bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Comparison of seroprevalence of SARS-CoV-2 infections with cumulative and imputed COVID-19 cases: Systematic review
Authors: Byambasuren Oyungerel , Dobler Claudia C. , Bell Katy , Rojas Diana Patricia , Clark Justin , McLaws Mary-Louise , Glasziou Paul
Published: April 2021

Background

Accurate seroprevalence estimates of SARS-CoV-2 in different populations could clarify the extent to which current testing strategies are identifying all active infection, and hence the true magnitude and spread of the infection. Our primary objective was to identify valid seroprevalence studies of SARS-CoV-2 infection and compare their estimates with the reported, and imputed, COVID-19 case rates within the same population at the same time point.

Methods

We searched PubMed, Embase, the Cochrane COVID-19 trials, and Europe-PMC for published studies and pre-prints that reported anti-SARS-CoV-2 IgG, IgM and/or IgA antibodies for serosurveys of the general community from 1 Jan to 12 Aug 2020.

Results

Of the 2199 studies identified, 170 were assessed for full text and 17 studies representing 15 regions and 118,297 subjects were includable. The seroprevalence proportions in 8 studies ranged between 1%-10%, with 5 studies under 1%, and 4 over 10%—from the notably hard-hit regions of Gangelt, Germany; Northwest Iran; Buenos Aires, Argentina; and Stockholm, Sweden. For seropositive cases who were not previously identified as COVID-19 cases, the majority had prior COVID-like symptoms. The estimated seroprevalences ranged from 0.56–717 times greater than the number of reported cumulative cases–half of the studies reported greater than 10 times more SARS-CoV-2 infections than the cumulative number of cases.

Conclusions

The findings show SARS-CoV-2 seroprevalence is well below “herd immunity” in all countries studied. The estimated number of infections, however, were much greater than the number of reported cases and deaths in almost all locations. The majority of seropositive people reported prior COVID-like symptoms, suggesting that undertesting of symptomatic people may be causing a substantial under-ascertainment of SARS-CoV-2 infections.
Rapid activation of esophageal mechanoreceptors alters the pharyngeal phase of swallow: Evidence for inspiratory activity during swallow
Authors: Frazure Michael L. , Brown Alyssa D. , Greene Clinton L. , Iceman Kimberly E. , Pitts Teresa
Published: April 2021

Swallow is a complex behavior that consists of three coordinated phases: oral, pharyngeal, and esophageal. Esophageal distension (EDist) has been shown to elicit pharyngeal swallow, but the physiologic characteristics of EDist-induced pharyngeal swallow have not been specifically described. We examined the effect of rapid EDist on oropharyngeal swallow, with and without an oral water stimulus, in spontaneously breathing, sodium pentobarbital anesthetized cats (n = 5). Electromyograms (EMGs) of activity of 8 muscles were used to evaluate swallow: mylohyoid (MyHy), geniohyoid (GeHy), thyrohyoid (ThHy), thyropharyngeus (ThPh), thyroarytenoid (ThAr), cricopharyngeus (upper esophageal sphincter: UES), parasternal (PS), and costal diaphragm (Dia). Swallow was defined as quiescence of the UES with overlapping upper airway activity, and it was analyzed across three stimulus conditions: 1) oropharyngeal water infusion only, 2) rapid esophageal distension (EDist) only, and 3) combined stimuli. Results show a significant effect of stimulus condition on swallow EMG amplitude of the mylohyoid, geniohyoid, thyroarytenoid, diaphragm, and UES muscles. Collectively, we found that, compared to rapid cervical esophageal distension alone, the stimulus condition of rapid distension combined with water infusion is correlated with increased laryngeal adductor and diaphragm swallow-related EMG activity (schluckatmung), and post-swallow UES recruitment. We hypothesize that these effects of upper esophageal distension activate the brainstem swallow network, and function to protect the airway through initiation and/or modulation of a pharyngeal swallow response.
Estimating the effect of health assessments on mortality, physical functioning and health care utilisation for women aged 75 years and older
Authors: Dolja-Gore Xenia , Byles Julie E. , Tavener Meredith A. , Chojenta Catherine L. , Majeed Tazeen , Nair Balakrishnan R. , Mishra Gita D.
Published: April 2021

Health assessments have potential to improve health of older people. This study compares long-term health care utilisation, physical functioning, and mortality for women aged 75 years or over who have had a health assessment and those who have not. Prospective data on health service use, physical functioning, and deaths among a large cohort of women born 1921–26 were analysed. Propensity score matching was used to produce comparable groups of women according to whether they had a health assessment or not. The study population included 6128 (67.3%) women who had an assessment, and 2971 (32.7%) women who had no assessment. Propensity matching produced 2101 pairs. Women who had an assessment had more use of other health services, longer survival, and were more likely to survive with high physical functioning compared to women with no assessment. Among women who had good baseline physcial functioning scores, women who had an assessment had significantly lower odds of poor outcomes at 1000 days follow-up compared to women who had no assessment (OR: 0.67, 95%CI: 0.52, 0.85). This large observational study shows the real-world potential for assessments to improve health outcomes for older women. However, they also increased health service use. This increased healthcare is likely to be an important mechanism in improving the women’s health outcomes.
Validation of a Polish version of the National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale: Do moderate psychometric properties affect its clinical utility?
Authors: Wiśniewski Adam , Filipska Karolina , Puchowska Marlena , Piec Katarzyna , Jaskólski Filip , Ślusarz Robert
Published: April 2021

Background

The National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS) is a validated tool for assessing the severity of stroke. It has been adapted into several languages; however, a Polish version with large-scale psychometric validation, including repeatability and separate assessments of anterior and posterior stroke, has not been developed. We aimed to adapt and validate a Polish version of the NIHSS (PL-NIHSS) while focusing on the psychometric properties and site of stroke.

Methods

The study included 225 patients with ischemic stroke (102 anterior and 123 posterior circulation stroke). Four NIHSS-certified researchers estimated stroke severity using the most appropriate scales to assess the psychometric properties (including internal consistency, homogeneity, scalability, and discriminatory power of individual items) and ultimately determine the reliability, repeatability, and validity of the PL-NIHSS.

Results

The PL-NIHSS achieved Cronbach’s alpha coefficient of 0.6885, which indicates moderate internal consistency and homogeneity. Slightly more than half of the individual items provided sufficient discriminatory power (r > 0.3). A favorable coefficient of repeatability (0.6267; 95% confidence interval: 0.5737–0.6904), narrow limits of inter-rater agreement, and excellent intraclass correlation coefficients or weighted kappa values (> 0.90), demonstrated high reliability of PL-NIHSS. Highly significant correlations with other tools confirmed the validity and predictive value of the PL-NIHSS. In posterior stroke, the PL-NIHSS achieved the required Cronbach’s alpha coefficient (0.71070). Additionally, stroke location did not affect other psychometric features or instrument reliability and validity.

Conclusions

We developed a valid and reliable tool for assessing stroke severity in Polish-speaking participants. Moderate psychometric features were emphasized without limiting its clinical applications.
Impact of a telephone triage service for non-critical emergencies in Switzerland: A cross-sectional study
Authors: Thierrin Chloé , Augsburger Aurélie , Dami Fabrice , Monney Christophe , Staeger Philippe , Clair Carole
Published: April 2021

Introduction

Telephone triage services (TTS) play an increasing role in the delivery of healthcare. The objective of this study was to characterize the adult users of a TTS for non-critical emergencies, describe the types of advice given and their subsequent observation, and assess the influence of TTS on the use of the healthcare system in a sanitary region of Switzerland.

Methods

Data from a TTS based in the French part of Switzerland were analyzed. This service consists of a medical contact center for non-critical emergencies, with trained nurses available 24/7. A random selection of 2,034 adult calls was performed between July and December 2018. Research students contacted users 2 to 4 weeks after the initial call and assessed sociodemographic and clinical data, as well as the impact of the advice received on the use of the healthcare system.

Results

A sample of 412 users was included in the analyses. The average age was 49.0 (SD 20.4) years; 68.5% were women and 72.8% of Swiss origin. The two main recommendations provided by nurses were to consult the emergency department (ED) (44.6%, n = 184) and to contact a physician on duty (33.2%, n = 137). The majority of users followed the advice given by the nurses (substantial agreement [k = 0.79] with consulting the ED and perfect agreement [k = 0.87] with contacting a physician on duty). We calculated that calling the TTS could decrease the intention to visit the ED by 28.1%.

Conclusion

TTS for non-critical emergencies have the potential to decrease the use of ED services.
The emotion storyboard: A method to examine social judgments of emotion
Authors: McCormick-Huhn Kaitlin , Shields Stephanie A.
Published: April 2021

As perceivers, we need to understand context to make social judgments about emotion, such as judging whether emotion is appropriate. We propose a graphic novel-like method, the emotion storyboard, for use in research on social judgments of emotion. Across two studies, participants were randomly assigned to read emotion storyboards or written vignettes to compare the efficacy of the emotion storyboard to that of vignettes in studies on social judgments of emotion. In Study 1, undergraduates (N= 194) answered comprehension questions and rated story clarity and immersion. Participants also made social judgments of emotion by rating main character emotion control and appropriateness of intensity. To further compare the efficacy of the methods, in Study 2, Amazon Mechanical Turk workers (N= 213) answered comprehension questions while response times were recorded, rated clarity, answered a race manipulation check, and rated main character emotion type appropriateness. Overall, emotion storyboards resulted in greater clarity ratings, greater race manipulation check accuracy, and in some instances, enhanced comprehension and comprehension response times relative to vignettes. In emotion storyboards, main character emotion was rated more controlled and more appropriate in intensity, but not different in emotion type appropriateness, than in vignettes. Overall, the method offers a new method of examining social elements of emotion that enhances comprehension and maximizes experimental efficiency.
Attentional bias during emotional processing: Behavioral and electrophysiological evidence from an Emotional Flanker Task
Authors: Trujillo Natalia , Gómez Diana , Trujillo Sandra , López José David , Ibáñez Agustín , Parra Mario A.
Published: April 2021

Threatening stimuli seem to capture attention more swiftly than neutral stimuli. This attention bias has been observed under different experimental conditions and with different types of stimuli. It remains unclear whether this adaptive behaviour reflects the function of automatic or controlled attention mechanisms. Additionally, the spatiotemporal dynamics of its neural correlates are largely unknown. The present study investigates these issues using an Emotional Flanker Task synchronized with EEG recordings. A group of 32 healthy participants saw response-relevant images (emotional scenes from IAPS or line drawings of objects) flanked by response-irrelevant distracters (i.e., emotional scenes flanked by line drawings or vice versa). We assessed behavioural and ERP responses drawn from four task conditions (Threat-Central, Neutral-Central, Threat-Peripheral, and Neutral-Peripheral) and subjected these responses to repeated-measures ANOVA models. When presented as response-relevant targets, threatening images attracted faster and more accurate responses. They did not affect response accuracy to targets when presented as response-irrelevant flankers. However, response times were significantly slower when threatening images flanked objects than when neutral images were shown as flankers. This result replicated the well-known Emotional Flanker Effect. Behavioural responses to response-relevant threatening targets were accompanied by significant modulations of ERP activity across all time-windows and regions of interest and displayed some meaningful correlations. The Emotional Flanker Effect was accompanied by a modulation over parietal and central-parietal regions within a time-window between 550-690ms. Such a modulation suggests that the attentional disruption to targets caused by response-irrelevant threatening flankers appears to reflect less neural resources available, which are seemingly drawn away by distracting threatening flankers. The observed spatiotemporal dynamics seem to concur with understanding of the important adaptive role attributed to threat-related attention bias.
Therapeutic effect of local photothermal heating of gold nanoparticle-coated self-expandable metallic stents for suppressing granulation tissue formation in the mouse colon
Authors: Heo Yeong-Cheol , Han Dong-Kyoon , Kim Min Tae
Published: April 2021

Purpose

To investigate the therapeutic effect of local photothermal (PT) heating on suppression of stent-induced granulation tissue formation in mouse colon.

Materials and methods

A gold nanoparticle (GNP)-coated self-expandable metallic stent (SEMS) was prepared using a two-step synthesis process for local PT heating under near-infrared laser irradiation. Twenty-four mice were randomly divided into two groups of 12 and subjected to SEMS placement in the colon. Group A received a GNP-coated SEMS without local heating and Group B received a GNP-coated SEMS and underwent local heating at 55°C after SEMS placement. The therapeutic effect of local heating was assessed by comparing the histopathological, immunohistochemical, and endoscopic results.

Results

Four mice were excluded because of stent migration (n = 3, group B) or death (n = 1, group A). Stent-induced granulation tissue-related variables were significantly lower in group B than in group A (p < 0.001). In vivo endoscopic images, 4 weeks after stent placement, showed granulation tissue formation over the wire mesh in group A and relatively good patency of the stented colon with no definite irregularities in group B. There was more vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) positivity in group A than in group B.

Conclusion

Local PT heating suppresses granulation tissue formation after stent placement in mouse colon.
Natural autoantibodies to the gonadotropin-releasing hormone receptor in polycystic ovarian syndrome
Authors: Sattler Lisa-Marie , Schniewind Hanna A. , Minich Waldemar B. , Haudum Christoph W. , Niklowitz Petra , Münzker Julia , Kovács Gábor L. , Reinehr Thomas , Obermayer-Pietsch Barbara , Schomburg Lutz
Published: April 2021

Context

Polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS) is a complex disease with different subtypes and unclear etiology. Among the frequent comorbidities are autoimmune diseases, suggesting that autoantibodies (aAb) may be involved in PCOS pathogenesis.

Objective

As the gonadal axis often is dysregulated, we tested the hypothesis that aAb to the gonadotropin-releasing hormone receptor (GnRH-R) are of diagnostic value in PCOS.

Design

An in vitro assay for quantifying aAb to the GnRH-R (GnRH-R-aAb) was established by using a recombinant fusion protein of full-length human GnRH-R and firefly luciferase. A commercial rabbit antiserum to human GnRH-R was used for standardization. Serum samples of control subjects and different cohorts of European PCOS patients (n = 1051) were analyzed.

Results

The novel GnRH-R-aAb assay was sensitive, and signals were linear on dilution when tested with the commercial GnRH-R antiserum. Natural GnRH-R-aAb were detected in one control (0.25%) and two PCOS samples (0.31%), and 12 samples were slightly above the threshold of positivity. The identification of samples with positive GnRH-R-aAb was reproducible and the signals showed no matrix interferences.

Conclusion

Natural GnRH-R-aAb are present in a very small fraction of adult control and PCOS subjects of European decent. Our results do not support the hypothesis that the GnRH-R constitutes a relevant autoantigen in PCOS.
The relationship between vitamin D status, intake and exercise performance in UK University-level athletes and healthy inactive controls
Authors: Wilson-Barnes Saskia L. , Hunt Julie E. A. , Mendis Jeewaka , Williams Emma L. , King David , Roberts Harry , Lanham-New Susan A. , Manders Ralph J. F.
Published: April 2021

The potential ergogenic effects of vitamin D (vitD) in high performing athletes has received considerable attention in the literature and media. However, little is known about non-supplemented university athletes and students residing at a higher latitude. This study aimed to investigate the effects of vitD (biochemical status and dietary intake) on exercise performance in UK university athletes and sedentary students. A total of 34 athletes and 16 sedentary controls were studied during the spring and summer months. Serum vitD status and sunlight exposure were assessed using LC-MS/MS and dosimetry, respectively. Muscular strength of the upper and lower body was assessed using handgrip and knee extensor dynamometry (KE). Countermovement jump (CMJ) and aerobic fitness were measured using an Optojump and VO2maxtest, respectively. Statistical analysis was performed using paired/ independent t-tests, ANCOVA and Pearson/ Spearman correlations, depending on normality. VitD status increased significantly over the seasons, with athletes measuring higher status both in spring (51.7±20.5 vs. 37.2±18.9 nmol/L, p = 0.03) and summer (66.7±15.8 vs 55.6±18.8 nmol/L, p = 0.04) when compared to controls, respectively. Notably, 22% of the subjects recruited were vitD deficient during the spring term only (<25nmol/L,n9). Subjects with ‘insufficient’ vitD status (<50nmol/L) elicited significantly lower CMJ when contrasted to the vitD ‘sufficient’ (>50nmol/l) group (p = 0.055) and a lower VO2 max(p = 0.05) in the spring and summer term (p = 0.05 and p = 0.01, respectively). However, an ANCOVA test showed no significant difference detected for either CMJ or VO2maxfollowing adjustments for co-variates. In conclusion, we provide novel information on the vitD status, dietary intake, physical fitness and sunlight exposure of UK young adults across two separate seasons, for which there is limited data at present.
The association between ozone and fine particles and mental health-related emergency department visits in California, 2005–2013
Authors: Nguyen Angela-Maithy , Malig Brian J. , Basu Rupa
Published: April 2021

Recent studies suggest that air pollutant exposure may increase the incidence of mental health conditions, however research is limited. We examined the association between ozone (O3) and fine particles (PM2.5) and emergency department (ED) visits related to mental health outcomes, including psychosis, neurosis, neurotic/stress, substance use, mood/affective, depression, bipolar, schizotypal/delusional, schizophrenia, self-harm/suicide, and homicide/inflicted injury, from 2005 through 2013 in California. Air monitoring data were provided by the U.S. EPA’s Air Quality System Data Mart and ED data were provided by the California Office of Statewide Health Planning and Development. We used the time-series method with a quasi-Poisson regression, controlling for apparent temperature, day of the week, holidays, and seasonal/long-term trends. Per 10 parts per billion increase, we observed significant cumulative 7-day associations between O3 and all mental health [0.64%, 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.21, 1.07], depression [1.87%, 95% CI: 0.62, 3.15], self-harm/suicide [1.43%, 95% CI: 0.35, 2.51], and bipolar [2.83%, 95% CI: 1.53, 4.15]. We observed 30-day lag associations between O3 and neurotic disorder [1.22%, 95% CI: 0.48, 1.97] and homicide/inflicted injury [2.01%, 95% CI: 1.00, 3.02]. Same-day mean PM2.5 was associated with a 0.42% [95% CI: 0.14, 0.70] increase in all mental health, 1.15% [95% CI: 0.62, 1.69] increase in homicide/inflicted injury, and a 0.57% [95% CI: 0.22, 0.92] increase in neurotic disorders per 10 μg/m3 increase. Other outcomes not listed here were not statistically significant for O3 or PM2.5. Risk varied by age group and was generally greater for females, Asians, and Hispanics. We also observed seasonal variation for outcomes including but not limited to depression, bipolar, schizophrenia, self-harm/suicide, and homicide/inflicted injury. Ambient O3 or PM2.5 may increase the risk of mental health illness, though underlying biological mechanisms remain poorly understood. Findings warrant further investigation to better understand the impacts of air pollutant exposure among vulnerable groups.
Two peptides targeting endothelial receptors are internalized into murine brain endothelial cells
Authors: Hudecz Diána , Sigurdardóttir Sara Björk , Christensen Sarah Christine , Hempel Casper , Urquhart Andrew J. , Andresen Thomas Lars , Nielsen Morten S.
Published: April 2021

The blood-brain barrier (BBB) is one of the main obstacles for therapies targeting brain diseases. Most macromolecules fail to pass the tight BBB, formed by brain endothelial cells interlinked by tight junctions. A wide range of small, lipid-soluble molecules can enter the brain parenchyma via diffusion, whereas macromolecules have to transcytose via vesicular transport. Vesicular transport can thus be utilized as a strategy to deliver brain therapies. By conjugating BBB targeting antibodies and peptides to therapeutic molecules or nanoparticles, it is possible to increase uptake into the brain. Previously, the synthetic peptide GYR and a peptide derived from melanotransferrin (MTfp) have been suggested as candidates for mediating transcytosis in brain endothelial cells (BECs). Here we study uptake, intracellular trafficking, and translocation of these two peptides in BECs. The peptides were synthesized, and binding studies to purified endocytic receptors were performed using surface plasmon resonance. Furthermore, the peptides were conjugated to a fluorophore allowing for live-cell imaging studies of their uptake into murine brain endothelial cells. Both peptides bound to low-density lipoprotein receptor-related protein 1 (LRP-1) and the human transferrin receptor, while lower affinity was observed against the murine transferrin receptor. The MTfp showed a higher binding affinity to all receptors when compared to the GYR peptide. The peptides were internalized by the bEnd.3 mouse endothelial cells within 30 min of incubation and frequently co-localized with endo-lysosomal vesicles. Moreover, ourin vitroTranswell translocation experiments confirmed that GYR was able to cross the murine barrier and indicated the successful translocation of MTfp. Thus, despite binding to endocytic receptors with different affinities, both peptides are able to transcytose across the murine BECs.
Correlation of Blood Lead Levels and Elevated Blood Pressure in Newly Detected Hypertensive Patients
Authors: M. A Shuaib Ahmed , Sharma Raghav , K Shama Prakash
Published: April 2021

BACKGROUND Hypertension is one of the most common diseases all over the world. Lead is a common environmental and industrial pollutant with no beneficial biological role. The contribution of environmental lead exposure to hypertension is an important public health concern. The objective of this study was to determine the blood lead levels in hypertensive patients and to investigate the correlation between blood lead (B-Pb) levels and the values of blood pressure in hypertensive patients. METHODS This is a hospital based analytical cross-sectional study conducted over a period of one and half years. Subjects included 50 newly detected hypertensive and 50 healthy subjects recruited who were both age and sex matched. Mean of age, blood lead levels, systolic blood pressure (SBP), diastolic blood pressure (DBP) with standard deviation were assessed. Linear regression was used to estimate the predicted systolic blood pressure (BP) and diastolic BP with lead levels. Pearson correlation was used to estimate the correlation between blood lead and blood pressure levels. RESULTS In this study, 52 % of cases and controls were in the age group of 41 - 60 years. 22 % of the subjects were more than 61 years of age. 45 % of the total subjects were females and 55 % were males. 46 % of the controls and 44 % of the cases were females. Comparison of the serum lead levels (mcg / dl) between cases and controls showed that serum lead levels (mcg / dl) were higher in Cases group with a t-value of -7.38 and was statistically significant with a P-value of < 0.001. Comparison of the serum lead levels (mcg / dl) between the males and females showed that serum lead levels (mcg / dl) were higher in female group with a t-value of - 0.151 and was statistically non-significant with a P-value of 0.881. This study showed that there is an increase in blood lead levels in hypertensive patients compared to the control group. Stage 2 hypertension has higher serum lead level value of 21.228 compared to stage 1. Serum lead levels were higher in females compared to males. CONCLUSIONS Our study indicated that blood lead level is significantly and positively correlated to blood pressure among newly detected hypertensive patients. Increase in blood lead levels causes increase in both systolic and diastolic blood pressures. KEY WORDS Hypertension, Lead, Systolic Blood Pressure, Diastolic Blood Pressure
Knowledge, Attitude, and Practice of Family Medicine Trainees in Saudi Training Programs towards Medical Ethics, in Riyadh
Authors: Alardan Abdulrahman , Alshammari Sulaiman Abdullah , Alruwaili Mohammed
Published: April 2021

BACKGROUND Medical ethics is a system of moral principles that govern the practice of medicine. Ethical challenges frequently arise within the field of family medicine and may lead to complications. We wanted to assess the existing knowledge, attitude, and practice of family medicine trainees currently engaged in Saudi programs in relation to medical ethics in Riyadh. METHODS A cross-sectional study was carried out which encompassed a population size of 256 trainees from a total of nine different training centres. A self-administrated questionnaire containing 28 items was used. The questionnaires were distributed manually during the month of December 2016. RESULTS 208 subjects returned the completed questionnaires with a response rate of 81.25 %. Eighty-eight percent of those surveyed agreed that a knowledge of medical ethics was important in medical practice. The most common source of knowledge of medical ethics and law of work amongst the trainees was found to be "during training" in both medical ethics (71.2 %) and law of work (60.6 %). Significantly, only thirty-eight percent participants had knowledge about content of a Saudi law of practicing healthcare professions. Meanwhile, 63.9 % were unaware of the content of the Hippocratic Code whilst 88.5 % were unaware of the content of the Nuremberg Code. Finally, 93.8 % were unaware of the Helsinki Declaration. In measuring the total scores of answers in relation to ethical problems for different values, the mean score for all respondents was 34.98 out of 50, and 51.92 of residents, got a score ≤ 35. CONCLUSIONS The knowledge, attitude, and practice of trainees toward medical ethics was found to be inadequate. It is, therefore, essential to incorporate teaching of medical ethics into future residency program for trainees as a structured course. KEY WORDS Ethics, Bioethics, Family Medicine, Training, Residency
Nanoparticles in Endodontics - A Review
Authors: Chandak Pooja Ghanshyam , Ghanshyamdasj Manoj , Chandak Chandak , Relan Kajol Naresh , Chandak Madhulka , Rathi Chanchal , Patel Aditya
Published: April 2021

BACKGROUND The complex anatomy of root canal makes it very difficult to clean and shape to eliminate the bacteria in the canal. Multiple root canal medicaments and irrigants are used to eliminate the canal microbials. Many of the pathogens have undergone resistance to the medicaments and the irrigants used. Thus, antibacterial nanoparticles have been introduced to overcome this problem. Nano dentistry mainly infers the use of nanomaterials and dental nanorobots in the field of diagnosis and treatment, aiming improvement in complete oral health. The use of nanoparticles is extending in many oral health–related issues such as management of dentin hypersensitivity, elimination of bacterial biofilm, diagnosing as well as treating oral cancers, bone replacement and so on. It possesses a unique physical and chemical property. The usage of nanoparticles in different forms like solutions for irrigation, as intracanal medication, in conjunction with sealers or restorative materials aimed at evaluating and mainly improving the antimicrobial efficacy in endodontic and conservative treatments. These nanoparticles act on the bacteria through various mechanisms. The bactericidal effect of the nanoparticles has been investigated in many in vitro studies. In the field of endodontics, nanomaterials are inculcated mainly focusing on strategies improving antimicrobial efficacy, mechanical integrity of already diseased dentinal matrix, regeneration of the tissues and many more. Recently, many more new technologies are in process to be tested in the field, keeping an eye on overcoming the microbial challenge. This review intended to give a look on the literature available, uses, applications and advantages of the nanoparticles in endodontics. KEY WORDS Nanotechnology, Nanoparticles, Antibacterial Efficacy, Endodontics
Fourth Industrial Revolution: Competencies of Potential Leaders
Authors: AlMazrouei Sultan Ali Suleiman
Published: April 2021

Fourth industrial revolution would have strong impact on services and working environment so that a new philosophy should be applied to manage organization resources. Educational leaders need certain competencies to respond swiftly to new developments and their implications in their organizations. Thus, this research undertake a systematic literature review to shed light on the characteristics of fourth industrial revolution and the required competencies of educational leaders in this era.

The results of literature emphasized the importance of high communication rate. Employees should be connected in a network regardless of their positions. They need to connect together with heads, hearts, and hands and have positive emotions to overcome challenges they confront. Building relationships with all stakeholders are also important. Understanding individuals’ personalities is the key to change and control their attitudes and behaviours through changing their environment. The values and morale of organizations and leaders are important to maximize performance of employees.

Furthermore, some researches highlighted that some practices eliminate the change process. For example, having politics and discrimination between employees, and ignoring employees’ emotions will hinder the progress of organization. Hierarchical structure of organization inhibits organization transformation and progress. Therefore, there must be strategic planning along with appropriate skills, abilities and adequate resources to implement and sustain the change to meet fourth industrial revolution.
Evaluating The Relationship Between Leadership Development And Human Capital Condition Of Non-Metallic Product Manufacturing Firms In South East, Nigeria.
Authors: Orga Christopher Chukwudi , Odo Cosmas Ogobuchi , Okeke Daniel Chukwudi
Published: April 2021

Failure of leadership and inefficient utilisation of human capital have continued to agitate the minds of researchers and managers alike in Nigeria. Therefore, this paper evaluated the relationship between leadership development and human capital condition of non-metallic product manufacturing firms registered with Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (MAN) in South East, Nigeria. A survey research design was used for the study. A sample size of 310 was utilized and drawn from a population of 2862 personnel. Data collected were presented in tables and were further analysed using mean scores and standard deviation, and the hypotheses were tested using the F-statistic. Three major findings were made, namely: that there was significant positive relationship between leadership skills and employee output at work  of non-metallic  product manufacturing  firms in South East, Nigeria [ F(4,20 = 13.07771), p < 0.05]; there was significant positive relationship between managers’ level of education and operational cost  of non-metallic  product manufacturing  firms in South East, Nigeria [ F(4,20 = 19.89737), p < 0.05] and that there was a significant positive relationship between leadership training and team building and or cohesion among staff of non-metallic  product manufacturing firms in South East, Nigeria [ F(4,20 = 15.98143), p < 0.05,5]. Hence, it was concluded that there was positive relationship between leadership development and human capital condition of non-metallic product manufacturing firms in South-East, Nigeria. It was therefore recommended that management of non-metallic manufacturing firms in South-East, Nigeria, should install and implement regular staff training and retraining programmes, coupled with robust staff welfare/reward packages, which motivate them for optimum productivity.
Business Process Re-engineering is always framed to achieve good results when managerial and human-centred strategies of team-working are present. Discuss whether this is achieved in practice or not, and how?
Authors: Kwadade-Cudjoe Francis
Published: April 2021

Business Process Re-engineering / Re-design (BPR) was introduced as the radical redesign of core business processes of organizations to enable them achieve dramatic improvement in service, performance, productivity and quality of products / services. It was touted in the 1990s as the newest business strategy to make management of businesses effective, after less was derived from TQM. Unfortunately, the application of the BPR strategy on businesses, example in the automobile industry, was only marginal but better than TQM. BPR was designed to re-organize organizational processes, and then make extensive use of Information Technology (IT) for running organizations. However, most of the localized organizations that adopted the BPR strategy for use, complained bitterly about the application. This was due to the fact that the managerial and human-centred strategies of team-working was not effectively achieved. However, for organizations that go global, it is a different ball game all together, as there are string of successes associated with them. Localized organizations should therefore, create the right enablement for the strategy to work, as some MNCs have been able to use BPR to achieve competitive advantage.
Determinants of Call Centre Employee’s Turnover in Pakistan - An Exploratory Study
Authors: Fatima Syeda Zain , Naseem Hafiza Iram
Published: April 2021

The purpose of this study was to find the determinants of call centre employee’s turn over in Pakistan. This study would answer Why employees quit call centres job in Pakistan and does not last for long. Little is known about the employs experience and real issue, that why did they quit. Eight employees were interviewed who have worked in the call centres. The interviews were qualitative and were analysed by drawing on the phenomenological method. The employees revealed that there are limited career opportunities in the call centres. Most participants stated that time schedule, stressed working environment and excessive work load were that major factor which urged them to quit the job too early. Participants stated the time schedule as a major factor which negatively impacted on their social and personal lives. In conclusion, this research provides the basis for human resource management to work on the real factor which spark the employee turnover in call centres of Pakistan.
An examination of six macroenvironment forces on globalization between 2006 and 2018
Authors: AbdulHafiz AbdulHafiz Henry James , Talal Alsaif
Published: April 2021

This study looks at the economic, political, environmental, cultural, technological, legal, and ethical macro-environmental forces which impact globalization Pre-2018.  Key events are examined as indicators of the state of globalization around the world.  The examination of globalization centers on these key events in the United States and Saudi Arabia.  The issues that rose out these events are used to interpret whether the state of globalization is influenced.  The issues of economic class, unemployment, CEO compensation, The Kyoto Protocol, the rise of social media, and Saudi Arabia’s joining the WTO are examined based on their influence on the state of globalization.  The study concludes that convergence of cultures, based on nation-states’ responses to the arbitrage of information in the areas of economies, politics, environment, law, culture, and ethics has is a real influence on the state of globalization.  The negative or positive effects of globalization are irrelevant in comparison to the actions taking by nation-states in response to key events.
Quality Assurance And The Role Of SERVICOM In Effective Service Delivery: A Case Study Of Obafemi Awolowo University, Nigeria.
Authors: Ajila C.O. , Ibukun Cleopatra O.
Published: April 2021

The paper succinctly looks at what quality assurance is. It further examines factors militating against assurance of quality and factors responsible for improving quality assurance. The second Section of the paper addresses effective service delivery and qualities of a good service provider. The third Section looks at SERVICOM and its role in effective service delivery. Obafemi Awolowo University is used as a Case Study. The paper concludes with recommendations for the sustenance of standards in Obafemi Awolowo University.
A New Model of Unified Psychology
Authors: Kopsov Igor
Published: April 2021

There exist several unassertive schools of unified psychology which attempt to consolidate divided psychology perspectives by offering equally contentious hypothetical constructs. At the same time, all psychology doctrines are in essence based on an identical premise as they all study human behavior. Accordingly, we approach the unification of psychology through the lenses of the originally proposed algorithm of human behavior, which is defined as a sequence of steps and feedback mechanisms. The algorithm is assessed from the standpoint of the six main psychology perspectives (behavioral, biological, cognitive, humanistic, psychoanalytical, and social). The primary attributes of the perspectives are projected onto the schematics of the algorithm and paired with its elements. We postulate that the algorithm reflects the fundamental premise of each of the individual perspectives, and in doing so integrates them into a single concept of human behavior. The model does not compromise the integrity of various schools of thought, but rather provides a framework uncovering  their integrational potential and strengths. The model – unlike typical narrative canon – is compact, analytic, and adaptable to new data. Despite being based on formal logic it is able to shed light on such fundamental issues as human nature, relation between body and mind, relation between humans and nonhuman animals, and unity of experience.
Determinants Of Knowledge Management Success In Public Companies In Kenya
Authors: Sacho Zammary Jepkorir , Senaji Thomas A.
Published: April 2021

In a knowledge economy, the need to ensure knowledge management success is imperative because it determines the success of an organization. Consequently, in order to improve and sustain their competitive advantage, many companies are also exploring the field of knowledge management. We examined factors that influence knowledge management success, namely organizational culture, knowledge strategy, information technology and leader behavior using a descriptive survey of 216 low, middle and top-level managers from public companies in Kenya based in Nairobi. Primary data was collected using structured questionnaires. The overall response rate was 72 percent. Descriptive statistics were used to summarize the analyzed survey data into frequencies and means. The findings were that organizational culture (β = 0.185, t = 5.436, p < 0.001), knowledge strategy (β = 0.368, t = 9.622, p < 0.001), information technology (β = 0.338, t = 9.247, p < 0.001) and leader behavior (β = 0.187, t = 4.764, p < 0.001) had a positive and significant influence on knowledge management success. Based on these findings, it is recommended that organizations have a knowledge strategy and enhance their information technology because these were found to have the greatest influence on knowledge management success.
The COVID-19 Health Crisis And Its Framing: Approaches Used by the Print Media for Coverage
Authors: Odoemelam Chika  Ebere
Published: April 2021

Almost all the countries of the world have witnessed the outbreak of a global health pandemic known as COVID-19 like never before. This pandemic has negatively impacted the economic, health, social, and overall well-being of humanity. The framing analysis approach allows scholars to explore the media’s roles in developing health, economic, political, social, and cultural issues facing society daily. Besides, framing entails an interplay between leading social values and the efforts to tinker with them. This study explored what aspects of framing approaches the major newspapers have created for their readership in Nigeria in understanding the COVID-19 health pandemic that has rattled the entire world since January 2020. The research findings revealed that the six selected newspapers amplified coverage of the pandemic using the frames of economic issues, public healthcare crisis, health workers strike, and corruption with different ferocity and salience. It was also found that the dominant news frames approaches of economic issues, corruption, and public healthcare crisis received negative tone coverage across all the sampled papers at varying degrees. The tone approaches used in framing the COVID-19 pandemic in the selected newspapers were positive, negative, and neutral tones, which are possibly rooted in their editorial policies and political beliefs.
A Theoretical Basis For Innovation, Institutions And Insurance Penetration Nexus
Authors: Hafiz Usman Ahmed , Salleh Fauzilah , Garba Murtala
Published: April 2021

Insurance is one of the systematic solutions to risk reduction available in the modern world. Its contribution to socio-economic development is difficult to overestimate, bearing in mind that the level of diversity and inclusion of the sector explains the degree of financial progress of a nation.  This paper has a twofold objectives of ascertaining and discussing an overview of theories that stimulate economic performance from the angles of institutions and innovation. Keywords were used to search literature repository with the aid of Harzing’s publish or perish software. As a result of this process, the New Institutional Economics (NIE) and Schumpeter’s theory of Innovation found suitable to the objectives of the study. The paper concludes that efficient institutions coupled with the emergence of the novel products may likely promote trust and confidence in the market as well as specific needs of the large majority unserved potential consumers. Therefore, interaction between institutions and innovation could likely trigger insurance uptake.
COLLABORATION OF MARINE ECOTOURISM IN RIAU ISLANDS PROVINCE TOWARDS SUSTAINABLE TOURISM
Authors: Alfiandri Alfiandri , Prasojo Eko , Salomo Roy Valiant
Published: April 2021

The purpose of this study is to analyze the existence of collaborative governance in the development of marine ecotourism in a sustainable manner in Bintan Regency, Riau Islands Province using a collaborative governance model approach. This study uses a qualitative approach, where the researcher performs one stage of qualitative data collection at a time, simultaneously (concurrently). This research is useful for increasing basic knowledge about the relationship between marine ecotourism development institutions, and also enriching the knowledge base, especially in the field of public administration. Besides, this research does not provide practical applications that can be applied in the short term but can become a basis for knowledge in solving problems and making policies related to improving institutional relations between institutions in the development of marine ecotourism. Then, it can be implemented by stakeholders and also the Regional Government of Bintan Regency in the development of sustainable marine ecotourism.

The collaborative institutional strengthening model has an important role in building community involvement. This model can strengthen network systems and information flow and reduce disagreements between stakeholders. An important role in the development of local indigenous-based tourism potential, not only in the role of the central or regional government but also the role of all actors in the tourism community who have an important role in developing sustainable tourism.
Therapists’ Perception of their Relationship with Educational Staff In Secondary Inclusive Schools
Authors: Fogel -Simhony Meytal
Published: April 2021

Due to the disparities inherent in the role perception of expressive and creative therapists in the Israeli educational system, and the difficulty of fulfilling the role in an optimal manner for all parties involved, this study aims to examine the role perception of the therapist in secondary schools with inclusive education, examining the therapist’s work vis-a-vis the school’s educational staff and its management team.The sample included 11 therapists who have worked in a secondary school for over two years. The data was collected through semi-structured interviews. Findings of the study indicated a number of significant parameters in the therapist's work vis-à-vis the staff. Moreover, it is evident that the therapist's own role perception is related to the role perception as perceived by the educational and management team. The discussion examines the significance of the disparity between the therapist's role perception and the expectations and perceptions of the staff within the educational system.