Task Force Research Articles

The European Academy of Neurology NeuroCOVID-19 Task Force: A lesson for the future.

The COVID-19 pandemic has made its mark on world history forever causing millions of deaths, and straining health systems, economies, and societies worldwide. The European Academy of Neurology (EAN) reacted promptly. A special NeuroCOVID-19 Task Force was set up at the beginning of the pandemic to promote knowledge, research, international collaborations, and raise awareness about the prevention and treatment of COVID-19-related neurological issues. Activities carried out during and after the pandemic by the EAN NeuroCOVID-19 Task Force are described. The main aim was to review all these initiatives in detail as an overarching lesson from the past to improve the present and be better prepared in case of future pandemics. During the pandemic, the Task Force was engaged in several initiatives: the creation of the EAN NEuro-covid ReGistrY (ENERGY); the launch of several surveys (neurological manifestations of COVID-19 infection; the pandemic's impact on patients with chronic neurological diseases; the pandemic's impact of restrictions for clinical practice, curricular training, and health economics); the publication of position papers regarding the management of patients with neurological diseases during the pandemic, and vaccination hesitancy among people with chronic neurological disorders; and the creation of a dedicated "COVID-19 Breaking News" section in EANpages. The EAN NeuroCOVID-19 Task Force was immediately engaged in various activities to participate in the fight against COVID-19. The Task Force's concerted strategy may serve as a foundation for upcoming global neurological emergencies.

Exploring actors' collaborations and involvement in the Namibian learner pregnancy policy

IntroductionThe Namibia Education Sector Policy on the Prevention and Management of Learner Pregnancy (ESPPMLP) aims to reduce the cases of learners falling pregnant and increase learner-parent completion of education. The ESPPMLP addresses the fact that learner pregnancy and school drop-out are collaborative efforts between parents, the community, schools, and non-governmental organizations. However, Namibia continues to have had a problem with the high rate of learner pregnancy and school drop-out for many years. Previous studies reported the absences and limitations of both internal and external actors' collaboration in its implementation. This paper aims to clarify the lack of stakeholder involvement and cooperation in the ESPPMLP activities within selected rural schools in Namibia.MethodsUsing the qualitative approach mixed with phenomenological and content data analysis, the study conducted 19 individual interviews with schoolteachers, one school board member, one NGO representative, and six focus group discussions with 27 parents.Results and findingsAmong others, results show the limited life skills of teachers in schools, the attitude of the community toward schoolteachers, making them feel devoid of influence in collaborations, and the lack of sexual reproductive activities programs in school settings. The findings reveal the reliance of the activities of prevention and management of learner pregnancy on donor-driven initiatives, the lack of task forces at the community level, the shortage of knowledge and understanding about the ESPPMLP and the lack of policy implementation guidelines. Establish learner pregnancy leadership structures at the community level for coordination, introduce community parenting, and execute partnership of monitoring activities to boost stakeholder collaborations.

Gender-Affirming Hormone Therapy and Cervical Cancer Screening Rates in Transgender Men and Nonbinary People: A Cross-Sectional Study from a Boston Community Health Center.

Purpose: Clinical monitoring for patients receiving gender-affirming hormone therapy (GAHT) has the potential to facilitate their receipt of preventive health services. We aimed to determine whether GAHT is associated with increased utilization of cervical cancer screening among transgender men (TM) and nonbinary persons assigned female at birth (NB-AFAB). Methods: We conducted a cross-sectional observational study of a single community health center in Boston. Persons of all gender identities eligible for cervical cancer screening during 2008-2019 were assessed. The outcome of interest was receipt of cervical cancer screening based on U.S. Preventive Services Task Force recommendations. We compared the proportion of persons who received cervical cancer screening by prescription of GAHT. Results: We identified 13,267 eligible persons. This cohort included 10,547 (79.5%) cisgender women, 1547 (11.7%) TM, and 1173 (8.8%) NB-AFAB persons. Among all persons eligible for cervical cancer screening, TM and NB-AFAB persons were less likely to receive screening than cisgender women (56.2% and 56.1% vs. 60.5% respectively; odds ratio [OR] = 0.84; 95% confidence interval [CI] = 0.75-0.93; OR = 0.84; 95% CI = 0.74-0.94, respectively). Among TM, those prescribed testosterone were more likely to receive cervical cancer screening than those not prescribed testosterone (57.9% vs. 48.2%, OR = 1.47; 95% CI = 1.14-1.92). Among NB-AFAB adults, those prescribed testosterone were more likely to receive cervical cancer screening than those not prescribed testosterone (61.9% vs. 51.5%, OR = 1.53; 95% CI = 1.21-1.93). Conclusions: The benefits of engagement in care to access GAHT may extend beyond the hormonal intervention to preventive health services.

A new groin hernia classification with clinical relevance.

Groin hernia is one of the most commonly managed surgical diseases around the world. The typical question asked by patients is "Does my hernia require urgent surgery?". The currently available classifications are insufficient to stratify patients into different groups. We propose a new classification that incorporates diverse clinical elements together with anatomical and other vital information, which allows us to stratify patients into different groups. A task force was formed by the Hong Kong Hernia Society, working with international expert hernia surgeons. The framework of the classification system was formulated. Clinical elements that are important in groin disease stratification were identified. A comprehensive literature review was conducted using PubMed. Those which dictate the severity of the disease were selected and compiled to form the new proposed classification. Application of this classification model to a single hernia surgeon's registry in The Hong Kong Adventist Hospital Hernia Centre was done for initial evaluation. This new classification incorporates important clinical characteristics forming a total of nine grades of differentiation, together with the anatomical details and special information. This comprehensive system allows the stratification of patients into different groups based on disease severity. It also enables more accurate data collection for future audits, comparisons of disease progression over time, and the effect of different management strategies for different-stage patients. This is the first classification system which incorporates essential clinical parameters, which allows the stratification of groin hernia into different stages. Further studies and validation should be performed to evaluate the usefulness and value of this classification in groin hernia management.

SAGES White Paper on the importance of diversity in surgical leadership: creating the fundamentals of leadership development (FLD) curriculum.

The Society of American Gastrointestinal and Endoscopic Surgeons (SAGES) has long recognized and championed increasing diversity within the surgical workplace. SAGES initiated the Fundamentals of Leadership Development (FLD) Curriculum to address these needs and to provide surgeon leaders with the necessary tools and skills to promote diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) in surgical practice. In 2019, the American College of Surgeons issued a request for anti-racism initiatives which lead to the partnering of the two societies. The primary goal of FLD was to create the first surgeon-focused leadership curriculum dedicated to DEI. The rationale/development of this curriculum and its evaluation/feedback methods are detailed in this White Paper. The FLD curriculum was developed by a multidisciplinary task force that included surgeons, education experts, and diversity consultants. The curriculum development followed the Analysis, Design, Development, Implementation and Evaluation (ADDIE) instructional design model and utilized a problem-based learning approach. Competencies were identified, and specific learning objectives and assessments were developed. The implementation of the curriculum was designed to be completed in short intervals (virtual and in-person). Post-course surveys used the Kirkpatrick's model to evaluate the curriculum and provide valuable feedback. The curriculum consisted of interactive online modules, an online discussion forum, and small group interactive sessions focused in three key areas: (1) increasing pipeline of underrepresented individuals in surgical leadership, (2) healthcare equity, and (3) conflict negotiation. By focusing on positive action items and utilizing a problem-solving approach, the curriculum aimed to provide a framework for surgical leaders to make meaningful changes in their institutions and organizations. The FLD curriculum is a novel leadership curriculum that provided surgeon leaders with the knowledge and tools to improve diversity in three areas: pipeline improvement, healthcare equity, and conflict negotiation. Future directions include using pilot course feedback to enhance curricular effectiveness and delivery.

Guideline on the use of predeposit autologous donation prepared by the BSH Blood Transfusion Task Force.

Guideline on the use of predeposit autologous donation prepared by the BSH Blood Transfusion Task Force.

A standard lexicon of terms for area-based conservation version 1.0.

Target 3 in the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework (GBF) calls for protecting at least 30% of the world's lands and waters in area-based conservation approaches by 2030. This ambitious 30×30 target has spurred great interest among policy makers, practitioners, and researchers in defining and measuring the effectiveness of these types of approaches. But along with this broad interest, there has also been a proliferation of terms and their accompanying abbreviations used to describe different types of conservation areas and their governance, planning, management, and monitoring. The lack of standard terms is hindering the use and assessment of area-based approaches to conserve the world's biodiversity. It is difficult to track progress toward GBF Target 3 or to share learning with other practitioners if different groups of people are using different words to describe the same concept or similar words to talk about different concepts. To address this problem, the International Union for Conservation of Nature's World Commission on Protected Areas commissioned a task force to review existing terms and recommend a standard English-language lexicon for this field based on key criteria. The results were definitions of 37 terms across 6 categories, including types of protected and additional conservation areas (e.g., protected area, additional conservation area), sets of these areas (protected area network, protected area system), their governance and management (governance, rightsholders), assessment (effectiveness, equitability), spatial planning (key biodiversity area), and action planning (value, outcome, objective). Our standard lexicon can provide a common language for people who want to use it and a shared reference point that can be used to translate various terms used by different groups. The common understanding provided by the lexicon can serve as a foundation for collaborative efforts to improve the policies, implementation, assessments, research, and learning about this important set of conservation approaches.

P106 Do high rheumatoid factor titres impact response to tumour necrosis factor inhibitors? Comparison of certolizumab pegol and adalimumab in patients with rheumatoid arthritis and high titres of rheumatoid factor: a post hoc analysis of a phase 4 trial.

Abstract Background/Aims In patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA), high rheumatoid factor (RF) titres are considered a poor prognostic factor and are associated with higher disease activity, risk of radiographic progression and decreased response to TNF inhibitors (TNFis). Recent data suggests that patients with RA and high RF titre may achieve and maintain greater clinical improvement with TNFis without a crystallisable fragment (Fc) compared to TNFis with an Fc. In this analysis of the EXXELERATE trial, we assessed efficacy outcomes of certolizumab pegol (CZP), a PEGylated Fc-free TNFi, versus adalimumab (ADA; Fc-containing TNFi) in patients with RA and high RF titres. Methods The phase 4 EXXELERATE trial (NCT01500278) compared the efficacy and safety of CZP to ADA. Patients were randomised 1:1 to CZP 200 mg every two weeks (Q2W) plus methotrexate (MTX) or ADA 40 mg Q2W plus MTX. At Week 12 (Wk), patients were classified as responders or non-responders; non-responders were switched to the other TNFi with possible follow-up to Wk104. Here, we report drug plasma concentrations, mean disease activity score (DAS)28-CRP score and proportion of patients achieving low disease activity (LDA; threshold: DAS28-CRP ≤2.7) to Wk104. Results are stratified by RF titre quartile (≤Q3: ≤203 IU/mL; >Q3: >203 IU/mL; measured by Roche Tina-quant®) and reported as observed data. Results Baseline data by RF quartile were available for 453 CZP-randomised patients (≤Q3: n = 334; >Q3: n = 119) and 454 ADA-randomised patients (≤Q3: n = 347; >Q3 n = 107). Baseline characteristics were similar between CZP- and ADA-randomised patients across the RF titre quartiles. At Wk12, 66 CZP-treated patients switched to ADA and 59 ADA-treated patients switched to CZP. At Wk104, mean ADA concentrations were 22.9% lower in patients with RF >Q3 (mean [SD] 4.8 [3.0]) vs those with RF ≤Q3 (6.2 [4.0]); in CZP-treated patients, this difference was smaller (13.0%) in patients with RF >Q3 (23.3 [15.4]) vs those with RF ≤Q3 (26.7 [13.1]). For patients in RF ≤Q3, mean DAS28-CRP scores were similar between CZP- and ADA-treated patients through Wks0-104 (mean [SD] DAS28 at Wk104: 2.48 [1.18] CZP vs 2.49 [1.14] ADA). However, for patients in RF >Q3, mean [SD] DAS28-CRP scores were nominally lower in CZP- vs ADA-treated patients (Wk104: 2.50 [1.18] CZP vs 2.93 [1.22] ADA). A similar pattern was observed for the proportion of patients achieving LDA at Wk104 (≤Q3: 64.8% CZP vs 65.1% ADA; >Q3: 65.7% CZP vs 48.3% ADA). Conclusion CZP-treated patients with RA and high titre RF had similar drug concentrations and clinical responses to patients with RA and low titre RF, a pattern not observed in ADA-treated patients. These data, together with previous reports where CZP showed consistent efficacy irrespective of baseline RF titre, suggest CZP may be a suitable therapy for patients with RA and high RF titre. Disclosure J.S. Smolen: Honoraria; AbbVie, Amgen, AstraZeneca, Astro, Bristol-Myers Squibb, Celgene, Celltrion, Chugai, Gilead, ILTOO, Janssen, Lilly, Merck Sharp & Dohme, Novartis-Sandoz, Pfizer, R-Pharma, Roche, Samsung, Sanofi, and UCB Pharma. Grants/research support; AbbVie, AstraZeneca, Eli Lilly, Novartis and Roche. Other; Editor of Annals of the Rheumatic Diseases, Co-editor of Rheumatology 7E/8E, Convenor of EULAR Task Forces and T2T Task Forces. P.C. Taylor: Consultancies; AbbVie, Biogen, Eli Lilly, Fresenius, Galapagos, Gilead, GSK, Janssen, Nordic Pharma, Pfizer, Sanofi and UCB Pharma. Grants/research support; Galapagos. Y. Tanaka: Honoraria; AbbVie, AstraZeneca, BMS, Boehringer Ingelheim, Chugai, Eisai, Eli Lilly, Gilead, GSK, Pfizer, Taiho, Taisho. Member of speakers’ bureau; AbbVie, AstraZeneca, BMS, Boehringer Ingelheim, Chugai, Eisai, Eli Lilly, Gilead, GSK, Pfizer, Taiho and Taisho. Grants/research support; Chugai, Eisai, Mitsubishi-Tanabe, Taisho. C. Cara: Shareholder/stock ownership; UCB Pharma. Other; Employee of UCB Pharma. B. Lauwerys: Shareholder/stock ownership; UCB Pharma. Other; Employee of UCB Pharma. R. Xavier: Consultancies; AbbVie, AstraZeneca, Janssen, Organon, UCB Pharma. Member of speakers’ bureau; AbbVie, AstraZeneca, Janssen, Organon, and UCB Pharma. J.R. Curtis: Consultancies; AbbVie, Amgen, BMS, Corrona, Crescendo, Genentech, Janssen, Pfizer, Roche, UCB Pharma. Grants/research support; AbbVie, Amgen, BMS, Corrona, Crescendo, Genentech, Janssen, Pfizer, Roche, UCB Pharma. T.R. Mikuls: Consultancies; Horizon Therapeutics, Pfizer, Sanofi, UCB Pharma. Royalties; Elsevier, Wolters Kluwer Health (UpToDate). Grants/research support; Horizon Therapeutics. M. Weinblatt: Consultancies; AbbVie, Aclaris, Amgen, Aqtual, BMS, CorEvitas, Eli Lilly, GSK, Gilead, Horizon, Johnson and Johnson, Prometheus, Pfizer, Rani, Revolo, Sanofi, Scipher, Sci Rhom, Set Point, UCB Pharma. Grants/research support; AbbVie, Aqtual, BMS, Janssen.

Age- and height-dependent bias of underweight and overweight assessment standards for children and adolescents.

Precision in evaluating underweight and overweight status among children and adolescents is paramount for averting health and developmental issues. Existing standards for these assessments have faced scrutiny regarding their validity. This study investigates the age and height dependencies within the international standards set by the International Obesity Task Force (IOTF), relying on body mass index (BMI), and contrasts them with Japanese standards utilizing the percentage of overweight (POW). We scrutinized a comprehensive database comprising 7,863,520 children aged 5-17 years, sourced from the School Health Statistics Research initiative conducted by Japan's Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science, and Technology. Employing the quantile regression method, we dissected the structure of weight-for-height distributions across different ages and sexes, quantifying the potentially biased assessments of underweight and overweight status by conventional criteria. Applying IOFT criteria for underweight assessment revealed pronounced height dependence in males aged 11-13 and females aged 10-11. Notably, a discernible bias emerged, wherein children in the lower 25th percentile were classified as underweight five times more frequently than those in the upper 25th percentile. Similarly, the overweight assessment displayed robust height dependence in males aged 8-11 and females aged 7-10, with children in the lower 25th percentile for height deemed obese four or five times more frequently than their counterparts in the upper 25th percentile. Furthermore, using the Japanese POW criteria for assessment revealed significant age dependence in addition to considerably underestimating the percentage of underweight and overweight cases under the age of seven. However, the height dependence for the POW criterion was smaller than the BMI criterion, and the difference between height classes was less than 3-fold. Our findings underscore the intricacies of age-dependent changes in body composition during the growth process in children, emphasizing the absence of gold standards for assessing underweight and overweight. Careful judgment is crucial in cases of short or tall stature at the same age, surpassing sole reliance on conventional criteria results.

Perencanaan Strategi Bisnis Usaha Online: UMKM

The development of micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) requires a joint role in the environment from both regulators and other companies. The Business Competition Supervisory Commission (KPPU) together with the Ministry of Cooperatives and SMEs signed a memorandum of understanding to form a task force to monitor partnerships established between SMEs and large industries. This article explores the programs organized by the Ministry of Cooperatives and Small and Medium Enterprises for the development of MSMEs. Through literature and online research about company programs, researchers can compare them with government policy programs to analyze the accuracy of expert programs. The research results show that the joint Business Competition Supervisory Commission (KPPU) program can fulfill the policies of the Ministry of Cooperatives and SMEs stipulated in the 2020-2024 Strategic Plan.

Implementation of the E-Ticket System in the Prosecution of Traffic Violations in Cirebon City

This study aims to analyze the application of the E-Tilang system in the enforcement of traffic violations in Cirebon City. The research method used was a qualitative method with data collection techniques through observation, interviews, and documentation. The informant in this study was the Head and Member of the Cirebon City Police Task Force. The results showed that E-Tilang in Cirebon City has not run optimally. Some of the obstacles faced are accountability such as limited human resources in the police which only has 22 Satlantas members, lack of socialization to the community and the large number of ordinary people in technology so that E-Tilang is considered complicated. In terms of centralization, such as the lack of installed E-Tilang camera devices, and inaccurate vehicle ownership data that has not been reversed. The security of violators' data is an important concern. E-Tilang camera devices are planned to be reused in the future, along with the improvement of the mobile E-Tilang system.

The Impact of Disinformation on the Functioning of the Rule of Law and Democratic Processes in the Eu

Disinformation and propaganda are based on the fact that the information: i) is designed to be totally or partially false, manipulated or misleading or uses unethical persuasion techniques; ii) concern a matter of public interest; (iii) is intended to generate insecurity, hostility or polarization or attempt to undermine democratic processes; iv) is disseminated and/or amplified using automatic and aggressive tools, such as social bots, artificial intelligence, micro-targeting or paid human trolls, often with the aim of increasing the public visibility of the content. Especially the systematic dissemination of disinformation by active politicians, parties or authorities is a clear and immediate threat to democracy and is disrespectful of the values of the European Union according to Article 2 TEU, because the trust in such authoritative persons is a value choice which cannot be changed by rational arguments. Moreover, deepfakes (algorithmically generated messages flooding recipients to give a false impression of political consensus) present a significant challenge for democracy, because they may sow uncertainty which may, in turn, reduce trust in news on social media and hinder civic participation in online debates. Finally, a study commissioned by the European External Antion Service, published in 2021, has focused on two more categories of disinformation: 'influence operations' by third countries, aimed at influencing a target audience using a range of illegitimate and deceptive means, and 'foreign interference', aimed at disrupting the free formation and expression of political will. Therefore, among the many issues dealt with by the EP resolution of 1 June 2023 on foreign interference in all democratic processes in the European Union, it must be mentioned the fact that foreign interference, including disinformation, is a national and cross-border security threat. Consequently, the EP has stressed the need for solidarity between the Member States so that such activities can be effectively combated, also amending Article 222 TFEU (the solidarity clause) by including foreign interference. In fact, with respect to disinformation a process of securitization is being promoted, consisting of applying security tools and discourses upon an object that was previously not identified as such. An example of this trend is represented by the specific task force set up within the European External Action Service in order to address Russia's ongoing disinformation campaigns. Another example, showing that disinformation has become a CFSP issue, is the Council regulation (EU) 2022/350 of 1 March 2022, based on Council decision (CFSP) 2022/351, concerning restrictive measures in view of Russia's actions destabilizing the situation in Ukraine. However, when determining the focus and political actions of the EU against disinformation, two opposing logics – securitization and self-regulation – coexist and compete. As a result, the EU is promoting a discourse linking disinformation to security, exceptionality and geopolitical strategies, but being lax at the same time with the obligations and responsibilities of the digital platform companies. Received: 25 December 2023 / Accepted: 25 February 2024 / Published: 23 April 2024

Racial and ethnic disparities in prostate cancer screening following the 2018 US Preventive Services Task Force recommendation statement.

In 2018, the United States Preventive Services Task Force promoted shared decision making between healthcare provider and patient for men aged 55 to 69. This study aimed to analyze rates of prostate-specific antigen (PSA) testing across racial and ethnic groups following this new recommendation. A secondary analysis was conducted of the 2020-2021 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System database to assess men aged 55 or older without a history of prostate cancer. We defined four race-ethnicity groups: non-Hispanic Whites (NHWs), non-Hispanic Blacks (NHBs), Hispanics, and Other. The primary outcome was the most recent PSA test (MRT), defined as the respondent's most recent PSA test occurring pre-2018 or post-2018 guidelines. Logistic regression adjusted for covariates including age, socioeconomic status factors, marital status, smoking history, and healthcare access factors. In the age 55 to 69 study sample, NHW men had the greatest proportion of MRT post-2018 guidelines (n = 15,864, 72.5%). NHB men had the lowest percentage of MRT post-2018 guidelines (n = 965, 66.6%). With NHW as referent, the crude odds of the MRT post-2018 guidelines was 0.68 (95% confidence interval (CI) = 0.53-0.90) for NHB. The maximally adjusted odds ratio was 0.78 (0.59-1.02). We found that NHB aged 55 to 69 reported decreased rates of PSA testing after 2018 when compared to NHW. This was demonstrated on crude analysis but not after adjustment. Such findings suggest the influence of social determinants of health on preventative screening for at-risk populations.

Non-use and inadequate use of cervical cancer screening among a representative sample of women in the United States.

Women's adherence to the United States (U.S.) Preventive Services Task Force guidelines for cervical cancer screening was determined by examining predisposing, enabling, and needs factors from Andersen's Behavioral Model of Health Services Use conceptual framework. The outcome was operationalized as cervical cancer screening use, non-use, and inadequate-use. Multinomial logistic regression was conducted on data from the 2019 National Health Interview Survey of 7,331 eligible women aged 21-65. Compared with women who used cervical cancer screening services, women aged 30-65 were less likely to be Non-Users than those aged 21-29. Hispanic, Asian, and American Indian/Alaska Native (AIAN) women were more likely to be Non-Users than White women. More educated women were less likely to be Non-Users. Foreign-born women <10 years in the U.S. were more likely to be Non-Users than U.S.-born women. Women with financial hardship were less likely to be Non-Users. Poorer women and uninsured women were more likely to be Non-Users. Women with children in their household were less likely to be Non-Users than those without children. Women who had a well-visit in the past year were less likely to be Non-Users. Women with a history of human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination were less likely to be Non-Users. Compared with women who used cervical cancer screening services, women aged 30-65 were less likely to be Inadequate-Users. AIAN women were more likely to be Inadequate-Users. Women of other races were less likely to be Inadequate-Users. Employed women were less likely to be Inadequate-Users. Uninsured women were more likely to be Inadequate-Users. Women who had a well-visit within a year were less likely to be Inadequate-Users. Women with past HPV vaccination were more likely to be Inadequate-Users. Smokers were less likely to be Inadequate-Users. Predisposing, enabling, and needs factors are differently associated with non-use and inadequate use of cervical cancer screening. Understanding factors associated with the use, non-use, and inadequate use of cervical cancer screening is crucial to avoid or curb unnecessary tests, increased costs to both society and individuals, and the ill-allocation of limited resources.

Transitioning to New Paradigms for Societally Impactful Research: Recommendations from the TCR Impact Task Force and an Agenda

Marketing scholars increasingly aim to research social and policy problems to create and implement solutions with relevant stakeholders that drive societal impact. In 2022, Transformative Consumer Research and the American Marketing Association sponsored the first TCR-AMA Impact Festival, celebrating societally impactful research in marketing. Results and reflections from the conference point to successes and significant challenges facing scholars who seek to do research with societal impact. A TCR Impact Task Force of leading marketing and consumer scholars was surveyed in a two-stage Delphi study to understand these opportunities and obstacles more deeply and prioritize next steps for the academic community. The results provide an agenda for transformative consumer and marketing research. This agenda provokes fresh thinking for paradigm-level changes by advocating new research validities, methods of stakeholder engagement, initiatives for developing researchers’ capacities, and more substantial institutional support to accelerate the success of impactful academic research.

National Trends in the Incidence of Sporadic Malignant Colorectal Polyps in Young Patients (20-49 Years): An 18-Year SEER Database Analysis.

Background and Objectives: Conflicting guidelines exist for initiating average-risk colorectal cancer screening at the age of 45 years. The United States Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) changed its guidelines in 2021 to recommend initiating screening at 45 years due to an increasing incidence of young-onset colorectal cancer. However, the American College of Physicians (ACP) recently recommended not screening average-risk individuals between 45 and 49 years old. We aim to study the national trends in the incidence of sporadic malignant polyps (SMP) in patients from 20 to 49 years old. Materials and Methods: We analyzed the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results database (2000-2017) on patients aged 20-49 years who underwent diagnostic colonoscopy with at least a single malignant sporadic colorectal polyp. Results: Of the 10,742 patients diagnosed with SMP, 42.9% were female. The mean age of incidence was 43.07 years (42.91-43.23, 95% CI). Approximately 50% of malignant polyps were diagnosed between 45 and 49 years of age, followed by 25-30% between 40 and 45. There was an upward trend in malignant polyps, with a decreased incidence of malignant villous adenomas and a rise in malignant adenomas and tubulovillous adenomas. Conclusions: Our findings suggest that almost half of the SMPs under 50 years occurred in individuals under age 45, younger than the current screening threshold recommended by the ACP. There has been an upward trend in malignant polyps in the last two decades. This reflects changes in tumor biology, and necessitates further research and support in the USPSTF guidelines to start screening at the age of 45 years.

Melatonin use in managing insomnia in children with autism and other neurogenetic disorders - An assessment by the international pediatric sleep association (IPSA)

Though it is widely prescribed for improving sleep of children with autism and other neurogenetic disorders, there is a need for practical guidance to clinicians on the use of melatonin for managing insomnia in this population. Because data were either lacking or inconclusive, a task force was established by the International Pediatric Sleep Association (IPSA) to examine the literature based on clinical trials from 2012 onwards. A summary of evidence pertaining to melatonin's utility and potential side effects, practice-related caveats, and insights for use are published herewith.

Implementing cognitive screenings for outpatients with bipolar disorder following optimized treatment in a specialized mood disorder clinic

Bipolar disorder (BD) is often accompanied by persistent cognitive impairment. However, screening for cognitive impairment in the clinic is challenged by a lack of consensus on screening procedures. This study assesses cognitive impairment prevalence and screening feasibility in alignment with the International Society for Bipolar Disorder Targeting Cognition Task Force recommendations. Between January 2022 and May 2023, 136 newly diagnosed BD outpatients were assessed with the Screen for Cognitive Impairment in Psychiatry after 15-20 months of specialized care at the Copenhagen Affective Disorder Clinic. Cognitive impairment patterns and associations with cognitive complaints, perceived stress, and functioning were examined. Most screened patients (73%) achieved full or partial remission, with 51% being cognitively normal, 38% showing global impairments, and 11% displaying selective impairments. Among remitted patients, 56% were cognitively normal, while 31% and 13% exhibited global or selective impairments, respectively. Both objectively impaired patient groups reported more subjective cognitive difficulties than those who were cognitively normal. The globally impaired group also demonstrated poorer functioning, more depressive symptoms and lower quality of life than cognitively normal patients. Across all patients, lower cognitive performance correlated with more cognitive complaints, lower functioning, lower quality of life, and more depressive symptoms. Cognitive screenings were relatively easily implementable, involving only a 1.5-hour session including mood ratings, feedback and cognitive strategy discussion. The study highlights the clinical relevance and feasibility of cognitive screenings in BD patients, emphasizing the need for tailored interventions given frequent cognitive impairment in clinically stable individuals.

Evaluating the Reach of a Patient Navigation Program for Follow-up Colonoscopy in a Large Federally Qualified Health Center.

Patient navigation (PN) has been shown to improve participation in cancer screening, including colorectal cancer screening, and the Community Preventive Services Task Force now recommends the practice. Despite the effectiveness of PN programs, little is known about the number of contacts needed to successfully reach patients or about the demographic and healthcare utilization factors associated with reach. PRECISE was an individual randomized study of PN vs. usual care conducted as a partnership between two large health systems in the Pacific Northwest. The navigation program was a six topic-area telephonic program designed to support patients with an abnormal fecal test result to obtain a follow-up colonoscopy. We report the number of contact attempts needed to successfully reach navigated patients. We used logistic regression to report the demographic and healthcare utilization characteristics associated with patients allocated to PN who were successfully reached. We identified 1200 patients with an abnormal FIT result, among whom 970 were randomized into the study (45.7% were female, 17.5% were Spanish-speaking, mean age was 60.8). Of the 479 patients allocated to the PN intervention, 382 (79.7%) were reached within 18 call attempts and nearly all (n = 356; 93.2%) were reached within six contact attempts. Patient characteristics associated with reach were race, county of residence, and body mass index. Our findings can guide future efforts to optimize the reach of PN programs.

American Society of Retina Specialists Artificial Intelligence Task Force Report

American Society of Retina Specialists Artificial Intelligence Task Force Report