Otolaryngology-head and neck surgery (OHNS) conditions comprise a considerable and underprioritized portion of the global burden of surgical disease. While OHNS conditions have been found to disproportionately impact low- and middle-income countries (LMICs), no studies to date have sought to characterize the burden of OHNS disease within chronic refugee settings in LMICs. The cluster-randomized, cross-sectional Surgeons Overseas Assessment of Surgical Need (SOSAS) survey tool was administered in Nyarugusu Refugee Camp in Makere, Tanzania in August and September of 2021 to estimate the prevalence of face, head, and neck (FHN) disease among refugees in East Africa and to identify predictors of surgical need. Demographic and clinical data were collected from all study participants. A multivariable logistical model was used to identify demographic and clinical characteristics associated with increased surgical need. 462 refugees reported having an FHN condition within their lifetime and 242 (52%) indicated a current surgical need for an FHN problem. Most conditions (n = 335; 73%) had persisted for over a year. The most common pathologies were non-injury-related wounds (n = 146; 35%) and non-congenitally acquired malformations (n = 118;28%). Multivariable analysis revealed several factors associated with increased surgical need including age, nationality, religion, and pathology type. There is a high burden of untreated surgical FHN conditions in Nyarugusu Refugee Camp. This study underscores the need for targeted interventions to expand otolaryngology-head and neck surgery (OHNS) services for FHN problems in under-resourced, protracted refugee settings. In addition to investing in OHNS surgical training programs, we advocate for temporizing interim non-surgical management while pursuing expedited referral for definitive surgical intervention.

Investor perceptions of mandatory quarterly interim management statements

Abstract Introduction and methods New forms of employment are the general term for more diversified employment forms that have emerged or gained importance since around 2000. Characterized by changing working patterns of communication, contractual relations, locations, duration and work schedule, increased use of information and communication technologies (ICT) or a combination thereof, these are most often casual work, collaborative employment, crowd employment, interim management, employee sharing, ICT-based mobile work, job sharing, work in platform, precarious work, voucher-based and portfolio work. Our main research purpose is to analyze non-verbal communication’s impact on the increasingly diverse and flexible employment forms, the results of which will focus on planning and implementation of measures, guaranteeing workers’ protection and employment status. Results and discussion Socio-economic and technological recent changes have led to scale and scope’s increase of new employment forms, upgrading traditional employer-employee relationships to non-traditional work patterns and workplaces. Increasingly interactive connectivity of all elements of verbal and non-verbal communication in a common flow of messages increases the effect of experience in communication. In the context of the digitalization of communication, the study of the interrelationship of the elements of non-verbal communication in effective communication is essential. Modern communication techniques via kinesics, proxemics and vocalization can turn everyday communication into a highly emotional experience and be a tool for group persuasion and manipulation. They play a serious socio-psychological role in spreading information, building communities and reinforcing attitudes. Conclusion Non-verbal communication patterns in new employment relationships help building more sustainable and inclusive labor market, avoiding situations where new employment forms are less favorable than more established types of employment.

Purpose Organisations increasingly rely on professional interim managers (PIMs), i.e. independent contractors who perform managerial work. These managers, who are usually very experienced and skilled, could help organisations drastically improve their performance. However, research has found that they often fail to do so, indicating that PIMs face unique on-the-job challenges that challenge their capability to be effective managers. In the study reported in this paper, I explored PIMs’ on-the-job challenges and how they overcome them. To better understand the various on-the-job challenges, I developed the concept of the liability of outsiderness. Design/methodology/approach I applied an exploratory approach and conducted 32 interviews with 21 PIMs. Findings I uncovered three on-the-job challenges common and unique to PIMs – communicating the contract status and contract period, being quick off the mark and attaining power – and the ways they overcome these challenges. Practical implications This paper reports findings and theory that provide several valuable guidelines for practitioners involved with interim management. Originality/value Interim management has received little scholarly attention despite its increasing relevance. Empirical research, particularly on PIMs in executive positions, is lacking. This leaves us with little evidence to base our theories and guidelines for interim management. The study reported in this paper adds novel insights to an under-researched but important field of management. The study also introduces the liability of outsiderness concept, which holds much promise for future studies of interim management.

This communication presents the first documented case of the stem borer Xylotrechus smei (Cerambycidae: Coleoptera) infesting red sanders in Tamil Nadu and Gujarat, India. The pest was detected in red sanders plantations located in Dharmapuri and Tenkasi districts of Tamil Nadu, as well as in Surat, Navsari, and Tapi districts of Gujarat, India, during August 2023. In both regions, young red sanders trees aged between 2 to 16 years were affected, with incidence levels varying from 2.24% to 10.86% in the affected plantations. Signs of infestation include the presence of galleries, bore holes in cut stems, complete drying, and mortality of the trees. Initially, larvae feed on the bark, and as they mature, they tunnel through the cambium and wood, impeding nutrient flow and leading to tree mortality. The larvae's deep tunneling within the wood makes them difficult to eradicate with pesticides. Adult beetles typically emerge in peak numbers during April to May and November to December, coinciding with their mating period and selection of host plants for egg-laying. This report aims to outline the damage caused by the stem borer in red sanders and document ongoing monitoring efforts to support interim management strategies.

Abstract This study aims to define the role of knowledge in a triad of factors determining effectiveness in Interim Management (IM) projects. The discussion is based on the authors’ research concept, which, in addition to knowledge, also explores the categories of trust and power. A longitudinal study using the empirical-inductive approach was conducted in Poland between 2019 and 2021. It included ten enterprises that implemented IM projects in the studied period. The results presented in this article confirm the importance of the empirically adopted study factors, including the transfer of knowledge between the Interim Manager and the client’s (organisation’s) project team. A significant relationship between the level of knowledge and the levels of trust and power emerges as particularly evident. Research can be continued to verify the authors’ initial findings and include the proposed research tools and entities representing different sectors, management cultures and geographical regions in search of additional variables and their correlations with trust, power and knowledge. The research conclusions may prove applicable to both Interim Managers (IMs) and their clients (organisations). They can be used not only for pre-project planning but also during the IM projects.

Awareness of hidradenitis suppurativa (HS) among non-dermatology healthcare providers is essential to facilitate prompt diagnosis, treatment, and referral to dermatology for further management. The purpose of this study was to analyze recent referrals to a Canadian community dermatology practice and compare the diagnostic concordance rates for HS between dermatologists and non-dermatologists. This study was a single-centre, retrospective chart review that was completed at Beacon Dermatology in Calgary, AB. Patients who were referred by a non-dermatologist for suspicion of HS and/or were diagnosed with HS by a dermatologist at Beacon Dermatology for the first time between May 2020 and May 2023 were included. Referral letters and dermatology clinic notes were analyzed to extract patient demographics, suspected pre-referral and post-referral diagnoses, and interim management plans that were initiated by the referring provider. A total of 451 patient charts with suspected and/or confirmed HS were retrieved from the clinic database. The median wait time from referral to the first dermatology appointment was 9.1 weeks. The average duration of HS symptoms was 7.3 years. HS was suspected by the referring provider and confirmed by a dermatologist in 286 cases (63%). Preliminary management was initiated in 60% of mild and 66% of moderate-to-severe cases. Given the prolonged time to diagnosis of HS, increasing awareness among healthcare providers is essential. Furthermore, this study highlighted the low implementation rates for evidence-based treatment options in preliminary management plans. Ultimately, this study demonstrates the need for increased interdisciplinary education on HS management in Canada.

Pattern-based action engine: Generating process management actions using temporal patterns of process-centric problems

Starting the 7th volume of the Journal of Diagnostics and Treatment of Oral and Maxillofacial Pathology we are becoming stronger, more mature, and resilient. Even though the Journal has been published for essentially 11 months of 2022 of large-scale war of Russia against Ukraine and Europe, the editorial and publishing staff demonstrated the ability to withstand the impact of war and continue to publish peer-reviewed achievements. In total, 32 articles were published in the volume 6. Among which, 10 articles were devoted to wartime challenges and gunshot wounds. Two papers presented cutting-edge microvascular and prosthetic techniques. Massarelli and Meloni reported a unique technique in a paper titled The “beveled one-and-a-half-barrel” fibula transplant with virtual surgical planning and CT-guided implant surgery for prosthetic rehabilitation in posterior mandible defects: a pictorial essay. Le and colleagues manufactured an exclusive tongue prosthesis which was well-described in an article titled Patient-specific prosthetic appliance for interim management of chronic orocutaneous fistula in the irradiated and vessel-depleted head and neck patient – a case report and technical note. Geographical distribution of authors in 2022 included five countries—Italy, Slovak Republic, Qatar, Ukraine, and United States of America (USA). The first quarter of year 2022 was also marked by the establishment of the resident ambassador position and the appointment of John M. Le, DDS, MD, as a real leader, to this founding position. Also, we were honored to see Michael T. Kase, DMD, a true expert in maxillofacial prosthetics as a new board member who can bring a lot of expertise to the Journal in this growing direction.6 Thus, by the end of 2022, the Journal’s editorial board has grown to 30 experts, enhancing Journal’s international vision and approaches.

The article considers the issue of development of enterprise, its current status, and role of performance management of its activity. It is determined that the effectiveness of enterprise is measured through a number of certain indicators: the result (profit), achievement of the set goals, effective work according to a number of other indicators (fixed assets, current assets, etc.), that is, the achievement of high/sufficient indicators of functioning. Apart from this, the article does not aim to obtain the complete list of these performance indicators. The study moreover consisted in the development of modern recommendations for enterprises, as business units, to improve the management of the effectiveness of their functioning. More precisely, effectiveness can be achieved through effective management of the operating system, that is, financial, labor, material and other resources, based on a skillful current and strategic planning, forecasting, monitoring, diagnostics, analysis of activities, and making the right managerial decisions. Therefore, the article among managerial measures proposes the use of financial planning, which is a key prerequisite for achieving high results regarding the enterprise’s activities. It is also proposed to improve performance through a number of the following implementations/improvements: use of both traditional and novel communication approaches and technologies; introduction of quality management principles into the system of management of effectiveness of the enterprise. The next logical step to improve the proposed management is the development of a balanced management system, which should include the following main subsystems: strategic planning; monitoring the implementation of the strategic course; attraction of resources; use of organization resources; coordination of business processes; control in all areas of the enterprise’s activities; goal-orientation of the enterprise; decision-making; staff motivation; delegation and distribution of responsibility; evaluation of the enterprise’s performance; forecasting the enterprise’s activities; staff training. These systems are proposed to be updated periodically. The article proposes to introduce interim management, which is aimed at achieving a positive result in business.

The formation and persistence of an orocutaneous fistula as a sequela of major head and neck surgery followed by microvascular reconstructive surgery and adjuvant radiation therapy is a common and frustrating challenge to address. When reconstructive surgical options are exhausted, limited, or with high risk for failure, the fabrication of an oral appliance can provide a temporary to long-term treatment option for the patient. In this case report, an oral appliance was fabricated to decrease salivary incontinence, improve intelligibility, and deglutition in a 60-year-old patient who underwent a subtotal glossectomy with radical mandibulectomy followed by reconstruction with an osteocutaneous radial forearm free flap who developed a chronic orocutaneous fistula following completion of radiation therapy.

Precision medicine for developmental and epileptic encephalopathies in Africa—strategies for a resource-limited setting

The sustainable production of wheat can be affected by soil acidity in the eastern Free State, South Africa. Liming of soil to appropriate acidity levels is therefore regarded as an essential farming practice. In some instances, however, planting of acid-tolerant wheat cultivars is recommended as an interim management measure. Hence, we evaluated the response (grain yield, grain protein content and hectoliter mass) of wheat cultivars with poor (Karee or Limpopo), moderate (SST 224 or Gariep) and good (Tugela DN) acid tolerance on soils (8–33% clay) over a range of lime-induced pH (KCl) values (3.7–5.7) under field conditions spanning 4 to 5 years. In Year 2 no data was collected due to staff shortages. Across the pH ranges, grain yields of the most acid-tolerant cultivars exceeded those of the moderately acid-tolerant cultivars by 29–54%, and those of the poorly acid-tolerant cultivars by 36–62%. Due to climatic conditions, larger differences in grain protein content were observed between years rather than between treatment combinations. Hectoliter mass, although influenced by treatment combinations, exceeded the threshold value of 76 kg hL−1. The results, especially of grain yield, proved the usefulness of acid-tolerant wheat cultivars during the initial stages of liming programs, until acceptable levels of soil acidity are reached.

Abstract Interim management is a situation that virtually every leader will encounter at least once in their career. On an organizational level, unplanned vacancies may occur for a variety of reasons including personnel rotations, illness, organizational re-structuring, or performance. While the situation is common, most organizations approach interim leadership on an ad-hoc basis and do not have the structures or support systems in place to effectively manage interim leadership needs. This article distills and integrates interim leadership research into an assessment approach and application across managerial levels and organizational types. This approach serves as an avenue for the Human Resource practitioner to understand, develop, and adapt organizational policy and support systems to prepare for interim management needs.

Many treatment options accepted for unsalvageable traumatized teeth in adults would seem contraindicated in children and adolescents. Instead, growing patients need interim restorative measures, thus extensively preserving their local bone and soft tissue structures and, ideally, preparing the involved site for later definitive restoration while they transform to skeletal maturity. This narrative topic review addresses the interim management in case of very deep intra-extra-alveolar fractures, extensive infection-related root resorption, tooth ankylosis, and anterior tooth loss in growing patients, and seeks to empower the clinician to select the appropriate treatment approach. The literature up to 2021 was reviewed based on several scoping searches on PubMed and the Cochrane Library using relevant terms. Due to the complexity of the topic (with various poor prognosis scenarios and the differing therapeutic options), a systematic review was deemed inappropriate. Suitable interim treatment options include extrusion of teeth showing deep intra-extra-alveolar fractures, and decoronation of ankylosed teeth as well as resin-bonded fixed dental prostheses, natural tooth pontics, and primary tooth autotransplantations after tooth loss. The interim management options described in this article represent compromises chosen in the absence of better alternatives after a careful risk-benefit analysis. However, if adequately performed, the presented treatment options have the potential to achieve the temporary restoration of function and esthetics in growing patients. Close clinical and (if appropriate) radiologic monitoring of these patients is considered mandatory to ensure early detection of possible complications that might jeopardize or could render impossible subsequent therapeutic measures. (Quintessence Int 2022;53:722-731; doi: 10.3290/j.qi.b3236409; Modified from a previously published article (in German) Quintessenz 2022;73(2):162-169).

Research to guide clinicians in the management of the devastating regression which can affect adolescents and young adults with Down syndrome is limited. A multi-site, international, longitudinal cohort of individuals with a clinical diagnosis of Unexplained Regression in Down syndrome (URDS) was collated through seven Down syndrome clinics. Tiered medical evaluation, a 28-item core symptom list, and interim management are described naturalistically. Improvement-defined by the percentage of baseline function on a Parent-reported Functional Score, overall improvement in symptoms on a Clinician-administered Functional Assessment, or report of management type being associated with improvement-was analyzed. Improvement rates using ECT, IVIG, and others were compared. Across seven clinics, 51 patients with URDS had regression at age 17.6 years, on average, and showed an average 14.1 out of 28 symptoms. Longitudinal improvement in function was achieved in many patients and the medical management, types of treatment, and their impact on function are described. Management with intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIG) was significantly associated with higher rate of improvement in symptoms at the next visit (p=0.001). Our longitudinal data demonstrates that URDS is treatable, with various forms of clinical management and has a variable course. The data suggests that IVIG may be an effective treatment in some individuals. Our description of the management approaches used in this cohort lays the groundwork for future research, such as development of standardized objective outcome measure and creation of a clinical practice guideline for URDS.

PurposeInterim managers (IMs) are consultants who take on managerial positions during limited periods to perform changes, handle crises or cover vacancies. The increasing use of these short-term outsiders shapes new conditions for organizational learning in contemporary work life. The purpose of this paper is to contribute to research-based knowledge and theoretical understanding of the relationship between interim management and organizational learning.Design/methodology/approachThe paper presents a literature review on interim management published within the years 2000–2020 and analyzes it through the lens of organizational learning.FindingsAn interim management assignment is characterized by a period of uncertainty, a limited time frame, knowledge from the outside and rather invisible outcomes. The concepts of shared mental models, dialogue, knowledge creation and organizational culture shed light on possibilities and constraints for organizational learning in these arrangements. The findings highlight the IM’s position as central for transforming the organizational culture, put a question mark for the establishment of the IM’s knowledge, show the need for defining outcomes in terms of learning processes and indicate tensions between opportunities for dialogue and the exercise of power.Originality/valueThe study provides a new conceptual understanding of interim management, laying the foundation for empirical studies on this topic from an organizational learning perspective.

Aims In view of the emerging virus variations and pandemic worldwide, it is urgent to explore effective models predicting disease severity. Methods We aimed to investigate whether platelet-to-CRP ratio (PC ratio) could predict the severity of COVID-19 and multi-organ injuries. Patients who complained of pulmonary or gastrointestinal symptoms were enrolled after confirmation of SARS-CoV-2 infection via qRT-PCR. Those who complained of gastrointestinal symptoms were defined as having initial gastrointestinal involvement. Chest computed tomography (CT) was then performed to classify the patients into mild, moderate, and severe pneumonia groups according to the interim management guideline. qRT-PCR was also performed on stool to discern those discharging virus through the gastrointestinal tract. Logistic regression models were applied to analyze the association between PC ratio and severity of pneumonia, risk of initial gastrointestinal involvement, and multi-organ injuries. Results When compared to the bottom tertile of PC ratio, the adjusted odds ratio was −0.51, p < 0.001 and −0.53, p < 0.001 in moderate and severe pneumonia, respectively. Furthermore, the adjusted odds ratio for initial gastrointestinal involvement was 0.18 (82% lower) when compared to the bottom tertile of PC ratio, p=0.005. The area under ROC on moderate-to-severe pneumonia and initial gastrointestinal involvement was 0.836 (95% CI: 0.742, 0.930, p < 0.001) and 0.721 (95% CI: 0.604, 0.839, p=0.002), respectively. The upper tertiles of PC ratio showed lower levels of aspartate aminotransferase (p=0.016) and lactic dehydrogenase (p < 0.001). Conclusions Platelet-to-CRP ratio could act as an effective model in recognizing severe COVID-19 and multi-organ injuries.

This clinical report describes a comprehensive prosthodontic treatment of a young patient diagnosed with squamous cell carcinoma in hard palate. The treatment procedures included surgical removal of the tumor, immediate surgical plate and interim obturator. The surgical plate and interim prosthesis were fabricated using conventional polymethyl methacrylate resin material with retention derived from wrought wire clasps to the remaining natural teeth. The follow-up system revealed satisfactory results with no deterioration in the prosthesis.

Abstract Non-standard forms of employment have become current practice in most European legal systems, by virtue of their positive effects on labor flexibility – beneficial to both employers and employees. From a company’s perspective and interests, regarding the current context of labour relations, a new approach is needed and highly recommended. In an unpredictable business environment, only those innovative companies which have proved able to identify business opportunities and adjust to change have remained competitive. Therefore, the interim management program – as a new type of employment - brings forth an extensive potential for development. Since Romania is a country where this contractual model is relatively little known, this paper addresses some of the most obvious elements of this atypical contractual arrangement, which most authors deem very appropriate in the context of globalization. Our comparative approach seeks to identify various legislative perspectives on interim management and the conclusions of our research suggest the usefulness of the introduction the interim management model to the national labor market. The comparison of this form of flexible employment and other forms used in Romanian companies has been conducted.