bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The impact of quality management on inventories in commercial enterprises operating within group purchasing organizations
Authors: Zimon Grzegorz
Published: September 2019

Inventory management costs are often high and it is necessary to introduce appropriate methods that cause their optimization. For this purpose, various types of methods supporting logistic processes are introduced. Joint activities within group purchasing organizations are also popular. Companies gain a possibility to reduce costs, in addition, when enterprises introduce appropriate quality management systems, the process of cost optimization and an improvement of inventory management efficiency should be even more visible. The purpose of this article is to analyze the impact of standardized quality management systems on inventory management. The research was conducted on a group of 68 enterprises operating in commercial group purchasing organizations. The enterprises were divided into two groups: into the companies using quality management systems and into those that do not use such systems. The analysis showed that the most frequently standardized quality management systems were used by large enterprises and the results of inventory management efficiency were at a similar level as compared to small units that do not apply quality management systems. The analysis based on selected financial indicators allows concluding that the introduction of quality management systems improves the efficiency of inventory management. The introduction of such systems allowed large enterprises to organize their warehouse management and reduce stocking reserves, which positively influenced the costs of managing them. The research period covers the years 2015–2017.
The mode of the climacogram estimator for a Gaussian Hurst-Kolmogorov process
Authors: Dimitriadis Panayiotis , Koutsoyiannis Demetris
Published: September 2019

Geophysical processes are often characterized by long-term persistence. An important characteristic of such behaviour is the induced large statistical bias, i.e. the deviation of a statistical characteristic from its theoretical value. Here, we examine the most probable value (i.e. mode) of the estimator of variance to adjust the model for statistical bias. Particularly, we conduct an extensive Monte Carlo analysis based on the climacogram (i.e. variance of the average process vs. scale) of the simple scaling (Gaussian Hurst-Kolmogorov) process, and we show that its classical estimator is highly skewed especially in large scales. We observe that the mode of the climacogram estimator can be well approximated by its lower quartile (25% quantile). To derive an easy-to-fit empirical expression for the mode, we assume that the climacogram estimator follows a gamma distribution, an assumption strictly valid for Gaussian white noise processes. The results suggest that when a single timeseries is available, it is advantageous to estimate the Hurst parameter using the mode estimator rather than the expected one. Finally, it is discussed that while the proposed model for mode bias works well for Gaussian processes, for higher accuracy and non-Gaussian processes, one should perform a Monte Carlo simulation following an explicit generation algorithm.
Russian Constitutional Development: Formal and Informal Practices
Authors: Medushevskiy A.
Published: September 2019

Transitional constitutionalism remains the subject of intensive political controversy. Based on a project made possible by the Institute of Law and Public Policy (Moscow) this article presents the analysis of the basic constitutional principles of pluralism, the separation of powers, federalism, the independence of the judiciary and the guarantee of political rights and freedoms. It describes the changing character of their implementation in different areas of constitutional practices – legislation, constitutional justice, administrative activities and informal practices, and the comparative level of constitutional deviations in each of them. The important new expertise of this research is the concept and methodology of the constitutional monitoring and recommendations for full-scale reforms in key areas of Russian constitutional and political settlement. The author shows that the true choice facing modern society is not between constitutionalism or its negation, which is a dilemma, but between real and sham constitutionalism, with a wide variety of intermediate options separating them. It is precisely this intermediate area which the author defines as a transitional type of constitutionalism, the field of collision between different political stakeholders. This is an area of unstable equilibrium where the implementation of different legal strategies and technologies may produce a definitive effect.
The Russian Constitution of 1993 and the Constitutionalization of Federal Legislation: Data Analysis
Authors: Popova S. , Yanik A.
Published: September 2019

The Constitution of the Russian Federation of 1993 provided the basis and tools for large-scale societal transformations in Russia. Still, the question of whether the results of political and socio-economic reforms are irreversible and in line with constitutional ideas and norms is open to discussion. This study investigates the temporality of the process of the “constitutionalization” of Russian law using the statistics of Federal laws and Federal constitutional laws for the period 1994–2018. The article presents the outcome of the quantitative analysis as well as a discussion of the findings involving the approaches of the legal and political sciences. The research leaves open the question of the relationship between the durability of the democratic constitution and the quality and irreversibility of democratic transformations of the social system. Monitoring the dynamics of the adoption of primary laws and laws on amendments gives evidence that even a “rigid” democratic constitution can become “elastic” with age since its ideas and meanings can often be “stretched” to apply to current cases without the need to make any changes to existing constitutional norms. The authors propose considering the conceptual possibilities of adaptive governance theory to explain the features of modern Russian lawmaking (“adaptive lawmaking,” “agile lawmaking”).
Guest Editor’s Note
Authors: Shakhray S.
Published: September 2019

.
Mimarlık Fakültesi Öğrencilerinin Gözünden Kent Merkezi Kullanımında Mesleki Algının Ve Memnuniyetin Ölçülmesi
Authors: Önder Hatice Gül
Published: September 2019

İnsanlar, kişisel
özellikleri, vizyonu ve bakış açısı dâhilinde bir kenti farklı şekilde
algılamakta, mekânsal yer değişimine, gün içerisinde yaşanan olaylara, kişinin
eğitim düzeyine hatta eğitim görülen alanın türüne bağlı olarak bu algı
değişkenlik göstermektedir. Öğrenciler, üniversite hayatına atıldıklarında bu
farklılığı daha net kavrayabilmektedir. Yeni bir kent, yeni bir arkadaş ortamı
ve yeni mesleki edinimler, öğrencilerin kentsel algısını ve kente aidiyet
duygusunu yönlendirmektedir. Bu çalışmada, Gazi Üniversitesi Mimarlık
Fakültesi’nde eğitim gören 290 öğrencinin gözünden kent merkezinin kullanımında
mesleki algıdaki farklılıklar ve memnuniyet düzeyleri ölçülmüştür. Şehir ve
Bölge Planlama bölümü öğrencileri kenti bir atölye ve çalışma alanı olarak
görerek, kentin daha çok işlevselliğini ön planda tutarken; Mimarlık bölümü
öğrencileri kentin en önemli bileşenleri olan yapılara, yapılar ve çevre
arasındaki ahenge odaklanmakta; Endüstri Ürünleri Tasarımı bölümü öğrencileri
ise çoğunlukla kent merkezinin estetik ve görsel kaygılarla daha güzel
tasarlanmış, eğlenceli ve sistematik bir mekân olması gerektiğini
vurgulamışlardır. Böylece öğrencilerin, üniversite hayatı sürecince aldığı
akademik eğitimin, kent merkezi algısı ve kent merkezinden beklentilerinde
çeşitlilik yarattığı sonucuna ulaşılmıştır.
Türkiye Selçuklu Devleti’nde Saltanat Naiplerinin İktidar Üzerine Etkileri
Authors: Gezen Nihal
Published: September 2019

1075-1308 yılları
arasında hüküm süren Türkiye Selçuklu Devleti eski Türk devlet geleneği ve
egemenlik anlayışını devam ettiren Türk devletlerinden birisidir. Türkiye Selçuklu
Devleti’nin hâkimiyet anlayışına göre, saltanat veraset ile intikal etmekteydi.
Saltanatın veraset ile intikal ettiği bu devlette hükümdar olabilmek için başka
bir seçenek söz konusu değildi. Bununla beraber hanedan üyelerinin her birinin
eşit derecede hükümdar olma hakkı olması ve bu konuda kesin kuralların olmaması
taht mücadelelerine sebep olmuştur. Sultanlar hanedan mensubu olmalarına rağmen
hanedan içinde olsa dahi bu devlette de iktidara sahip olmak için nüfuzlu ve
güçlü olmak bir bakıma ümera nezdinde sözü geçen olmak için çetin mücadeleler
yaşanmıştır. Türkiye Selçuklu Devleti’nde saltanat nâipleri devletin sahip
olduğu iktidar anlayışına rağmen sultanların iktidarları üzerinde
azımsanmayacak ölçüde etkili olmaktaydı. Bu çalışma ile mevcut saltanat
naipleri üzerinden bu durumu örnekleri ile izah etmeye çalışacağız.
GDP Growth and Health Care Expenditures Worldwide
Authors: Stepovic Milos
Published: September 2019

Background:

Impact of large recessions on GDP growth is well documented and their effect on Gross Domestic Product (GDP) growth is definitive. Health care expenditure is growing everywhere in the world. The most important factors such as GDP, income per capita, health system factors, urbanization, aging, and socio-demographic factors are well determined and described.

Objective:

The main aim of this literature review is the summation of all factors affecting the GDP and healthcare expenditure. The second aim is presenting the bigger picture of the multifactorial connection between all impacts on healthcare expenditure. The last aim is proposing possible strategies for the development of sustainable health systems.

Conclusion:

Tracking the economic trend changes is necessary. Government investments in health must be as large as countries can afford due to the population aging, non-communicable disease and treatment, and pharmacological innovations. The cost-effectiveness estimates and Hierarchical task analyses are among some plausible solutions for making informed resource allocation decisions.
The effectiveness of quantum teaching learning model on improving the critical thinking skills and the social science concept understanding of the elementary school students
Authors: Ramadhani M. Ihsan , Ayriza Yulia
Published: September 2019

The study aims at identifying the difference on the effectiveness between the Quantum Teaching Learning Model and the Expository Learning Model in improving the students’ critical thinking skills and concept understanding in Social Science. The method that has been selected is the quasi-experimental research using the non-equivalent pre-test and post-test control group design. Then, the subjects in the study are 22 students of Grade IV Gunung Raja State Elementary School as the experimental group and 23 students of Grade IV Pulau Sari 1 State Elementary School as the control group from the Academic Year 2015/2016. The selection of the experimental group and the control group is based on the students’ similar characteristics with random approach. Based on the results of the random sampling technique implementation, the students from Gunung Sari State Elementary High School is provided with the Quantum Teaching Learning Model (experimental group) while the students from Pulau Sari 1 State Elementary High School is provided with the expository learning model (control group). In analyzing the data that have been gathered, the researcher has conducted the independent sample t-test and the paired sample t-test with SPSS 23 for Windows. The results of the study show that the Quantum Teaching Learning Model has bee more effective in comparison to the Expository Learning Model for improving the students’ critical thinking skills with significance value 0.000 < 0.050. In the same time, the results of the study also show that the Quantum Teaching Learning Model has been more effective in comparison to the Expository Learning Model for improving the students’ Social Science concept understanding with significance value 0.000 < 0.050.
Speaking skill of elementary students reviewed by gender
Authors: Saldaria Elnida , Ariawan Vina Anggia Nastitie , Cahyani Isah
Published: September 2019

Speaking skill is one of language skill that used on daily life. Speaking skill include two aspects namely linguistic aspect and non-linguistic aspect. However, not all people have good speaking skill when facing some situation. That condition is available to students on language learning. Every students has difference obstacles on speaking. The obstacles of students’ speaking skill can be identified by speaking aspects. This research aims to identifying gender difference of students’ speaking skill on elementary schools. This research was using quantitative design within expost facto method. Technique of collecting sample used stratified sampling. Samples of this research were 30 students of third grade at one of elementary schools on Kampar Sub-District. Technique of collecting data in this research used speaking test. Technique of validity data used content validity and the validity was done by an expert or obtain expert judgement. Meanwhile, the data analysis used inference statistic. The result of this research useful to identify students’ speaking skill so teacher can give appropriate treatment to improve students’ speaking skill based on their necessities.
The effectiveness of CIRC learning model and PQ4R learning model on reading comprehension skills of elementary school students
Authors: Wahyuningsih Asih , Kiswaga Godlove Elioth
Published: September 2019

This study aims at identifying the effectiveness of Cooperative Integrated Reading Composition (CIRC) Learning Model on Reading Comprehension Skills, the Preview Question Read Reflect Recite Review (PQ4R) Learning Model on Reading Comprehension Skills and the differences in terms of effectiveness between the two learning models on the Reading Comprehension Skills of Grade V students in elementary school. The study was quasi-experimental research with pretest, posttest non-equivalent group design. The sample for this study was taken from Grade V students from Task Force 1 Lendah Kulon Progo. Simple random sampling technique was applied to select samples. Then, in order to identify the effectiveness of CIRC Learning Model and PQ4R Learning Model collected data were analysed by running the t-test and the ANOVA with the assistance of SPSS   software version 22. The results of the study show that both CIRC and PQ4R have been effective for exercising the Reading Comprehension Skills with significance rate 0.000 < 0.050. However, both models are insignificant for exercising the Reading Comprehension Skills to the Grade V students with significance rate 0.828 > 0.050.
De quais feminismos estamos falando?
Authors: Orlandini Maiara Garcia , Oliveira Bruna Silva Martins de , Costa Thais Borges da
Published: September 2019

Buscando entender como as mulheres construíram seus repertórios para consolidar seu papel político, Viviane Gonçalves Freitas, no livro Feminismo na imprensa alternativa brasileira: Quatro décadas de lutas por direitos (2018), analisa os enquadramentos de quatro jornais alternativos feministas brasileiros. A partir da interseccionalidade entre gênero, raça e classe, a autora traça as agendas de lutas e discute sobre quais feminismos são tratados nos jornais Nós Mulheres (1976-1978), Mulherio (1981-1988), Nzinga Informativo (1985-1989) e Fêmea (1992-2014).
Home-Based Cardiac Rehabilitation in Brazil’s Public Health Care: Protocol for a Randomized Controlled Trial
Authors: Lima Ana Paula , Nascimento Isabella Oliveira , Oliveira Anne Caroline A , Martins Thiago Henrique S , Pereira Danielle A Gomes , Britto Raquel Rodrigues
Published: September 2019

Background

Coronary artery disease (CAD) is among the main causes of hospitalization and death worldwide, therefore, the implementation of programs to reduce its impact is necessary. Supervised cardiac rehabilitation has been shown to have positive effects on CAD control. However, there are barriers to patient participation in the traditional, face-to-face cardiac rehabilitation programs, mainly in low-resource environments.

Objective

This study aimed to verify patient compliance to a home-based cardiac rehabilitation program, which includes unsupervised health education and physical exercises, guided by telephone. Moreover, we compare this new method to the traditional supervised cardiac rehabilitation offered in most hospital centers.

Methods

We present here a two-arm, single-blinded, and randomized controlled design protocol, which compares the traditional cardiac rehabilitation (CenterRehab) with the home-based cardiac rehabilitation (Home-Based) in 72 patients affected by CAD. The primary outcome is the compliance to the cardiac rehabilitation sessions. The secondary outcomes (to evaluate effectiveness) include measurable variables such as functional capacity, CAD risk factors (blood pressure, waist circumference, glycemic, cholesterol levels, depressive symptoms, and the level of physical activity), the patient’s quality of life, the disease knowledge, and the morbidity rate. Parameters such as the program cost and the usability will also be evaluated. The programs will last 12 weeks, with a total of 60 rehabilitation and 6 educational sessions. Patients of the CenterRehab program will participate in 24 supervised sessions and 36 home sessions, while the patients of the Home-Based program will participate in 2 supervised sessions and 58 home sessions, guided by telephone. After the 12-week period all participants will be recommended to continue practicing physical exercises at home or at a community center, and they will be invited for re-evaluation after 3 months. The outcomes will be evaluated at baseline, and after 3 and 6 months.

Results

Participants are currently being recruited for the trial. Data collection is anticipated to be completed by October 2019.

Conclusions

This is the first study in Brazil comparing the traditional cardiac rehabilitation approach with a novel, home-based protocol that uses an accessible and low-cost technology. If positive results are obtained, the study will contribute to establish a new and viable model of cardiac rehabilitation.

Trial Registration

ClinicalTrials.gov NCT03605992; https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT03605992

International Registered Report Identifier (IRRID)

DERR1-10.2196/13901
Self-Selection of Bathroom-Assistive Technology: Development of an Electronic Decision Support System (Hygiene 2.0) (Preprint)
Authors: Guay Manon , Latulippe Karine , Auger Claudine , Giroux Dominique , Séguin-Tremblay Noémie , Gauthier Josée , Genest Catherine , Morales Ernesto , Vincent Claude
Published: September 2019

BACKGROUND

A clinical algorithm (Algo) in paper form is used in Quebec, Canada, to allow health care workers other than occupational therapists (OTs) to make bathroom adaptation recommendations for older adults. An integrated knowledge transfer process around Algo suggested an electronic version of this decision support system (electronic decision support system [e-DSS]) to be used by older adults and their caregivers in search of information and solutions for their autonomy and safety in the bathroom.

OBJECTIVE

This study aims to (1) create an e-DSS for the self-selection of bathroom-assistive technology by community-dwelling older adults and their caregivers and (2) assess usability with lay users and experts to improve the design accordingly.

METHODS

On the basis of a user-centered design approach, the process started with content identification for the prototype through 7 semistructured interviews with key informants of various backgrounds (health care providers, assistive technology providers, and community services) and 4 focus groups (2 with older adults and 2 with caregivers). A thematic content transcript analysis was carried out and used during the creation of the prototype. The prototype was refined iteratively using think-aloud and observation methods with a clinical expert (n=1), researchers (n=3), OTs (n=3), older adults (n=3), and caregivers (n=3), who provided information on the usability of the e-DSS.

RESULTS

Overall, 4 themes served as the criteria for the prototype of the electronic Algo (Hygiene 2.0 [H2.0]): focus (safety, confidentiality, well-being, and autonomy), engage, facilitate (simplify, clarify, and illustrate), and access. For example, users first pay attention to the images (engage and illustrate) that can be used to depict safe postures (safety), illustrate questions embedded in the decision support tool (clarify and illustrate), and demonstrate the context of the use of assistive technology (safety and clarify).

CONCLUSIONS

The user-centered design of H2.0 allowed the cocreation of an e-DSS in the form of a website, in line with the needs of community-dwelling older adults and their caregivers seeking bathroom-assistive technology that enables personal hygiene. Each iteration improved usability and brought more insight into the users’ realities, tailoring the e-DSS to the implementation context.
The Acceptability and Usability of Digital Health Interventions for Adults With Depression, Anxiety, and Somatoform Disorders: Qualitative Systematic Review and Meta-Synthesis (Preprint)
Authors: Patel Shireen , Akhtar Athfah , Malins Sam , Wright Nicola , Rowley Emma , Young Emma , Sampson Stephanie , Morriss Richard
Published: September 2019

BACKGROUND

The prevalence of mental health disorders continues to rise, with almost 4% of the world population having an anxiety disorder and almost 3.5% having depression in 2017. Despite the high prevalence, only one-third of people with depression or anxiety receive treatment. Over the last decade, the use of digital health interventions (DHIs) has risen rapidly as a means of accessing mental health care and continues to increase. Although there is evidence supporting the effectiveness of DHIs for the treatment of mental health conditions, little is known about what aspects are valued by users and how they might be improved.

OBJECTIVE

This systematic review aimed to identify, appraise, and synthesize the qualitative literature available on service users’ views and experiences regarding the acceptability and usability of DHIs for depression, anxiety, and somatoform disorders.

METHODS

A systematic search strategy was developed, and searches were run in 7 electronic databases. Qualitative and mixed methods studies published in English were included. A meta-synthesis was used to interpret and synthesize the findings from the included studies.

RESULTS

A total of 24 studies were included in the meta-synthesis, and 3 key themes emerged with descriptive subthemes. The 3 key themes were initial motivations and approaches to DHIs, personalization of treatment, and the value of receiving personal support in DHIs. The meta-synthesis suggests that participants’ initial beliefs about DHIs can have an important effect on their engagement with these types of interventions. Personal support was valued very highly as a major component of the success of DHIs. The main reason for this was the way it enabled individual personalization of care.

CONCLUSIONS

Findings from the systematic review have implications for the design of future DHIs to improve uptake, retention, and outcomes in DHIs for depression, anxiety, and somatoform disorders. DHIs need to be personalized to the specific needs of the individual. Future research should explore whether the findings could be generalized to other health conditions.
A Marketplace for Health: Opportunities and Challenges for Biomedical Blockchains (Preprint)
Authors: Zimmerman Noah , Tatonetti Nicholas , Dudley Joel
Published: September 2019

UNSTRUCTURED

Incentive alignment is a fundamental challenge to improving the financial and operational efficiency of the healthcare system in the United States. The current system incentivizes payers to reduce utilization and providers to perform procedures, while patients are caught between cost savings and utilization. Blockchain is an emerging technology that enables the construction of large-scale open digital networks with characteristics that can incentivize participants towards a common goal. There is an opportunity to use blockchain technology to reimagine how we cooperate to promote health and potentially improve efficiency of the healthcare system. In this perspective, we discuss the strengths and limitations of this new technology through the lens of healthcare. We explore how challenges in healthcare (e.g. costs, accessibility, and data ownership) can be addressed by blockchain technology and, equally important, how they cannot. Through the evaluation of existing projects, we find clear advantages and disadvantages of the technology and identify open areas of innovation for healthcare executives, academics, and entrepreneurs.
The Impact of Transformational Leadership on Employee retention: Role of Organizational and Communication (Preprint)
Authors: Iqbal Shuja , Tian HongYun , Akhtar Shamim , Qalati Sikandar Ali
Published: September 2019

BACKGROUND

Employee retention has been studied by researchers in relation to many factors. Cost of losing talented employees in much higher than recruiting and training the new ones. Past studies have shown abundant research and importance of chosen variables in different relationships. This study is unique in terms of studying the mediating role of organizational citizenship behavior and moderating role of communication in the selected model.

OBJECTIVE

This study investigates the impact of transformational leadership on employee retention in SMEs. Furthermore, this study examines the mediating role of organizational citizenship behavior and the moderating role of communication.

METHODS

Based on random sampling, 505 employees from SMEs were selected to response the constructed questionnaire. Smart PLS structured equation model (PLS-SEM) was used to estimate the various relationships.

RESULTS

The findings of the study reveal that there is a positive and significant relationship in transformational leadership and organizational citizenship behavior. Similarly, this study found positive and significant relationship in organizational citizenship behavior and employee retention. In addition, organizational citizenship behavior had a positive mediating effect on the relationship between transformational leadership and employee retention. Furthermore, communication positively moderates transformational leadership, organizational citizenship employee retention relationships.

CONCLUSIONS

This study examines the mediation of organizational citizenship behavior and the moderation of communication which have been less studied in the literature. Findings revealed that transformational leadership and communication plays a significant role in relation of organizational citizenship behavior and employee retention. As such, management of SMEs need to pay particular attention to these variables, to retain employees for enhanced productivity and organizational growth.
Use of Notification and Communication Technology (Call Light Systems) in Nursing Homes: Observational Study (Preprint)
Authors: Ali Haneen , Li Huiyang
Published: September 2019

BACKGROUND

The call light system is one of the major communication technologies that link nursing home staff to the needs of residents. By providing residents the ability to request assistance, the system becomes an indispensable resource for patient-focused health care. However, little is known about how call light systems are being used in nursing homes and how the system contributes to safety and quality of care for seniors.

OBJECTIVE

This study aimed to understand the experiences of nursing home staff who use call light systems and to uncover usability issues and challenges associated with the implemented systems.

METHODS

A mix of 150 hours of hypothetico-deductive (unstructured) task analysis and 90 hours of standard procedure (structured) task analysis was conducted in 4 different nursing homes. The data collected included insights into the nursing home’s work system and the process of locating and responding to call lights.

RESULTS

The data showed that the highest alarm rate is before and after mealtimes. The staff exceeded the administration’s expectations of time to respond 50% of the time. In addition, the staff canceled 10.0% (20/201) of call lights and did not immediately assist residents because of high workload. Furthermore, the staff forgot to come back to assist residents over 3% of the time. Usability issues such as broken parts, lack of feedback, lack of prioritization, and low or no discriminability also contributed to the long response time. More than 8% of the time, residents notified the staff about call lights after they waited for a long time, and eventually, these residents were left unattended.

CONCLUSIONS

Nursing homes that are still using old call light systems risk the continuation of usability issues that can affect the performance of the staff and contribute to declining staff and resident outcomes. By incorporating feedback from nurses, nursing home management will better understand the influence that the perceptions and usability of technology have on the quality of health care for their residents. In this study, it has been observed that the call light system is perceived to be an important factor affecting the outcomes of the care process and satisfaction of both residents and staff as well as the staff’s performance. It is important to recognize that communication and notification technology contributes to the challenges the staff faced during their work, making their working conditions more difficult and challenging.
Radiation oncologists perceptions and utilization of digital patient assessment platforms (Preprint)
Authors: Zaki Peter , Shenoy Ganesh , Gou Jiangtao , Raj Vijay , Howell Krisha
Published: September 2019

BACKGROUND

There is increasing patient engagement in the presence of digital patient assessment platforms, or physician rating websites. Despite this rapid growth, there remains insufficient data on how these evaluations are collected and impact radiation oncologists.

OBJECTIVE

The purpose of this study was to assess radiation oncologists worldwide on their awareness and noted effects of digital patient assessment platforms.

METHODS

An electronic survey was delivered to 6,199 members of the American Society of Radiation Oncology. Survey subjects were radiation oncologists currently practicing in the world. The survey consisted of 14 questions focused on on demographics, practice details, patient volume, institutional utilization of patient reviews, and perceptions of radiation oncologists on health care reviews provided by patients.

RESULTS

There were 447 responses from practicing radiation oncologists in total, 321 (72%) of which were practicing in the US. Most respondents (228; 51%) either agreed or strongly agreed that patients consider online reviews when deciding which physician to visit. Of all respondents, 188 (42%) reported their institution checks their online feedback, whereas 157 (36%) and 99 (22%) reported not knowing, or to their knowledge, their institution did not, check their online feedback. Respondents who saw more than the average number of consults per week, were significantly more likely to receive negative feedback (p-value = 0.005). Forty-five percent of respondents agreed or strongly agreed that online virtual assessment tools contribute to physician burn-out. Respondents (100; 22%) who received inappropriate or misdirected feedback were significantly more likely to report virtual reviews contribute to burnout (p-value = 0.001).

CONCLUSIONS

Radiation oncologists need to be aware that self-reported patient assessments are a data point in quality of a physician and healthcare establishment. To best ensure appropriate feedback of a physician’s capabilities as a doctor, leadership and employee alignment for patient experience are now more important than ever.
Will Artificial Intelligence Translate Big Data Into Improved Medical Care or Be a Source of Confusing Intrusion? A Discussion Between a (Cautious) Physician Informatician and an (Optimistic) Medical Informatics Researcher (Preprint)
Authors: Zeng-Treitler Qing , Nelson Stuart J
Published: September 2019

UNSTRUCTURED

Artificial intelligence (AI), the computerized capability of doing tasks, which until recently was thought to be the exclusive domain of human intelligence, has demonstrated great strides in the past decade. The abilities to play games, provide piloting for an automobile, and respond to spoken language are remarkable successes. How are the challenges and opportunities of medicine different from these challenges and how can we best apply these data-driven techniques to patient care and outcomes? A New England Journal of Medicine paper published in 1980 suggested that more well-defined “specialized” tasks of medical care were more amenable to computer assistance, while the breadth of approach required for defining a problem and narrowing down the problem space was less so, and perhaps, unachievable. On the other hand, one can argue that the modern version of AI, which uses data-driven approaches, will be the most useful in tackling tasks such as outcome prediction that are often difficult for clinicians and patients. The ability today to collect large volumes of data about a single individual (eg, through a wearable device) and the accumulation of large datasets about multiple persons receiving medical care has the potential to apply to the care of individuals. As these techniques of analysis, enumeration, aggregation, and presentation are brought to bear in medicine, the question arises as to their utility and applicability in that domain. Early efforts in decision support were found to be helpful; as the systems proliferated, later experiences have shown difficulties such as alert fatigue and physician burnout becoming more prevalent. Will something similar arise from data-driven predictions? Will empowering patients by equipping them with information gained from data analysis help? Patients, providers, technology, and policymakers each have a role to play in the development and utilization of AI in medicine. Some of the challenges, opportunities, and tradeoffs implicit here are presented as a dialog between a clinician (SJN) and an informatician (QZT).
Innovative Social Work Practices by Islamic Grassroots Organizations in Switzerland
Authors: Brodard Baptiste
Published: September 2019

In Switzerland, specific issues related to Muslims have recently emerged in public debates. In addition to the question of radicalization, Muslim migrant populations are affected by social problems such as crime, marginalization, and overrepresentation in prisons. This situation has drawn the state’s attention to the need for implementing new responses to the challenges of religious extremism and social exclusion, particularly involving Muslims. While local authorities have organized trainings and projects to tackle these issues, Islamic grassroots associations have developed some initiatives to address the needs of the population, not only focusing on problems related to Islam and Muslims but also on Swiss society as a whole. Based on a case study of Islamic organizations providing social welfare services, this paper questions the inclusion of such faith-based projects within mainstream society and the area of social work, considering particularly the relation between Islamic organizations and the state.
Formulation and Evaluation of FSM-Alginate Beads of Vildagliptin
Authors: CHERIAN ABIYA SARA , Boby Johns G , Praveen Raj R , Daisy P.A , Jeny Samuel
Published: September 2019

Many approaches have been immerged to prolong the residence time of the dosage forms at the absorption site .One among them is the development of oral controlled release mucoadhesive system. The present study aims to formulate and evaluate the effectiveness of FSM-Alginate beads of Vildagliptin in streptozotocin induced diabetic rats. In the present work, 6 formulations of Vildagliptin mucoadhesive beads (F1 to F6) were prepared by ionotropic gelation method. Fenugreek seed mucilage and sodium alginate was used as polymers and calcium chloride as cross linking agent. The beads containing drugs and excipients were subjected to various evaluation test such as Particle size distribution, Swelling index, Mucoadhesivity and Dissolution studies. Among all the formulations, F3 containing FSM and sodium alginate in the concentration of 0.6g and % DEE of 97.89 resulting in the highest drug release rate of 97.86% at the end of 10 h. Hence, it was considered as the optimized formulation.
Keywords: Mucoadhesion, Fenugreek Seed Mucilage, Sodium Alginate, Diabetes. Ionotropic Gelation.
Synthesis, characterization and biological evaluation of some novel N-Mannich bases of heterocyclic 1,3,4-thiadiazole.
Authors: Sharma Piush , Singh Charanjeet
Published: September 2019

A series of some novel N-Mannich bases of heterocyclic 1,3,4-thiadiazole were synthesized through the condensation reaction of 1,3,4-thiadiazole containing a aromatic secondary amine, aromatic aldehydes and cyclic compounds employing Mannich reaction and using conventional synthesis. All the synthesized compounds were obtained in the range of 57.41-83.3 % yield. The structures of synthesized compounds were confirmed by UV, IR, 1H NMR spectroscopy. the essential structural features responsible for interaction with receptor site are established within a suggested pharmacophore. The in vitro antibacterial activity of the synthesized compounds was determined, against two Gram-positive bacteria, viz. S. aureus & B. subtilis and Gram-negative, viz. E. coli and K. pneumoniae, by cup-plate method using the standard drug ciprofloxacin. Minimum inhibitory concentrations (MIC) changed in the range of 1.56_ _ 200 mg mL_1. Compound 3b exhibited excellent activity against both bacteria. The in vitro antifungal activity of the synthesized compound was also evaluated by cup-plate method against the fungi A. niger and C. albicans compared with the standard drug Fluconazole. Compound 4a, 8a exhibited excellent activity against both fungi. The result has shown that the compounds are quite active against pathogens under study and were nontoxic. The anti-inflammatory activity of the compound was evaluated, on albino rats, by carageenan induced rat paw oedema method using the standard drug diclofenac sodium. Compound 7b and 8c exhibited excellent anti-inflammatory and analgesic pharmacological activities. Structurally the compound 7b has a greater number of unsaturated hydrocarbons in schiff base, which shows good lipophilic properties within electron rich morpholine ring in Mannich base. Statistical significance of differences between group was determined by one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA). Among the synthesized compounds 3a, 4b, 5c, 7b, 8a and 8c were found be the most active. All the synthesized compounds were found to be low lethal as ascertained by LD50 test.
Keywords: N- Mannich bases of heterocyclic 1,3,4-thiadiazole derivatives; Mannich reaction; antimicrobial agents; anti-inflammatory activity;
Molecular Dynamics of A Biglycan-Rosmarinic Acid Complex with Focal Adhesion Kinase for Possible Arrest of Metastasis in Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer (NSCLC): An In- Silico Study
Authors: Highland Hyacinth , Thakur Monica , Pandya Pujan , Mankad Archana , George Linz-Buoy
Published: September 2019

Background: Non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) is the major cause of mortality all over the world. Significant increase of biglycan is seen in the lung cancer cells when compared with the normal cells. It promotes tumor invasion and metastasis by activating Focal Adhesion Kinase (FAK) signaling pathway. The increased FAK activity may contribute to the metastatic potential of malignant tumors. This study was carried out to establish binding interactions of some selected phytocomponents against biglycan for the possible arrest of metastasis.
Methods: Protein-ligand interaction studies were performed using 30 natural compounds from different culinary herbs having potential therapeutic role against the target protein biglycan (BGN).
Molegro Virtual Docker (v 5.0) was used as docking tool to evaluate the effectiveness of selected phytocomponents based upon the interaction with the protein’s active site residues with minimal binding energy. Protein-protein docking was performed to observe the interaction of BGN and FAK using Hex (v 8.0.0). Molecular dynamics (10 ns) of BGN-RA-FAK and FAK-RA-BGN was performed in Yasara structure (v 17.8.15) which showed stability of the structure in terms of RMSD values.
Results: Molecular docking analysis revealed the selectivity of Rosmarinic acid (RA) towards BGN and FAK. Molecular dynamics trajectory of BGN-RA-FAK and FAK-RA-BGN complexes showed the stability of structure in terms of Time vs Energy and Time vs RMSD values and revealed that binding of RA to BGN will block the interaction of FAK.
Conclusions: Hence, investigating the binding interactions of BGN-RA-FAK complex may turn out to be helpful in arresting metastasis in NSCLC.
Keywords: Non-small cell lung cancer, Biglycan, Focal adhesion kinase, Phytocomponents, Molecular Docking, Molecular Dynamics
Isopulegol Ameliorates Dyslipidemia by Modulating Adipokine Secretion in High Fat Diet / Streptozotocin Induced Diabetic Rats
Authors: Kalaivani Karunanithi , Sankaranarayanan Chandrasekaran
Published: September 2019

The present study investigates the effect of isopulegol on adipokine secretion and dyslipidemia in high fat diet and streptozotocin (HFD/STZ) induced diabetic rats. Animals were made diabetic by feeding HFD for 4 wks followed by single intraperitoneal injection of STZ (35mg/kg b.w; 0.1M citrate buffer; pH 4.0). Diabetic rats showed increased levels of total cholesterol, triglycerides, free fatty acids, phospholipids, low density lipoprotein-C (LDL-C), very low density lipoprotein -C (VLDL-C) and decreased high density lipoprotein-C levels (HDL-C). Similarly, the activity of HMG-CoA reductase, was increased while lipoprotein lipase (LPL) and lecithin cholesterol acyl transferase (LCAT) activities were significantly decreased. Furthermore, the expression of sterol regulatory element binding protein-1C (SREBP-1C), adiponectin, peroxisome proliferator activated receptor gamma (PPARγ) were significantly down regulated, whereas leptin expression was upregulated in diabetic rats. Administration of isopulegol (100 mg/kg b.w) for 28 days signiﬁcantly restored lipid levels in plasma and liver tissue by modulating adipokine secretion in diabetic treated rats. From this we conclude that isopulegol exhibited significant antihyperlipidemic effect in HFD/STZ induced diabetic rats.
Keywords: Dyslipidemia, Diabetes mellitus, Adiponectin, Leptin, PPARγ, SREBP-1C
GC-MS analysis of bioactive compounds from Freshwater mussels of Parreysia corrugata (Muller 1774) and their pharmacological activities
Authors: Santhiya N. , Ramasamy M.
Published: September 2019

GC-MS is one of the best techniques to identify the constituents of volatile matter, long chain, branched chain hydrocarbons, alcohols acids, esters etc. The freshwater mussels Parreysia corrugata was analyzed using Gas Chromatography–Mass Spectrometry, while the mass spectra of the compounds found in the extract was matched with the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) library. Gas chromatography mass spectrometry (GC-MS) analysis revealed the presence of 26 compounds. The compounds were identified by comparing their retention time and peak area with that of literature and by interpretation of mass spectra. The first compound identified with less retention time (30.236 min) was 2,6-Difluorobenzoic acid, tridec-2-ynyl ester, whereas gamma.-Tocopherol was the last compound which took longest retention time (29.84min) to identify. Many of them are used in industry for various applications like flavor, antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, pesticide and cancer preventive.
Keywords: Freshwater mussels, Parreysia corrugata, GC-MS, Bioactive components
Isolation and Characterizations of new alkaloid 3-deoxy- 3, 11-epoxy cephalotaxine from Clitoria ternatea
Authors: RAJAMANICKAM MANIVANNAN -
Published: September 2019

The present study describes the isolation and structural elucidation of new alkaloid 3-deoxy-3, 11-epoxy cephalotaxine (1) from the flowers of C. ternatea. It was isolated by careful column chromatographic separation of the crude extract on silica gel 60. The structure was established based on UV, IR, 1HNMR, 13CNMR and GC-MS spectroscopy methods. The antibacterial activity of various bacterial and fungal strains and anti-inflammatory activities of the isolated compound and its crude methanol extract was studied. The highest zone of inhibition (13.0 and 12.0 mm) was shown by 1 at a dose of 200 µg/kg against E. coli and S. aureus strains and (16.0, 12.0 mm) against anti-fungal strains of C. albicans and A. flavus. The results indicated that at both dose levels (100 mg and 200 mg / kg) of isolated compound 1 had significant anti-inflammatory activity from 2nd hour onwards. The bioactive compound isolated from this plant can be employed for antimicrobial activity, also for the treatment of various bacterial and fungal infections and to show pronounced anti-inflammatory effects after three hours of injection.
Keywords: Clitoria ternatea, Alkaloid, 3-deoxy-3, 11-epoxy cephalotaxine, Anti-microbial activity, Anti-inflammatory activity
An Epidemiological Study on Mutrakricchra W.S.R. to Etiological Consideration
Authors: Paul Smita , Jain Ashutosh Kumar
Published: September 2019

Ayurveda not only offers curative approaches but it also highlighted various health problems of human life. The basic principle of Ayurveda deals around towards the maintenance of optimum health status. It is always advisable that the ancient principle should always be correlated with the newer theories of medical science to acquire desired healthcare system. Novel inventions and ideas need to be utilizes to fulfill the gap between traditional knowledge and current technologies. Considering importance of Ayurveda science present article described Mutrakricchra Nidana as per Ayurveda perspectives.   
Keywords:  Ayurveda, Mutrakricchra, Nidana, Descriptive epidemiology.
Utilization of Fruit Waste for the Production of Citric Acid by using Aspergillus Niger
Authors: Satheeshkumar Subramaniyan , Sivagurunathan Paramasivam , Muthulakshmi Kannaiyan , Uma Chinnaiyan
Published: September 2019

The main organic acids in industrial used were citric, acetic, tartaric, malic, lactic and gluconic acid. The most utilized organic acid is citric acid or tricarboxylic acid. Chemical synthesis of citric acid is more costly than fermentation. The citrus processing industry generates tons of waste such as peel and segment membranes resulting from the extraction of citrus juice in industrial plants. About 6 isolates were obtained from the fruit waste dumped soil and they were subjected to screening for citric acid production. A. niger over other potential citric acid-producing organism towards efficient utilization of agroindustry residues and by-products for citric acid production. It was grown on PDA plates at a temperature of 28°C for 5 to 7 days. Fruit wastes like orange peel, sweet lime peel, banana peel and pineapple peel as a potential substrate for the production of citric acid using A. niger isolates. The nitrogen source of the fermentation medium will have a direct effect on the yield of citric acid. Among the four fruit wastes, citric acid production was maximum from orange peel followed by sweet lime peel, pineapple peel and banana peel respectively. Orange peel contains soluble sugars and pectin as the main components. Study the impact of different carbon sources on citric acid., the basal media were supplemented with glucose, sucrose, fructose, maltose and the fermentation were carried up to 5 days at 30°C. Nitrogen sources on the fermentation were studied by incorporating ammonium phosphate, potassium hydrogen phosphate and peptone. The effect of lower alcohol incorporation on the fermentation of citric acid was studied.