Search Our Scientific Publications & Authors

BMJ Open 2022 06 9;12(6):e057977. Epub 2022 Jun 9.

Department of Biostatistics, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California, USA

Introduction: Therapeutic options for type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) have expanded over the last decade with the emergence of cardioprotective novel agents, but without such data for older drugs, leaving a critical gap in our understanding of the relative effects of T2DM agents on cardiovascular risk.

Methods And Analysis: The large-scale evidence generations across a network of databases for T2DM (LEGEND-T2DM) initiative is a series of systematic, large-scale, multinational, real-world comparative cardiovascular effectiveness and safety studies of all four major second-line anti-hyperglycaemic agents, including sodium-glucose co-transporter-2 inhibitor, glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonist, dipeptidyl peptidase-4 inhibitor and sulfonylureas. LEGEND-T2DM will leverage the Observational Health Data Sciences and Informatics (OHDSI) community that provides access to a global network of administrative claims and electronic health record data sources, representing 190 million patients in the USA and about 50 million internationally. Read More

PLoS One 2022 8;17(6):e0268534. Epub 2022 Jun 8.

Institute of Artificial Intelligence, Center for Medical Statistics, Informatics, and Intelligent Systems, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria.

Background: The clinical implementation of pharmacogenomics (PGx) could be one of the first milestones towards realizing personalized medicine in routine care. However, its widespread adoption requires the availability of suitable clinical decision support (CDS) systems, which is often impeded by the fragmentation or absence of adequate health IT infrastructures. We report results of CDS implementation in the large-scale European research project Ubiquitous Pharmacogenomics (U-PGx), in which PGx CDS was rolled out and evaluated across more than 15 clinical sites in the Netherlands, Spain, Slovenia, Italy, Greece, United Kingdom and Austria, covering a wide variety of healthcare settings. Read More

Sci Data 2022 04 12;9(1):166. Epub 2022 Apr 12.

Centre of Geographical Studies, Institute of Geography and Spatial Planning, University of Lisbon, 1600-276, Lisbon, Portugal.

This data paper describes the multinational Database of Flood Fatalities from the Euro-Mediterranean region FFEM-DB that hosts data of 2,875 flood fatalities from 12 territories (nine of which represent entire countries) in Europe and the broader Mediterranean region from 1980 to 2020. The FFEM-DB database provides data on fatalities' profiles, location, and contributing circumstances, allowing researchers and flood risk managers to explore demographic, behavioral, and situational factors, as well as environmental features of flood-related mortality. The standardized data collection and classification methodology enable comparison between regions beyond administrative boundaries. Read More

Vaccines (Basel) 2022 Feb 26;10(3). Epub 2022 Feb 26.

Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Infectious Diseases, College of Medicine and Medical Sciences, Arabian Gulf University, Manama 329, Bahrain.

Background: The unprecedented global spread of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has imposed huge challenges on the healthcare facilities, and impacted every aspect of life. This has led to the development of several vaccines against COVID-19 within one year. This study aimed to assess the attitudes and the side effects among Arab communities after receiving a COVID-19 vaccine and use of machine learning (ML) tools to predict post-vaccination side effects based on predisposing factors. Read More

J Clin Med 2022 Feb 25;11(5). Epub 2022 Feb 25.

Division of Gastrointestinal Medical Oncology and Neuroendocrine Tumors, European Institute of Oncology (IEO), Istituto di Ricovero e Cura a Carattere Scientifico, 20141 Milan, Italy.

Among the available neuroendocrine neoplasm (NEN)-specific HR-QoL scales, only the EORTC QLQ-C30 and EORTC QLQ-G.I.NET21 questionnaires have been validated in several languages. Read More

Sci Adv 2022 Mar 9;8(10):eabm3689. Epub 2022 Mar 9.

CNRS, Paris, France.

Recent research has shown that there exist gender stereotypes that portray men as more brilliant or inherently talented than women. We provide a large-scale multinational investigation of these stereotypes and their relationship with other gender gaps. Using a survey question asked to more than 500,000 students in 72 countries, we build a measure of the stereotypes associating talent with men and show that they are present in almost all studied countries. Read More

Yonsei Med J 2022 Jan;63(Suppl):S74-S83

Department of Biomedical Informatics, Ajou University School of Medicine, Suwon, Korea.

Purpose: Digital Imaging and Communications in Medicine (DICOM), a standard file format for medical imaging data, contains metadata describing each file. However, metadata are often incomplete, and there is no standardized format for recording metadata, leading to inefficiency during the metadata-based data retrieval process. Here, we propose a novel standardization method for DICOM metadata termed the Radiology Common Data Model (R-CDM). Read More

Environ Int 2022 01 13;159:107021. Epub 2021 Dec 13.

Madras Diabetes Research Foundation, Chennai, India.

Introduction: Use of polluting cooking fuels generates household air pollution (HAP) containing health-damaging levels of fine particulate matter (PM). Many global epidemiological studies rely on categorical HAP exposure indicators, which are poor surrogates of measured PM levels. To quantitatively characterize HAP levels on a large scale, a multinational measurement campaign was leveraged to develop household and personal PM exposure models. Read More

BMJ Open 2021 12 13;11(12):e050672. Epub 2021 Dec 13.

Department of Global Public Health and Primary Care, University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway.

Objectives: Sleep is important for human health and well-being. No previous study has assessed whether the COVID-19 pandemic impacts sleep and daytime function across the globe.

Methods: This large-scale international survey used a harmonised questionnaire. Read More

Microbiol Spectr 2021 12 1;9(3):e0116321. Epub 2021 Dec 1.

Instituto de Pesquisa Clínica Carlos Borborema, Fundação de Medicina Tropical Doutor Heitor Vieira Dourado, Manaus, Brazil.

The interferon gamma release assay (IGRA) has emerged as a useful tool for identifying latent tuberculosis infection (LTBI). This assay can be performed through testing platforms such as the QuantiFERON-TB Gold Plus (QFT-Plus) assay. This test has been incorporated into several guidelines worldwide and has recently been considered by the World Health Organization (WHO) for the diagnosis of LTBI. Read More

Plant Commun 2021 11 9;2(6):100230. Epub 2021 Aug 9.

Institute of Crop Science, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing 100081, China.

Genotyping platforms, as critical supports for genomics, genetics, and molecular breeding, have been well implemented at national institutions/universities in developed countries and multinational seed companies that possess high-throughput, automatic, large-scale, and shared facilities. In this study, we integrated an improved genotyping by target sequencing (GBTS) system with capture-in-solution (liquid chip) technology to develop a multiple single-nucleotide polymorphism (mSNP) approach in which mSNPs can be captured from a single amplicon. From one 40K maize mSNP panel, we developed three types of markers (40K mSNPs, 251K SNPs, and 690K haplotypes), and generated multiple panels with various marker densities (1K-40K mSNPs) by sequencing at different depths. Read More

Cancers (Basel) 2021 Oct 12;13(20). Epub 2021 Oct 12.

Division of Hepatobiliary-Pancreatic Surgery, Department of Surgery, Samsung Medical Center, Sungkyunkwan University School of Medicine, Seoul 06351, Korea.

Given the rare incidence of pancreatic acinar cell carcinoma (PACC), its post-resection clinical outcomes remain unclear. Treatment strategies for PACC have relied on those of pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC). The present study retrospectively investigated clinicopathologic characteristics of resected PACC registered in the Korea Tumor Registry System Biliary Pancreas database. Read More

PLoS One 2021 21;16(9):e0257572. Epub 2021 Sep 21.

Chair for Information Systems and Supply Chain Management, Westfälische Wilhelms-Universität Münster, Münster, Germany.

The purpose of this paper is to analyse the global Sales and Operations Planning (S&OP) process and investigate the steps to support consolidated business planning in worldwide operations and large-scale supply chains. The paper conducts a case study at a multinational manufacturing company applying an abductive approach. It combines the deductive logic from theory and the inductive logic from field observation in an attempt to elaborate further on theory on global S&OP. Read More

Lancet Respir Med 2021 12 20;9(12):1387-1395. Epub 2021 Aug 20.

Clinical Investigation Center, INSERM 1415, CHRU Tours, Tours, France; Methods in Patients-Centered Outcomes and Health Research, INSERM UMR 1246, Nantes, France.

Background: Awake prone positioning has been reported to improve oxygenation for patients with COVID-19 in retrospective and observational studies, but whether it improves patient-centred outcomes is unknown. We aimed to evaluate the efficacy of awake prone positioning to prevent intubation or death in patients with severe COVID-19 in a large-scale randomised trial.

Methods: In this prospective, a priori set up and defined, collaborative meta-trial of six randomised controlled open-label superiority trials, adults who required respiratory support with high-flow nasal cannula for acute hypoxaemic respiratory failure due to COVID-19 were randomly assigned to awake prone positioning or standard care. Read More

Clin Chem Lab Med 2021 11 6;59(12):1921-1929. Epub 2021 Aug 6.

Robinson Research Institute, The University of Adelaide, Adelaide, Australia.

Objectives: Multicentre international trials relying on diagnoses derived from biochemical results may overlook the importance of assay standardisation from the participating laboratories. Here we describe a study protocol aimed at harmonising results from total bile acid determinations within the context of an international randomised controlled Trial of two treatments, URsodeoxycholic acid and RIFampicin, for women with severe early onset Intrahepatic Cholestasis of pregnancy (TURRIFIC), referred to as the Bile Acid Comparison and Harmonisation (BACH) study, with the aims of reducing inter-laboratory heterogeneity in total bile acid assays.

Methods: We have simulated laboratory data to determine the feasibility of total bile acid recalibration using a reference set of patient samples with a consensus value approach and subsequently used regression-based techniques to transform the data. Read More

JMIR Res Protoc 2021 07 29;10(7):e31013. Epub 2021 Jul 29.

Digital Health & Wellness Group, Department of Computer & Information Sciences, University of Strathclyde, Glasgow, United Kingdom.

Background: The advent of COVID-19 abruptly thrust the health and safety of children and families into greater risk around the world. As regional and local governments, nongovernmental organizations, communities, families, and children grapple with the immediate public health impact of COVID-19, the rights and well-being of children, especially those who are already marginalized, have been overlooked. Those working with children have likely encountered unprecedented challenges and responded in innovative ways in efforts to address the needs and rights of all children. Read More

J Exp Psychol Hum Percept Perform 2021 Jul 22;47(7):893-907. Epub 2021 Jul 22.

Department of Psychology.

Individuals are better at recognizing faces from their own ethnic group compared with other ethnicity faces-the (OEE). This finding is said to reflect differences in experience and familiarity to faces from other ethnicities relative to faces corresponding with the viewers' ethnicity. However, own-ethnicity face recognition performance ranges considerably within a population, from very poor to extremely good. Read More

Med J (Ft Sam Houst Tex) 2021 Apr-Jun(PB 8-21-04/05/06):3-8

2nd Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division, Fort Carson, CO.

Introduction: The Joint Readiness Training Center (JRTC) offers a laboratory for study of combat casualty care delivery during brigade-sized collective training exercises. We describe the casualty outcomes during largescale combat operations as part of a JRTC rotation.

Methods: During JRTC rotation 20-02, 2/4 Infantry Brigade Combat Team (IBCT) participated in force on force operations as part of a joint and multinational task force. Read More

Int J Hematol 2021 Oct 25;114(4):472-482. Epub 2021 Jun 25.

Research Promotion Division, Fukuoka University, Fukuoka, Japan.

Objectives: Bloodstream infection (BSI) is a frequent complication observed in patients with febrile neutropenia (FN). BSI risk factors and incidence vary depending on chemotherapy types and prophylactic antimicrobial agents. We clarified these issues by post-hoc analysis of a prospective clinical trial cohort for severe FN in hematological malignancy. Read More

Vaccines (Basel) 2021 May 2;9(5). Epub 2021 May 2.

Department of Paediatrics and Cancer Care Informatics Program, King Hussein Cancer Center, Amman 11941, Jordan.

Background: Health care workers (HCWs) are at increased risk of acquiring and transmitting COVID-19 infection. Moreover, they present role models for communities with regards to attitudes towards COVID-19 vaccination. Hence, hesitancy of HCWs towards vaccination can crucially affect the efforts aiming to contain the pandemic. Read More

Elife 2021 05 27;10. Epub 2021 May 27.

Department of Paediatrics, University of Jordan, Amman, Jordan.

Background: Vaccine hesitancy can limit the benefits of available vaccines in halting the spread of COVID-19 pandemic. Previously published studies paid little attention to Arab countries, which has a population of over 440 million. In this study, we present the results of the first large-scale multinational study that measures vaccine hesitancy among Arab-speaking subjects. Read More

Eur Radiol 2021 Dec 18;31(12):9188-9197. Epub 2021 May 18.

Affidea BV, Vijzelstraat 68, 1017, Amsterdam, HL, The Netherlands.

Objectives: Radiation dose index monitoring (RDIM) systems may help identify CT dose reduction opportunities, but variability and complexity of imaging procedures make consistent dose optimization and standardization a challenge. This study aimed to investigate the feasibility to standardize and optimize CT protocols through the implementation of a Dose Excellence Program within a European healthcare network.

Methods: The Dose Excellence Program consisted of a multidisciplinary team that developed standardized organizational adult CT protocols and thresholds for relevant radiation dose indices (RDIs). Read More

Cancers (Basel) 2021 Mar 10;13(6). Epub 2021 Mar 10.

Karolinska Institute, 17177 Stockholm, Sweden.

Ewing sarcoma is the second most common bone sarcoma in children after osteosarcoma. It is a very aggressive malignancy for which systemic treatment has greatly improved outcome for patients with localized disease, who now see survival rates of over 70%. However, for the quarter of patients presenting with metastatic disease, survival is still dismal with less than 30% of patients surviving past 5 years. Read More

medRxiv 2021 Apr 17. Epub 2021 Apr 17.

Centre for Statistics in Medicine, NDORMS, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom.

Background: As large-scale immunization programs against COVID-19 proceed around the world, safety signals will emerge that need rapid evaluation. We report population-based, age- and sex-specific background incidence rates of potential adverse events of special interest (AESI) in eight countries using thirteen databases.

Methods: This multi-national network cohort study included eight electronic medical record and five administrative claims databases from Australia, France, Germany, Japan, Netherlands, Spain, the United Kingdom, and the United States, mapped to a common data model. Read More

Mar Pollut Bull 2021 May 16;166:112244. Epub 2021 Mar 16.

Red Sea Research Center, King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST), 4700 KAUST, 23955 Thuwal, Saudi Arabia.

In the face of increasing anthropogenic threats, coastal nations need to reach common ground for effective marine conservation. Understanding species' connectivity can reveal how nations share resources, demonstrating the need for cooperative protection efforts. Unfortunately, connectivity information is rarely integrated into the design of marine protected areas (MPAs). Read More

Med J (Ft Sam Houst Tex) 2021 Jan-Mar(PB 8-21-01/02/03):144-149

Deputy Division Surgeon/Medical OPS, 1st Cavalry Division.

The 1st Cavalry Division Forward (1CD FWD) along with Polish ally, subordinate brigades, adjacent supporting commands, and the 7th Army Training Command successfully executed large scale combat operations training in the Defender Europe 2020 Plus (DE20P) exercise in a biologically compromised environment. The coronavirus 2019 (COVID-19) presented many unique challenges and opportunities across all warfighting functions. Still, it proved that it is possible to train in a large-scale multinational exercise while effectively mitigating the contraction and contamination of COVID-19. Read More

Obes Surg 2021 May 1;31(5):2153-2160. Epub 2021 Feb 1.

Department of Surgery, School of Medicine, College of Medicine, Taipei Medical University, Taipei, Taiwan.

Introduction: Asian patients with diabetes exhibit different characteristics from Western patients. However, limited large-scale data are available on metabolic surgery procedures in Asia. We compared the short-term efficacies of metabolic surgery procedures for the management of Asian patients with different severities of diabetes. Read More

Mayo Clin Proc 2021 01 26;96(1):183-202. Epub 2020 Oct 26.

Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN.

A growing number of studies on coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) are becoming available, but a synthesis of available data focusing on the critically ill population has not been conducted. We performed a scoping review to synthesize clinical characteristics, treatment, and clinical outcomes among critically ill patients with COVID-19. Between January 1, 2020, and May 15, 2020, we identified high-quality clinical studies describing critically ill patients with a sample size of greater than 20 patients by performing daily searches of the World Health Organization and LitCovid databases on COVID-19. Read More

Lancet Digit Health 2019 12 14;1(8):e424-e434. Epub 2019 Nov 14.

Department of Neurology, Amsterdam University Medical Center, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, Netherlands.

Background: Although web-based interventions have been promoted for cardiovascular risk management over the past decade, there is limited evidence for effectiveness of these interventions in people older than 65 years. The healthy ageing through internet counselling in the elderly (HATICE) trial aimed to determine whether a coach-supported internet intervention for self-management can reduce cardiovascular risk in community-dwelling older people.

Methods: This prospective open-label, blinded endpoint clinical trial among people age 65 years or over at increased risk of cardiovascular disease randomly assigned participants in the Netherlands, Finland, and France to an interactive internet intervention stimulating coach-supported self-management or a control platform. Read More