From information seeking to information avoidance: Understanding the health information behavior during a global health crisis

Individuals seek information for informed decision-making, and they consult a variety of information sources nowadays. However, studies show that information from multiple sources can lead to information overload, which then creates negative psychological and behavioral responses. Drawing on the Stimulus-Organism-Response (S-O-R) framework, we propose a model to understand the effect of information seeking, information sources, and information overload (Stimuli) on information anxiety (psychological organism), and consequent behavioral response, information avoidance during the global health crisis (COVID-19). The proposed model was tested using partial least square structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) for which data were collected from 321 Finnish adults using an online survey. People found to seek information from traditional sources such as mass media, print media, and online sources such as official websites and websites of newspapers and forums. Social media and personal networks were not the preferred sources. On the other hand, among different information sources, social media exposure has a significant relationship with information overload as well as information anxiety. Besides, information overload also predicted information anxiety, which further resulted in information avoidance.</p

Eosinophilia with PDGFRB gene rearrangement and isolated del 5q; an extremely rare presentation of myeloid neoplasm

Introduction: Myeloproliferative neoplasms with PDGFRA, PDGFRB and FGFR1 rearrangements are reported to be very rare entities. Myeloid neoplasms with PDGFRB rearrangement have prominent eosinophilia, neutrophilia or monocytosis and presence of t (5;12)(q31~q33;p12-13) or variant translocation. Case Report: We report a 55 years old female patient who presented with eosinophilia along with predominant eosinophil precursors on bone marrow and concomitant isolated del (5q) and PDGFRB gene rearrangement which is an infrequent and rare finding. Conclusion: isolated acquired deletion of the long arm of chromosome 5 (del 5q) also known as 5q- syndrome, is a distinct hematologic disorder reported to be primary myelodys plastic syndrome which is found in females of middle age and usually presents with macrocytic anemia, oval macrocytes, with white blood cell counts normal or reduced, platelet counts normal or elevated and bone marrow exhibitery throid hypoplasia with megakaryocytes showing hypolobated nucle

Clinicohematological and cytogenetic profile of myelodysplastic syndromes in Pakistan-compare and contrast

Abstract Background Myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS) are clonal stem cell disorders exhibiting cytopenias, ineffective hematopoiesis and morphological dysplasia. Bone marrow cytogenetics, inspite of being incorporated as mandatory tool in diagnosis are done less frequently due to limited availability of this technique in Pakistan. The aim of the study was to study baseline clinicohematological and cytogenetic characteristics of patients presenting with de novo MDS. Results A retrospective cross sectional study was done at National Institute of Blood Diseases and Bone Marrow Transplantation, Karachi, Pakistan from 2010 to 2016. Total of 177 patients were included in the study having median age 51 years and male to female ratio of 3:1. Pancytopenia was observed in 80 (45%) patients and bicytopenia in 74 (42%). Mean Hb% was 7.8 ± 2.18 g/dl, total leukocyte count (TLC) 8.8 ± 13.6 × 109/l, platelet count was 82 ± 95.7 × 109/l. Of total 170 (96%) were transfusion dependent. Refractory cytopenias with multilineage dysplasia (RCMD) was the most common world health organization (WHO) category. Karyotype was done in 98 (55%) patients out of which 44 (45%) had abnormal karyotype, complex karyotype (CK) was most commonly observed in 12 (12.2%) followed by monosomy 7 in 7 (7.1%). Conclusions We found younger median age at diagnosis, higher mean TLC and no significant history of recurrent infections. CK and monosomy 7 carry bad prognostic implications and early disease transformation to acute myeloid leukemia (AML). Monosomy 7 being associated with bad overall survival, such patients must be identified early with close clinical follow up and offered stem cell transplant. This is the largest cohort of patients of MDS evaluated for baseline clinical and cytogenetic characteristics in our country

Complex Karyotype in Hematological Diseases: A 6-Year Single Centre Study from Pakistan

Background. Most of the hematological disorders are heterogenous with regard to morphology, immunophenotype, and genetic rearrangements. Multiple recurrent chromosomal aberrations have been identified by conventional cytogenetic analysis, which is now widely recognized as one of the most important diagnostic and prognostic determinants in these patients. Though rarer, complex karyotype has been associated with worst prognosis. Materials and Methods. A total of 1185 bone marrow or peripheral blood cytogenetics samples were taken with different hematological diseases. They included both benign and malignant disease entities. In each case, cells were cultured and conventional cytogenetic analysis was performed. Results. Among 1185 subjects, 41 (3.4%) patients possessed complex cytogenetic abnormalities. Out of these 41, 33 (80%) were males. The mean age was 37 years (median age 39 years). Myelodysplastic syndromes had the most numbers of complex karyotypes (8%), followed by acute myeloid leukemia (7%) and acute lymphoblastic leukemia (4%). Also we found few patients with acute promyelocytic leukemia, aplastic anemia , chronic myeloid leukemia, and diffuse large B cell Lymphoma possessing complex karyotype. Frequencies of different cytogenetic abnormalities were assessed with respect to disease as well as independently. Trisomy 21 was the most common chromosomal abnormality found in 28% of patients. Conclusion. Complex karyotype was most frequently associated with myelodysplastic syndromes and acute myeloid leukemia. Trisomy 21 and deletion 5q were the commonest cytogenetic abnormalities found. We also assessed complex karyotype in benign diseases and detected one patient of aplastic anemia with complex karyotype. This is the first study highlighting the presence of complex karyotypes in hematological disorders in our region

Agrifood Supply Chain Traceability: A Systematic Literature Review

This paper investigates the knowledge gaps in the published research on agri-food supply chain traceability (AFSC), identifies the main unexplored issues and potential research gaps, and sets the research agenda for future researchers. A systematic literature review of the quality work/papers on AFSC traceability was done for the period (2008-2020) using a PRISMA flow diagram. The systematic literature review results have provided insight into the present literature and set future research directions related to agri-food supply chain traceability-related to re-search. The study reveals several critical issues related to all the stakeholders; it has furthered understanding of drivers and challenges and Food Traceability System contributions from a practical perspective. This paper has used only quality research work of 12 years only as per set inclusion and exclusion criteria which is the study’s main limitation. It identifies significant knowledge gaps and defines directions for future research. This work has explored the current state of the regulations and potential technologies to help effective decision-making practices that managers can use in AFSCs.This study has presented an idiosyncratic set of research domains for further investigation in the are