bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The efficiency of the Warsaw Stock Exchange : the first few years 1991-1996
Authors: Wheeler Fred P. , Neale Bill , Kowalski Tadeusz , Letza Steve R.
Published: September 2023

This paper reports a test of the changing pricing efficiency of the first stage of development of the Warsaw Stock Exchange (WSE). Emerging stock markets are unlikely to be fully information-efficient, partly due to institutional rigidities which restrict information flows to the market and partly for lack of experienced market participants to rapidly impound new information into security prices. Tests for runs and autocorrelation were conducted for the 1991-1996 trading history of the WSE and also to segmented sub-periods during which different institutional arrangements applied. As the number of trading days per week increased, the general level of efficiency, although low, steadily improved (except for the "bubble" period of 1993-1994). Inefficiencies persist in some stocks, possibly explained by opportunities to conduct off-market, out-of-hours transactions in specific stocks, and the stock exchange authorities' continuing power to suspend trading. (original abstract)
Endogenous approach to the principle of retaliation in base models of strategic trade policy
Authors: Rynarzewski Tomasz
Published: September 2023

The aim of the paper is to examine the effects of endogenous approach to the principle of retaliation in base models of strategic trade policy in the sphere of welfare. Two main models are considered: the model of homogeneous international duopoly with behaviours according to Cournot's ( Brander - Spencer) principles of quantitative competition and the model of heterogeneous international duopoly with behaviours according to Bertrand (Eaton - Grossman) principles of price competition. The base models of strategic trade policy do not take into account the possibility of participation of the governments in a strategic game on imperfect market but they only take into account mutual behaviour of enterprises. Including the principle of retaliation in the model based on Cournot's quantitative competition leads to "the prisoner's dilemma" which means that it is impossible to reconcile domestic rationality with international rationality while making decisions as regards behaviour on the market. Such a dilemma does not occur in the case of the model based on the principles of price competition because both countries achieve welfare benefits due to the fact that one of them applies the instrument of export tax. However, it may be concluded that although under quantitative competition the mutual implementation of export subsidy can lead to unfavourable consequences for the level of welfare in both countries, it is still possible to solve "the prisoner's dilemma" through various forms of a long-term co-operative game. On the other hand, under price competition where there is no contradiction between domestic rationality and international rationality, the consequences for the world economy may be less favourable because when both countries can achieve benefits neither of them will be interested in returning to free trade. (original abstract)
Poland's tourism image - results of a survey conducted among Austrian students
Authors: Hołderna-Mielcarek Bernadeta
Published: September 2023

The following paper emphasizes the role of tourism image in creating positive perceptions of nations and positioning countries as attractive holiday destinations. Based on an empirical survey of Poland's tourism image conducted among Austrian students in 2003, the paper identifies features and concepts used by young adults in conceptualising a subjective image of an ideal (dream) holiday destination, and subsequently confronts that image with the perception of Poland as a tourist destination. Conclusions drawn from the survey with respect to Poland's tourism image primarily focus on the need to eliminate negative aspects associated with Poland, and on building a strong image based on the natural environment that creates opportunities for contemporary tourism trends such as soft tourism and ecotourism, not forgetting at the same time historic and cultural merits traditionally associated with Poland. (original abstract)
Problems of implementing sustainable tourism in Poland
Authors: Niezgoda Agnieszka
Published: September 2023

The paper attempts to list problems according to the concept of sustainable tourism in Poland. This concept must be discussed both in terms of the precision of definitions and the criteria to be met by specific forms of tourism that is not only economically viable, but also friendly to the environment (natural, social, and cultural). The second aim of this paper is to show a pragmatic aspect of the analysis and to identify problems facing all those in Poland who become involved in developing tourism compatible with the principles of sustainable development. The article presents sustainable tourism in the light of the Polish legislation, tasks of local governments and lists real problems of implementing sustainable tourism in Poland. (original abstract)
Risk control methods in a hotel operation
Authors: Bednarska Marlena
Published: September 2023

Risk is an immanent characteristic of all economic processes. Since a defensive approach to business and avoidance of risk at all costs may result in the loss of potential benefits and a waste of resources, companies should implement methods of professional diagnostics and active control of risk. The aim of the paper is to present in a systematic way the methods of risk control in a company and analyse their relevance to the hotel industry. After a brief introduction concerning objectives and stages of risk management procedure, physical and financial methods of risk control are presented. Given the attributes of tourism demand and the specific features of the lodging industry, techniques of demand risk control are analysed. Special attention is paid to such actions as joining a renowned hotel chain through franchising, outsourcing services, investing in weather derivatives, signing charter or quota contracts. (original abstract)
Exchange market pressure and domestic credit evidence from Poland
Authors: Bielecki Szymon
Published: September 2023

Starting from the Girton-Roper definition of the exchange market pressure index (EMP) we use the index to describe the Polish exchange rate system in transition 1994-2002. We also compare EMP indices calculated under two alternative methodologies. For that purpose we use first all foreign reserve changes and then pure official FOREX intervention data, which seems to be more relevant for assessing the actual exchange market stance. In fact, it better catches 'events' in the history of the Polish currency market. However, the narrower index performs worse than the broader one in the estimated linear EMP models. On the contrary, in the case of a VAR model the EMP index based on the intervention data produces more clear and long-lived signals, confirming the strong sterilization practice by the Polish central bank in the first sample subperiod. (original abstract)
A rational system of the own resources for the European Community
Authors: Cieślukowski Maciej
Published: September 2023

A system of EC own resources needs a comprehensive reform because it does not correspond with the new reality of enlarged European Union (EU). The system analysis according to the own resources criteria in federal country proves that the present system of EC resources neither guarantees EC financial autonomy nor equity in taxation between Member States in aid of the general budget. Two main directions of reform are presently considered. First one concerns an extention of EC tax base by creation one or more new EC taxes while second one - a simplification of the system by replacing traditional and VAT resources with so called the fourth resource. The author tries to assess presented lines of reform according to postulated criteria. (original abstract)
Co-operation strategies of Polish companies as a response to foreign investors' expansion into the Polish market
Authors: Gorynia Marian , Jankowska Barbara , Owczarzak Radosław
Published: September 2023

The issue of a company's expansion into foreign markets is extensively discussed in specialist literature. What deserves more attention, however, is the perspective of the discourse. The problems of internationalisation at the microeconomic level are usually discussed from the viewpoint of a company which is actively internationalising its activity, while issues directly concerning host-country companies (which face the consequences of such an "invasion") stay in the background. In the present paper, theoretical discussion is exemplified with the results of empirical research conducted in 2004 among 77 Polish companies. The paper focuses primarily on the forms of co-operation between Polish and foreign companies - those which have subsidiaries or branches in the Polish market as well as those which are getting into the market through other forms of internationalisation. (original abstract)
The quantity and quality of human capital in Poland and USA analyzed in the framework of the Manuelli-Seshadri model
Authors: Cichy Krzysztof , Malaga Krzysztof
Published: September 2023

The article is aimed at analyzing the quantity and quality of human capital in Poland as compared with the United States and other countries in the framework of the recent model by Manuelli and Seshadri. A description of the model is given. The analyzed quantities are: the stock of human capital, expenditures and time allocated to human capital formation, the wage rate per unit of human capital (a measure of the quality of human capital which is a central concept of the model) and GDP p.c. Possible modifications of the model have been suggested. (original abstract)
Public capital and regional economic growth
Authors: Rosik Piotr
Published: September 2023

The paper reviews the literature on the impact of public capital on regional economic growth. It presents the main points of the debate on the role of infrastructure and focuses largely on the empirical research undertaken over the past decade. The paper considers different function forms (production function vs cost function approach) and different econometric specifications (aggregated estimation vs disaggregated estimation). Particular attention is paid to spatial distributions of regional activity as a consequence of the provision of infrastructure. (original abstract)
The long memory dynamics of the market quotations of selected Stock Companies and Warsaw Stock Index
Authors: Łuczyński Wiesław
Published: September 2023

The analysis of the results obtained allows to establish the short memory of the stationary time series deprived of the stochastic trend, the permanent memory of the non stationary data of the Hodrick-Prescott trend and the declining memory of the non stationary time series of the quotation dynamics of the stock companies. As results from the research, the spectral analysis of the stock quotations does not reveal the fluctuations in the business conditions. The fluctuations with the period of about 34, 20 and 14 sessions with the quotations of particular companies and WIG correspond to the periods 8-10, 5-6 and 3-4 weeks. (original abstract)
The Agreement on Technical Barriers to Trade : is it working for business?
Authors: Hanson Dave , Napoleon Jan
Published: September 2023

International differences in technical requirements, product standards and conformity assessment procedures create major barriers to international trade. The Agreement on Technical Barriers to Trade is intended to reduce the impact of these differences on trade. The major emphasis has been on promoting the convergence of national requirements through mutual notifications. This has not been an especially effective approach since governments and businesses often have major commitments to existing requirements and procedures. A more effective approach would be to promote international acceptance of a rebuttable presumption that the various sets of national product requirements, although different, provide equivalent levels of protection. (original abstract)
Efficient real estate market in Poland
Authors: Wiśniewski Radosław
Published: September 2023

The information efficiency of the real estate market is its ability to fully and immediately reflect all significant information in real estate prices. Efficiency is understood as the continuous reflection of respective information entering the system in real estate transaction prices, assuming this information is known, understood and unconditionally part of the decision-making process. Efficiency may be defined on two levels. The first one relates to the organization effectiveness of market system structures. The other one is related to the precision with which the price established on the real estate market reflects the actual value of the real estate and also to its ability to respond to the continuous inflow of information. The paper presents the theory of real estate market efficiency and verifies the hypothesis that the information efficiency of the real estate market in Poland is insufficient. (original abstract)
Host country effects in multinational companies' performance - empirical evidence from Polish subsidiaries
Authors: Stępień Beata
Published: September 2023

MNCs, perceived from the institutional and resource dependency perspective, are subject to various pressures that trigger their strategies and operations on a global scale. One of the important forces inclining MNCs to diversify their strategies and structures on the global scale is the impact from host countries. The strength of this impact on MNCs behaviour is discussed here both theoretically and empirically. The article also shows how MNCs actually behave on the Polish market and how and to what extent this host environment influences MNCs operations. The analysis is based on the empirical data derived from the author's research, which was carried out in 35 production subsidiaries of MNCs in 2006-2007. (original abstract)
The financial crisis of 2008-2009 : the financial supervision perspective
Authors: Kluza Stanisław
Published: September 2023

The paper presents remarks regarding the recent financial crisis from the super-vision authorities’ perspective. It mentions remedies taken in the lieu of the crisis as well as underlines the need of preventive actions. The paper focuses on three main lessons that can be learnt from the recent crisis: First, regardless of its scope every crisis has local origins, hence local financial supervisors, who have the best knowledge and understanding of all sectors of their domestic market, should have sufficient tools and powers. Second, financial stability is a public good and it should be dealt with by relevant public institutions co-operating together. Third, there is a need to address the ‘too big to fail’ problem and to learn how risk increases with the increase in a financial institution’s size. In the final part, the paper focuses on various models of financial markets supervision and explains how supervisory system functions in Poland. The paper is based on the speech by Stanisław Kluza in the expert panel following the lecture by the Nobel Prize Laureate, Robert Mundell, during the 17th Global Finance Conference held in Poznan, Poland in June 2010.
Strategic management at the beginning of the XXI century : the impact of crisis turbulences
Authors: Polowczyk Jan
Published: September 2023

The nature of corporate strategy problems cannot easily be framed within a fixed paradigm. Strategic management is necessarily a multi-paradigmatic discipline, requiring varied theoretical perspectives and methodologies. The purpose of this paper is to present and assess the evolution of corporate strategic management in the first decade of the current century, particularly under the influence of the recent economic crisis. For the last two decades strategic management has been dominated by a resource-based view. Recently we can distinguish two important perspectives of research: behavioral and institutional. The first regards decision-making processes of company executives based on considerable progress made by psychologists in identifying and validating fundamental cognitive constructs which are promising for advancing theory and research on top management teams. The institutional perspective is based on increased realization of the importance of national and global institutions for the competitiveness of companies, sectors and countries. (original abstract)
Institution for risk sharing : international joint venture
Authors: ANDRÄ Jan
Published: September 2023

International joint venture as a form of business organization has become quite important in the post-liberalization period. Although an international joint venture has an independent legal status, it is organized for the joint benefit of the foreign and local firm. An international joint venture, defined as an agreement about revenue and cost-sharing rules, can be designed to enhance the level of foreign direct investment under the presence of economic risk. For example, foreign direct investment in economies in transition and emerging markets may be discouraged by fluctuations in the value of local currency or market risk when the entire revenue is generated through local sales. We argue that a properly designed joint venture scheme between an international firm (source country) and a local partner (host country) may resolve such an economic incentive problem. (original abstract)
Social values, societal entrepreneurship attitudes and entrepreneurial intention of young people in the Finnish welfare state
Authors: Rantanen Teemu , Toikko Timo
Published: September 2023

The article is focused on Finnish youth's social values, societal entrepreneurship attitudes and entrepreneurial intention. The study addresses how the relationship between social values and societal entrepreneurship attitudes becomes visible among Finnish young people. What is the relationship between social values and entrepreneurial intention? What is the relationship between societal entrepreneurship attitudes and entrepreneurial intention? We also analyze the relationship between different social values of the Finnish welfare state. Survey data (N = 873) were gathered in electronic format from secondary and vocational schools in the Helsinki-Uusimaa region, and questions were based on a multiple-choice Likert scale. The analysis was undertaken using statistical methods. We found that Finnish young people consider entrepreneurship first and foremost a pragmatic career option, which is not supported by ideological arguments or assumptions. On the other hand, the connection between social values and entrepreneurial orientation remains largely at the level of attitudes. On a practical level, entrepreneurship is not thought to be an attractive career option. (original abstract)
Constructing entrepreneurial orientation in a selling context : the qualitative attitude approach
Authors: Peltola Soili
Published: September 2023

This paper explores the construction of attitudes in argumentative talk to underscore the context-specific nature of the dimensions of entrepreneurial orientation (EO) and their interrelations. The material comprises interviews in which the directors, who form the management group of a Finnish firm, individually commented on a statement that each sales-person is an autonomous entrepreneur'. Our analysis identified two opposing evaluations of entrepreneurial autonomy, which were labeled as proactive selling and internal competitive aggressiveness. The analysis points out limitations on the realistic and positivist premises of the conventional EO measures by identifying related yet differing understandings which actors involved in everyday organizational practices display in their talk. (original abstract)
Female entrepreneurship in Poland
Authors: Gaweł Aleksandra
Published: September 2023

The aim of this paper is to present the issues connected with female entrepreneurship and in particular to analyse the changes in the rates of female entrepreneurship in Poland between the years 1993 and 2010 against the background of the job market situation, as well as identifying the factors which determine the entrepreneurship of women. The dynamics of female entrepreneurship will be contrasted with entrepreneurship among men. The entrepreneurship gender gap in Poland only slightly decreased during the studied period even though the situation of women in the job market is more difficult than that of men, which could engender a negative entrepreneurial motivation. The results of the research show that female entrepreneurship is significantly more susceptible to the influences of the general market situation, measured by GDP, than the entrepreneurship of men. This means that the entrepreneurship gender gap can decrease only when there is long-term economic growth. (original abstract)
The higher education policy of 'post-communist' countries in the context of welfare regimes
Authors: Czarnecki Krzysztof
Published: September 2023

The paper attempts to examine whether higher education policies in 'post-communist' countries, proxied by the Visegrad Group, exhibit features distinct from the classical types of welfare regimes (social-democratic, liberal and conservative) that would allow one to classify them under a single label. It also re-examines the relationship of different national approaches to higher education participation and funding with welfare regimes. Policies are operationalized in four general indicators: (1) particpation in tertiary education, (2) educational expenditures, (3) tuition fees and student financial support, and (4) pre-tertiary stratification. Correspondence analysis is used to explore the relationship between the countries and indicators. The strong correspondence between the indicators' values and a given welfare regime has been confirmed. The four 'post-communist' countries belonging to the Visegrad Group seem to exhibit a mixture of conservative and liberal features. However, no regular pattern of higher education policy has been found among them. Thus, no distinct 'post-communist' welfare regime can be identified with regard to this policy.(original abstract)
The new member states' commitment to independent European Commissioners
Authors: Deckram Renke , Fietkau Sebastian
Published: September 2023

The European Unions Eastern Enlargement also affected the composition of the European Commission. The Commission is the EU s executive and Commissioners are selected by member states. This paper answers the question whether there are differences in the selection between old and new member states. Up to now there is no evidence about the effect of the Eastern Enlargement on the selection of Commissioners. Biographical data on the members of the College have been analysed to close this gap. The paper builds on theoretical considerations of the selection process combining two different logics. It argues that when selecting Commissioners old member states follow a principal-agent logic whereas new member states follow a credible commitment logic. Data confirms this by showing that Commissioners selected by the countries that have recently joined the European Union are rather technocratic and less politicized than their colleagues from the older member states. (original abstract)
Challenges of multilingualism in the EU
Authors: Czyżewska Dorota
Published: September 2023

The paper discusses the challenges of the multilingualism policy in the EU composed of 28 Member States and 24 official and working languages. The aim of the paper is firstly to present multilingualism as the policy in the EU as well as the diversity of EU official languages. Secondly the paper highlights multilingualism as a tool to ensure the smooth functioning of the internal market with the emphasis put on the benefits of multilingualism for European companies. Thirdly challenges resulting from the multilingual policy in the EU are discussed, encompassing in particular translation and interpretation costs, legal implications of translation and interpretation errors, future accession of new EU Member States. (original abstract)
Multi Facet Rasch Analysis in tests of oral production
Authors: Krakowian Przemysław
Published: September 2023

The difficulty in constructing tests of oral production lies with the rating schemes and assessment frameworks, their construction and validation and subsequently application. This paper advocates extensive use of numerical data and statistical procedures alongside qualitative and intuitive methodologies, where the common denominator lies in the fact that all of the empirical measures involved make use of some form of a performance model allowing to make predictions about the examinee behaviour in order to verify goodness of fit of the observable rating data.
Nursing students' attitudes towards ageism and influencing factors
Authors: Kirmaci Neslihan Duman , Koç Zeliha
Published: September 2023

This descriptive and cross-sectional study aims to determine the attitudes of nursing students toward ageism and influencing factors. The study was carried out between March 18 and April 8, 2023, with the participation of 209 students who were studying in the nursing department of the Faculty of Health Sciences of a university and volunteered to participate. The data were collected by the researchers using the questionnaire form prepared in line with the literature and the Ageism Attitude Scale (AAS). Arithmetic mean, Standard deviation, median and frequency (percent) values, Mann-Whitney U test, Kruskal-Wallis test, and Spearman correlation analysis were used to evaluate the data. In this study, it can be stated that students have a positive attitude towards ageism in line with the scores they receive from the AAS. In line with the findings obtained from the study, it is recommended to organize scientific activities and ensure the participation of students to increase students' awareness of ageism and to ensure that they gain a positive attitude.

Keywords: Ageism; attitude; elderly; nurse; student.
Impact of Artifical Intelligence in Colonoscopic Polyp Detection and Classification
Authors: Schiffmann Leif
Published: September 2023

Background: Despite screening colonoscopy the relative risk for incidence and mortality of colorectal cancer accounts still for 50 to 60% probably due to missed adenomas. Artificial intelligence is a new development to rise detection of colorectal lesions and additionally to classify them.
Increasing the Economic Efficiency of Passenger Transport Enterprises by Traffic Modeling
Authors: Dyatlov Valeriy , Trunaev Andrey
Published: September 2023

The article addresses the issues related to the possibility of using advanced technologies for real-time management of automotive traffic flows on routes. Modern directions of research in the field of traffic flow management have been analyzed. The article discusses the issues of economic efficiency of passenger enterprises in the context of modern challenges, as well as highlights the peculiarities of monitoring and dispatching processes for automotive transport using the example of the main routes map of Donetsk city. Modeling of the core functions and development mechanisms of passenger transport enterprise management has been carried out. The importance of automated systems and information technologies in ensuring road traffic safety is emphasized. A model for optimizing urban road traffic has been proposed, aiming to address the challenges of increasing the economic stability and efficiency of automotive enterprises, regulating tariffs for municipal passenger transportation, and enhancing road traffic safety. As a result of the study, significant factors for increasing the economic impact of optimizing road traffic on passenger transport routes in urban conditions have been identified.
Improving the Training Quality of Reference Diagnostic Models of Complex Technical Objects by Augmentation of Training Data
Authors: Grachev Vladimir , Fedotov Mihail
Published: September 2023

One of the most serious problems limiting the possibility of using intelligent methods of processing diagnostic information in the tasks of diagnosing complex technical objects is the difficulty of forming a training sample for all classes of the state of the object in an amount sufficient for high-quality training of reference diagnostic models or classifiers, due to high absolute reliability indicators of such objects. An effective way to solve the problem is to augment (artificially expand) training data. A feature of training samples in technical diagnostics tasks is the generally unknown type of their distribution in the space of features, while additional "synthetic" data should be distributed similarly to the actual training set to ensure high-quality training of the diagnostic model. As a result of the analysis of existing data augmentation methods, it was established that the possibility of determining data distribution parameters of the training sample in the course of training with subsequent reproduction of these parameters in the generated samples can be implemented in generative models based on variational autoencoders (VAE) and generative-adversarial networks (GAN). At the same time, the best results are achieved using GAN. In the tasks of intelligent classification of the state of a diagnostic object with marked training samples for generating additional data, it is preferable to use conditional GAN (CGAN). A serious problem that arises in solving practical problems related to the generation of additional data on the available sample (training sample of a small volume) is the assessment of the uniformity of the training and generated samples, the results of which determine the duration (number of eras) of the training process of the generative model. The paper proposes and substantiates an original method of estimating uniformity of multidimensional samples based on Ripley’s G and F functions used in spatial cluster analysis of point processes. Based on it, a quantitative indicator has been determined for quality control and training duration of the generative model. The efficiency of the proposed method is confirmed by the example of solving the problem of augmentation of training data for the reference diagnostic model of the gas-air path of a diesel locomotive.
Method for Determining Dynamic Priorities of Cargo Operations for Optimizing the Use of Self-Propelled Units in Railway Industrial Transport and Technological Systems
Authors: Goncharova Natal'ya
Published: September 2023

The application of fuzzy logic is considered in optimizing the sequence of operations that involve the use of self-propelled units in industrial railway transportation. The consequences of using constant values calculated analytically as operation priorities have been analyzed. The type of queue discipline and the specifics of constraints on the stay of requests in the queue, characteristic of railway industrial transport and technological systems, are described. The advantages and disadvantages of existing methods for queuing freight operations specified in the daily work plan in railway industrial transport and technological systems are investigated. Limitations arising from the use of classical scheduling theory methods have been identified. Finding the optimal sequence of operations in railway industrial transport and technological systems involves simultaneous movement planning for multiple mobile units, which is not considered in classical graph theory. The classical problem of finding the shortest path and its known solving algorithms only work with static graphs, while railway industrial transport and technological systems are characterized by rapid changes in the graph's state. The problems caused by the dynamic nature of the graph's state in railway industrial transport and technological systems have been analyzed. The application of fuzzy logic methods will enable the construction of an optimal sequence of operations based on incomplete and imprecise information and address several operational planning tasks for freight operations without precise calculations. The expected result of applying the method for determining dynamic operation priorities implemented in the neuro-fuzzy module is an increase in the adaptability of operational planning for freight operations and a reduction in the time of engagement and the required number of self-propelled mobile units.
Centros de Memória no Centro Paula Souza: 25 anos de uma parceria entre instituição e universidade públicas
Authors: Carvalho Maria Lucia Mendes de , Moraes Carmen Sylvia Vidigal
Published: September 2023

Este artigo apresenta prospecção, origem e evolução de uma parceria entre o Centro de Memória da Educação da Faculdade de Educação da USP (CMEFEUSP) e a Coordenadoria de Ensino Médio e Técnico (CETEC) do Centro Paula Souza (CPS), objetivando a produção de instrumentos de pesquisa para a escrita da história da educação profissional. Essa parceria surgiu em momento que se discutia no CPS, a necessidade de estruturar a instituição para evitar perdas de massa documental de arquivos escolares, considerando a transferência das escolas técnicas entre secretarias estaduais. Um projeto de pesquisa proposto por equipe do CMEFEUSP e do CPS, com apoio da FAPESP, implantando os oito primeiros centros de memória, entre 1998 e 2001, se consolidou, e propiciou a ampliação dos centros de memória.
A scoping review examining patient experience and what matters to people experiencing homelessness when seeking healthcare
Authors: Miller Jean-Philippe , Hutton Jennie , Doherty Claire , Vallesi Shannen , Currie Jane , Rushworth Katrina , Larkin Matthew , Scott Matthew , Morrow James , Wood Lisa
Published: September 2023

Background: Homelessness is associated with significant health disparities. Conventional health services often fail to address the unique needs of homeless individuals. This scoping review aimed to examine areas of patient experience that are most frequently reported by people experiencing homelessness when seeking and receiving healthcare, and to identify existing surveys used to measure patient experience for this cohort.
Methods:
A scoping review was undertaken reported according to the PRISMA-ScR 2020 Statement. Databases were searched on 1 December 2022: MEDLINE, EMBASE, APA PsychINFO and CINAHL. Included studies focused on people experiencing homelessness, healthcare services and patient experience, primary research, published in English from 2010. Qualitative papers and findings were extracted and synthesized against a modified framework based on the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence guidelines for integrated health and social care for people experiencing homelessness, the Institute of Medicine Framework for Health Care Quality, and Lachman’s multidimensional quality model.
Results: 31 studies were included. Of these, 21 were qualitative, seven quantitative and three mixed methods, from the United States of America (n=16), United Kingdom (n=5), Australia (n=5) and Canada (n=4). Health services ranged from primary healthcare to outpatient management, acute care, emergency care and hospital-based healthcare. In qualitative papers, the domains of ‘accessible and timely’, ‘person-centred’, and values of ‘dignity and respect’ and ‘kindness with compassion’ were most prevalent. Among the three patient experience surveys identified, ‘accessible and timely’ and ‘person-centred’ were the most frequent domains. The least frequently highlighted domains and values were ‘equitable’ and ‘holistic’. No questions addressed the ‘safety’ domain.
Conclusions: The Primary Care Quality-Homeless questionnaire best reflected the priorities for healthcare provision that were highlighted in the qualitative studies of people experiencing homelessness. The most frequently cited domains and values that people experiencing homelessness expressed as important when seeking healthcare were reflected in each of the three survey tools to varying degrees. Findings suggest that the principles of ‘Kindness and compassion’ require further emphasis when seeking feedback on healthcare experiences and the domains of ‘safety’, ‘equitable’, and ‘efficiency’ are not adequately represented in existing patient experience surveys.
Mycorrhizal fungi respiration dynamics in relation to gross primary production in a Hungarian dry grassland
Authors: De Luca Giulia , Papp Marianna , Fóti Szilvia , Posta Katalin , Mészáros Ádám , Pintér Krisztina , Nagy Zoltán , Péli Evelin Ramóna , Fekete Sándor , Balogh János
Published: September 2023

Aims: Soil respiration (Rs) is a highly complex process including a wide range of soil biota and different pathways of carbon cycling, all being under the control of various drivers. The most important biotic driver is the photosynthetic activity of the vegetation providing supply mainly for the autotrophic component of Rs: roots and their symbiotic partners. The objective of this study was to describe the time-lagged relationship between gross primary production (GPP) and the mycorrhizal Rs component in order to determine the amount of carbon derived from GPP appearing as mycorrhizal respiration (Rmyc).
Methods: Measurements of Rs were conducted in three treatments – i) undisturbed, root and AMF-included (Rs), ii) root-excluded (Rhet+myc) and iii) root- and AMF-excluded (Rhet) plots – for three consecutive years in the Central-Hungarian dry sandy grassland study site. GPP data were derived from eddy-covariance measurements, while an automated system was used for continuous measurements of Rs. We analysed the relationship between Rmyc and GPP by using cross-correlation and by fitting sine wave models on the diel datasets.
Results: GPP was found to be the main driver of Rmyc, responding with an average time lag of 18 hours. The greatest lags were detected during periods characterized by minimal photosynthetic activity, while lags tended to be the smallest during active periods.
Conclusion: Based on the seasonal changes in the delay, we concluded that GPP and soil temperature had simultaneous effects on the diel pattern of CO2 emission of the different autotrophic components depending on the vegetation activity and environmental conditions.
Establishment and validation of nomogram model for predicting recurrence of common bile duct stones after ERCP lithotomy
Authors: Zhao Shupeng , Zhai Leilei , Yang Tao , Yao Ping
Published: September 2023

Background
Currently, the definitive determination of risk factors linked to the recurrence of common bile duct stones remains elusive, and there is a scarcity of accurate prognostic instruments for predicting recurrence in clinical contexts. The aim of this study is to examine the high-risk factors that contribute to recurrence subsequent to endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) stone extraction and develop a nomogram model founded on these factors.
Methods
This study conducted a retrospective analysis of clinical data obtained from patients who underwent ERCP stone extraction at the Department of Gastroenterology in the First Affiliated Hospital of Xinjiang Medical University during the period from January 1, 2016, to December 31, 2020. The study population consisted of 409 patients in the modeling group and 163 patients in the validation group. The Cox regression model was employed to identify independent risk factors associated with stones recurrence, which were subsequently utilized to develop a nomogram for predicting the probability of stones recurrence following ERCP.
Results
The Cox multivariate analysis revealed that several factors were found to be significantly associated with an increased risk of recurrence following ERCP stone removal. These factors included a body mass index (BMI) of ≥ 24 kg/m2 (hazard ratio (HR) = 2.625, 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.380–4.993, P = 0.003), a triglyceride level of ≥ 1.31 mmol/l (HR = 1.960, 95% CI: 1.106–3.473, P = 0.021), a common bile duct diameter of ≥ 1.2 cm (HR = 3.451, 95% CI: 1.359–8.766, p = 0.009), and a common bile duct stone diameter of ≥ 1 cm (HR = 6.047, 95% CI: 2.371–15.417, p < 0.001). Furthermore, a nomogram model was developed incorporating these four parameters, which demonstrated robust discriminatory power.
Conclusion
The prediction model that has been developed exhibits a significant degree of accuracy in predicting the recurrence of stones, thus possessing considerable significance in guiding the subsequent monitoring of patients and the implementation of preventive measures.
Impact of Post-transplant cyclophosphamide (PTCy)-Based Prophylaxis in Matched Sibling Donor Allogeneic Haematopoietic Cell Transplantation for Patients with Myelodysplastic Syndrome: A Retrospective Study on Behalf of the Chronic Malignancies Working Party of the EBMT
Authors: McLornan Donal , Salas Maria , Eikema Dirk-Jan , Koster Linda , Maertens Johan , Passweg Jakob , Finke Jürgen , Broers Annoek , Koc Yener , Kroeger Nicolaus , Ozkurt Zubeyde , Pascual María , Platzbecker Uwe , Gorkom Gwendolyn Van , Schroeder Thomas , Lorenzo Jose López , Martino Massimo , Chiusolo Patrizia , Kaufmann Martin , Onida Francesco , Gurnari Carmelo , Scheid Christof , Drozd-Sokolowska Joanna , Raj Kavita , Robin Marie
Published: September 2023

Allo-HCT remains the only curative option for individuals with myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS). Use of PTCy for GVHD prevention is increasingly prevalent. We retrospectively compared outcomes of 404 MDS patients undergoing 1st matched sibling donor allo-HCT receiving either PTCy-based (n=66) or other ‘conventional prophylaxis’ (n=338; mostly calcineurin inhibitor + methotrexate or MMF). Baseline characteristics were balanced, except for higher use of myeloablative regimens in the PTCy group (52.3% vs. 38.2%, p=0.047). Day +28 incidences of neutrophil (68% vs. 97%, p=0.011) and platelet (71% vs. 92%, p<0.001) engraftment were lower for PTCy-based. Day +100 cumulative incidences (CI) of grade II-IV and III-IV aGVHD, and 5-y CI of extensive cGVHD were 32%, 18% and 18% for PTCy-based and 25% (p=0.3), 13% (p=0.4) and 31% (p=0.09) for the conventional cohort. Five-year OS (51% vs. 52%, p=0.6) and GRFS (33% vs. 25%, p=0.6), were similar between groups. Patients receiving PTCy had a trend to lower relapse (20% vs. 33% (p=0.06)) not confirmed on multivariate analysis (p=0.3). Higher NRM rates, however, were evident with PTCy use on multivariable analysis (HR 1.79, p=0.03), without affecting OS (HR 1.23, p=0.4). Based on these data, the indication of PTCy in this setting should be questioned and needs further evaluation.
Intimate partner violence during pregnancy and its impact on early initiation of breastfeeding: Exploring mediation and moderation by childbirth complications
Authors: Islam Md Jahirul
Published: September 2023

Background
Recent research has unveiled a significant link between intimate partner violence (IPV) during pregnancy and challenges in the early initiation of breastfeeding (EIBF) among new mothers. Nonetheless, the potential mechanisms underpinning this interconnection remain elusive.
Objectives
This study aims to investigate two pivotal aspects: 1) the link between various forms of IPV during pregnancy and EIBF in Bangladesh; and 2) the potential mediating and moderating role of complications during childbirth in this association.
Methods
A cross-sectional study was undertaken among 426 new mothers of Bangladesh aged 15–49 years who were six months postpartum. IPV was evaluated using a modified version of the domestic violence questionnaire of the WHO Multi-country study. The timing of breastfeeding initiation was determined by asking mothers how long after the birth they put their infant to the breast.
Results
Nearly three in five women reported EIBF. Based on the adjusted logistic regression model, women subjected to physical and sexual IPV during pregnancy were respectively 46% (AOR: 0.54, 95% CI [0.31, 0.96]) and 51% (AOR: 0.49, 95% CI [0.27, 0.87]) less likely to engage in EIBF, compared to non-abused counterparts. Additionally, complications during childbirth were found to both mediate and moderate the link between IPV and EIBF, even after adjusting for pertinent covariates. Specifically, mothers experiencing both IPV during pregnancy and childbirth complications reported a significantly lower likelihood of EIBF.
Conclusions
The current findings underscore how IPV during pregnancy can adversely affect maternal breastfeeding practices. Healthcare providers and birth attendants should recognize that mothers experiencing IPV during pregnancy, coupled with childbirth complications, are less inclined to embrace EIBF. Policy interventions concerning antenatal and postnatal care should incorporate IPV screening and breastfeeding support to enhance EIBF rates.
Use of histochemical techniques for accurate diagnosis of melanocytic neoplasms in dogs
Authors: SUZUKI Livia Yumi , WATERLOO Mateus Melo Lima , CONSALTER Angélica , FERREIRA Ana Maria Reis , LEITE Juliana
Published: September 2023

Cutaneous and oral melanocytic neoplasms of dogs have several histomorphological presentations and varied cytoplasmic pigmentation that can make difficult the histopathological diagnosis. The aim of this study was to evaluate the benefits of using Fontana Masson and bleaching in histopathology routine for the diagnosis of melanocytic neoplasms in dogs. Thirty-one samples diagnosed as melanocytic neoplasms were analyzed, among which, 21 are cutaneous neoplasms (13 melanomas and 8 melanocytomas); and 10 are oral melanomas. The samples with accentuated pigmentation were submitted to the bleaching technique (20), whereas the amelanotic samples were submitted to the Fontana Masson staining (11). In the bleached samples, a reassessment of nuclear pleomorphism and mitosis count was performed according to the guideline. In this study, two pigmented cutaneous neoplasms with obscured nuclei had their final diagnoses reconsidered after performing the bleaching technique. The Fontana Masson technique was performed on 11 amelanotic or slightly pigmented samples. Among them, six samples were oral melanomas, four cutaneous melanomas and one melanocytoma. In 10 samples it was possible to visualize argentaffin pigment evidenced by the technique. In an amelanotic skin sample, there was no marking using the Fontana Masson technique, which was referred for immunohistochemistry to confirm the diagnosis. Histochemical techniques employed in this study proved to be useful tools in the histopathological routine, with low cost, easy and quick execution. When used together with the recommendations of the guidelines for melanocytic neoplasms, they help both in differentiating the neoplasm and in determining the most accurate prognosis.