studied (p= 0.225). All the compounds utilized in this study demonstrated a significant remineralizing effect on enamel lesions caused by primary caries in primary teeth. The chitosan-bioglass and bioglass groups exhibited the highest levels of remineralization, respectively. However, the comparison between the groups yielded insignificant results due to the dispersion of the samples. Therefore, further studies with larger sample sizes are recommended.

Role of folic acid supplementation in level of c-reactive protein in metabolic syndrome

Introduction: The prevalence of metabolic syndrome is increasing, its progression involves an inflammatory response that has an important impact on the initiation, progressivity, and complications of several diseases such as heart disease, stroke, type 2 diabetes mellitus, and cancer. C-reactive protein (CRP) is one of the inflammation markers increased in patients with metabolic syndrome. Folic acid has a role in metabolizing homocysteine and improving endothelial function. There have been many studies conducted, but the results are still inconsistent. Method: Literature searching was conducted using PubMed, Cochrane Library, and Embase databases. MeSH terms, advanced search and eligibility criteria were used for title/abstract screening before journal review. Results: One systematic review and meta-analysis (SR-MA) and one RCT met the PICO and eligibility criteria. The SR-MA found that folic acid administration can reduce CRP level (WMD -0.94 (95% CI -1.56 – 0.32; p=0.00) at a dose of 0.15 mg/day for 12 weeks to 10 mg/day for 2 weeks, while the RCT found an insignificant result. Conclusion: Folic acid supplementation has a potential benefit to decrease CRP levels in metabolic syndrome.

Utilization of Bagasse as a Substitute for Coal Fuel in Steam Boilers

Biomass utilization is believed to bring environmental and socio-economic benefits—PT X coal in a steam boiler. The research method used is a mix of quantitative and qualitative. The concentration of particulates that coal produces is higher than that of sugar cane bagasse. The NOx parameter values produced by bagasse and coal showed insignificant results. Meanwhile, coal boilers with higher temperatures produced higher NOx than NOx from biomass. The distribution concentration of SOx in bagasse biomass is higher than coal SOx emissions. A total of 26 communities agreed to change the use of coal to bagasse biomass. Utilization of bagasse biomass provides income of up to 94,000,000,000. Using bagasse as steam boiler fuel has a more positive impact than coal.

Hospital-Acquired Bloodstream Infections in the Adult Intensive Care Unit at Prince Mohammed bin Abdulaziz Hospital, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

Introduction Hospital-acquired infections, also called nosocomial infections, are infectious diseases acquired in healthcare facilities at least 48 hours after admission and can't be present at the time of admission. Nosocomial bloodstream infection is a serious medical complication from hospitalization, and it can be potentially preventable by taking certain precautions. Aim The aim of this study is to determine the prevalence of central line-related bloodstream infections (CLABSI) with different organisms between January 2022 and February 2024 at the intensive care unit (ICU) at Prince Mohammed bin Abdulaziz Hospital, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Patients and methods This retrospective cross-sectional study was conducted among ICU adult patients. The data were collected from medical and infection control records. All data for intensive care patients with positive blood cultures, except for the pediatric age group, were collected. Data were tabulated and cleaned in MS Excel, and subsequent data analyses were performed in IBM SPSS Statistics for Windows, Version 26 (Released 2019; IBM Corp., Armonk, New York, United States). Results Data from 21 patients were collected and analyzed. The mean age of the participants was 62.9 (SD 15.1) years.Femaleparticipants (61.9% (13)) were higher than males(38.1% (8)). All patients were inserted with a non-tunneled central venous catheter (CVC). The mortality rate was 76.2% (16). Vancomycin-resistant enterococci (VRE) was the most commonly detected organism in seven cultures(33.3%), followed by Candida species in six cultures(28.6%). Candida species were prevalent in younger patients (p=0.021) and those sensitive to medication (p=0.015). Survival analyses between age, gender, and organisms yielded insignificant results (p>0.05). Conclusion The major sources of bloodstream infection among adult ICU patients were VRE and Candida species. Mortality was common in this population, particularly among patients who were resistant to medication. Hence, strategies to reduce hospital-acquired bloodstream infections are warranted.

Impact of Whistleblowing System Implementation Level on Company's Operational Efficiency in Indonesia Consumer Goods Sector

Indonesia faces significant issues with fraud across various business sectors, including consumer goods, which negatively impacts operational efficiency. This highlights the need for effective fraud prevention methods to mitigate these effects. This study uses panel data regression analysis, based on annual reports and financial statements from 2019 to 2023, to examine how the implementation level of whistleblowing systems affects operational efficiency, with fraud prevention as a mediating variable, in consumer goods companies listed on the Indonesia Stock Exchange (IDX). The findings indicate that a higher level of whistleblowing system implementation significantly enhances operational efficiency. However, fraud prevention does not mediate this relationship, as the analysis shows insignificant results regarding the impact of whistleblowing systems on fraud prevention and the effect of fraud prevention on operational efficiency. This suggests that while whistleblowing systems directly improve operational efficiency, their role in fraud prevention does not significantly influence this improvement. This research contributes to the literature by demonstrating the direct positive impact of whistleblowing systems on operational efficiency in the Indonesian consumer goods sector. It also offers practical recommendations for companies to enhance their whistleblowing systems to boost operational efficiency. Additionally, the study calls for future research to explore alternative mechanisms through which whistleblowing systems impact operational efficiency beyond fraud prevention and to investigate other methods for assessing whistleblowing system implementation and fraud incidence to reduce bias.

The adoption of electric vehicle in Thailand with the moderating role of charging infrastructure: an extension of a UTAUT

ABSTRACT Electric vehicles (EVs) have the potential to greatly reduce the amount of gasoline consumed and carbon emissions produced during transportation. Consequently, the Thai government actively advocates for the widespread use of electric vehicles (EVs). This study has examined the factors that influence the adoption of electric vehicles in Thailand, with the moderation of charging infrastructure. The research builds upon the UTAUT2 model and incorporates new elements such as environmental concerns, satisfaction with incentive policies, trust, and the availability of charging infrastructure. Environmental concerns, price value, and hedonic motivation significantly affect use behaviour through trust and behaviour intentions; however, facilitating conditions do not affect them. Habits positively affect use behaviour through behaviour intention, though factors such as effort expectancy and social influence satisfaction with policies showed insignificant results when affecting use behaviour. The moderating effect of charging infrastructure showed an insignificant result.

The dynamic changes of circulating myeloid-derived suppressor cells (MDSCs) subsets in patients with colorectal cancer undergoing oxaliplatin-based chemotherapy.

62 Background: Increased level of circulating myeloid-derived suppressor cells (MDSCs) have been associated with higher tumor stage, poorer survival, and poorer response to therapeutic agents in colorectal cancer (CRC). It has been reported that the common first-line chemotherapy involving combination with oxaliplatin mediated MDSCs depletion via induction of cell death. However, this phenomenon is yet to be further investigated since it only occurred in polymophonuclear MDSC (PMN-MDSC) subset, not in monocytic MDSC (M-MDSC). The present study aims to learn deeper on the dynamic changes of circulating MDSCs in response to oxaliplatin-based treatment in CRC patients. Methods: This was a prospective study that recruited 30 treatment-naïve patients with varying stage of CRC who were scheduled to receive oxaliplatin-based chemotherapy. Blood sampling was conducted prior and at several time points during and after chemotherapy. Multicolor flow cytometry assay was used to analyze the proportion of HLA-DR-, CD33+, and CD15+ (PMN-MDSC) and CD14+ (M-MDSC) cells within peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs). Other essential tumor biomarkers such as carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) and tumor infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs) were assessed as well. As control, 14 healthy subjects were recruited. Results: Our result showed that circulating PMN-MDSCs was significantly higher in CRC patients compared to healthy subjects (p=0.003), whilst insignificant result was shown by M-MDSCs (p=0.890). Following chemotherapy, MDSCs level showed dynamic changes. Interestingly, a subgroup of CRC patients with decreased in both PMN- and M-MDSCs levels on D-14 chemotherapy were consistently showed a significant decreased of MDSCs level during and after therapy completion compared to baseline (p=0.0078). Conclusions: Circulating MDSCs level, particularly PMN-MDSCs in CRC patients was significantly higher compared to healthy subjects. Changes in both circulating PMN- and M-MDSCs levels at D-14 chemotherapy might have prognostic value in oxaliplatin-based chemotherapy.

Effects of Thermocycling with Two Different Curing Techniques on Enamel Micro-Cracks Formation, Debonding, and Failure Modes of Ceramic Brackets: An In Vitro Study.

Despite the rise in popularity of ceramic braces for adults, the risk of enamel microcracks (EMCs) upon removal remains a significant drawback for both dental professionals and patients. Our study aimed to assess the effects of thermocycling, pre-curing, and co-curing techniques with different bonding agents on the enamel surface of teeth after the removal of ceramic brackets. We also examined the incidence, quantity, length, and direction of EMCs on tooth surfaces. Additionally, the adhesive remnant index (ARI) scores and orthodontic bracket bond failure modes were evaluated and compared. The study divided 40 extracted upper canine teeth into ten groups for further analysis. Two groups had intact enamel as the negative control, while the remaining groups had orthodontic ceramic brackets bonded using different bonding agents and curing techniques. Thermocycling was performed in five groups, and ARI was assessed after debonding. The study findings were statistically significant (p < 0.05) in demonstrating the impact of curing techniques on EMCs and debonding outcomes. Seventh-generation bonding agents resulted in complete adhesive removal (ARI = 0). The microcracks' incidence, number, and length showed insignificant results. Differences in ARI between thermocycler and non-thermocycler samples were insignificant. Both co-curing and pre-curing techniques yielded comparable ARI results. This study highlights the importance of using advanced bonding agents to minimize enamel damage during ceramic bracket debonding.

The Influence Of Corporate Governance on the Performance of Islamic Banks in Indonesia

This research was conducted with the aim of testing the influence of Corporate Governance on the performance of Sharia Banks. The measurement used to measure this independent variable is to analyze the total size of the board, audit committee, non-executive directors, sharia board and risk management committee. Quantitative data is used as research data by looking at the annual report of the company concerned. Sharia Bank is used as the object of this research. The sample was determined using a purposive sampling method and resulted in 13 Sharia Commercial Bank companies. The annual report for the 2018-2022 period is used as processed data obtained from the official website of the company concerned. This research analysis uses panel regression of company data. This research uses five independent variables consisting of Board Size, Non-Executive Directors, Audit Committee, Shariah Board, and Risk Management Committee. The dependent variable in this research is sharia bank performance which is measured using ROA (Return On Assets) and ROE (Return On Equity). This research uses panel regression. The F test results in this study were 0.014378 for ROA measurements and 0.0000 for ROE measurements. The adjusted R square test results are 0.282995 for ROA and 0.729184 for ROE. The conclusion of this research is that the board size variable obtained insignificant results. The non-executive director variable for ROA measurement shows significant results, while the ROE measurement is not significant. The audit committee variable obtained insignificant results. The sharia board variable produces insignificant results and the risk management committee variable produces insignificant results. The author was limited in completing this research because the researcher only used the Islamic banking sector, so in selecting the sample the data obtained was relatively small. Recommendations from researchers that can be given to other prospective researchers are to be more detailed in assessing the performance of Islamic banks. You can expand the independent and dependent variables