2821 research outputs found
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Exploring customer awareness and experience in banks. A case study of UK commercial vs Islamic bank.
No full textThis empirical study aims to examine the customer awareness and experience in both commercial and Islamic banks in the UK. It pays attention to the quality of services and the available support given to the customers. Banks pride in their financial services and support for customers. The banks’ mantra is about treating customers as priced assets and providing them with all the necessary support and guidance. Undoubtedly, the customers’ awareness of what the banks offer to them in terms of money safety, transfers, loans and interest rates are very important. The study utilises a questionnaire and focus group of 18 respondents with customers who use both banks to gain an understanding of their experiences. Evidence suggests that there is a general understanding of the banks’ services and commercial banks in particular expose their services more widely using various communication channels. The study found that some customers are aware of the specific charges and the interest rates. However, some were unaware of the services offered by the Islamic banks in relation to mortgage and interest rates and this had impact on customers’ satisfaction and loyalty. The study concludes that both commercial and Islamic banks need to do more to increase their customers services provisions in order to attract and retain existing customers. Offering customers and making them aware of a range of products and services tailored to their needs is way forward to acquire new and to increase customer retention
Thermal stability, flammability and mechanical performances of unsaturated polyester–melamine resin blends and of glass fibre-reinforced composites based on them
Get PDFA novel blend of unsaturated polyester (UP) resin with an inherently flame-retardant and char-forming melamine formaldehyde (MF) resin has been prepared with the aim of reducing the flammability
of the former. MF resin, sourced as a spray-dried resin, was dissolved in diethyleneglycol solvent; the
dissolved resin and the UP-MF blend were autocured by heating under conditions normally used for
curing UP, i.e., room temperature for 24 h and post-curing at 80 ◦C for 12–24 h. The cured UP-MF blends,
although heterogeneous in nature, were rigid materials having fire performances superior to those of
the cured UP alone. The blends also burned, but with a much reduced smoke output compared with
that from UP. Although the heterogeneity of the blends helped in improving the fire performances of
the blends in terms of the MF domains forming a semi-protective char, acting as thermal barriers for
the adjoining UP domains, and hence reducing their thermal degradation, the mechanical properties
of composites based on them were impaired. Nevertheless, whilst UP/MF blends may not be
suitable for use as matrices in glass-reinforced composites in load-bearing applications, they may
lend themselves to applications as fire-retardant gel coats, especially in view of their low-smoke,
char-forming attributes
Using vital signs to place acutely ill patients quickly and easily into clinically helpful pathophysiologic categories. Derivation and validation of eight pathophysiologic categories in two distinct patient populations of acutely ill patients
Get PDFBackground
Early warning scores reliably identify patients at risk of imminent death, but do not provide insight into what may be wrong with the patient and what to do about it.
Objectives
To explore if the shock index (SI), pulse pressure (PP) and ROX index can place acutely ill medical patients in pathophysiologic categories that could indicate the interventions required.
Methods
A retrospective post-hoc analysis of previously obtained and reported clinical data on 45,784 acutely ill medical patients admitted to a major regional referral Canadian hospital between 2005 and 2010 and validated on 107,546 emergency admissions to four Dutch hospitals between 2017 and 2022.
Results
SI, PP and ROX values divided patients into eight mutually exclusive physiologic categories. Mortality was highest in patient-categories that included a ROX index 0.7 had the highest mortality and accounted for 40% of deaths within 24-hours of admission, whereas patients with a PP ≥42 mmHg, SI ≤0.7 and ROX ≥22 had the lowest risk of death. These results were the same in both the Canadian and Dutch patient cohorts.
Conclusion
SI, PP and ROX values can place acutely ill medical patients into eight mutually exclusive pathophysiologic categories with different mortality rates. Future studies will assess the interventions needed by these categories and their value in guiding treatment and disposition decisions
Quantum computing and quantum machine learning classification – a survey
No full textThe rapid development of machine learning technology leads to make the devices in the industries working autonomously. However, the growth of sensors in the industries leads to produce vast data that is utilized by machine learning algorithms to improve the autonomous devices’ performances. However, classical ML algorithms and hardware systems cannot process large data to meet real-time problems. Hence, the researchers have developed Quantum Computing hardware systems and Quantum Machine learning algorithms to speed up the process. This research work presented the review of quantum computing mechanisms and QML algorithms that are applied to classify the images. This work demonstrated the performance comparison of various QML algorithms. It showed that the images are classified using various QML algorithms faster than classical ML algorithms in terms of time
The social worker as the Good Samaritan: When my heart did the thinking
Get PDFProfessionally a social worker has to pay attention to both the society’s values and to a client’s personal values. However, a social worker’s personal values are not the least of importance and can’t be ignored. Where could a sharp line be drawn between professional and private values and acting? The problem of decision-making has been pondered over since ancient times when Socrates contended that ‘everyone desires the good.’ Could it then be that for some the profession becomes a calling? This paper uses a collaborative autoethnographic approach with the narrative told by the first author, a female Swedish social worker. The story is about her meeting with a male drug addict living on the streets of London and about the decision she made. As it turned out, her decision would have consequences far beyond her and his imagination. The Introduction was written by the second author in order to provide the scientific framework embedding the first author’s story. Finally, the Discussion was written mutually as an intervie
Exploratory data analysis, classification, comparative analysis, case severity detection, and internet of things in COVID-19 telemonitoring for smart hospitals
Get PDFhe proportion of COVID-19 patients is significantly expanding around the world. Treatment with serious consideration has become a significant problem. Identifying clinical indicators of succession towards severe conditions is desperately required to empower hazard stratification and optimise resource allocation in the pandemic of COVID-19. Consequently, the classification of severity level is significant for the patient’s triaging. It is required to categorise the severity level as mild, moderate, severe, and critical based on the patients’ symptoms. Various symptomatic parameters may encourage the evaluation of infection seriousness. Likewise, with the rapid spread and transmissibility of COVID-19 patients, it is crucial to utilise telemonitoring schemes for COVID-19 patients. Telemonitoring mediation encourages remote data and information exchange among medicinal services, suppliers, and patients, furthermore, risk mitigation and provision of appropriate medical facilities. This paper provides explorative data analysis of symptoms, comorbidities, and other parameters, comparing different machine learning algorithms for case severity detection. This paper also provides a system (based on the degree of truthfulness) for case severity detection that might be utilised to stratify risk levels for anticipated moderate and severe COVID-19 patients. Finally, we provide a telemonitoring model of COVID-19 patients to ensure the remote and continuous monitoring of case severity progression and appropriate risk mitigation strategies
Integrating rational and heuristic elements in executives’ decision-making processes in Qatar
Get PDFThis research used a theoretical model that included six decision-making styles to analyse the
decision-making styles of executives in Qatar. Quantitative research techniques were used in this study,
but these were supplemented with semi-structured interviews conducted with four top executive
decision makers to provide an indication of decision-making in Qatari Executives, the covid 19
pandemic obstructed further interviews and detail thematic analysis. However, a five-point Likert scale
questionnaire was custom designed that contained six decision-making styles of the theoretical model
that were identified from existing theory and empirical research: rational, heuristic, intuitive,
dependent, avoidant, and spontaneous decision-making styles. A series of eleven dichotomous
questions represented decision-making contexts at different levels and there were four demographic
variables. The questionnaire was administered to 350 Qatari executives. Principal components analysis
indicated that all the six decision-making styles were important to the Qatari executives with different
level of agreement.
The research findings confirm that decision-making is a multifaceted and multi-dimensional
phenomenon, where the focus in decision-making varies from context to context: Qatari executives
use a combination of decision-making styles in making important decisions. However, the research
indicates that individuals, at times rely on shortcuts when making decisions. A mixed environment
driven model to decision-making process is proposed. In this model, when problems that are more
complex, and dynamic are coupled with a poor environment then more intuitive and heuristic processes
are used and less rational. That contrasts with situations involving simple, stable scenarios that are
coupled with a supportive environment where more rational and risk avoidant process are used, using
less intuition and fewer heuristics.
Age was not significantly correlated with any of the decision-making styles. Avoidant
decision-making style had a positive significant correlation with number of years in the current
business. Intuitive decision-making style had a positive significant correlation with level of Education
and dependent decision-making style has positive significant correlation with both number of years in
the current business and level of education. Spontaneous decision-making was not dependent on any
of the eleven business contexts.
Concerning different business contexts, immediate payment decisions slightly negatively
impacted on all the six decision-making styles but not significantly. Avoidant decision-making style
was negatively impacted by the day-to-day activities of the business and negatively impacted by short-term activities but positively impacted by long-term activities. Heuristic decision-making was impacted positively by short-term activities but negatively by the allocation of resources, the use of resources, how many people to deploy on the task, broad organisational issues, top executives, and
strategic decisions. Rational decision making was significantly impacted on by the use of resources
and how many people are deployed on tasks. Intuitive decision making was significantly impacted
negative by short-term activities. Dependent decision-making was impacted negatively by how many
people to deploy on tasks and broad organisational issues. Two of the eleven business concerns a)
immediate payment decisions and b) managers across the organisation do not significantly impact on
any of the decision-making styles
Leisure in Middletown: cultural change and social capital in an inter-war American community
Get PDFIn both America and Great Britain, the social survey became an important tool for the documentation of leisure in the late nineteenth century. To social reformers it revealed inequalities to be addressed; to policy makers it was essential to planning and civic renewal. The Middletown survey was a social study of the city of Muncie, Indiana in 1924. As one of the earliest social surveys to be conducted by social anthropology, it remains a classic text of social science. Social anthropology dealt directly with the everyday life of the organic community and the cultural values and practices of people. It regarded leisure not as superfluous but as a vital field of both private and social life. Undertaken in the new modernity of the inter-war period, the Middletown survey presents a contemporaneous interpretation of the impact of the new technologies of the cinema, radio and automobile on established leisure patterns and of the changing nature and social functions of leisure-based clubs and associations. Anticipating recent interest in leisure and social capital, it reveals historical awareness of the importance of associational leisure activity to community cohesion and offers insights to a nascent sociology of leisure not yet widely recognized in leisure studies
Combined power generation and electricity storage device using deep learning and internet of things technologies
Get PDFIn microgrids, residential customers play a significant part in the operation. An alternative to client
administration should be to utilize smart houses to deal with demand and implement demand responsiveness measures. A power generation and electricity storage device (PGESD) for next-generation
technologies is proposed in this article. The current research provides an intelligent home load control
system that promotes reaction to demand thinking about this circumstance. The technology is adapted
to scenarios where users can charge fluctuating electric power and transmit microgeneration devices.
The suggested system utilizes deep learning technology and a fuzzy logic model for better computation and lesser complexity. The choice process involves monitoring environmental information,
power production, and battery storage. This article proposes a next-generation power generation and
electricity storage device (PGESD). To create Smart Buildings and Microgrids, the proposed system
employs technologies and techniques that have become increasingly important. With a precision and
accuracy ratio of 89% and 92%, respectively, the proposed PGESD method yields precise numerical
results
Length of stay in Acute Medical Admissions: Analysis from the Society for Acute Medicine Benchmarking Audit
No full textIntroduction: Medical admissions to hospital represent a diverse range of patients, from those managed on ambulatory pathways through Same Day Emergency Care (SDEC) services, to those requiring prolonged inpatient admission. An understanding of current patterns of admission through acute medicine services and patient factors associated with longer hospital admission is needed to guide service planning and improvement.
Methods: Data from the Society for Acute Medicine Benchmarking Audit (SAMBA) 2021 were analysed. Patients admitted to acute medicine services during a 24-hour period on 17th June 2021 were included, with data recording patient demographics, frailty score, acuity and follow-up of outcomes after seven days.
Results: 8101 unplanned medical admissions were included, from 156 hospitals. 31.6% were discharged without overnight admission; the median hospital performance was 30.1% (IQR 19.3-39.3%). 22.1% of patients remained in hospital for more than 7 days. Those remaining in hospital for more than 48 hours and for more than seven days were more likely to be aged over 70, to be frail, or to have a NEWS2 of 3 or more on arrival to hospital.
Conclusion: The proportion of acute medical attendances receiving overnight admission varies between hospitals. Length of stay is impacted by patient factors and illness acuity. Strategies to reduce inpatient service pressures must ensure effective care for older patients and those with frailty