nils-herrmann/clean_scirepeval huggingface dataset:
The Impact of Customer Retention Strategies on Customer Loyalty and Satisfaction in Zimbabwean Commercial Banks (2014 2015)

With the continuous growth of competition in the market place, understanding customers has become an increasing important aspect in marketing. This study sought to determine the effectiveness of customer retention strategies on performance of commercial banks in Zimbabwe. A Descriptive research design was used and the study targeted a population of bank customers and staff. A total of 75 respondents were selected using simple random sampling from the customers of 5 commercial banks chosen. Primary data was collected through questionnaires and interviews. Findings show that most commercial banks in Zimbabwe are failing to meet customer expectations. The results indicate that Customer Retention strategies have a positive impact on customer loyalty and satisfaction. Therefore, to win customers' hearts in the current Zimbabwean economy, banks have to invest more in the improvement of the identified attributes and always keep an eye on the changing customer needs and preferences.
Standardised Chinese herbal treatment delivered by GPs compared with individualised treatment administered by practitioners of Chinese herbal medicine for women with recurrent urinary tract infections (RUTI) study protocol for a randomised controlled trial
Venue: Trials

BackgroundIn the UK, urinary tract infections (UTIs) are the most common bacterial infection presented by women in primary care. Recurrent urinary tract infections (RUTIs) are defined as three episodes of UTI in the last 12 months, or two episodes in the last 6 months. Between 20 and 30 of women who have had one episode of UTI will have an RUTI, and approximately 25 of these will develop subsequent recurrent episodes. RUTIs can have a significant negative effect on the quality of life, and have a high impact on health care costs as a result of outpatient visits, diagnostic tests and prescriptions. Chinese herbal medicine (CHM) has a recorded history of treatments for the symptoms of UTIs for more than 2000 years. More recent clinical research in China has provided some preliminary evidence that CHM can alleviate the symptoms of UTIs and reduce the rate of recurrence, but more rigorous investigation is required. RUTI trial is a double blind, randomised, placebo controlled, feasibility trial. A total of 80 women will be randomised to 'individualised' herbs prescribed by a Chinese herbal practitioner or to 'standardised' herbs provided by primary care clinicians. Both arms will have herbs for prevention of UTIs and treatment of acute episodes. Treatment duration is for 16 weeks.The primary outcomes are the number of episodes of recurrent UTIs during the trial period and in the 6 months of follow up, and the number of days of symptoms rated moderately bad or worse based on patient diaries. Secondary outcomes will assess participant expectations and beliefs, adherence to the treatment, adverse events and health economics and provide quantitative and qualitative assessments of the impact of recurrent infections on the lives of women.DiscussionThe RUTI trial is the first instance of CHM delivered as a clinical trial of an investigatory medicinal product in the UK. This study provides important information regarding the feasibility and acceptability of researching and using CHM in Primary care. Once completed, it will provide provisional estimates of the variance of change in continuous outcomes to inform a power calculation for a larger, more definitive trial.
The RUTI trial: a multi centred, 16 week, double blind, placebo controlled, feasibility study comparing standardised Chinese herbal treatment, delivered by GPs, with individualised treatment administered by practitioners of Chinese herbal medicine, for women with Recurrent Urinary Tract Infections.

In the UK urinary tract infections (UTIs) are the commonest bacterial infection presented by women within primary care. Recurrent urinary tract infections (RUTIs) are defined as three episodes of UTI in the last 12 months, or two episodes in the last 6 months. Between 20 30% of women who have had one episode of UTI will have a RUTI, around 25% of these will develop subsequent recurrent episodes. RUTIs can have a significant negative effect on quality of life, and have a high impact on health care costs as a result of outpatient visits, diagnostic tests and prescriptions. Chinese herbal medicine (CHM) has a recorded history of treating the symptoms of UTIs for over 2000 years. More recent clinical research in China has provided some preliminary evidence that CHM can alleviate the symptoms of UTIs and reduce the rate of recurrence but more rigorous investigation is required.  The RUTI trial is a double blind, randomised, placebo controlled feasibility trial. A total of 80 women will be randomised to 'individualised' herbs prescribed by Chinese herbal practitioner, or to 'standardised' herbs provided by Primary care clinicians. Both arms will have herbs for prevention of UTIs and treatment of acute episodes. Treatment duration is for 16 weeks. The primary outcomes are the number of episodes of recurrent UTIs during the trial period and after 6 months follow up, and the number of days of symptoms rated moderately bad or worse based on patient diaries. Secondary outcomes will assess participant expectations and beliefs, adherence to the treatment, adverse events, health economics, and provide quantitative and qualitative assessments of the impact of recurrent infections on the lives of women.  The RUTI trial is the first instance of CHM delivered as a Clinical Trial of an Investigatory Medicinal Product in the UK. This study provides important information regarding the feasibility and acceptability of researching and using CHM in Primary care. Once completed it will provide provisional estimates of the variance of change in continuous outcomes to inform a power calculation for a larger, more definitive trial.
Screening for osteoporosis in Chinese post menopausal women: a health economic modelling study
Venue: Osteoporosis International

SummaryScreening and appropriate treatment for osteoporosis has been proven to be cost effective in many populations; however, it is not clear in the Chinese population. Simulations using a validated health economics model suggest that screening for osteoporosis in Chinese women is cost effective and may even be cost saving in Chinese post menopausal women.IntroductionThis study aimed at determining the cost effectiveness of osteoporosis screening strategies in post menopausal Chinese women.MethodsA validated state transition microsimulation model with a lifetime horizon was used to evaluate the cost effectiveness of different screening strategies with treatment of alendronate compared with current osteoporosis management in China. Osteoporosis screening strategies assessed were (1) universal screening with dual energy X ray absorptiometry (DXA) alone; (2) Osteoporosis Self Assessment Tool for Asians (OSTA) DXA; and (3) quantitative ultrasound (QUS) DXA with rescreening at 2, 5 or 10 year intervals for patients screened negative by DXA. The study was performed from the Chinese healthcare payer's perspective. All model inputs were retrieved from publically available literature. Uncertainties were addressed by one way and probabilistic sensitivity analysis.ResultsScreening strategies all improved clinical outcomes at increased costs, and each were cost effective compared with no screening in women aged 55 years given the Chinese willingness to pay threshold of USD 20,000 per quality adjusted life year (QALY) gained. Pre screening with QUS and subsequent DXA screening if the QUS T score 0.5 with a 2 year rescreening interval was the most cost effective strategy with the highest probability of being cost effective across all non dominated strategies. Screening strategies were cost saving if screenings were initiated from age 65 years. One way sensitivity analyses indicated that the results were robust.ConclusionsPre screening with QUS with subsequent DXA screening if the QUS T score 0.5 with a 2 year rescreening interval in the Chinese women starting at age 55 is the most cost effective. In addition, screening and treatment strategies are cost saving if the screening initiation age is greater than 65 years.
Insights into neurosensory toxicity of mercury in fish eyes stemming from tissue burdens, oxidative stress and synaptic transmission profiles.
Venue: Marine environmental research

This study aims to contribute to fill a knowledge gap related with Hg effects in fish eyes. As a pioneering strategy, Hg bioaccumulation in eye wall of the wild grey mullet (Liza aurata) was assessed, together with oxidative stress and synaptic transmission profiles. This approach was complemented by the characterisation of environmental contamination (both in water and sediment) Sampling was conducted in winter and summer in two sites of a Portuguese coastal lagoon (Aveiro lagoon) Largo do Laranjo (LAR) located in an Hg contaminated/confined area; Sao Jacinto (SJ) closer to the lagoon inlet and selected as reference site. Levels of total Hg (tHg) inorganic Hg (iHg) and methylmercury (MeHg) in eye wall were higher at LAR than SJ, both in winter and summer, reflecting the environmental contamination patterns. Moreover, fish caught at LAR in winter showed a significant decrease of catalase and superoxide dismutase activities, in line with the occurrence of peroxidative damage. A different spatial pattern was recorded in summer, being characterised by the increment of glutathione peroxidase and glutathione reductase activities at LAR, as well as total glutathione content, preventing the occurrence of lipid peroxidation. Also in summer, a significant decrease of acetylcholinesterase activity was recorded in fish eyes at LAR, pointed out Hg as an anticholinergic agent. Besides Hg, water salinity had probably an indirect effect on spatial and winter summer variation patterns of AChE. Current data pointed out that Hg (in iHg and MeHg forms) could exert ocular toxicity both by the promotion of oxidative stress and by the interference with neurotransmission processes.
Influence of family history of dementia in the development and progression of late onset Alzheimer's disease
Venue: American journal of medical genetics. Part B, Neuropsychiatric genetics the official publication of the International Society of Psychiatric Genetics

Family history of dementia (FH) is a recognized risk factor for developing late onset Alzheimer's disease (AD) We asked whether having FH increases AD risk and influences disease severity (age at onset and cognitive impairment) in 420 AD patients and 109 controls with (FH+ or without (FH The relationships of APOE and other AD risk genes with FH were analyzed as well. The proportion of APOE e4 allele carriers was higher among the FH+ than the FH AD patients (49.6% vs. 38.9% P 0.04) The distribution of the risk genotypes of nine AD susceptibility genes previously examined (CHAT, CYP17, CYP19, ESR1, FSHR, P53, P73, P21, PPARG) did not differ between the FH+ and the FH AD patients, indicating that none contributed significantly to familial clustering of disease. FH was associated with an increased AD risk (odds ratio [OR] 2.71, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.44 5.09; P 0.002) independent of carrying the APOE e4 allele (OR 2.61, 95%CI 1.53 4.44; P 0.0004) Having a first degree relative or a parent with dementia was significantly associated with AD risk (OR 2.9, 95%CI 1.3 6.4; P 0.009 and OR 2.7, 95%CI 1.1 6.2; P 0.02) but having a sibling with dementia was not (OR 1.7, 95%CI 0.2 to 14.7; P 0.6) Among the FH+ AD patients, having one or both parents affected seemed to raise the risk of earlier onset age (P 0.02) and greater cognitive impairment (P 0.02) than having only an affected sibling, whereas having two or more affected relatives did not.
Impact of APOE e4 and family history of dementia on gray matter atrophy in cognitively healthy middle aged adults
Venue: Neurobiology of Aging

The apolipoprotein E e4 allele (APOE4) and family history of dementia (FH) are well known risk factors for the development of sporadic Alzheimer's disease. We assessed the effects of these risk factors on gray matter (GM) volume in 295 cognitively healthy middle aged community dwelling subjects. Voxel based morphometry was used to study GM volume differences between high and low risk subjects, based on APOE4 carriership (n 74) first degree FH (n 228) or both (n 62) No significant results were found using a corrected p value. Using a more lenient threshold (p 0.001 and minimum cluster size of 100 voxels) APOE4 carriers had reduced GM in the striatum compared to noncarriers. Subjects with FH had reduced GM in right precuneus compared to subjects without FH. Maternal and paternal FH provided similar atrophy patterns. APOE4 carriers with FH had GM reductions in bilateral insula compared to subjects with neither APOE4 nor FH. We conclude that a family history of dementia and APOE4 carriership are both associated with regional GM decreases in cognitively healthy middle aged subjects, with differential effects on brain regions typically affected in Alzheimer's disease.
A longitudinal study on predictors of early calculation development among young children at risk for learning difficulties.
Venue: Journal of experimental child psychology

The purpose of this study was to explore domain general cognitive skills, domain specific academic skills, and demographic characteristics that are associated with calculation development from first grade to third grade among young children with learning difficulties. Participants were 176 children identified with reading and mathematics difficulties at the beginning of first grade. Data were collected on working memory, language, nonverbal reasoning, processing speed, decoding, numerical competence, incoming calculations, socioeconomic status, and gender at the beginning of first grade and on calculation performance at four time points: the beginning of first grade, the end of first grade, the end of second grade, and the end of third grade. Latent growth modeling analysis showed that numerical competence, incoming calculation, processing speed, and decoding skills significantly explained the variance in calculation performance at the beginning of first grade. Numerical competence and processing speed significantly explained the variance in calculation performance at the end of third grade. However, numerical competence was the only significant predictor of calculation development from the beginning of first grade to the end of third grade. Implications of these findings for early calculation instructions among young at risk children are discussed.
Cognitive Predictors of Calculations and Number Line Estimation with Whole Numbers and Fractions among At Risk Students.
Venue: Journal of educational psychology

The purpose of this study was to examine the cognitive predictors of calculations and number line estimation with whole numbers and fractions. At risk 4th grade students (N 139) were assessed on 7 domain general abilities (i.e. working memory, processing speed, concept formation, language, attentive behavior, and nonverbal reasoning) and incoming calculation skill at the start of 4th grade. Then, they were assessed on whole number and fraction calculation and number line estimation measures at the end of 4th grade. Structural equation modeling and path analysis indicated that processing speed, attentive behavior, and incoming calculation skill were significant predictors of whole number calculations whereas language, in addition to processing speed and attentive behavior, significantly predicted fraction calculations. In terms of number line estimation, nonverbal reasoning significantly predicted both whole number and fraction outcome, with numerical working memory predicting whole number number line estimation and language predicting fraction number line estimation. Findings are discussed in terms of distinctions between whole number and fraction development and between calculations and number line learning.
Exploring Indigenous Game based Physics Activities in Pre Service Physics Teachers' Conceptual Change and Transformation of Epistemic Beliefs

Laro ng Lahi (Indigenous Filipino games) based physics activities fortified the integration of culture in the pre service physics education to develop students' epistemic beliefs and the notion of conceptual understanding through conceptual change.The study conveniently involved 28 pre service undergraduate physics students enrolled in an introductory physics course in the Philippine University. Context culture based framework dictated how the traditional Filipino games blend with Newtonian concept formation to motivate conditions and conceptual ecology for conceptual change to occur. These physics activities conducted by the participants in each session directed their explicit learning of Mechanics concepts. Pre post test design using the Force Concept Inventory and Epistemological Beliefs Assessment for Physical Science detected the participants' conceptual change epistemic beliefs improvement. Qualitative data from student interviews and journal insights supplemented the quantitative data.Results showed that these physics activities indicated significant change in the students' conception interpreted as conceptual change. The study also indicated incremental development of epistemic beliefs, however, the progress observed was not statistically significant.Consequently, it is recommended that sustained and prolonged exposure of pre service undergraduate physics students to culture influenced instructional designs may lead to eventually developing sophisticated epistemic belief systems consequently providing better teaching and learning framework and service for quality education.
Evaluating Patient Usability of an Image Based Mobile Health Platform for Postoperative Wound Monitoring
Venue: JMIR mHealth and uHealth

Surgical patients are increasingly using mobile health (mHealth) platforms to monitor recovery and communicate with their providers in the postdischarge period. Despite widespread enthusiasm for mHealth, few studies evaluate the usability or user experience of these platforms.  Our objectives were to (1) develop a novel image based smartphone app for postdischarge surgical wound monitoring, and (2) rigorously user test it with a representative population of vascular and general surgery patients.  A total of 9 vascular and general surgery inpatients undertook usability testing of an internally developed smartphone app that allows patients to take digital images of their wound and answer a survey about their recovery. We followed the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) 9241 11 guidelines, focusing on effectiveness, efficiency, and user satisfaction. An accompanying training module was developed by applying tenets of adult learning. Sessions were audio recorded, and the smartphone screen was mirrored onto a study computer. Digital image quality was evaluated by a physician panel to determine usefulness for clinical decision making.  The mean length of time spent was 4.7 (2.1 12.8) minutes on the training session and 5.0 (1.4 16.6) minutes on app completion. 55.5% (5/9) of patients were able to complete the app independently with the most difficulty experienced in taking digital images of surgical wounds. Novice patients who were older, obese, or had groin wounds had the most difficulty. 81.8% of images were sufficient for diagnostic purposes. User satisfaction was high, with an average usability score of 83.3 out of 100.  Surgical patients can learn to use a smartphone app for postoperative wound monitoring with high user satisfaction. We identified design features and training approaches that can facilitate ease of use. This protocol illustrates an important, often overlooked, aspect of mHealth development to improve surgical care.
Refugee women in the Sahrawi camps: towards gender equality

This paper examines the different roles women acquire during their experience in post war refugee settlements. It focuses on the consequences of these new roles in the context of the Sahrawi conflict. The core of the paper addresses the particular form of management of the Tindouf Refugee Camps, which are run by the Polisario Front with the participation of the National Union of Sahrawi Women (UNMS) among others. Is the involvement of Sahrawi women in the administration of the camps making a difference in comparison with other refugee camps? Is any kind of gender dimension being implemented? The paper concludes by taking into account the fragility of the concept of peace, and observing whether the parties have adopted a gender dimension in the reconstruction and peace strategies.
Quantification of Coupled Stiffness and Fiber Orientation Remodeling in Hypertensive Rat Right Ventricular Myocardium Using 3D Ultrasound Speckle Tracking with Biaxial Testing
Venue: PloS one

Mechanical and structural changes of right ventricular (RV) in response to pulmonary hypertension (PH) are inadequately understood. While current standard biaxial testing provides information on the mechanical behavior of RV tissues using surface markers, it is unable to fully assess structural and mechanical properties across the full tissue thickness. In this study, the mechanical and structural properties of normotensive and pulmonary hypertension right ventricular (PHRV) myocardium through its full thickness were examined using mechanical testing combined with 3D ultrasound speckle tracking (3D UST) RV pressure overload was induced in Sprague Dawley rats by pulmonary artery (PA) banding. The second Piola Kirchhoff stress tensors and Green Lagrangian strain tensors were computed in the RV myocardium using the biaxial testing combined with 3D UST. A previously established non linear curve fitting algorithm was applied to fit experimental data to a Strain Energy Function (SEF) for computation of myofiber orientation. The fiber orientations obtained by the biaxial testing with 3D UST compared well with the fiber orientations computed from the histology. In addition, the re orientation of myofiber in the right ventricular free wall (RVFW) along longitudinal direction (apex to outflow tract direction) was noticeable in response to PH. For normotensive RVFW samples, the average fiber orientation angles obtained by 3D UST with biaxial test spiraled from 20deg at the endo cardium to 42deg at the epi cardium (D 62deg) For PHRV samples, the average fiber orientation angles obtained by 3D UST with biaxial test had much less spiral across tissue thickness: 3deg at endo cardium to 7deg at epi cardium (D 10deg, P<0.005 compared to normotensive)
Cinematic rendering an alternative to volume rendering for 3D computed tomography imaging
Venue: Insights into Imaging

AbstractVolume rendering (VR) represents today's standard three dimensional (3 D) image post processing technique, and often is used to visualize complex anatomical information. Recently, a novel 3 D technique for post processing of computed tomography (CT) image data has been introduced, which is called cinematic rendering (CR) The objective of this review is to illustrate the image appearance and potential value of CR in comparison with conventional VR in a number of various applications and different anatomical regions. Similar to VR, CR best visualizes high density and high contrast structures such as bones and contrast enhanced vessels, but at the same time provides a more natural and photo realistic illumination of the rendered data. Further research will be necessary for determining possible advantages of CR over conventional VR and over two dimensional (2 D) image post processing for CT image data. Cinematic rendering is a novel post processing technique for 3D visualization of CT image data. Compared to volume rendering, CR results in a more photo realistic representation of anatomy. Similar to volume rendering, CR provides best image quality of high density structures.