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Reporting quality of systematic review abstracts in operative dentistry:An assessment using the PRISMA for Abstracts guidelines
No full textObjectives: To assess and compare the reporting quality of systematic review (SR) abstracts in operative dentistry published before and after the release of Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses extension for Abstracts (PRISMA-A), and to identify factors associated with reporting quality. Methods: PubMed was searched for abstracts published during 2010 to 2012 (Pre-PRISMA period) and 2017 to 2019 (Post-PRISMA period). Reporting quality was assessed and scored using a modified 13-item PRSIMA-A checklist. Risk ratio (RR) was used to compare the adequate reporting rate of each item between the two periods. Univariable and multivariable linear regression analyses were performed to identify factors associated with reporting quality. Results: A total of 160 abstracts were included and assessed. Only four items (‘objective’, ‘results of main outcomes’, ‘description of the effect’ and ‘interpretation’) were adequately reported in most abstracts (>75%). According to the multivariable analysis, greater word count (P = 0.001), being published in the Post-PRISMA period (P = 0.025) and geographic origin from Asia (P = 0.025) or South America (P = 0.015) were significantly associated with higher reporting quality. Conclusions/clinical significance: The reporting quality of SR abstracts in operative dentistry had improved significantly after the publication of PRISMA-A, but was still suboptimal. Researchers, reviewers and journal editors in operative dentistry need to be familiar with the PRISMA-A checklist, and make concerted efforts to improve the reporting of SR abstracts
DIFFERENTIAL GALOIS COHOMOLOGY AND PARAMETERIZED PICARD-VESSIOT EXTENSIONS
No full textAssuming that the differential field (K, δ) is differentially large, in the sense of Le´on S´anchez and Tressl [18], and “bounded” as a field, we prove that for any linear differential algebraic group G over K, the differential Galois (or constrained) cohomology set H1 δ (K, G) is finite. This applies, among other things, to closed ordered differential fields in the sense of Singer [27], and to closed p-adic differential fields in the sense of Tressl [28]. As an application, we prove a general existence result for parameterized Picard-Vessiot extensions within certain families of fields; if (K, δx, δt) is a field with two commuting derivations, and δxZ = AZ is a parameterized linear differential equation over K, and (Kδx , δt) is “differentially large” and Kδx is bounded, and (Kδx , δt) is existentially closed in (K, δt), then there is a PPV extension (L, δx, δt) of K for the equation such that (Kδx , δt) is existentially closed in (L, δt). For instance, it follows that if the δx-constants of a formally real differential field (K, δx, δt) is a closed ordered δt-field, then for any homogeneous linear δx-equation over K there exists a PPV extension that is formally real. Similar observations apply to p-adic fields
Depression, Anxiety, and Loneliness among Adolescents and Young Adults with IBD in the UK: The role of Disease Severity, Age of Onset, and Embarrassment of the Condition
No full textTensions and Territoriality: The Dark Side of Servitization
No full textPurpose: This paper focusses on the darker side of the dynamics of servitization by exploring the tensions and territoriality that emerge between manufacturers and customers during the servitization process in the oil industry. Design/methodology/approach: The Delphi method is used to explore the perspectives of three management tiers in oil organisations and the manufacturers who work with them. The views of these managers were synthesized over three iterations: semi-structured interviews, a questionnaire and resolution/explanation, where consensus was not obtained. Findings: The findings of the study highlight perceptions of change, resulting tensions and territoriality and the impact of management commitment, resources and strategy. They reveal significant differences between customers and their suppliers and different management levels and highlight territorial behaviour and the negative impact this has on buyer supplier relationships during the implementation of servitization. Research limitations/implications: Further research is required to explore why there is a variation in understanding and commitment at different managerial levels and the causes of tensions and territoriality. Practical implications: Servitization is not a “quick fix” and management support is essential. A fundamental element of this planning is to anticipate and plan for tensions and territoriality caused by the disruption servitization creates. Originality/value: The research provides empirical evidence of tensions and territoriality relating to servitization that potentially can damage supplier–buyer relationships and suggest that there is a darker side to servitization. It also shows that differences in strategic intent across organizations and between different managerial layers impedes to servitization efforts.</p
Biosimilars for the Treatment of Patients with Psoriasis:Statements from the Biosimilar Working group of the International Psoriasis Council
No full textBackground: As biosimilars have become available in various parts of the world, the International Psoriasis Council (IPC) had reviewed aspects of their use. Objective: To provide consensus statements from the Biosimilar Working Group (BSWG) about the use of biosimilars in patients with psoriasis. Methods: A semi-qualitative structured process to approve consensus statements on biosimilars, using the nominal group technique. The final statements were validated by a survey of the paricipants. Approval of the consensus statements was pre-defined as >80% positive opinion. Results: Consensus was reached in 36/38 statements regarding regulatory considerations, extrapolation of indication, interchangeability, substitution at the pharmacy level, pharmacovigilance, traceability, naming, biosimilar policy, education, and cost of biosimilars. Examples statements include : “Switching a stable patient from a reference product to a biosimilar product is appropriate if the patient and physician agree to do so” and “Patients and patients’ organisations should be involved in all decision making and policy development about the use of biosimilars”. Conclusion: The IPC BSWG provides consensus statements for the use of biosimilars in the treatment of patients with psoriasis. We suggest that these statements provide global guidance to clinicians, healthcare organisations, pharmaceutical companies, regulators and patients, regarding the development and use of biosimilars in psoriasis
A Secure and Privacy-Preserving Data Collection (SPDC) Framework for IoT Applications
No full textMobile patient monitoring systems monitor and treat chronicdiseases by collecting health data from wearable sensors through mobiledevices carried out by patients. In the future, these systems may behosted by a third-party service provider. This would open a number ofsecurity and ID privacy issues. One of these issues is the inference attack.This attack allows a single service provider from inferring the patient’sidentity by collecting a number of contextual information about the patientsuch as the pattern of interaction with the service provider. Thus asecurity and ID privacy mechanisms must be deployed. In this paper, wepropose a framework called Secure and Privacy-Preserving Data Collection(SPDC) that allows the patient to encrypt the data and then uploadthe encrypted data on di↵erent service providers rather than one whileallowing an anonymous linkage for the patient’s data which are scatteredacross di↵erent service providers. In this framework, each patient is allowedto select the service providers involved in the data collection, assignsone as the home while the others consider foreign. The patient usesthe foreign to upload data while the home is responsible for anonymouslycollecting the patient’s data from multiple foreign service providers anddeliver them to the healthcare provider. This framework also shows anovel mechanism to conduct anonymous authentication across di↵erentdistributed service provides. The framework has been analyzed againstthe specified design requirements and security threats
Cascade structure predictive observer design for consensus control with applications to UAVs formation flying
No full textThis paper investigates the long input delay problem in consensus control of multi-agent systems with directed graph. First, cascade structure predictive observers are designed to obtain the future state for each agent. Then, adaptive technique based consensus controllers are designed for the agents to make sure that any global information is not needed. Lyapunov-Krasovskii functionals are used for the delay upper bound analysis and sufficient conditions are derived to guarantee that the consensus errors converge to zero asymptotically. Finally, the proposed controllers are verifed through numerical simulation and UAVs formation flying tests
Firm Exporting and Investment in Exploratory and Exploitative R&D
No full textPurpose – This study investigates how firms’ internationalization activities through exporting influence their organizational learning. Specifically, we examine how the level of exporting and geographic market scope impact a firm’s exploratory and exploitative R&D investment differently. Design/methodology/approach – Using a sample of 7055 firms in Spain during the period 2006 to 2011, the study uses regression analysis (generalized least squares random effects) to test various hypotheses. Findings – Although exporting improves organizational learning, learning opportunities vary for different aspects of exporting. Specifically, the level of a firm’s exporting has a significant positive effect on its exploitative R&D investment, whereas geographic market scope of a firm increases its exploratory R&D investment. Practical Implications – The findings can aid in shaping policies and firms’ decisions pertaining to exporting and exploratory and exploitative R&D investment. As the findings indicate that the determinants of exploratory and exploitative R&D investment are different, managers and policymakers, who aim at a specific type of R&D investment, should understand which exporting strategy they should pursue. Originality/value – Prior research suggests that exporting improves organizational learning. We extend this knowledge by showing that different aspects of exporting, specifically, the level of exporting and geographic market scope, drive different types of organizational learning
