From Opaque to Accountable Governance: Investor Activism for Transparency in Social Media Amid Disruption in Cryptocurrency

Cryptocurrencies have experienced rapid growth, but the absence of regulatory supervision has given rise to concerns regarding transparency. Unlike traditional financial systems, cryptocurrencies lack a central authority, resulting in unclear governance and potential issues. This is exemplified by the problems associated with Initial Coin Offerings (ICOs). The recent crisis at FTX underscores the importance of transparency. While some exchanges are beginning to list assets governed by ethical principles, the path towards establishing accountable governance remains uncertain. Our research delves into how the lack of transparency in cryptocurrency exchanges prompts investors to advocate for accountable governance. We employ an event study approach to examine the impact of the FTX bankruptcy, with a particular focus on activism on Twitter. Our findings indicate that investor demands for transparency encourage exchanges to adopt measures aimed at ensuring accountability, such as conducting Proof of Reserves audits. This shift has the potential to foster a more stable and reliable cryptocurrency ecosystem, ultimately benefiting both investors and the industry as a whole

The Effects of Wireless Emergency Alerts in Pandemic: Empirical Evidence of Online and Offline Consumption

Wireless Emergency Alerts (WEAs) have become a critical information system to inform residents of a potentially harmful event in the nearby area. However, there is limited empirical evidence of the impact of WEAs. Moreover, WEAs may pose a threat to the privacy of infected people as the WEAs include the personal information of those. Using a large transaction dataset, this study empirically investigates (1) how the WEAs influence offline and online transactions, and (2) how different types of WEAs containing different personal information affect consumption. Our results show that people reduce offline transaction amounts after receiving WEAs to alert confirmed cases with their demographic information, but there is no change in offline transaction amounts after receiving WEAs to inform recently visited places and routes of infected people. In addition, the treatment effects are stronger for high spending people

Trend and Seasonality of Diabetic Foot Amputation in South Korea: A Population-Based Nationwide Study

The number of lower extremity amputations in diabetic foot patients in Korea is increasing annually. In this nationwide population-based retrospective study, we investigated the data of 420,096 diabetes mellitus patients aged ≥18 years using the Korean Health Insurance Review and Assessment Service claim database. We aimed to study the seasonal and monthly trends in diabetic foot amputations in Korea. After applying the inclusion criteria, 8156 amputation cases were included. The analysis showed an increasing trend in monthly amputation cases. In terms of seasonality, the monthly frequency of amputation was commonly observed to be lower in February and September every year. Diabetic foot amputations frequently occurred in March, July, and November. There was no difference between the amputation frequency and mean temperature/humidity. This study is meaningful as it is the first nationwide study in Korea to analyze the seasonal and monthly trends in diabetic foot amputation in relation to climatic factors. In conclusion, we recognize an increased frequency of amputation in March, July, and November and recommend intensive educational program on foot care for all diabetes patients and their caregivers. This could improve wound management and amputation prevention guidelines for diabetic foot patients in the Far East with information on dealing with various seasonal changes

Surgical Treatment Using Sinus Tarsi Approach with Anterolateral Fragment Open-Door Technique in Sanders Type 3 and 4 Displaced Intraarticular Calcaneal Fracture

Although various outcomes of the sinus tarsi approach have been reported, these are limited to the Sanders type 2 displaced intraarticular calcaneal fractures (DIACF) because of the limited visibility of the posterior facet joint. In this study we aimed to (1) introduce a sinus tarsi approach combined with an anterolateral fragment open-door technique that enables adequate visibility of the innermost and middle portion of the posterior facet joint, and (2) evaluate the radiographic and clinical outcomes of the patients treated with that technique. This is a retrospective case-series study performed on medical records of 25 patients who presented with the Sanders type 3 or 4 DIACF and were treated with the sinus tarsi approach. The radiologic measurements showed significant corrections of the Bohler’s angle, calcaneal width, length, height, and articular step-off in both X-rays and CTs in the last follow-up period. The mean AOFAS score was 90.08 ± 6.44 at the last follow-up. Among all the follow-up patients, two cases (8%) had acute superficial infections, and no other wound complications occurred. Therefore, we suggest that the Sanders type 3 or 4 DIACF could be successfully treated with the proposed technique with low complications and bring out effective clinical and radiologic outcomes

Does Amputation Negatively Influence the Incidence of Depression in Diabetic Foot Patients? A Population-Based Nationwide Study

This study aimed to investigate the relationship between diabetic foot ulcer and depression based on treatment methods employed, as evaluated according to Medicare claims data provided by the Health Insurance Review and Assessment Service (HIRA). Data on diabetic foot patients from January 2011 to December 2016 were collected from the HIRA using codes for diabetic foot and depression disorder. The incidence of depression was analyzed based on patients’ demographic variables, and comorbidities were assessed using the Charlson comorbidity index (CCI). The participants were divided into two groups based on the treatment method used: a limb-saving group and an amputation group. The 1-, 3-, and 5-year incidence rates of depression were 10.1%, 20.4%, and 29.5%, respectively, in the limb-saving group and 4.5%, 8.2%, and 11.5%, respectively, in the amputation group. Female sex, the CCI, and the use of limb-saving treatment methods were significant risk factors. It is plausible that depression in diabetic foot patients may be associated with frequent recurrence and chronicity rather than a single intense event. Our findings highlight the need for clinicians to consider the treatment period as a contributor to patient mood disorders when selecting the appropriate course of action in patients