bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Factors influencing procurement behaviour and decision-making: an exploratory qualitative study in a UK healthcare provider
Authors: Boulding Harriet , Hinrichs-Krapels Saba 
Published: October 2021

Abstract
Background
In 2016 the UK Department of Health and Social Care published the results of a comprehensive review of efficiency in hospitals, identifying “unwarranted variation” in procurement (or purchasing) practices for materials, supplies and devices. Addressing this variation in materials and supplies procurement practice has been identified as particularly important for creating efficiencies in health service delivery. However, little is known about the behaviour and experiences of front-line individuals who make these procurement decisions, which has implications for the development of strategies to improve efficiency. The objective of this study is to improve understanding of the factors influencing procurement behaviour and decisions among requisitioners who use an internal electronic procurement portal for medical supplies and equipment, and identify areas where efficiency could be improved.

Methods
Qualitative semi-structured individual interview study, following approximately 70 h of exploratory observations on site. The study context was a large London National Health Service (NHS) healthcare provider (the Trust), where we focussed primarily on purchases managed by a large hospital. Participants were drawn from requisitioners from multiple directorates across the Trust (n = 15; of these n = 2 clinical staff members, n = 13 non-clinical).

Results
Four factors stood out in our analysis as directly affecting procurement decisions: (1) a high level of variation in electronic purchasing and inventory management procedures throughout the Trust, (ii) an inaccurate and cumbersome search facility on the internal electronic procurement platform, exacerbated by poor IT skills training and support (iii) an inefficient purchase approvals system and (iv) multiple working sites and cluttered environments. We observed that these factors led requisitioners to employ a variety of strategies or so-called ‘workarounds’ to overcome the challenges they encountered, including stockpiling, relying on internal and supplier relationships, by-passing procedures to save time, purchasing outside existing agreements to save cost, and (re) delegating purchasing responsibilities among requisitioner staff - which both addressed and created difficulties.

Conclusions
Working with the assumption that staff ‘workarounds’ indicate where main issues lie, we offer four possible explanations to why they occur: (a) to maintain services and prepare for future care requirements, (b) to save on costs for the organisation, (c) to develop skills and development in purchasing and (d) to break silos and work collaboratively. These four explanations help provide initial starting points for improving efficiencies in health supplies’ procurement processes.
Saliency area detection algorithm of electronic information and image processing based on multi-sensor data fusion
Authors: Zhang Xinyu , Ye Kai 
Published: October 2021

AbstractResearched in the 1980s, multi-sensor data convergence has become a hot issue. Not only does it differ from general signal processing, or single to multiple sensor surveillance and measurement, on the other hand, it is a higher level of integrated decision-making processes based on multiple sensor measurement outcomes, this paper is based on the study of the saliency area detection algorithm of electronic information and image processing based on multi-sensor data fusion, based on the improved FT algorithm and LC algorithm using multi-sensor data fusion technology, a new LVA algorithm is proposed, and these three algorithms are evaluated in an all-round way through various algorithm evaluation indicators such as PR curve, PRF histogram, MAE index, and recognition image rate. The research results show that the LVA algorithm proposed in this paper improves the detection rate of saliency maps by 5–10%.
‘Adults with Parkinson's disease and hallucinations or delusions can have treatment with clozapine if they need to’
Authors: Joyce Eileen 
Published: October 2021

SUMMARYClozapine is the only antipsychotic licensed for treatment of Parkinson's disease psychosis (PDP) but is infrequently used in the National Health Service because of obstacles to the integration of hospital-based neurological/geriatric services with clozapine clinics run by community mental health teams. This commentary points out the mismatch between NICE quality standards on antipsychotic treatment for PDP and current clinical practice. It suggests that forthcoming integrated care systems should be able to overcome these obstacles, enabling innovative models for providing clozapine treatment for PDP such as those described by Taylor et al, so that clozapine treatment becomes a right for patients and their families.
Budget Impact Analysis of Comprehensive Genomic Profiling in Patients With Advanced Non–Small-Cell Lung Cancer
Authors: Harvey Michael J. , Cunningham Rachel , Sawchyn Bethany , Montesion Meagan , Reddy Prasanth , McBride Ali , Chawla Anita J. 
Published: October 2021

PURPOSE This study assessed the economic impact of increased use of comprehensive genomic profiling (CGP) versus conventional testing strategies among patients with advanced non–small-cell lung cancer (aNSCLC) from a US commercial health plan perspective. METHODS A decision analytic model was developed to estimate the incremental benefits and costs across testing methodologies (CGP v non-CGP), as well as across sample types (tissue-based and liquid-based), for patients with newly diagnosed aNSCLC. Model outcomes included total direct costs, testing costs, and per member per month budget impact. Secondary model outcomes included the number of patients needed to test with CGP to add 1 life-year, and the number of patients needed to test with CGP to treat one individual with a biomarker-matched therapy. RESULTS In a hypothetical 2,000,000-member health plan, 790 members were estimated to have incident aNSCLC; 609 underwent molecular diagnostic testing with 122 (20%) tested with CGP (109 tissue-based and 13 liquid) in the base-case. An increase in CGP from 20% to 30% (an additional 61 patients tested with CGP) was associated with 3.11 additional life-years gained and a $0.01 in US dollars per member per month budget impact. Approximately 19.6 patients would need to be tested with CGP versus non-CGP to add one life-year and 5.9 patients would need to be tested with CGP to treat at least one patient with a biomarker-matched therapy. CONCLUSION An increase in CGP from 20% to 30% among patients with aNSCLC undergoing molecular diagnostic testing was associated with modest budget impact, most of which was attributable to prolonged survival associated with increased use of more effective treatments.
Tumor Growth Rate After Nadir Is Associated With Survival in Patients With EGFR-Mutant Non–Small-Cell Lung Cancer Treated With Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor Tyrosine Kinase Inhibitor
Authors: Nishino Mizuki , Lu Junwei , Hino Takuya , Vokes Natalie I. , Jänne Pasi A. , Hatabu Hiroto , Johnson Bruce E. 
Published: October 2021

PURPOSE To investigate the association between tumor volume growth rate after the nadir and survival in patients with EGFR-mutant advanced non–small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) treated with erlotinib. MATERIALS AND METHODS Seventy-one patients with EGFR-mutant advanced NSCLC treated with erlotinib were studied for computed tomography tumor volume kinetics during therapy. The tumor growth rate after nadir was obtained using a previously published analytic module for longitudinal volume tracking to study its relationship with overall survival (OS). RESULTS The median tumor volume for the cohort was 19,842 mm3 at baseline and 4,083 mm3 at nadir. The median time to nadir was 6.2 months. The tumor growth rate after nadir for logeV (the natural logarithm of tumor volume measured in mm3) was 0.11/mo on average for the cohort (SE: 0.014), which was very similar to the previously validated reference value of 0.12/mo to define slow and fast tumor growth. The OS of 48 patients with slow tumor growth (≤ 0.12/mo) was significantly longer compared with 23 patients with fast tumor growth (> 0.12/mo; median OS: 37.8 v 25.0 months; P = .0012). In Cox models, tumor growth rate was also associated with survival (regression coefficient: 3.9903; P = .0024; faster rate leads to increased hazards), after adjusting for time to nadir (regression coefficient: –0.0863; P = .0008; longer time to nadir leads to decreased hazards) and smoking history. CONCLUSION In patients with EGFR-mutant advanced NSCLC treated with erlotinib, slower tumor growth rates after nadir were associated with longer OS, providing a rationale for using tumor growth rates to guide precision therapy for lung cancer.
Η Εκπαίδευση Χαρισματικών Ατόμων στην Ιαπωνία
Authors: ΚΩΝΣΤΑΝΤΙΝΙΔΗΣ ΑΓΓΕΛΟΣ , Παρούση Αικατερίνη Σοφία , ΦΡΑΓΚΟΥΛΗ ΜΑΡΙΑ-ΕΙΡΗΝΗ , Παπαδάτος Γιάννης 
Published: October 2021

Ένα άτομο χαρακτηρίζεται ως χαρισματικό εάν επιδεικνύει εξαιρετικές ικανότητες σε έναν ή περισσότερους τομείς της βιοψυχοκοινωνικής του συγκρότησης. Κάποιες από αυτές τις ικανότητες είναι πολύ γενικές και μπορεί να καλύπτουν ένα μεγάλο φάσμα της ζωής του ατόμου, όπως η ικανότητα της δημιουργικής σκέψης, η ικανότητα της κριτικής αλλά και της αφαιρετικής σκέψης, η φαντασία, οι αρχηγικές ικανότητες και η συνεχής στοχοθεσία. Κάποιες φορές υπάρχουν συγκεκριμένα προτερήματα και ταλέντα τα οποία εμφανίζονται σε συγκεκριμένες περιπτώσεις, όπως είναι η ιδιαίτερη ικανότητα στα μαθηματικά, στην επιστήμη ή στις τέχνες. Η Ιαπωνία δεν διέθετε ιδιαίτερα σχολεία για τα χαρισματικά παιδιά. Ωστόσο, το 2005, το υπουργικό συμβούλιο της Ιαπωνίας ενέκρινε και καθιέρωσε το τρίτο βασικό σχέδιο επιστήμης και τεχνολογίας (2006-10), το οποίο περιλαμβάνει «την καλλιέργεια της ατομικότητας και της ικανότητας των χαρισματικών παιδιών (sainou)». Εισήγαγαν τέσσερα Προγράμματα για την Εκπαίδευση των χαρισματικών μαθητών, εκτός σχολικού πλαισίου καθώς πιστεύουν πως η χαρισματικότητα μπορεί να διδαχθεί. Η παρούσα μελέτη περιγράφει τις τάσεις στην εκπαιδευτική πολιτική της Ιαπωνίας αναφορικά με την Εκπαίδευση των χαρισματικών μαθητών.
Leda Papastefanaki, Η φλέβα της γης: Τα μεταλλεία της Ελλάδας, 19ος–20ός αιώνας [The vein of the earth: The mines of Greece, 19th–20th centuries]
Authors: Karampatsos Christos 
Published: October 2021

Review of Leda Papastefanaki. Η φλέβα της γης: Τα μεταλλεία της Ελλάδας, 19ος–20ός αιώνας [The vein of the earth: The mines of Greece, 19th–20th centuries]. Athens: Vivliorama, 2017. 392 pp.
Examining the impact of video-based outpatient education on patient demand for a rheumatology CNS service
Authors: Murphy Louise , Moore Stephen , Swan Joan , Hehir Davida , Ryan John 
Published: October 2021

Background:Patient demand for education and access to the clinical nurse specialists (CNSs) during the rheumatology clinic at one hospital in Ireland was increasing. Alternative methods of providing patient education had to be examined.Aims:To explore the efficacy of video-based outpatient education, and its impact on demand for the CNSs.Methods:A video was produced to play in a rheumatology outpatient department. A representative sample of 240 patients (120 non-exposed and 120 exposed to the video) attending the clinic was selected to complete a questionnaire exploring the effect of the video. Data were analysed using chi-square tests with Yates' continuity correction.Findings:Demand for the CNSs was six times higher in the non-exposed group compared with the exposed group (non-exposed: 25%, exposed: 4.8%) (χ2=15.7, P=0.00007), representing a significant decrease in resource demand.Conclusion:High-quality educational videos on view in the rheumatology outpatient department provide patients with information sufficient to meet their educational needs, thus releasing CNS resources.
Flora and fauna diversity in Selangkau forest: A basis for developing management plan of cement industrial complex in East Kalimantan, Indonesia
Authors: Aminatun Tien , SUWASONO RAHARJO ARI , PUTRI RIZKA APRIANI 
Published: October 2021

Abstract. Aminatun T, Suwasono RA, Putri RA. 2021. Flora and fauna diversity in Selangkau forest: A basis for developing management plan of cement industrial complex in East Kalimantan, Indonesia. Biodiversitas 22: 4555-4565. The management of natural resources for economic development often clashes with environmental protection. That is the case in East Kutai District, East Kalimantan, Indonesia which is faced with competing interests between the development of the cement industry and biodiversity conservation. This study is aimed to identify the diversity of flora and fauna in a forest ecosystem to be developed as a cement industrial complex in the Selangkau Village, Kaliorang Sub-district, East Kutai District, and to provide recommendations for environmental management plans as part of the conservation efforts. A vegetation survey using purposive sampling was performed at four vegetation stages: seedlings, saplings, poles and trees. Analysis was done to examine the diversity, dominance, evenness, richness and importance value indices. The fauna study was conducted by the exploration method to collect data on mammals, birds, amphibians and reptiles. The vegetation study recorded 29 species including Buchanania arborescens Blume which had the highest importance value in all growth stages. One species of tree (Shorea glauca) found in this area is also classified as endangered species with high conservation importance. The fauna study found 42 species of birds, 7 of which are protected, 14 species of mammals, 5 of which are protected and 11 species of amphibians and reptiles. Efforts to save the protected species are necessary in response to the new cement factory construction plan in the study area, for example by reclamation and revegetation using the native plants recorded in this study and by transferring animal species into a new habitat that resembles the initial one.
Fast online rubidium DPAL atomic concentration measurement by 420  nm probe laser
Authors: Zhao Hui-Zi , Wang Hong-Yan , Tang Hao , Li Liang , Yang Zi-Ning , Yang Wei-Qiang , Han Kai , Xu Xiao-Jun 
Published: October 2021

The alkali atom concentration plays an important role in the
performance of a diode pumped alkali vapor laser (DPAL). At the
rubidium DPAL operational region, the alkali concentration is as high
as

1

0

13

−

1

0

14

c

m

−
3

, which is “optically thick,” or
opaque, for the 780 nm or 795 nm doublet D lines when the traditional
scanning absorption spectrum method is used for concentration
measurement. To solve this problem, we propose the use of a probe
laser of 420 nm, which corresponds to the

5

2

S

1

/

2

to

6

2

P

3

/

2

transition and has a lower absorption
cross section compared to the D-line doublet. Due to the moderate
absorption strength at a fixed 420 nm probe wavelength, we realized
fast, online measurement of the Rb concentration in a real-world DPAL.
By combining it with the quasi-two-level model, we further provided
the population distribution in the lower three energy levels. This
fast, online diagnostic method could be well applied in DPAL
concentration measurement, and could show the dynamics of a laser’s
performance.
Die Strafbarkeit des Betreibens krimineller Handelsplattformen im Internet – Der neue § 127 StGB
Authors: Zöller Mark A. 
Published: October 2021

ZusammenfassungAm 1. Oktober 2021 ist der neue § 127 StGB in Kraft getreten, mit dem eine eigenständige Strafbarkeit für das Betreiben von kriminellen Handelsplattformen im Internet eingeführt wird. Allerdings bestand für diese Neuregelung schon keine Regelungslücke und damit auch keine Legitimation für eine erneute Erweiterung des Strafgesetzbuchs. Zudem weist die gesetzliche Ausgestaltung – allen Warnungen aus der Wissenschaft zum Trotz – massive gesetzestechnische Mängel auf. Außerdem wurden ihre praktischen Auswirkungen erkennbar nicht konsequent durchdacht. Der nachfolgende Beitrag benennt die neuralgischen Punkte dieser neuen Strafnorm und bemüht sich um erste Überlegungen zu Auslegungs- und Anwendungsfragen.
The efficiency of provincial government health care expenditure after China’s new health care reform
Authors: Guo Xuesong , Zhang Jun , Xu Zhiwei , Cong Xin , Zhu Zhenli 
Published: October 2021

ObjectiveWe aim to estimate the total factor productivity and analyze factors related to the Chinese government’s health care expenditure in each of its provinces after its implementation of new health care reform in the period after 2009.Materials and methodsWe use the Malmquist DEA model to measure efficiency and apply the Tobit regression to explore factors that influence the efficiency of government health care expenditure. Data are taken from the China statistics yearbook (2004–2020).ResultsWe find that the average TFP of China’s 31 provincial health care expenditure was lower than 1 in the period 2009–2019. We note that the average TFP was much higher after new health care reform was implemented, and note this in the eastern, central and western regions. But per capita GDP, population density and new health care reform implementation are found to have a statistically significant impact on the technical efficiency of the provincial government’s health care expenditure (P<0.05); meanwhile, region, education, urbanization and per capita provincial government health care expenditure are not found to have a statistically significant impact.ConclusionAlthough the implementation of the new medical reform has improved the efficiency of the government’s health expenditure, it is remains low in 31 provinces in China. In addition, the government should consider per capita GDP, population density and other factors when coordinating the allocation of health care input.SignificanceThis study systematically analyzes the efficiency and influencing factors of the Chinese government’s health expenditure after it introduced new health care reforms. The results show that China’s new medical reform will help to improve the government’s health expenditure. The Chinese government can continue to adhere to the new medical reform policy, and should pay attention to demographic and economic factors when implementing the policy.
Plasma SerpinA5 in conjunction with uterine artery pulsatility index and clinical risk factor for the early prediction of preeclampsia
Authors: Zhang Yonggang , Zhang Yipeng , Zhao Limin , Shi Junzhu , Yang Hongling 
Published: October 2021

Object
This study aimed to combine plasma protein SerpinA5 with uterine artery doppler ultrasound and clinical risk factor during the first trimester for prediction of preeclampsia.

Methods and materials
This study was a nested cohort study and was divided into the screening set and developing set. The plasma was collected during the first trimester (11+0–13+6 weeks), at the same time, UtA-PI was detected and recorded with four-dimensional color Doppler ultrasound. These pregnancies were followed up until after delivery. The plasma proteins were examined using ultra-performance liquid chromatography–mass spectrometry (UPLC-MS) and enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Placental samples preserved after delivery were analysed by immunohistochemistry. Clinical risk factors were obtained from medical records or antenatal questionnaires. Upregulation or downregulation of SerpinA5 expression in TEV-1 cells was performed to investigate the role of SerpinA5 in trophoblasts invasion.

Results
We demonstrated that SerpinA5 levels were greater not only in preeclampsia placental tissue but also in plasma (both p<0.05), and we found that SerpinA5 may interfere with trophoblastic cell invasion by inhibiting MSP. SerpinA5 may be a potential predictor of preeclampsia. What is more, the sensitivity and specificity of predictive power were strengthened when plasma SerpinA5 was combined with UtA-PI and pre-pregnancy BMI & family history of PE for prediction of preeclampsia.

Conclusion
These findings showed that placenta-derived plasma SerpinA5 may be a novel biomarker for preeclampsia, which together with uterine artery Doppler ultrasound and clinical risk factor can more effectively predict preeclampsia.
An extremum problem for the power moment of a convex polygon contained in a disc
Authors: Herburt Irmina , Sakata Shigehiro 
Published: October 2021

Abstract
In this paper, we investigate an extremum problem for the power moment of a convex polygon contained in a disc. Our result is a generalization of a classical theorem: among all convex n-gons contained in a given disc, the regular n-gon inscribed in the circle (up to rotation) uniquely maximizes the area functional. It also implies that, among all convex n-gons contained in a given disc and containing the center in those interiors, the regular n-gon inscribed in the circle (up to rotation) uniquely maximizes the mean of the length of the chords passing through the center of the disc.
Effect of Interaction Intensity on Alignment and EFL Learners’ Oral Production in the Reading-Speaking Integrated Continuation Task
Authors: Jiang Lin , Luo Yingxuan , Zhan Jianling 
Published: October 2021

Abstract
This study aims to uncover the relationship between interaction and alignment in a reading-speaking integrated continuation task, especially focusing on whether an increase in interaction intensity can lead to stronger alignment and further generate positive effects on L2 learning. To this end, 31 participants were asked to perform reading-speaking integrated continuation tasks under three different conditions featuring low, medium and high interaction intensity respectively. The results showed that 1) alignment existed in the reading-speaking integrated continuation task; 2) increasing interaction intensity generated stronger alignment at both linguistic and situational levels; 3) growing interaction intensity contributed to more coherent and accurate L2 oral production. These findings not only proved the workings of mind-body-world alignment, but also testified that increasing interaction intensity could bring about a stronger alignment effect (Wang, 2010), which then contributed to better L2 oral performance. These findings confirm again the role of interaction in L2 learning and suggest that alignment could possibly be a mediating factor that links interaction and L2 development. Pedagogical implications for teaching and learning L2 speaking are discussed.
Cesàro and Abel ergodic theorems for integrated semigroups
Authors: Barki Fatih 
Published: October 2021

Abstract
Let {S(t)}t
≥ 0 be an integrated semigroup of bounded linear operators on the Banach space 𝒳 into itself and let A be their generator. In this paper, we consider some necessary and sufficient conditions for the Cesàro mean and the Abel average of S(t) converge uniformly on ℬ(𝒳). More precisely, we show that the Abel average of S(t) converges uniformly if and only if 𝒳 = ℛ(A) ⊕ 𝒩(A), if and only if ℛ(Ak) is closed for some integer k and ∥ λ
2
R(λ, A) ∥ → 0 as λ→ 0+, where ℛ(A), 𝒩(A) and R(λ, A), be the range, the kernel, the resolvent function of A, respectively. Furthermore, we prove that if S(t)/t
2 → 0 as t → 1, then the Cesàro mean of S(t) converges uniformly if and only if the Abel average of S(t) is also converges uniformly.