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1 – 10 of 28Majid Al‐Taee, Ayman Z. Zayed, Suhail N. Abood, Mohammad A. Al‐Ani, Ahmad M. Al‐Taee and Hussein A. Hassani
An arterial blood gas (ABG) interpretation remains indispensable tool to assess and monitor critically ill patients in the intensive care unit or other critical care settings…
Abstract
Purpose
An arterial blood gas (ABG) interpretation remains indispensable tool to assess and monitor critically ill patients in the intensive care unit or other critical care settings. This paper proposes a mobile‐based interpreter for ABG tests with the aim of providing accurate diagnosis in face of multiple acid‐base and oxygenation disorders. The paper aims to discuss these issues.
Design/methodology/approach
A rule‐based expert system is designed and implemented using interpretation knowledge gathered from specialist physicians and peer‐reviewed medical literature. The gathered knowledge of ABG tests are organized into premise‐explanation pairs to deliver reliable evaluation with the appropriate differential in a timely manner.
Findings
Performance of the developed interpreter prototype was assessed using a dataset of 74 ABG tests gathered from medical literature and clinical practice. The obtained results demonstrated that the identified acid‐base and oxygenation disorders and their differential diagnoses are accurately correlated with those assessed manually by consultant specialist physicians.
Research limitations/implications
This application is foreseen to be an everyday tool for clinicians at various levels; however, further studies are needed to evaluate its eventual impact on patients’ outcomes.
Originality/value
The contribution of this paper is the development of a new ABG interpreter which combines both the acid‐base and oxygenation disorders in a single application. Unlike existing ABG interpreters, it is comprehensive and capable of accurately identifying all kinds of acid‐base disorders and their combinations. In addition, it utilizes urine electrolytes which are useful tools in the differential diagnosis of normal anion gap metabolic acidosis and metabolic alkalosis. The interpretation algorithm is also designed to be flexible for some clinical settings which lack some input test data.
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Nilaya Murthy and Santosh Gopalkrishnan
The banking sector requires a major comeback with the series of bank frauds that has shook the nation. The rising non-performing assets (NPAs) and corporate frauds find their…
Abstract
Purpose
The banking sector requires a major comeback with the series of bank frauds that has shook the nation. The rising non-performing assets (NPAs) and corporate frauds find their roots in the top-level management or executive levels. The purpose of this study to analyse the behavioural component with corporate governance lapses for creating a trail and to what extent it can contribute to forensic analysis to help reduce and prevent fraud in the future.
Design/methodology/approach
This study is investigative in nature. This study uses case study approach by taking into account the major Advance–NPA–Fraud cases over period of 2010–2022. RBI data for bank advances, NPAs and advances-relate frauds from 2005 to 2019 were studies and interpreted for creating a trend and pattern for the reduction and prevention of frauds.
Findings
The authors found that behavioural factors and personalities affect the systems and culture of the company, thereby giving a jolt to the corporate governance mechanisms along with various entities like depositors, consumers and shareholders.
Practical implications
Assessing the behavioural aspects for risk mitigation remains unexplored in the banking sector. The personality dimension can help in contributing to comprehending the mental aspects and the reasons behind the combination of dark triads with economic offences.
Originality/value
This study is beneficial to all the beneficiaries of the banking sector and the economy at large in understanding the implications of risks because of patterns formed by emotions and vulnerability towards economic and fugitive economic crimes.
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Kavisha Lashindri Dodanwala and Sandun Weerasekera
A surge in demand for ethical products, including cruelty-free products, has been well documented in recent years, with direct ramifications for businesses. This trend towards…
Abstract
Purpose
A surge in demand for ethical products, including cruelty-free products, has been well documented in recent years, with direct ramifications for businesses. This trend towards ethical consumption seemed to be swiftly replicated in Eastern countries, especially in South Asian nations, as a result of westernisation. Based on the theory of planned behaviour and the concept of the attitude-behaviour gap, this study aims to investigate the impact of westernisation on the purchase intention of cruelty-free cosmetic products.
Design/methodology/approach
A positivist research paradigm was utilised in this study. Accordingly, an online self-administered questionnaire was shared among 242 consumers of cosmetic products in Sri Lanka in order to collect responses. The statistical techniques of correlation analysis, the Sobel test and moderator regression analysis have been utilised in this study.
Findings
It was found that there seems to be a positive impact of westernisation and the cruelty-free purchase intention of consumers. Moreover, consumer empowerment appears to mediate this relationship, while the attitude behaviour gap tends to further impact the relationship between consumer empowerment and the purchase intention of cruelty-free products.
Originality/value
This study seems to shed light upon the impact of westernisation on the purchase intention of consumers, especially from an ethical dimension and this study is likely to extend existing studies which have focussed on consumer empowerment, attitude-behaviour gap as well as the theory of planned behaviour, especially in the context of South Asia, where there seems to be a dearth of such investigations. Moreover, this study has attempted to contextualise the construct of “Westernisation” to the South Asian region in line with the tone set by an editorial article Dewasiri et al. (2021).
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Aswini Kumar Mishra, Anil Kumar and Abhishek Sinha
Though Indian economy since 1980s has expanded very rapidly, yet the benefits of growth remain very unequally distributed. The purpose of this paper is to provide new evidence…
Abstract
Purpose
Though Indian economy since 1980s has expanded very rapidly, yet the benefits of growth remain very unequally distributed. The purpose of this paper is to provide new evidence about the shape, intensity and decomposition of inequality change between 2005 and 2012. The authors find that Gini, as a measure of income inequality, has increased irrespective of geographic regions.
Design/methodology/approach
Based on a recent distribution analysis tool, “ABG,” the paper focuses on local inequality, and summarizes the shape of inequality in terms of three inequality parameters (α, β and γ) to examine how the income distributions have changed over time. Here, the central coefficient (α) measures inequality at the median level, with adjustment parameters at the top (β) and bottom (γ).
Findings
The results reveal that at the middle of distribution (α), there is almost the same inequality in both the periods, but the coefficients on the curvature parameters β and γ show that there is increasing inequality in the subsequent period. Finally, an analysis of decomposition of inequality change suggests that though income growth was progressive, however, this equalizing effect was more than offset by the disequalizing effect of income reranking.
Research limitations/implications
This paper shows how it can be possible both for “the poor” to fare badly relatively to “the rich” and for income growth to be pro-poor.
Practical implications
This paper stresses the significance of inequality reduction.
Social implications
Inequality reduction is very much imperative in ending poverty and boosting shared prosperity.
Originality/value
Perhaps, this research work is first of its kind to examine the shape and decomposition of change in income inequality in India in recent years.
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To analyse logistical innovations from 1984 to 2003.
Abstract
Purpose
To analyse logistical innovations from 1984 to 2003.
Design/methodology/approach
The approach concerned analysing the use of patents retrieved from major patent databases to create a picture of logistical innovations.
Findings
Confirmation that the use of patent statistics can depict an overall picture of technological innovation in the logistics sector. Logistics firms can be innovative by making good use of patent data.
Research limitations/implications
Logistics researchers and practitioners take advantage of recent improvements in the quality and availability of patent statistics rather seriously; in other fields many do not see the relevance.
Practical implications
Customers will begin to rely on 3PL service providers beyond distribution services for more technological innovation as they successfully expand capabilities into these areas, as well as provide end‐to‐end integration and visibility.
Originality/value
This is a novel and useful approach for examining innovations.
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In most classrooms, where information is presented orally via spoken language, accurate knowledge of a student’s hearing status is crucial so that the interdisciplinary team can…
Abstract
In most classrooms, where information is presented orally via spoken language, accurate knowledge of a student’s hearing status is crucial so that the interdisciplinary team can ensure appropriate service provision. Audiologists play a key role on the interdisciplinary team to provide other professionals with information about children’s hearing status, communication needs, device use, and intervention strategies. Conversely, audiologists gain valuable information and strategies from other team members.
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Hajer Zarrouk, Teheni El Ghak and Elias Abu Al Haija
Does Islamic finance affect economic growth? The empirical literature in this area seems to be in early stages and the results are often mixed and inconclusive. This paper aims to…
Abstract
Purpose
Does Islamic finance affect economic growth? The empirical literature in this area seems to be in early stages and the results are often mixed and inconclusive. This paper aims to examine the causality between financial development in general, Islamic finance in particular and real economic growth in the United Arab Emirates (UAE).
Design/methodology/approach
Using time series data from 1990 to 2012, a bivariate vector autoregressive model was used to document the financial development-Islamic finance-growth causal nexus and to forecast growth under various scenarios. A composite indicator, as a proxy for financial development, was determined using a non-parametric approach: data envelopment analysis.
Findings
The direction of causality runs from financial development to economic growth and the reverse causality does not drive this relationship; however, the real gross domestic product (GDP) causes Islamic financial development with no reverse effect. Furthermore, the forecasting results indicate that the past relation has been a proxy for the future where financial development leads to better progress in real economic activity. This will likely continue to stimulate the development of Islamic finance.
Research limitations/implications
Because the financial markets in the UAE were established in 2000, this study ignored Islamic bonds and equity product. The value of the Sukuk listed on Dubai’s exchanges is around US$36.75bn (Thomson Reuters, 2015), reinforcing Dubai’s position as an international center for Sukuk activity. Among the most important tools of the Islamic financial sector, Sukuk deserves a closer empirical study. This can set the agenda for future work.
Practical implications
The financial sector appears to be one of the main drivers of real economic activity. However, more effort in the area of Islamic finance is needed to promote Shari’ah-compliant economic activities and thus better contribute toward making Dubai-UAE the capital of the Islamic economy.
Originality/value
A new indicator was used to evaluate the financial strength of the UAE and analyze its effect on economic development. In addition, as one of UAE’ emirates, Dubai declared its vision in 2013 to become the “capital of the Islamic economy”, this study analyzed the finance, Islamic finance and growth relations over the period 2013-2022.
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Behzad Karami Matin, Shahin Soltani, Sarah Byford, Moslem Soofi, Satar Rezaei, Ali Kazemi-Karyani, Esmaeil Hosseini and Shiva Tolouei Rakhshan
Studies show that economic sanctions have had major negative impacts on health systems during the past years. The aim of this study is to identify the impacts of US sanctions on…
Abstract
Purpose
Studies show that economic sanctions have had major negative impacts on health systems during the past years. The aim of this study is to identify the impacts of US sanctions on the performance of public hospitals in Iran.
Design/methodology/approach
A qualitative research study was conducted between October 2019 and September 2020 in Kermanshah Province, Iran. Semi-structured, face-to-face interviews, lasting between 25 and 90 min, were carried out with 20 participants in seven public hospitals affiliated to the authors’ institution in Kermanshah Province. Inductive thematic analysis was used to identify themes in the data.
Findings
Five main themes emerged from the analysis: resource management challenges; financial restrictions; interruptions in planning; reductions in the quality of service delivery; and changes in organizational relationships.
Originality/value
The results of the present study demonstrate that US economic sanctions have considerably reduced access to necessary medical equipment and medicines for public hospitals in Iran. Policymakers should monitor the distribution of equipment and pharmaceutical products within public hospitals in Iran and take actions to ameliorate shortages during times of economic sanctions.
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