bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Socio Economic and Maternal Reproductive factors affecting Low Birth Weight Babies in Central Nepal
Authors: Shrestha Manju , Gupta Sweta Kumari , Sharmah Bhawani Kant , Baidya Manish
Published: May 2017

Introduction: Low Birth weight is one of the most sensitive and reliable predictors of health and also an essential determinant of mortality, morbidity and disability in infancy and childhood. Globally, about one sixth of all newborns are low birth weight (LBW <2500 grams), which is the single most important underlying risk factors for neonatal deaths. It is estimated that 18 million babies are born with Low Birth Weight and half of them are born in south Asia. Over three – quarters of newborns death in Nepal occur in LBW babies. The estimates of prevalence of LBW in Nepal have ranged from 14% in community based studies to 32% in hospital based ones, overall being 27%.Objectives were to study the various socioeconomic and maternal reproductive factors related to low birth weight babies in Central regional part of Nepal.Material and Methods: Cross-sectional and observational study was undertaken from October 2012 to September 2014 comprising of 350 singleton live born baby admitted in NICU of Tertiary Care Teaching Hospital, Chitwan.Results: The common risks factors for LBW were significantly associated with low socio- economic status, maternal age, maternal education, occupation of mother, maternal smoking, maternal alcohol intake, number of ANC visit with significant p-value of <0.05.Conclusion: LBW mostly associated with maternal factors can be addressed directly by improving the socioeconomic factors (maternal age, educational level and economic status) and health status of pregnant women by supplementations, family planning services and female education.J Nepal Paediatr Soc 2016;36(3):277-283
Substitute for the Breast Milk (Sale, Distribution and Control) Act 2049: Revisited
Authors: Shrestha Merina , Basnet S. , Shreshta P.S.
Published: May 2017

No abstract availableJ Nepal Paediatr Soc 2016;36(3):219-221
Neurotropic Viral Infections in Bangladesh: Burden and Challenges
Authors: Hussain Mohammad Enayet
Published: May 2017

Abstract not Available Bangladesh Journal of Infectious Diseases 2016;3(1):1-2
Comparison of the Lytic Blood Culture Method with the Conventional Blood Culture Method in Cases of Enteric Fever in a Tertiary Care Hospital
Authors: Sultana Safia , Hossain Md Akram , Al Maruf Md Abdoullah , Gani Mohammad Abdul
Published: May 2017

Background: Blood Culture is the gold standard and accurate method of diagnosing bacteremia in enteric fever; however, conventional blood culture is slow in isolating Salmonella typhi and Salmonella paratyphi.Objective: The main aim of this study was to compare the result of the lytic centrifugation method with conventional blood culture system for the accurate diagnosis of enteric fever in febrile patients.Methodology: The cross-sectional study was carried out in the department of Microbiology, Mymensingh Medical College, Mymensingh between July 2010 and June 2011 including 200 individuals of different ages and sexes. Of them, 150 were clinically suspected cases of typhoid fever and 50 controls comprising of 25 non-typhoidal febrile patients and 25 healthy individuals. Both types of blood culture were performed for each of the cases and controls.Result: The lytic centrifugation method recovered more organisms (17.3%) than the conventional blood culture method (13.3%). Time required for isolation of S. typhi and S. paratyphi A was short in lytic method (18-20hours) than conventional method (42-72hours). Total contamination rate was 0.5% by lytic as compared to the conventional blood culture method which was 5.0%.Conclusion: In conclusion the lytic method is better than conventional blood culture system for good result, short isolation time and less chance of contamination.Bangladesh Journal of Infectious Diseases 2016;3(1):6-10
Emergence of Vancomycin Resistant Staphylococcus aureus during Hospital Admission at a Tertiary Care Hospital in Bangladesh
Authors: Khanam Shahana , Haq Jalaluddin Ashraful , Shamsuzzaman SM , Rahman Md Motlabur , Mamun Kazi Zulfiquer
Published: May 2017

Background: Glycopeptides such as vancomycin are frequently the choice of antibiotics for the treatment of infections caused by methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA). For the last 7 years incidence of vancomycin intermediate S. aureus and vancomycin resistant S. aureus (VISA and VRSA respectively) has been increasing in various parts of the world.Objective: The present study was carried out to find out the presence of VISA and VRSA among isolated MRSA strains.Methodology: This cross sectional study was carried out in the Department of Microbiology in Dhaka medical college during period of January 2010 to December 2011. All S. aureus isolates were screened to detect methicillin resistance and then all MRSA isolates were subjected for MIC testing against vancomycin and oxacillin by agar dilution method, disc diffusion testing and PCR for mecA and pvl genes detection.Result: A total 112 S. aureus were isolated from 500 nasal swab sample collected from adult patients who were admitted in various departments and wards in Dhaka Medical College Hospital. Among 38 MRSA strains out of 112 Staph aureus isolates 3(7.89%) strains were resistance to vancomycin of which 2(5.26%) strains had MIC > 256 mg/mL and one strain had MIC 256mg/mL. All vancomycin resistance strains had MIC of oxacillin > 256 mg/mL. All isolates possess mec-A gene.Conclusion: The present study reveals that emergence of VRSA upon admission at a tertiary care of hospital in Bangladesh. Continuous efforts should be made to prevent the spread and the emergence of VRSA by early detection of the resistant strains and using the proper infection control measures in the hospital setting.Bangladesh Journal of Infectious Diseases 2016;3(1):11-16
Maternal and fetal outcome among pregnant women following open heart surgery
Authors: Ranjan Redoy , Akhter Nargis , Adhikary Asit Baran , Uddin Md. Aftab
Published: May 2017

The aim of this retrospective cohort study was to evaluate the pregnancy outcome following open heart surgery for three years. Group I (n = 37) included pregnancy with history of intracardiac repair except valvular heart disease, while Group II (n = 19) included pregnancy with prosthetic valve received anticoagulation therapy. In total, 78.6% pregnancies ended in healthy live births, and 19.6% pregnancies terminated in abortion (8.1% patients in Group I and 42.1% patients in Group II). 5.3% baby was born with congenital malformation in Group II. Mean birth weight was found 2.8 ± 0.6 kg in Group I and 2.5 ± 0.3 kg in Group II. The mean APGAR score was found 8.5 ± 0.7 in Group I and 8.1 ± 0.7 in Group II. 19.6% patients developed cardiac complications during the pregnancy. Majority of the patients (89.2% in Group I and 63.2% in Group II) was found good health status. Proper antenatal care and early risk stratification are the fundamental measures to improve the maternal and fetal outcome in a patient of open heart surgery.
Is Neighborhood Green Space Protective against Associations between Child Asthma, Neighborhood Traffic Volume and Perceived Lack of Area Safety? Multilevel Analysis of 4447 Australian Children
Authors: Feng Xiaoqi , Astell-Burt Thomas
Published: May 2017

Heavy traffic is a source of air pollution and a safety concern with important public health implications. We investigated whether green space lowers child asthma risk by buffering the effects of heavy traffic and a lack of neighborhood safety. Multilevel models were used to analyze affirmative asthma cases in nationally representative cross-sectional data from 4447 children aged 6–7 years old in Australia. Case-finding was based upon a triangulation of affirmative responses to three questions on doctor-diagnosed asthma, asthma-related medications and illness with wheezing lasting for at least 1 week within the 12 months prior. Among children considered to be exposed to high traffic volumes and areas with 0 to 20% green space quantity, the odds ratio of affirmative asthma was 1.87 (95% CI 1.37 to 2.55). However, the association between heavy traffic and asthma was significantly lower for participants living in areas with over 40% green space coverage (odds ratio for interaction 0.32, 95% CI 0.12 to 0.84). No association between affirmative asthma and green space coverage was observed for participants not exposed to heavy traffic, nor for the area safety variable. Protecting existing and investing in new green space may help to promote child respiratory health through the buffering of traffic-related air pollution.
Emergence of CD26+ Cancer Stem Cells with Metastatic Properties in Colorectal Carcinogenesis
Authors: Cheung Alvin , Iyer Deepak , Lam Colin , Ng Lui , Wong Sunny , Lee Hung-Sing , Wan Timothy , Man Johnny , Chow Ariel , Poon Ronnie , Pang Roberta , Law Wai-Lun
Published: May 2017

Colorectal cancer results from genetic aberrations which accumulate over a long period of time, with malignant and metastatic properties acquired at a relatively late stage. A subpopulation of CD26+ colorectal cancer stem cells are known to be implicated in metastasis. We quantified CD26+ cancer cells in 11 primary tumor samples by flow cytometry, and showed that tumors having confirmed or suspected metastases harbored a relatively high CD26+ level in these samples. We hypothesized that this subpopulation of cancer stem cells arises in the late stage of carcinogenesis from the bulk of tumor daughter cells which are CD26−. The manipulation of PIK3CA and TP53, two genes commonly deregulated in the late stage, had an effect on the maintenance of the CD26+ cell population. When CD26− tumor daughter cells were sorted and cultured, the emergence of tumor spheres containing CD26+ cells occurred. These findings shed light to the origin of colorectal cancer stem cells with metastatic properties, which has an implication on conventional treatments by surgery or adjuvant chemotherapy for tumor debulking.
Antidiabetic Effects of Tea
Authors: Fu Qiu-Yue , Li Qing-Sheng , Lin Xiao-Ming , Qiao Ru-Ying , Yang Rui , Li Xu-Min , Dong Zhan-Bo , Xiang Li-Ping , Zheng Xin-Qiang , Lu Jian-Liang , Yuan Cong-Bo , Ye Jian-Hui , Liang Yue-Rong
Published: May 2017

Diabetes mellitus (DM) is a chronic endocrine disease resulted from insulin secretory defect or insulin resistance and it is a leading cause of death around the world. The care of DM patients consumes a huge budget due to the high frequency of consultations and long hospitalizations, making DM a serious threat to both human health and global economies. Tea contains abundant polyphenols and caffeine which showed antidiabetic activity, so the development of antidiabetic medications from tea and its extracts is increasingly receiving attention. However, the results claiming an association between tea consumption and reduced DM risk are inconsistent. The advances in the epidemiologic evidence and the underlying antidiabetic mechanisms of tea are reviewed in this paper. The inconsistent results and the possible causes behind them are also discussed.
Encapsulation of the Antioxidant R-(+)-α-Lipoic Acid in Permethylated α- and β-Cyclodextrins: Thermal and X-ray Structural Characterization of the 1:1 Inclusion Complexes
Authors: Caira Mino , Bourne Susan , Mzondo Buntubonke
Published: May 2017

The naturally occurring compound α-lipoic acid (ALA) is implicated in manifold critical biological roles and its potent antioxidant properties and potential for treatment of various diseases have led to its widespread use as a dietary supplement. However, shortcomings of poor aqueous solubility and low thermal stability have hampered its development as a medicinal agent, prompting the use of cyclodextrins (CDs) to address these problems. The paucity of published structural data on the nature of the interactions between ALA and CDs motivated the present study, which describes the synthesis and X-ray structural elucidation of crystalline inclusion complexes between the biologically relevant R-(+)-α-lipoic acid (RALA) and the host molecules permethylated α-CD (TMA) and permethylated β-CD (TMB). Single crystal X-ray diffraction of TMA·RALA·6H2O and TMB·RALA revealed significantly different orientations of the RALA molecule within the TMA and TMB cavities, but in both cases the guest molecule is fully encapsulated by the respective parent host molecules and residues of CD molecules of neighboring complex units. While pure RALA melted at 46–48 °C, combined thermal analysis techniques indicated that on heating the respective complexes, the release of RALA occurred at significantly higher onset temperatures, in the range 150–170 °C.
Factors Influencing Consumers’ Intentions to Participate in a Formal E-Waste Collection System: A Case Study of Onitsha, Nigeria
Authors: Nduneseokwu Chibuike , Qu Ying , Appolloni Andrea
Published: May 2017

Due to the increasing amount of electronic waste (e-waste) generated in Nigeria, challenges such as consumer disposal behaviors have emerged. An understanding of consumers’ intentions to participate in formal e-waste collections is key in increasing the level of participation in an e-waste collection scheme. The theory of planned behavior (TPB) creates an applicable platform for identifying the determinants of recycling intention. Based on the TPB, we develop a theoretical framework to study how influencing factors such as attitude, subjective norm, perceived behavioral control and environmental knowledge influence intentions to participate in formal e-waste collections. Additionally, we extend the research framework to examine whether the factors of infrastructure and economic incentive moderate the relationships between the influencing factors and intention. Using an empirical survey conducted in Onitsha with 384 usable questionnaire responses, we observe that attitude, subjective norm, and environmental knowledge directly influence consumers’ intentions. Statistical results also show that only the factor of infrastructure moderates the relationship between two influencing factors (attitude and subjective norm) and intention. The resulting negative coefficients of regression for the interactions indicate that the introduction of infrastructure will result in a weaker influencing ability of attitude and subjective norm on intention. Thus, the implications of this study in motivating consumers’ intentions suggest it would be beneficial for the government to provide functional and adequately managed infrastructure situated close to the community, such that it can be easily accessed by household consumers.
Effect of Heat Treatment on the Microstructure of Mg-4Al-Nd Alloys
Authors: Mishra Sibani , Chaubey Anil , Mandal Animesh
Published: May 2017

In the present work, Mg-4Al-xNd (x = 0, 1, 4 wt.%) alloys were prepared by a stir casting method, and the effect of the addition of Neodymium (Nd) as-cast and of heat-treated microstructures was studied. The addition of 1 wt.% Nd preferentially formed the Al2Nd phase and completely suppressed the formation of the intermetallic Mg17Al12 (γ) phase, which was initially present in the base alloy (Mg-4Al alloys). On increasing the Nd percentage from 1 to 4 wt.% in the base alloy, two intermetallic phases, Al2Nd and Al11Nd3, were observed in the microstructure, as higher levels of Nd led to a peritectic reaction between Al and the Al2Nd phase, and part of the Al2Nd transformed into the Al11Nd3 phase. The hardness of the as-cast alloy increased with the Nd content. Thus, the hardness increased from 57.1 ± 4.1 Hv of Mg-4Al to 66.5 ± 2.6 Hv of Mg-4Al-4Nd. It was also found that solutionizing and isothermal aging of alloys containing Nd at 180 °C for 96 h led to the size reduction of Al- and Nd-containing intermetallics without altering their morphologies. Further, it was found that Nd does not have any effect on the aging kinetics of the alloys because all of the alloys with and without Nd attained peak hardness at 24 h of aging time.
iTRAQ Mitoproteome Analysis Reveals Mechanisms of Programmed Cell Death in Arabidopsis thaliana Induced by Ochratoxin A
Authors: Wang Yan , Peng Xiaoli , Yang Zhuojun , Zhao Weiwei , Xu Wentao , Hao Junran , Wu Weihong , Shen Xiao , Luo Yunbo , Huang Kunlun
Published: May 2017

Ochratoxin A (OTA) is one of the most common and dangerous mycotoxins in the world. Previous work indicated that OTA could elicit spontaneous HR-like lesions formation Arabidopsis thaliana, reactive oxygen species (ROS) play an important role in OTA toxicity, and their major endogenous source is mitochondria. However, there has been no evidence as to whether OTA induces directly PCD in plants until now. In this study, the presence of OTA in Arabidopsis thaliana leaves triggered accelerated respiration, increased production of mitochondrial ROS, the opening of ROS-dependent mitochondrial permeability transition pores and a decrease in mitochondrial membrane potential as well as the release of cytochrome c into the cytosol. There were 42 and 43 significantly differentially expressed proteins identified in response to exposure to OTA for 8 and 24 h, respectively, according to iTRAQ analysis. These proteins were mainly involved in perturbation of the mitochondrial electron transport chain, interfering with ATP synthesis and inducing PCD. Digital gene expression data at transcriptional level was consistent with the cell death induced by OTA being PCD. These results indicated that mitochondrial dysfunction was a prerequisite for OTA-induced PCD and the initiation and execution of PCD via a mitochondrial-mediated pathway.
Early and Late Complications in Patients with Allogeneic Transplantation of Hematopoietic Stem Cell â€“ Case Report
Authors: Trajkovska Ivana , Georgievski Borce , Cevreska Lidija , Gacovski Andrijana , Hasan Taner , Nedeska-Minova Natasha
Published: May 2017

BACKGROUND: Allogeneic hematopoietic stem cells transplantation (HSCT) is a curative intervention in patients with haematological malignant and non-malignant diseases, immunodeficiency, autoimmune, and other genetic diseases. Early complications are complications that are occurring in the first 100 days, while complications arising after the 100th day of transplantation belong to late complications.CASE REPORT: Forty-nine years old patient with AML treated with allogeneic HSCT from HLA-identical (sister) donor. Ascertained and display of early (acute Graft versus host disease (GvHD) and late complications (chronic GVHD, infections, cataract, secondary malignancy with MS deposits) are made, that emerged after the patient transplantation.CONCLUSION: Rapidly growing population of patients that undergo allogeneic HSCT creates an obligation to educate patients and physicians about observed late complications that occur after this therapy.
Primary Fallopian Tube Carcinoma: A Case Report and Literature Review
Authors: Rexhepi Meral , Trajkovska Elizabeta , Ismaili Hysni , Besimi Florin , Rufati Nagip
Published: May 2017

BACKGROUND: Primary fallopian tube carcinoma (PFTC) is a rare tumour of the female genital tract with an incidence of 0.1-1.8% of all genital malignancies, and it is very difficult to diagnose preoperatively, because of its non-specific symptomatology. In most cases, it is an intraoperative finding or a histopathological diagnosis. It is a tumour that histologically and clinically resembles epithelial ovarian cancer.CASE PRESENTATION: We are reporting a case of a 62-year-old, postmenopausal women with primary fallopian tube carcinoma of the right fallopian tube in stage IA. The patient has lower abdominal pain, watery vaginal discharge and repeated episodes of bleeding from the vagina. The clinical and radiological findings suggested a right adnexal tumour with elevated CA-125 levels. Total abdominal hysterectomy, bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy, omentectomy and peritoneal washing were performed. Pathologic confirmation of primary serous cystadenocarcinoma of the right fallopian tube was made. Peritoneal washings were negative for malignancy. FIGO stage was considered as IA, and the patient received no courses of chemotherapy and postoperative radiation because she refused it. Ten months after initial surgery, the patient is alive and in good condition.CONCLUSION: Cytoreduction surgery followed by adequate cycles of chemotherapy is an important strategy to improve patientsâ€™ prognosis.
A large set of potential past, present and future
hydro-meteorological time series for the UK
Authors: Guillod Benoit P. , Jones Richard G. , Dadson Simon J. , Coxon Gemma , Bussi Gianbattista , Freer James , Kay Alison L. , Massey Neil R. , Sparrow Sarah N. , Wallom David C. H. , Allen Myles R. , Hall Jim W.
Published: May 2017

Abstract. Hydro-meteorological extremes such as drought and heavy precipitation can have large impacts on society and the economy. With potentially increasing risks associated with such events due to climate change, properly assessing the associated impacts and uncertainties is critical for adequate adaptation. However, the application of risk-based approaches often requires large sets of extreme events, which are not commonly available. Here, we present such a large set of hydro-meteorological time series for recent past and future conditions for the United Kingdom based on weather@home2, a modelling framework consisting of a global climate model driven by observed or projected sea surface temperature and sea ice which is downscaled to 25 km over the European domain by a regional climate model. Sets of 100 time series are generated for each of (i) a historical baseline (1900–2006), (ii) five near future scenarios (2020–2049) and (ii) five far future scenarios (2070–2099). The five scenarios in each future time slice all follow the Representative Concentration Pathway 8.5 (RCP8.5) and sample the range of sea surface temperature and sea ice changes from CMIP5 models. Validation of the historical baseline highlights good performance for temperature and potential evaporation, but substantial seasonal biases in mean precipitation, which are corrected using a linear approach. For extremes in low precipitation over a long accumulation period (>3 months) and shorter duration high precipitation (1–30 days), the time series generally represents past statistics well. Future projections show small precipitation increases in winter but large decreases in summer on average, leading to an overall drying, consistently with the most recent UK climate projections (UKCP09) but larger in magnitude than the latter. Both drought and high precipitation events are projected to increase in frequency and intensity in most regions, highlighting the need for appropriate adaptation measures. Overall, the presented dataset is a useful tool for assessing the risk associated with drought and more generally with hydro-meteorological extremes in the UK.
High-pressure injection injury: Role of early detection and aggressive intervention
Authors: Bashir Khalid , Khan Keebat
Published: May 2017

Emergency department physicians can easily underestimate the severity of damage underlying the innocuous looking high-pressure injection injuries. These work-related injuries lead to significant lifelong morbidity as functionality is compromised in most cases, even after recovery due to high rates of amputation. Hence it is important to consider all high-pressure injection injuries as surgical emergencies. A detailed case history including pressure of the instrument, nature of the material, volume injected, angle of injection and time since injury should guide the treatment. Immediate debridement, antibiotic therapy and postoperative care are essential in all cases. Success of the treatment largely depends on early initiation of the therapy. Relying exclusively on non-surgical interventions may not be favorable in most cases as the injected material will continue damaging the internal tissues. Patients have to undergo a long recovery period with physiotherapy to regain the functionality of the affected region. However, the sensory and motor functions will never be returned to normal levels in these injuries.
Diagnostic performance of the cardiac FAST in a high-volume Australian trauma centre
Authors: Gratton Ruth , Olaussen Alexander , Hassan Mariam , Thaveenthiran Prasanthan , Fitzgerald Mark C. , Mitra Biswadev
Published: May 2017

Background: Cardiac injury is uncommon, but it is important to diagnose, in order to prevent subsequent complications. Extended focused assessment with sonography in trauma (eFAST) allows rapid evaluation of the pericardium and thorax. The objective of this study was to describe cardiac injuries presenting to a major trauma centre and the diagnostic performance of eFAST in detecting haemopericardium as well as broader cardiac injuries. Methods: Data of patients with severe injuries and diagnosed cardiac injuries (Injury Severity Score >12 and AIS 2008 codes for cardiac injuries) were extracted from The Alfred Trauma Registry over a four-year period from July 2010 to June 2014. The initial eFAST results were compared to those of the final diagnosis, which were determined after analysing imaging results and intraoperative findings. Results: Thirty patients who were identified with cardiac injuries met the inclusion criteria. Among these, 22 patients sustained injuries under the scope of eFAST, of which a positive eFAST scan in the pericardium was reported in 13 (59%) patients, while nine (41%) patients had a negative scan. This resulted in a sensitivity of 59% (95% CI: 36.7%–78.5%). The sensitivity of detecting any cardiac injuries was lower at 43.3% (95% CI: 26.0–62.3). Conclusions: The low sensitivities of eFAST for detecting cardiac injuries and haemopericardium demonstrate that a negative result cannot be used in isolation to exclude cardiac injuries. A high index of suspicion for cardiac injury remains essential. Adjunct diagnostic modalities are indicated for the diagnosis of cardiac injury following major trauma.
Identifying a safe site for intercostal catheter insertion using the mid-arm point (MAP)
Authors: Bing Fei , Fitzgerald Mark , Olaussen Alexander , Finnegan Pete , O'Reilly Gerard , Gocentas Rob , Stergiou Helen , Korin Anna , Marasco Silvana , McGiffin David
Published: May 2017

Background:Over 85% of chest injuries requiring surgical intervention can be managed with tube thoracostomy/intercostal catheter (ICC) insertion alone. However, complication rates of ICC insertion have been reported in the literature to be as high as 37%. Insertional complications, including the incorrect identification of the safe zone chest wall location for ICC placement, are common issues, with up to 41% of insertions occurring outside of this safe area. A new biometric approach using the patient's proportional skeletal upper limb anatomy to allow correct identification of the chest wall skin site for ICC insertion may reduce complications.Aim:The aim of this study was to examine the performance of the mid-arm point (MAP) method in identifying the safe zone for ICC insertion.Methods:Thirty healthy volunteers were recruited from The Alfred Hospital, a Level I Adult Trauma Centre in Melbourne, Australia. Blinded investigators used the MAP to measure the mid-point of the adducted arm of each volunteer bilaterally. A skin marking was placed on the anterior axillary line of the adjacent chest wall, and with the arm then abducted to 90 degrees, the underlying intercostal space was identified.Results:Using the MAP method, all of the 120 measurements fell within the ‘safe zone’ of the fourth to sixth intercostal spaces bilaterally. The median intercostal space identified was the fifth space, with investigators finding this in 86% of measurements independent of age, sex, height, weight or side.Conclusion:A simple technique using the MAP is a reliable marker for the identification of the safe zone for ICC insertion in healthy volunteers. The clinical utility for patients undergoing pleural decompression and drainage needs prospective evaluation.
Evolution of emergency medical services in Saudi Arabia
Authors: AlShammari Talal , Jennings Paul , Williams Brett
Published: May 2017

Aim: The purpose of this study was to provide an overview of the evolution of emergency medical services (EMS) in Saudi Arabia to describe its history, organisational service providers, governance, EMS statistics and the educational development of the field with the disparity of educational approaches. Background: The EMS is an important part of the healthcare system as it is often the first point of contact for medical emergencies. The EMS in Saudi Arabia has seen a number of positive changes over the past decade, some of which include the development of several university and college programs dedicated to teaching EMS, the evaluation of the profession from a post-employment first aid model into a pre-employment bachelor's degree model, the generous governmental scholarship grants overseas and the official accreditation of EMS as a profession. It has been approximately nine years since the first EMS bachelor's degree programs were developed in Saudi Arabia, some of which were directly adopted from universities in developed countries such as Australia. Despite these positive changes, the current EMS system in Saudi is faced with many challenges, both organisational and educational, including the lack of research, community involvement, the educational status of practitioners and the inconsistencies of statistics relating to response time and rate of transfer. This paper describes the history of EMS in Saudi Arabia with a specific focus on identifying the disparity in the educational outcomes and approaches adopted by colleges and universities in the Kingdom. Methods: The data utilised for the research of the EMS profession in Saudi Arabia were obtained from the literature using search tools such as MEDLINE, Google Scholar, Saudi health journals, Saudi university websites, government reports and statistics. Conclusion: The EMS profession in Saudi Arabia has advanced greatly in the past 12 years. Yet there is still scope for considerable improvement, especially with regards to developing empirically identified core competencies for EMS bachelor's degree graduates. There is also the need for providing more outreach to the public to improve awareness of current services and available training, building more collaboration between the industry employers and academic institutions and investing further in EMS research through the development of Saudi-based postgraduate master's and PhD EMS degrees. This paper is the first to provide an overview of the EMS service in Saudi Arabia, for institutions and researchers to gain a better understanding of the history and current standing of the service from an educational and operational perspective.
Spinal clearance practices at a regional Australian hospital: A window to major trauma management performance outside metropolitan trauma centres
Authors: Carter Angus W. , Jacups Susan P. , Ackland Helen M. , Wright Andrew , Lawson Amy , Armit Drew , Mooney Richard
Published: May 2017

Background: Prevention of secondary spinal injury via spinal protection measures is a standard component of trauma management, and a high-quality spinal clearance process is imperative in achieving this aim. To evaluate the current practice with a view to achieving best practice, we sought to examine the spinal clearance process and outcomes at a regional Australian referral hospital, which services a large geographical catchment area. Methods: A retrospective review of medical records of all patients with major trauma who presented to an Australian regional hospital during 2014 was conducted. The primary outcome measure was missed or delayed diagnosis of spinal injury. Secondary outcome measures included compliance with internationally accepted spinal clearance process measures, timing and choice of appropriate imaging modalities, rates of spinal injury and documentation of spinal clearance. Results: Of the 112 patients with major trauma who met the study eligibility criteria and were discharged from hospital during the study period from 1 January to 31 December 2014, 11 spinal injuries were missed or delayed in diagnosis. The injuries occurred in 3.6% of patients and all were thoracolumbar spine (TLS) injuries. The predominant reasons for missed or delayed diagnosis were reduced sensitivity of plain X-ray compared with computed tomography for spinal injury screening and incomplete full spinal imaging to detect non-contiguous fractures. Conclusion: Evidence-based clinical decision rules are imperative in ascertaining the need for imaging in the TLS and would be enhanced by an internationally recognised definition of clinical significance based on injury morphology rather than clinician management decision alone. In addition, regional hospitals may have limited capacity to achieve spinal clearance, and other trauma quality assurance standards commensurate with national and international benchmarks without the valuable performance feedback provided by state trauma registries, as is currently the case in Queensland.
Disconnect between available literature and clinical practice: Exploring gaps in the management of t-BPPV in the emergency department
Authors: Bashir Khalid , Pathan Sameer , Farook Saleem , Khalid Muhammad Masood , Zayed Sameh
Published: May 2017

Background: Healthcare costs associated with the diagnosis of benign paroxysmal positional vertigo (BPPV) alone approach $2 billion per year in the United States. Post-traumatic BPPV (t-BPPV) is well recognized, and can be managed with simple bedside physical maneuvers. Despite the availability of literature and clear guidelines supporting this approach, physical maneuvers are underutilized. The aim of this study was to explore the reasons for this practice disagreement. Methods: A cross-sectional survey of emergency physicians (EP) and non-emergency physicians (Non-EPs) managing head injury patients was conducted. The survey questions were aimed to explore the attitude of these frontline healthcare providers towards the diagnosis and management of t-BPPV in head injury patients. Results: A total of 102 physicians completed the survey. Of them, male physicians constituted 87.2%, and the majority were working as emergency physicians (80.4%). Although nearly three-fourths (72.5%; n = 74) of the participants admitted that it is important to explore the possibility of t-BPPV in patients with head injury, only one-fifth of the participating physicians (20.6%; 21 of 102) confirmed that they would investigate for t-BPPV. A lack of knowledge about t-BPPV in more than half of the study participants (55.9%; n = 57) was the main reason for them not probing the possibility of t-BPPV. Conclusion: To close the gap between available evidence-based guidelines and actual clinical practice, there is a need for raising awareness about this condition. Addressing the training needs of frontline healthcare providers to use physical maneuvers such as Dix–Hallpike (DHM) and canalith repositioning (CRP) maneuvers in the management of t-BPPV is an important step that needs to be taken.
An Analysis of School-Based Contextual Indicators for Possible Use in Widening Participation
Authors: Gorard Stephen , Siddiqui Nadia , Boliver Vikki
Published: May 2017

This paper looks at the National Pupil Database for England in terms of variables that could be used by universities to help them assess undergraduate applications. Where a young person is obviously disadvantaged, this can be taken into account in contextualised admissions. Of the indicators available, which give the most accurate assessment of that context—singly or in combination? This paper looks at missing data, and what is known about students for whom data is missing. It looks at changes in indicators of potential disadvantage over time. And it looks at the relationship between all indicators and student attainment and progress at school. The safest and clearest indicators are the sex (male) and age in year (summer born) of a student but neither of these is currently considered in widening participation. Otherwise, the best general indicator is eligibility for free school meals (poverty), and this is best computed as the number of years a student has been known to be eligible. Having a special educational need is also a promising indicator, but doubts are raised about its validity and it anyway covers a wide range of factors, some of which are already dealt with by the education system. Very few students registered as living in care continue in education post-16, and this indicator could be used safely and to advantage. The rest, including area measures, school type, performance relative to school, ethnicity and first language are generally not safe to use.
The Factors Affecting the Trustworthiness of Customers towards the Usage of Internet Banking in Malaysia
Authors: Murthy Uma , Anthony Mariadas Paul , Perumal Gopal
Published: May 2017

The number of internet users in Malaysia is significantly high in comparison with other countries. It is reported that the number of internet users who were born in the year 2000 and above is almost near 70% in Malaysia. In 2015, the Malaysian internet users has exceeded to more than 19 million users. Therefore, the amount of banks that are implementing internet services to their customer is to be roughly 30. Meanwhile, there are only 13 banks in Malaysia that offers mobile banking services to its customers. Although there has been a rapid distribution of mobile internet by banks, internet banking services is still not fully adopted by banks. The objective of the study is to study about the factor affecting the trustworthiness of customers towards the usage of internet banking in Malaysia. This research is about the trustworthiness of customers towards the usage of internet banking. There are a few variables of factors that affect the trustworthiness of customers towards the usage of internet banking and it is clearly explained and elaborated. The factors are competency, security, integrity performance and shared values. Next, the methodology quantitative approach has used in this research whereby 200 respondents were sampled by the population from using the simple random taking. Employed the SPSS Version 22.0, the multiple regression analysis and correlation analysis was created out to test the four hypothesis for this research. Moreover, this research will be conducted in Kota Damansara, Malaysia.
A Path Model “Why-What-How-When” to Implement an IC Reporting
Authors: Demartini Paola , Paoloni Paola
Published: May 2017

The purpose of this paper is to present the results of an empirical study and the critical success factors for implementing Intellectual Capital (IC) reporting. Selecting an IC model to be implemented in a specific context at a particular time depends on several contingent factors. In light of this, we propose the following “why-what-how-when” agenda, which will be applied in the case study:1.      Why implement IC reporting in a specific context?2.      What IC approach/tool is suitable to satisfy users’ informational needs?3.      How is the quality of information? 4.      When is information available?The research is qualitative and focused on a case study in order to understand the dynamics of a given process. The company analyzed designs and develops Large Systems for Homeland Protection.The analyzed case study shows that there isn’t “one best way” to report on intangibles. Thus, the main critical factors of the process investigated are the following: accurate identification of actors involved in the decision-making process; quality and availability of information.The case study allows us to analyze how changes in decision maker(s), users’ informational needs and information quality can impact the selection of the framework and its relative artifact/tool to be used to report on intangibles.
Intrepreneurial Practices and Organizational Competitiveness: A Theoretical Approach
Authors: Angouanda Oprha Thecle Peggy , Najib. El Oualidi Mohamed
Published: May 2017

Organizations or companies are facing many challenges today. This is due to the highly competitive environment in which they are operating. They have to be innovative enough in order to remain competitive. In this context, intrapreneurship seems to be a real opportunity to renew strategic innovation through an innovative approach. Hence, intrapreneurship allows the company to face competition by having a sense of creativity and innovation internally on one hand and, to cope with multiple constraints linked to the complexity of the environment on the other hand. Therefore, the Human Resources (HR) function is to give an ambitious and strategic challenge by shifting from human resources management to skills management. In this perspective, intrapreneurship would be a strategy for the company to involve staff, increase creativity and innovation and upturn organizational skills. In this paper, a theoretical approach is presented based on a review of the literature that demonstrates the interest of companies or organizations to involve their staff through interepreneurship program. Besides, we design a conceptual model that highlights the criteria to be taken into account by organizations so that intrapreneurial practices can have a positive influence on organizational involvement.
Reviewing Conservative Relationship between Accounting and Corporate Governance Mechanisms
Authors: Valipour Hashem , Sohouli Vahed Mostafa
Published: May 2017

This research has the aim of reviewing relationship between some corporate governance mechanisms and conservatism in financial reports. Conservatism is potentially useful for corporate governance in some ways: first it reduce opportunistic engagement of management against itself. Second, it results in management report about loss from selling assets and ceases operation and finally it prevents continuity of management investment in projects with negative net present value. Estimated coefficient of independent variable of ownership concentration is positive and their p-value is less than 5%, so it can be said that there is a positive and significant relationship between ownership concentration and conservative accounting and the first sub-hypothesis is accepted. Estimated coefficient of independent variable of BD (Board of directors) size is positive and its p-value is higher than 5%, so it can be said that there is no significant relationship between BD size and conservative accounting then the second sub-hypothesis is rejected. Estimated coefficient of independent variable of BD composition is positive and its p-value is less than 5%, so it can be said that there is a positive and significant relationship between BD composition and conservative accounting then the third sub-hypothesis is accepted. Estimated coefficient of independent variable of shareholder directors is negative and its p-value is higher than 5%, so it can be said that there is no significant relationship between shareholder directors and conservative accounting then the forth sub-hypothesis is rejected.
The Influence of Administrative Monopoly on Economic Development——An Empirical Study Based on Vector Error Correction Model
Authors: Xiaoge Zhao , Shihu Zhong
Published: May 2017

As a unique form of China's transition economy, the impact of administrative monopoly on economic development can not be ignored. Analyzing the data from 1990 to 2015, this paper investigates the relationship between administrative monopoly and economic development based on Vector Error Correction Model (VEC)model. The results show that there is a long - term equilibrium relationship between administrative monopoly and economic development. In the long run, the administrative monopoly has obvious obstructive effect on economic development. The hardest part, as well as the emphasis in China's economic reform will be how to separate the government from state-owned enterprises and eliminate administrative monopoly.
A Provincial Panel Data Analysis on Export Effect of China’s Inbound Tourism
Authors: Wang Xiaohui
Published: May 2017

Based on China’s provincial panel data of the export, GDP, trade distance and inbound tourism income from 1997 to 2014, this study examines the export effect of inbound tourism in China, using dynamic panel data models and system GMM estimators. The empirical results for the estimations of the gravity equation demonstrate that inbound tourism promoted China's export through expanding the degree of opening to the outside world, shortening the cultural distance, "advertising effect" and "Marco Polo effect" of business tourism. Inbound tourism has a significant positive export effect, export will increase by 0.135 % when inbound tourism increases by 1%.
The Prospects of Future Production: An Arena for Emerging New Strategies and Policies of Manufacturing–The Household Appliance Industry’s Review
Authors: Reza Ghasemi Ahmad , Taimouri Arshia , Sayadi Alireza
Published: May 2017

Nowadays, manufacturing is one of the most important indicators of human societies development, and receiving an outstanding feedback from manufacturing sector, causes economic strength improvement of a country. Researching about operations management stretches back to long time ago and always human beings have attempted to codify their activities in order to gain their targets. Given rapid and fundamental changes in organizations and human societies, undoubtedly in the near future we will experience a new era of industrial manufacturing. Regarding to this subject, governments and organizations, by adopting accurate manufacturing strategies and policies should prepare themselves for presenting in the new area. In this article, initially we investigate major problems and issues related to industrial manufacturing that managers and policy makers deal with. Then future manufacturing characteristics are mentioned and finally the ways of making manufacturing policies and appropriate strategies are reviewed.Moreover, we have investigated the status of household appliance industry in Iran, by interviewing with experts in this industry. Eventually for improving the status some applicable policies and strategies are proposed.
Reviewer Acknowledgements for International Journal of Business and Management, Vol. 12 No. 6
Authors: Lee Stephen
Published: May 2017

Reviewer Acknowledgements for International Journal of Business and Management, Vol. 12 No. 6, 2017
Isomorphic Pressures and Innovation Trends in Italian Health Care Organizations
Authors: De Simone Stefania
Published: May 2017

Over 20 years, hospitals in Italy as well as in other European countries have evolved and changed in response to institutional pressures. With the corporatization, there has been the entrance of new logics and governance structures that contributed to a transformation of the health system. The survival of healthcare organizations is dictated not only by the technical conditions, that allow efficiently and effectively operating, but also by the ability to comply with rules to get legitimacy from external institutional actors. Organizations in a population adapt to their environment, in which operate, so many other organizations adapting to it (isomorphism). The purpose of this paper is to discuss a theoretical framework based on neo-institutional approach that could explain the influence of isomorphic pressures on innovative processes in health care sector. Qualitative data from literature on neo-institutional theory applied to health care sector have been analyzed. Findings reveal institutional pressures stimulate the development of innovations and organizational learning. This concept concerns both the fit of the organization with its environment (strategic matters) and effective implementation of strategies. Hospitals must find ways to increase profit, by improving medical capabilities for payment health care services. One of the most important isomorphic pressure is the prospective payment system for health care that had effects on the choices of organizational models to adopt. The challenge for hospital administrators is to seek consistency between efficiency and quality care.