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When can financial advisor conflicts of interest generate worse outcomes for clients? A regulation following from Dodd-Frank prohibits municipal advisors from simultaneously acting as bond underwriters. Using a difference-in-differences approach and 20,051 bond auctions, I test whether limited advisor privileges affect financial advice and borrower outcomes. Financing costs of bonds with potential dual advisor-underwriters fall by 11.4 basis points after the advisor is no longer allowed to underwrite. The decline follows from increases in standardization, third-party certification, and auction participation, all of which are consistent with limiting the adverse selection that arises from advisors withholding information from the market. (JEL D44, D53, G12, G14, G28, H74) [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Division I college athletes are faced with numerous academic challenges during their time in school, including conflicts of interest between the university (e.g., academic success), athletic department (e.g., athletic success), and their own priorities (e.g., quality of life, balancing academic and athletic success). These growing demands may impact student-athletes' ability to prepare for a career after sport. Thus, there is a need for high-quality student-athlete career development programming and services in student-athlete support centers. The purpose of this study was to gain senior administrators' perspectives of student-athlete support services to determine best practices of career development programming. Division I administrators (N = 10), who oversee student-athlete support centers, provided insight and feedback via semi-structured interviews. A directed qualitative content analysis was conducted to discern best practices, levels of student-athlete engagement, and preferred attributes of career development personnel. The findings provide specific recommendations, which can help other student-athlete career development personnel improve their programs and adds to the holistic care literature. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Following the Global Settlement, analysts extensively use a top pick designation allowing for greater granularity of information among buy recommended stocks, but conflicts of interest can potentially influence this designation. Examining a novel sample of top picks, we find that a calendar-time portfolio of top picks generates an abnormal performance of 17.6% per year. Top picks have greater investment value than do buy recommendations and alternative analyst investment strategies. Both institutional and retail investors trade in response to top picks. However, only institutional investors appear to identify top picks that have greater investment value when they are announced. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We exploit the staggered introduction of liability waivers when investors hold stakes in conflicting business opportunities as a shock to venture capital (VC) investment and director networks. After the law changes, we find increases in within-industry VC investment and common directors serving on startup boards. Despite the potential for rent extraction, same-industry startups inside VC portfolios benefit by raising more capital, failing less, and exiting more successfully. VC directors serving on other startup boards are the primary mechanism associated with positive outcomes, consistent with common VC investment facilitating informational exchanges in VC portfolios. Authors have furnished an Internet Appendix , which is available on the Oxford University Press Web site next to the link to the final published paper online. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This document, titled "A Quick Guide for Becoming a Better Peer Reviewer," provides tips and recommendations for individuals who have been invited to peer review an article. The authors emphasize the importance of checking the legitimacy of the journal, considering potential conflicts of interest, and evaluating the match between one's expertise and the topic of the article. They also discuss the significance, innovation, and relevance of the paper, as well as the importance of research and publication ethics. The authors provide guidance on writing the reviewer's report, including being kind, constructive, and polite, and being clear and specific in providing feedback. They caution against imposing one's own point of view and disclose recommendations to the authors. The authors conclude by highlighting the importance of mentoring and supporting the next generation of peer reviewers to improve the overall quality of peer reviews and the experience of authors and readers in physical activity research. [Extracted from the article]

This paper considers how a manager decides to disclose or withhold segment information in a capital market setting. In particular, we develop a multi-period model in which a manager in each period decides how to allocate her effort between two businesses. The profit earned in each segment is determined by the manager's effort and ability as well as each segment's market profitability and inherent uncertainty. In this setting, in contrast to the expectation of segment disclosure being withheld due to conflicts of interest between managers and shareholders, we identify the conditions under which the manager rationally withholds segment information and achieves higher social welfare. In a setting where the manager is concerned about the current stock price, disclosing more disaggregated information to the stock market does not necessarily lead to more efficient monitoring. The capital market values various segment earnings differently, and in response to this valuation, a rational manager may greatly alter her behavior, leading to inefficient outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present paper reveals the organisational and legal framework for participation of higher education institutions of Ukraine in the implementation of the state’s anti-corruption policy. Based on the analysis of current legislative and subordinate legal acts on combating corruption in Ukraine, as well as legislation on education, the author highlights the legal capabilities of higher education institutions in terms of implementing national anti-corruption policy measures. It is determined that higher education institutions shall organise educational and awareness-raising campaigns with anti-corruption content, carry out activities to ensure the integration of anti-corruption topics into the content of higher education, work to form an attitude of intolerance to corruption in all its manifestations among students, introduce their own forms of activity to cultivate respect for corruption whistleblowers, implement measures to eradicate corruption risks in the internal activities of educational institutions and participants in the educational process, prevent conflicts of interest in the field of education and science, etc. The author proposes the classification of anti-corruption measures initiated and implemented by higher education institutions at the local level. In particular, such measures, depending on the specifics of the subject matter, are grouped into several groups: measures to create and introduce special educational components on anti-corruption into the educational process, organisation of special scientific research on the most pressing issues of anti-corruption and participation in targeted grant programmes on the prevention of corruption, development, adoption and implementation of local regulations on anti-corruption, introduction of a position of a responsible person for anti-corruption activities, and establishment of a special unit for anti-corruption activities. The author substantiates the existing organisational and legal problems of ensuring a high level of efficiency higher education institutions’ participation in the implementation of the state’s anticorruption policy. In particular, these include legal uncertainty of the criteria and methods for assessing the effectiveness of higher education institutions’ participation in the state’s anti-corruption policy, insufficient legal regulation of preventive anti-corruption measures taken by higher education institutions in the academic environment, and the lack of algorithmisation of the introduction of foreign experience in anti-corruption activities of foreign academies and universities into national practice. The author substantiates the expediency of creating a special international inter-academic platform for borrowing the best foreign experience of anti-corruption activities among participants in educational processes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To evaluate the methodological, reporting and evidence quality of systematic reviews or meta-analyses of Janus kinases (JAK) inhibitors for the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Methods: Our study systematically retrieved reviews from various databases, spanning from inception to June 2024. Two evaluators independently assessed the methodological, reporting, and evidence quality of each review using the AMSTAR-2 and PRIAMA2020 tools. The evidence quality was evaluated according to GRADE criteria. Six aspects were evaluated: publication year, study type, homogeneity, risk of publication bias, AMSTAR-2 methodology, and PRIAMA2020 reporting quality. Excel 2016 facilitated conversion of scores into radar plots. Results: Following stringent selection criteria, a total of 18 relevant studies were identified. The AMSTAR-2 scores ranged from 4 to 13 points, with five studies rated as low quality and the remaining 13 as critically low quality. All studies encompassed populations, interventions, controls, and outcome measures, demonstrating commendable integrity. However, there is room for improvement in study protocol development and registration, comprehensive search strategies, inclusion and exclusion criteria, conflict of interest disclosure, and discussion of heterogeneity. PRIAMA2020 assessments ranged from 14.5 to 21 points, with two studies scoring below 15 points due to increased bias risk from data transformation and sensitivity analysis. Notably, all reviews (100%) adhered to PRIAMA2020 guidelines for certain items but none met all criteria. GRADE evaluation included 446 outcome measures, with 158 of moderate, 156 of low, and 132 of very low quality, indicating JAK inhibitors is effective in improving RA. According to radar chart, the average rank score was 13.13. One study achieved a balanced score across all dimensions, while 11 exceeded the average, five showed significant differences in PRIAMA2020 scores, and four in AMSTAR two scores. Conclusion: Despite summarizing the efficacy and safety of JAK inhibitors in treating RA, the included studies exhibited poor methodological and reporting quality, along with low-quality evidence overall. Therefore, caution is warranted among decision-makers regarding the use of JAK inhibitors in RA treatment. Urgent requirements include high-quality, multicenter studies investigating JAK inhibitors for RA. Systematic Review registration: https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/PROSPERO, identifier 413415. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

At the current stage, the issue of bankruptcy of legal entities has been thoroughly worked out, has clearly defined and justified legal and economic mechanisms, works effectively not only in the world, but also in Ukraine. However, the issue of bankruptcy of individuals remains unresolved. The main problem is the ethical and psychological aspect of the bankruptcy procedure of an individual. Here there is a conflict of interests between the protection of the rights and freedoms of an individual as a citizen and the protection of the rights and interests of creditors. The article examines the good faith of the debtor in the bankruptcy procedure, focusing on legal and moral and psychological dimensions. The bankruptcy procedure is a complex process that affects both the legal position of the debtor and his psychological state. The good faith of the debtor is defined as a key principle that ensures the fairness and efficiency of bankruptcy procedures. The legislative framework that regulates the good faith of the debtor in Ukraine is analyzed, in particular the requirements for the behavior of the debtor at various stages of bankruptcy. The legal consequences of unscrupulous behavior are considered, such as the possibility of bankruptcy rejection or the imposition of additional sanctions. The moral and psychological dimension of good faith includes ethical norms and principles that influence the debtor’s decisions and his interaction with creditors and other interested parties. The psychological pressure experienced by the debtor during the bankruptcy procedure can affect his ability to act in good faith, so it is important to take this aspect into account when evaluating his behavior. The article also explores the socio-psychological consequences of bankruptcy, such as stigmatization and loss of reputation, which can affect the debtor’s integrity. Proposals are made to improve legislation to ensure greater transparency and fairness in bankruptcy procedures, as well as recommendations to support debtors on a psychological level. The changes proposed by the authors of the article will contribute to increasing the level of good faith of debtors, ensuring a fair and humane approach to solving bankruptcy problems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

China's recent shift in the Belt and Road Initiatives (BRI) focusses on engaging middle powers in the Global South for joint development of commercially viable projects in third countries. Among these are the oil-rich Gulf heavyweights seen as critical partners and supporters of the BRI. Yet, instances of competition or conflict of interests with Beijing are not uncommon. Applying the asymmetric competition theory, this study compares Sino-Emirati interactions in maritime infrastructure in the Horn of Africa with Sino-Saudi cooperation in China-Pakistan Economic Corridor. We find that Gulf heavyweights can leverage their asymmetric advantages to affect the interaction patterns with greater powers. By distributing resources disproportionally, the medium Southern powers can strive to partially establish structural power, enabling them to get dis-embedded from the single cooperation framework dominated by a great power. In the case of seemingly harmonious third-party collaboration, a dynamic analytical perspective reveals that early embedding these actors might lay the groundwork for the creation of asymmetric advantages which can be leveraged later. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: To explore how overcrowding affects children's health, environment and schooling. Methods: A qualitative study was conducted with individual interviews among 20 participants with occupational experience from overcrowded Stockholm areas but diverse in professions, locations and employers. The interviews were recorded, transcribed and analysed with Systematic Text Condensation. Results: Almost all participants expressed that overcrowding has a negative impact on children's health, environment and schooling – based on perceptions of precarious and different living conditions for children in overcrowded areas, for example, substandard homes, vulnerability, stress, exclusion, limited resources, lack of learning opportunities, gender differences, confinement, shame, insecurity, conflicts, risk of criminality, and bodily impact, both physical and psychological. Conclusions: Our qualitative evidence suggest that overcrowding has a negative impact on children's health, environment and schooling. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This document, titled "Swollen and painful distal phalanx," discusses a case of an 11-year-old male with a swollen and erythematous digit. The patient had a history of trauma with a subungual hematoma that was drained 4 years prior. The document includes various images, such as ultrasound, X-ray, and CT-scan images, which show a defect in the distal phalanx of the finger. The authors declare no competing interests, and the work has not been previously published elsewhere. [Extracted from the article]

There is growing interest in experiments conducted by researchers and policymakers as a team. The attraction of these 'embedded experiments' is that they seem to facilitate speedy translation of research into policy. This approach, however, can trivialise public policy and compromise the independence of the researchers. It is also a fountain of ethical dilemmas including consent issues, conflicts of interest and compensation norms. The perils of embedded experiments, and possible safeguards, are discussed with the help of a case study. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In 2017, the National Library of Medicine (NLM) added a voluntary field for conflict of interest (COI) statements ("posted COI") on the abstract page of PubMed, but the extent to which it is used is unknown. This repeated cross-sectional study examined journals and articles indexed on PubMed from 2016 through 2021. We described the proportion of all journals with at least one article that included a posted COI and the percentage of all articles that included a posted COI over time. We also examined 100 randomly selected articles published between June 2021 and May 2022 from each of the 40 highest impact journals. For these, we established whether the articles had published COIs, and, of these, the proportion that included a posted COI. Among approximately 7,000 journals publishing articles each year, the proportion of journals with at least one article with a posted COI statement increased from 25.9% in 2016 to 33.2% in 2021. Among nearly 400,000 articles published each year, the proportion of articles that included a posted COI also increased from 9.0% in 2016 to 43.0% in 2021. Among 3,888 articles published in the 40 highest impact journals in 2021–2022, 30.2% (95% CI: 28.7%-31.6%) had published COIs; of these, 63.3% (95% CI: 60.4%-66.0%) included a posted COI. Use of the PubMed COI statement has increased since it became available in 2017, but adoption is still limited, even among high impact journals. NLM should carry out additional outreach to journals that are not using the statement to promote greater transparency of COIs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

COVID-19 pandemic has raised concerns for a number of strategical social interactions. From quarantines and social distancing to vaccination and geopolitics, the cooperation or even the coordination of efforts has been challenging, as governments, economic sector, institutions, and individuals, often have conflicting interests. Game theory, which is a mathematical tool extensively used in order to determine the outcomes of strategical interactions, has been applied to a number of issues arising from the pandemic. In this paper, 60 publications are analyzed to identify the key contributions of game theory to addressing COVID-19. First, 10 keywords-topic are chosen and each publication is examined to consider if it deals with these topics. Then R package "igraph" and cluster Louvain are used in order to group the papers to 3 clusters. The results indicate that there is a temporal variation in the topics examined. In the beginning the main concern has been coupling the modelling of the transmission of the virus with social distancing responses from the public and quarantining policy. Then the economic implications of the pandemic drew the attention and finally the application of the vaccination campaigns and the cooperation of the individuals with vaccination guidelines. The paper targets on bridging the gap between game theorists and epidemiologists, illustrating how modelling agents interactions can improve responses. The clusters created can help researchers identify groups of problems that can be addressed jointly, using similar approaches. The analysis indicates that game theory can reveal social aspects that can improve the responses to future emergencies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Financial relationships between clinical guideline authors and pharmaceutical companies introduce conflicts of interest (COI), potentially biasing guideline recommendations. Thus, proper management of COI is paramount for clinical guideline authors. Nevertheless, little is known about COI among neurology clinical guideline authors. This study aimed to evaluate the financial relationships between pharmaceutical companies and authors of Clinical Practice Guideline for Headache Disorders (CPGHD) in Japan. Methods: This is a retrospective analysis of 2016–2020 personal payments data disclosed by all pharmaceutical companies affiliated with the Japan Pharmaceutical Manufacturers Association. We examined amounts and fraction of personal payments to all 57 CPGHD authors and all neurologists board-certified by the Japanese Society of Neurology. Payment data was descriptively analyzed at individual author level. Results: Among 57 CPGHD authors, 56 (98.3%) received personal payments totaling $2.7 million from pharmaceutical companies between 2016 and 2020. Median five-year payments were $89,955 for CPGHD authors, while $521 for board-certified neurologists. The CPGHD chairperson and vice chairperson received substantial payments during the guideline development period. Nevertheless, because of less rigorous and transparent COI policy compared to international standard policies, only 10 authors disclosed their financial relationships with the pharmaceutical companies in the guideline. Conclusions: More than 98% of CPGHD authors received much higher personal payments from pharmaceutical companies than those to board-certified neurologists during the guideline development period in Japan. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: To describe where clinical information is contemporarily and commonly found in UK primary care, what is favoured by clinicians, and whether this is (1) publicly funded (2) has commercial potential conflicts of interest. Design and setting: A mixed methods study, consisting of (1) site visits to general practices in Scotland, (2) online questionnaire, focused on UK general practice (3) analysis of materials cited by professionals. Methods: Data about sources of clinical information used was obtained verbally, visually and via search histories on computers from visits. This was used to inform a questionnaire in which primary care clinicians in the four nations of the UK were invited to participate. This obtained data about the information sources used and preferred by clinicians. This information was searched for data about funding and conflicts of interest. Results: Over 2022, four practices were visited. 337 clinicians, 280 of whom were general practitioners completed an online questionnaire. 136 different resources were identified. These were mainly websites but sources of information included colleagues, either in practice or through online networks, apps, local guidelines, health charities, and learning resources aimed at GPs. Of these, 70 were not publicly funded, and were a mixture of membership organisations, charities, or sponsored venues. Conclusions: Primary care clinicians obtain information for themselves and patients from a wide variety of sources. Funding is from a variety of sources and some contain advertising and/or sponsorship, risking commercial bias. Protocol: Pre-published at https://osf.io/wrzqk. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article explores the relationship between open science and science communication, highlighting the need to bridge the gap between the two for the benefit of both science and society. It proposes a framework that combines the values and practices of both communities, emphasizing transparency and the use of bridging tools to address the complexity of scientific language. The text acknowledges the controversies surrounding open scientific materials during the COVID-19 pandemic but argues that specific cases should not overshadow the overall effectiveness of open science. It emphasizes the importance of informed trust and the common good in promoting a stronger connection between scientific expertise and public understanding. The article provides valuable references and citations from various sources on the topics of science communication and open access publishing, making it a valuable resource for library patrons conducting research in these areas. [Extracted from the article]

Objective: To evaluate the methodological, reporting and evidence quality of systematic reviews or meta-analyses of Janus kinases (JAK) inhibitors for the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Methods: Our study systematically retrieved reviews from various databases, spanning from inception to June 2024. Two evaluators independently assessed the methodological, reporting, and evidence quality of each review using the AMSTAR-2 and PRIAMA2020 tools. The evidence quality was evaluated according to GRADE criteria. Six aspects were evaluated: publication year, study type, homogeneity, risk of publication bias, AMSTAR-2 methodology, and PRIAMA2020 reporting quality. Excel 2016 facilitated conversion of scores into radar plots. Results: Following stringent selection criteria, a total of 18 relevant studies were identified. The AMSTAR-2 scores ranged from 4 to 13 points, with five studies rated as low quality and the remaining 13 as critically low quality. All studies encompassed populations, interventions, controls, and outcome measures, demonstrating commendable integrity. However, there is room for improvement in study protocol development and registration, comprehensive search strategies, inclusion and exclusion criteria, conflict of interest disclosure, and discussion of heterogeneity. PRIAMA2020 assessments ranged from 14.5 to 21 points, with two studies scoring below 15 points due to increased bias risk from data transformation and sensitivity analysis. Notably, all reviews (100%) adhered to PRIAMA2020 guidelines for certain items but none met all criteria. GRADE evaluation included 446 outcome measures, with 158 of moderate, 156 of low, and 132 of very low quality, indicating JAK inhibitors is effective in improving RA. According to radar chart, the average rank score was 13.13. One study achieved a balanced score across all dimensions, while 11 exceeded the average, five showed significant differences in PRIAMA2020 scores, and four in AMSTAR two scores. Conclusion: Despite summarizing the efficacy and safety of JAK inhibitors in treating RA, the included studies exhibited poor methodological and reporting quality, along with low-quality evidence overall. Therefore, caution is warranted among decision-makers regarding the use of JAK inhibitors in RA treatment. Urgent requirements include high-quality, multicenter studies investigating JAK inhibitors for RA. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This essay examines the depiction of French ragout in eighteenth-century English literature, arguing that the dish reflects social apprehension regarding ideological, cultural, and military conflicts between England and France. This essay first traces a brief history of ragout, along with an overview of the dish's cultural connotation and complexity, in eighteenth-century English society. It next delves into the concept of eighteenth-century English Francophobia, demonstrating that this sentiment was a mixture of national pride and anxiety amid England's identity crisis under the potential French cultural threat. Finally, the essay examines ragout in eighteenth-century English literature and identifies the dish as the target of French pretension and cultural invasion. This research highlights the fact that eighteenth-century English authors' satirical portrait of ragout underscored xenophobic gastronomy and cautioned against a simple interpretation of the dish. The caricature and representation of ragout as a feminized, artificial, and laughable dish reinforces eighteenth-century English writers' concern for the invasion of foreign culture by emphasizing the contrast between authentic ‛Anglo' meat consumption and ‛Franco' sophistication. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hiatus hernias (HH) are a common cause of symptoms and complications, with considerable variation in anatomy, function, diagnosis and treatment. We undertook the first systematic review to appraise how HH are diagnosed and classified in the literature, using randomized controlled trials as a sample. A search was performed in July 2021of the PubMed, EMBASE and Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, and 2832 articles were identified and 64 were included. Median Jadad score was 2. Studies demonstrated considerable variation in diagnosis, classification and minimum surgical steps. The commonest classifications before surgery were axial length and the Type I-IV classification, variably assessed by endoscopy and contrast swallow. Intra-operatively, the commonest classification was type I-IV. A minority used more than one classification, or alternatives such as defect size and Hill classification. Most studies reported minimum steps, but these varied. Only a minority reported criteria for diagnosing recurrence. Using randomized controlled trials to appraise the highest quality evidence in the literature, we found considerable variation and inconsistency in the way HH are diagnosed and classified. This lack of a 'common language' has significant impacts for the generalizability of evidence, study synthesis and design. We propose the development of an internationally accepted classification. We wish to confirm that there are no known conflicts of interest associated with this publication and there has been no significant financial support for this work that could have influenced its outcome. We confirm that the manuscript has been read and approved by all named authors and that there are no other persons who satisfied the criteria for authorship but are not listed. We further confirm that the order of authors listed in the manuscript has been approved by all of us. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This document is copyrighted and is property of the American Academy of Pediatrics and its Board of Directors. All authors have filed conflict of interest statements with the American Academy of Pediatrics. Any conflicts have been resolved through a process approved by the Board of Directors. The American Academy of Pediatrics has neither solicited nor accepted any commercial involvement in the development of the content of this publication. Policy statements from the American Academy of Pediatrics benefit from expertise and resources of liaisons and internal (AAP) and external reviewers. However, policy statements from the American Academy of Pediatrics may not reflect the views of the liaisons or the organizations or government agencies that they represent. The guidance in this statement does not indicate an exclusive course of treatment or serve as a standard of medical care. Variations, taking into account individual circumstances, may be appropriate. All policy statements from the American Academy of Pediatrics automatically expire 5 years after publication unless reaffirmed, revised, or retired at or before that time. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The first version of the World Health Organization Model list of essential medicines contained 186 medicines in 1977 and has evolved to include 502 medicines in 2023. Over time, different articles criticized the methods and process for decisions; however, the list holds global relevance as a model list to over 150 national lists. Given the global use of the model list, reflecting on its future role is imperative to understand how the list should evolve and respond to the needs of Member States. In 2023, the model list Expert Committee recommended the World Health Organization (WHO) to initiate a process to revise the procedures for updating the model list and the criteria guiding decisions. Here, we offer an agenda outlining priority areas and a vision for an authoritative model list. The main areas include improving transparency and trustworthiness of the recommendations; strengthening connection to national lists; and continuing the debate on the principles that should guide the model list, in particular the role of cost and price of essential medicines. These reflections are intended to support efforts ensuring the continued impact of this policy tool. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Financial relationships between physicians and the health care industry sometimes lead to conflicts of interest and need to be properly managed. Using the Open Payments Database between 2013 and 2021, this cross-sectional analysis examined the industry payments made to physicians whose primary specialty was pediatrics. Descriptive analyses were performed for the payment data overall and other pediatrician demographics. Of 99 764 eligible pediatricians, 59 984 (60.1%) received a total of $297 million (12.8%) in general and $2 billion in research payments over the 9 years. Median 9-year per-physician payments were $288 (interquartile range [IQR]: $88-$958) in general and $65 343 (IQR: $16 763-$255 208) in research payments. Male pediatricians were 1.06 (95% CI: 1.05-1.09, P <.001) and 1.56 (95% CI: 1.49-1.65, P <.001) times more likely to receive general and associated research payments than female pediatricians, respectively. The number of pediatricians receiving general payments annually decreased by 1.5% (95% CI: −1.7% to −1.4%, P <.001). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article presents an interview with Adam Omelianchuk, an assistant professor at Baylor College of Medicine's Center for Medical Ethics and Health Policy. He discusses ethical concerns regarding normothermic regional perfusion (NRP), including legal compliance and liability risks, adherence to the dead donor rule, and the need for adequate disclosure to decision-makers and the public.

Introduction: Social media has transformed how music therapists work, with numerous practitioners utilizing the affordances of social media in music therapy practice. So far, music therapy research has been significantly limited regarding the ethical implications of social media use. A better understanding of the ethics of social media use is needed to inform the continuous evaluation of professional ethical guidelines. Methods: We conducted a systematic text condensation of transcripts from one conversational focus group consisting of five participants with diverse connections to music therapy and social media. Results: The results highlight the many ways social media can facilitate both substantial value as well as serious risk in music therapy practice. Through the analysis, it has also become clear that music therapists must make complex considerations in working with social media to maintain a level of responsible practice. Discussion: This study provides (a) insights and experiences from practice gathered in a conversational focus group, (b) discussions exploring the possible value and risks of social media use in music therapy, and (c) implications for practice including a summary of some ethical reflections. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To issue recommendations for reduced energy consumption in controlled environment zones (CEZ) in operating theaters and interventional sectors. A committee bringing together seven experts from the SFAR, AFC, SF2H, ASPEC and SOFCOT was convened by CERES. A conflict-of-interest statement was developed at the beginning of the process and enforced throughout the elaboration of the reference document. The experts received no financing from any company commercializing a healthcare product (medicine or medical device). The committee was called upon to follow and respect the GRADE® (grading of recommendations assessment, development and evaluation) method to evaluate quality of the factual data on which the recommendations were based. We analyzed the relevant literature and formulated the recommendations in accordance with the GRADE® methodology by identifying three different fields. Each question was formulated in accordance with the PICO (patients, intervention, comparison, outcome) format. The experts' attempts at synthesis and application of the GRADE® method led to 16 recommendations. In cases where GRADE® method could not be applied, the recommendations were formulated as expert advice. Once strong agreement among the experts had been reached, we formulated 15 recommendations for decreased energy consumption and reduced environmental impact in the controlled environment zones of operating theaters and interventional sectors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Journal of Engineering Management / Gongcheng Guanli Xuebao is the property of Journal of Engineering Management Editorial Office and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

A consistent mitigation strategy used in sponsored research to manage a financial conflict of interest (FCOI) is disclosure in publications. While federal funding regulations require mitigation strategies to be monitored through the end of the project's term, manuscripts are often published after the project term has ended. We examined whether it would be valuable to extend monitoring of publications for compliance with requirements for disclosure beyond the end date of a project's term and, if so, for how long after the term has ended. Using publicly available databases, we identified FCOI reports from public universities and analyzed disclosure completion in the years before and after the end of the project's term. We found that 80.2% of FCOI reports in our sample had a publication in which a conflicted Investigator served as an author, yet less than half (43.6%) of these publications contained disclosure statements acknowledging the known FCOI. We also found that publication most commonly occurred one year after the end of the project's term. These findings indicate that an effective way to support accountability and accuracy of the scientific record would be to extend monitoring of disclosure in publications through one year following the end of the project's term. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Households in the United States often rely on financial advisers for investment and savings decisions, yet there is a widespread perception that many advisers are dishonest. This distrust is not unwarranted: approximately one in fifteen advisers has a history of serious misconduct, with this rate rising to one in six in certain regions and firms. We explore the economic foundations of the financial advisory industry and demonstrate how heterogeneity in household financial sophistication and conflicts of interest allow poor financial advice to persist. Using data on the universe of financial advisers and the Survey of Consumer Finances, we document who uses financial advisers and the prevalence of misconduct in the industry. Our findings suggest that a lack of financial sophistication is a key friction, making enhanced disclosure a potentially effective policy response. Supporting this, we show through a difference-in-differences approach that "naming and shaming" firms with high misconduct rates was associated with a 10 percent reduction in misconduct. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Background Overuse of medical care is a pervasive problem. Studies using hypothetical scenarios suggest that physicians' risk literacy influences medical decisions; real-world correlations, however, are lacking. We sought to determine the association between physicians' risk literacy and their real-world prescriptions of potentially hazardous drugs, accounting for conflicts of interest and perceptions of benefit--harm ratios in low-value prescribing scenarios. Setting and sample Cross-sectional study--conducted online between June and October 2023 via field panels of Sermo (Hamburg, Germany)--with a convenience sample of 304 English general practitioners (GPs). Methods GPs' survey responses on their treatment-related risk literacy, conflicts of interest and perceptions of the benefit--harm ratio in low-value prescribing scenarios were matched to their UK National Health Service records of prescribing volumes for antibiotics, opioids, gabapentin and benzodiazepines and analysed for differences. Results 204 GPs (67.1%) worked in practices with ≥6 practising GPs and 226 (76.0%) reported 10--39 years of experience. Compared with GPs demonstrating low risk literacy, GPs with high literacy prescribed fewer opioids (mean (M): 60.60 vs 43.88 prescribed volumes/1000 patients/6 months, p=0.016), less gabapentin (M: 23.84 vs 18.34 prescribed volumes/1000 patients/6 months, p=0.023), and fewer benzodiazepines (M: 17.23 vs 13.58 prescribed volumes/1000 patients/6 months, p=0.037), but comparable volumes of antibiotics (M: 48.84 vs 40.61 prescribed volumes/1000 patients/6 months, p=0.076). High-risk literacy was associated with lower conflicts of interest (θ = 0.12, p=0.031) and higher perception of harms outweighing benefits in low-value prescribing scenarios (p=0.007). Conflicts of interest and benefit--harm perceptions were not independently associated with prescribing behaviour (all ps >0.05). Conclusions and relevance The observed association between GPs with higher risk literacy and the prescription of fewer hazardous drugs suggests the importance of risk literacy in enhancing patient safety and quality of care. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Reporting conflicts of interest (COI) and sources of sponsorship are of paramount importance in adequately interpreting the results of systematic reviews. Some evidence suggests that there is an influence of COI and sponsorship on the study results. The objectives of this meta-research study were twofold: (a) to assess the reporting of COI and sponsorship statements in systematic reviews published in dentistry in three sources (abstract, journal's website and article's full text) and (b) to assess the associations between the characteristics of the systematic reviews and reporting of COI. Methods: We searched the PubMed database for dental systematic reviews published from database inception to June 2023. We assessed how COI and sponsorship statements were reported in the three sources. We performed a logistic regression analysis to assess the associations between the characteristics of the systematic reviews and the reporting of COI. Results: We assessed 924 abstracts published in PubMed and on the corresponding journals´ websites. Similarly, full texts associated with the 924 abstracts were also assessed. A total of 639 (69%) and 795 (88%) studies had no statement of COI in the abstracts on PubMed and the journal's website, respectively. In contrast, a COI statement was reported in 801 (87%) full texts. Sponsorship statements were not reported in 911 (99%) and 847 (93%) abstracts published in PubMed and a journal´s website, respectively. Nearly two-thirds of the full-text articles (N = 607) included sponsorship statements. Journal access was significantly associated with COI statement reporting in all three sources. Open-access journals have significantly higher odds to report COI in PubMed and full-texts, while have significantly lower odds to report COI in the websites, compared with subscription or hybrid journals. Abstract type was significantly associated with COI statement reporting on the journal's website and in the full text. Review registration based on the full text and the number of authors were significantly associated with COI statement reporting in PubMed and in the full texts. Several other variables were found to be significantly associated with COI statement reporting in one of the three sources. Conclusions: COI and sponsorship statements seem to be underreported in the abstracts and homepage of the journals, compared to the full-texts. These results were particularly more pronounced in abstracts published in both the PubMed database and the journals' websites. Several characteristics of systematic reviews were associated with COI statement reporting. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: The introduction of new drugs often leads to aggressive promotion and potential financial conflicts of interest, which may bias treatment decisions and potentially harm patients. The breast cancer therapeutics market is rapidly evolving globally, and Japan is no exception. This study aimed to analyze trends in pharmaceutical payments to breast cancer specialists in Japan from 2016 to 2019, focusing on company-level data, relationships with new drug introductions, and individual specialist payment patterns. Methods: This retrospective study examined financial relationships between pharmaceutical companies and breast cancer specialists in Japan from 2016 to 2019. The analysis focused on certified specialists as of May 2023 and used payment data from 93 pharmaceutical companies for activities such as lecturing, writing, and consulting. First, a company-level analysis examined total payments, categories, and trends for all companies and the top 10 individually; second, a specialist-level analysis looked at payment amounts amount and counts. The Gini index was employed to assess the concentration of payments among specialists. Results: Total payments reached USD 13,329,911, growing at 10.1% annually, with 81.4% allocated to lecturing engagements. The top 10 companies, led by Chugai Pharmaceutical, Eisai, and AstraZeneca, accounted for 89.5% of all payments. Companies like Pfizer Japan and Eli Lilly Japan saw notable increases following the introduction of new drugs such as palbociclib and abemaciclib. Payment distribution was highly skewed, with an average of $7,692 per specialist but a median of only $2,884. A Gini index of 0.994 further confirmed that a small group of specialists received a disproportionately large share of the payments Conclusion: From 2016 to 2019, pharmaceutical payments to Japanese breast cancer specialists increased significantly, coinciding with new drug introductions. The concentration of payments among a select group of specialists raises concerns about potential influences on clinical decision-making and guideline recommendations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Evolutionary conflicts of interest occur at all levels, scales and forms of biological organization. They are a fundamental component of the living world and range from conflicts between genetic elements and cells, to conflicts between the sexes and between competing individuals. Yet, the existence of admirably well functioning genomes, bodies, mating pairs and societies suggests that processes must exist to resolve or mitigate such conflicts. We organized this special feature 'The resolution of evolutionary conflicts within species' to encourage the flow of knowledge between fields that traditionally have often taken different approaches to study evolutionary conflicts. Contributed papers discuss data from bacteria, plants and animals (including humans) and present theory, molecular mechanisms and population dynamics of how conflicts are resolved in nature. Together, they contribute to a synthetic theory of conflict resolution. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: Women must seek regular gynecological care for their checkups, childbirth, or gynecological diseases. Given the critical responsibility of obstetricians and gynecologists in safeguarding the health and lives of both mother and baby, this profession is highly sensitive and stressful. Structural factors may complicate the relationship between the doctor and client and lead to gynecological violenceA study in Iran sheds light on the violence between female gynecologists and their clients. Methods: The research is done through semi-structured interviews with clients, residents, and female gynecologists in Iran to examine the lived experiences of both. Results: Based on the WHO's definition of gynecological violence and its categories, verbal, physical, and psychological violence, social discrimination, neglect of care, and failure to maintain client confidentiality were the main themes found in gynecological violence in Iran. Conclusion: The relationship between the gynecologist and the client suffers due to differences in religious and cultural beliefs, as well as the stressful nature of the job. Female gynecologists go through a challenging training course at university and also medical practice, and the significance of maternal mortality contributes to the stressfulness of their job. Working in public hospitals with a high workload and facing conflicts of interest between financial benefits and patient health complicates the relationship between the gynecologist and the client, creating the conditions for violence between them. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

While undisputedly important, and part of any systematic review (SR) by definition, evaluation of the risk of bias within the included studies is one of the most time-consuming parts of performing an SR. In this paper, we describe a case study comprising an extensive analysis of risk of bias (RoB) and reporting quality (RQ) assessment from a previously published review (CRD42021236047). It included both animal and human studies, and the included studies compared baseline diseased subjects with controls, assessed the effects of investigational treatments, or both. We compared RoB and RQ between the different types of included primary studies. We also assessed the "informative value" of each of the separate elements for meta-researchers, based on the notion that variation in reporting may be more interesting for the meta-researcher than consistently high/low or reported/non-reported scores. In general, reporting of experimental details was low. This resulted in frequent unclear risk-of-bias scores. We observed this both for animal and for human studies and both for disease-control comparisons and investigations of experimental treatments. Plots and explorative chi-square tests showed that reporting was slightly better for human studies of investigational treatments than for the other study types. With the evidence reported as is, risk-of-bias assessments for systematic reviews have low informative value other than repeatedly showing that reporting of experimental details needs to improve in all kinds of in vivo research. Particularly for reviews that do not directly inform treatment decisions, it could be efficient to perform a thorough but partial assessment of the quality of the included studies, either of a random subset of the included publications or of a subset of relatively informative elements, comprising, e.g. ethics evaluation, conflicts of interest statements, study limitations, baseline characteristics, and the unit of analysis. This publication suggests several potential procedures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article examines the UK government's excessive spending during the COVID-19 pandemic, resulting in significant financial losses due to fraud and mismanagement. It critiques schemes like the Bounce Back Loan scheme and NHS Test and Trace as failures. The text delves into the concept of fiduciary duties in public law, drawing on cases from various countries to discuss their potential role in controlling government spending. It also explores the practical challenges of enforcing fiduciary duties and stresses the importance of accountability in government spending, particularly in times of financial vulnerability like the pandemic. [Extracted from the article]

The experience of our conscience belongs in the same category as feeling, thinking and wanting. However, it has a special aspect, namely the presence of other human beings as absolute entities. The process of experience is concerned with the way to best promote your own interests, with how far you will go in actualising your essential characteristics as an absolute entity. The discussion of our urge for survival shows that we can go quite far in that respect, and that to actualise that urge, there are in fact no boundaries; everything is permitted. The same can be said about actualising our other essential characteristics, but the difference is that our need to do so is perhaps less cogently present; it is not our life, or at least not our continued material existence, that is at stake. Nonetheless, we can and may even choose to go to extremes in this respect and thus to give ourselves priority over others. Respect for the interests of others is based on self-respect, which may lead you to decide to subject your dealings with other people to a set of standards for yourself. Here we enter the area of morals and ethics, to which we can attach a complete moral philosophy and on the basis of a belief, a moral theology. At the end of this road is total love of yourself and others, because you have come to realise that it is the only way that can lead to the fourth essential characteristic of human beings as, absolute entities, namely self-fulfilment. You will then have developed in a way that allows you to yourself and others the scope we need as absolute entities. (compassion, solidarity). Self-fulfilment is achieved through selfdevelopment, i.e. discovering and honing our gifts and talents and thus finding our own identity (development), a process by which the lives of human beings as absolute entities acquire purpose (the search for meaning). Self-fulfilment is selfactualisation, the that results from the realisation of the essential characteristics of human beings as absolute entities, and it leads to satisfaction derived from ourselves or our activities, a sense of being satisfied with what we have accomplished. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: The morphological designs and the behavior (rhythmic brushing, vibrating, scraping, and tapping) of the male genitalia in two species of crane flies indicate that male genital structures in both species function to stimulate the female during copulation. These observations are used to test current theoretical explanations of the rapid divergent evolution of male genitalia of animals with internal insemination. Male genitalia have been hypothesized to function as courtship devices during copulation, but it is difficult to use behavioral observations to test this hypothesis because male genitalia are usually hidden inside the female during copulation. In tipuloid flies, however, nearly all of the male's complex genital structures remain outside the female. Copulation behavior and genital morphology in Tipula (Triplicitipula) colei and T. (Lunatipula) translucida suggest that some male genital structures function to stimulate the female: male structures that contact the female bear tufts or dense arrays of modified setae on precisely the surfaces that contact the female; contact involves repeated, stereotyped rhythmic movements that include brushing, vibrating, scraping, and tapping; the movements are appropriately designed to utilize the morphology of the modified setae to stimulate the female; and the movements have little or no other perceptible mechanical effects on the female. The female structures contacted by these male genital movements fail to show the defensive designs predicted by the theories of genital evolution that are based on morphological species isolation or male–female morphological conflicts of interest; also unexplained by the conflict of interest hypothesis are female movements that seem designed to increase rather than avoid stimulation by the male. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This document is an introduction to a special issue of the journal "Language Resources & Evaluation" focused on language resources for clinical linguistics. Clinical linguistics is an interdisciplinary field that studies the linguistic characteristics associated with medical conditions. The special issue covers a range of topics, including corpus-based research in speech-language pathology, the identification and use of language resources for clinical applications, the design of annotation tools for analyzing atypical verbal productions, and legal and ethical aspects of language technology. The issue includes papers on topics such as dementia, schizophrenia, pragmatic skills, breast cancer diagnosis, depressive symptoms detection on Twitter, and robotic-assisted surgery. The authors provide a brief overview of each paper and express gratitude to the authors and reviewers involved in the special issue. [Extracted from the article]

Research institutions often lack policies addressing the risks and benefits of enrolling "invested parties" such as investigators, research staff, and patient, caregiver, and community representatives (groups most affected by a disease or intervention) in studies where they have direct involvement. Invested parties may have both strong motivations to study the condition or intervention and to participate as study subjects. More guidance is needed to promote appropriate access to research participation and mitigate potential risks. This article addresses the gap in guidance by presenting an ethical framework and practical guidelines for the enrollment of invested parties. Drawing from experiences with the Researching COVID to Enhance Recovery (RECOVER) Initiative, a large multisite observational cohort study, we argue that invested parties should not be categorically excluded from enrollment in their own research studies if certain criteria are met and appropriate safeguards are in place. We underscore the need to balance inclusion with fairness, promote valid voluntary informed consent, ensure data privacy, protect scientific validity, and mitigate unique risks to invested parties as participants. Additionally, we recommend regular reporting and empirical assessment to evaluate the impact of enrolling invested parties on participants and study outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article examines how imperfect legislative agreements offer an opportunity for higher courts' intervention in policymaking. In concrete terms, it explains that lawmakers in certain situations avoid resolving apparent conflicts of interest due to high transaction costs in the legislative process, maintaining statutory criteria considered transparently inefficient or by simply developing regulatory arrangements with a significant degree of indeterminacy. Employing a simplified model of rational choice behaviour, the article asserts that those scenarios constitute an opportunity for strategic involvement of the higher courts in crafting public policy. As an unintended consequence of the imperfect legislative agreements, justices look at them as an indicator that members of the other branches of government have reached weak political compromises or are unable to impose their policy preferences. Therefore, justices can exercise discretion, foreseeing prospects to increase their authority while the risk of an overruling or the implementation of other retaliatory measures remains low. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In some countries, pharmacists have obtained prescribing rights to improve quality and accessibility of care and reduce physician workload. This case study explored pharmacists' current roles in and potential for prescribing in primary care in the Netherlands, where prescribing rights for pharmacists do not exist. Participatory observations of pharmacists working in either general practice or community pharmacy were conducted, as were semi-structured interviews about current and potential practice. The latter were extended to patients and other healthcare professionals, mainly general practitioners, resulting in 34 interviews in total. Thematic analyses revealed that pharmacists, in all cases, wrote prescriptions that were then authorized by a physician before dispensing. General practice-based pharmacists often prescribed medications during patient consultations. Community pharmacists mainly influenced prescribing through (a) medication reviews where the physician and/or practice nurse often were consulted to make treatment decisions, and (b) collaborative agreements with physicians to start or substitute medications in specific situations. These findings imply that the pharmacists' current roles in prescribing in the Netherlands resemble collaborative prescribing practices in other countries. We also identified several issues that should be addressed before formally introducing pharmacist prescribing, such as definitions of tasks and responsibilities and prescribing-specific training for pharmacists. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article focuses on the prevalence of undisclosed financial conflicts of interest among physicians who post about medical devices on social media. Topics include the frequent lack of disclosure of financial relationships when discussing specific devices, the impact of such undisclosed conflicts on perceived bias and patient care, and the need for greater transparency and regulation in social media disclosures to manage potential biases.