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Linear electron beam radiation has been used to induce irradiation grafting of glycidyl methacrylate (GMA), glycidyl methacrylate/β-cyclodextrin (GMA/β-CD), and glycidyl methacrylate/monochlorotriazinyl-β-cyclodextrin (GMA/MCT-β-CD) onto cotton fabrics. The effect of radiation dose, GMA concentration and CDs concentration on graft yield, epoxide content and the bonded amount of CDs was investigated. Results obtained reveal that the amount of CDs bonded within the fabric; the add-on and the epoxide content are directly related to the CDs concentration, GMA concentration and the irradiation dose. Graft yield and epoxide content increase with the increase of radiation dose to a certain extent, and they decrease due to degradation of GMA at higher irradiation doses. Results also reveal that although the bonded amount of CDs is nearly proportional to the concentration of CDs in the treatment solution, the accessibility ratio of CDs decreases with increasing CDs concentration. Treatment of fabrics grafted with GMA (Cell-g-GMA) and GMA/CDs mixtures (Cell-g-GMA/CDs) in a sequel step with the corresponding CDs increases the amounts of CDs fixed onto the fabrics, while epoxide content decreases. The treatment of the cotton fabrics with GMA and CDs was established on the basis of spectral data studies.

Glycidyl methacrylate/monochlorotriazinyl-β-cyclodextrin mixture (GMA/MCT-β-CD) is grafted onto cotton fabric by an irradiation technique that uses linear electron beam radiation for initiating the grafting reaction. The obtained grafted fabric (cell-g-GMA/MCT-β-CD) is loaded with chlorohexidin diacetate (an antimicrobial agent) and subjected to several washing cycles. Grafted cotton fabrics (before and after loading with the antimicrobial agent) and control cotton fabrics are characterized for antimicrobial activity against different kinds of bacteria and fungi by using the diffusion disk method.

Grafted fabrics that are loaded with an antimicrobial agent show very good antimicrobial activity in comparison with control and grafted fabrics which are not loaded with an antimicrobial agent. The results in this study also demonstrate that GMA/MCT-β-CD grafted fabrics that are loaded with an antimicrobial agent retain a good deal of their antimicrobial activity after five washings. Good retention of antimicrobial activity is due to the cavities that are present in the cyclodextrin moieties which are used to host and keep the antimicrobial agent.

The purpose of this paper is to examine reported literature on the influence of medical representatives (MRs) and other promotional tools on drug prescribing behaviour, and to assess whether this effect is different in developed and developing countries.

A survey of the literature was conducted across online databases from 2000 to 2016. Eligible studies addressed MRs and other promotion tools used to influence drug prescribing in developed and developing countries.

A total of 40 reviewed studies met the inclusion requirements. In total, 22 of the studies were conducted in developed countries and 18 in developing countries. Out of ten studies that examined the influence of MRs on drug prescribing in developed countries, eight found a positive influence, one found only moderate and one finds no influence. Analogous results were found in developing countries. Six out of ten studies on the influence of MRs conducted in developing countries found a positive effect, three found only moderate effects, while one finds no influence. The influence of promotion tools on prescribing varied in developed countries, five found positive influence, four reported a small effect and one found negative influence. In developing countries, the size of effect also varied, five studies found positive influence of promotion tools on drug prescribing behaviour, five found a negligible or small effect, and one found no association. However, marked differences were observed between two sectors. In the developed countries, MRs are valued as a source of information and can have an effect on prescribing, while it is unreliable in developing countries. Sample drugs are more generally seen as an important promotional tool for prescribing in developed countries than developing countries.

The results derived from this review are based on studies with varying methodological consistency. The review provides the crucial information that will be valuable to researchers working on comparative analysis of marketing efforts in developing and developed countries.

This paper is one of the few systematic reviews on the influence of MRs and other promotional tools on prescribing. It compares the influence of MRs and promotional efforts in both developed and developing countries.

Although there is evidence that the efforts of pharmaceutical marketing exert a positive and significant influence on physician prescription decisions, the specific mechanisms by which this impact occurs remain uncertain. To address this issue, this study aims to investigate whether the physician’s habit persistence may explain the relationship between marketing efforts such as brand attributes and drug promotion and prescribing behavior. This study also explores whether there was any significant difference between specialists and general practitioners (GPs) regarding the effect of brand attributes and drug promotion on physician’s habit persistence, which influences prescribing behavior.

A survey instrument was administered to physicians, encompassing specialists in a particular field and GPs who provide primary care services. A nonparametric partial least squares multigroup analysis was used to analyze 393 valid responses using partial least squares-structural equation modeling.

The results indicate that the decision to prescribe the drug may be affected by the physician’s habit persistence in the presence of vital brand attributes and drug promotion. The relationship between physician’s habit persistence and prescribing behavior is significant in GPs and specialist groups. The findings also reveal that brand attributes are the most influential and significant determinant of physician’s habit persistence in the GPs group. In addition, physician specialists are more aware of the influence of drug promotion initiatives than GPs. Furthermore, this study discovered that the relationship between drug promotion and physician’s habit persistence indicates a significant difference between specialists and GPs.

Although several marketing scholars discuss the factors influencing prescribing behavior, a few studies have shown the role of brand attributes and drug promotion and their effect on physician’s habit persistence. This study will specifically contribute by examining the mediating role of physician’s habit persistence between marketing efforts and prescribing behavior. In addition, so far, no studies have effectively made a comparative analysis across physicians regarding the effect of marketing efforts on physician’s habit persistence and prescribing behavior.

In the pharmaceutical industry, marketing and sales managers often deal with massive amounts of marketing and sales data. One of their biggest concerns is to recognize the impact of actions taken on sold-out products. Data mining discovers and extracts useful patterns from such large data sets to find hidden and worthy patterns for the decision-making. This paper, too, aims to demonstrate the ability of data-mining process in improving the decision-making quality in the pharmaceutical industry.

This research is descriptive in terms of the method applied, as well as the investigation of the existing situation and the use of real data and their description. In fact, the study is quantitative and descriptive, from the point of view of its data type and method. This research is also applicable in terms of purpose. The target population of this research is the data of a pharmaceutical company in Iran. Here, the cross-industry standard process for data mining methodology was used for data mining and data modeling.

With the help of different data-mining techniques, the authors could examine the effect of the visit of doctors overlooking the pharmacies and the target was set for medical representatives on the pharmaceutical sales. For that matter, the authors used two types of classification rules: decision tree and neural network. After the modeling of algorithms, it was determined that the two aforementioned rules can perform the classification with high precision. The results of the tree ID3 were analyzed to identify the variables and path of this relationship.

To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this is one of the first studies to provide the real-world direct empirical evidence of “Analytics of Physicians Prescription and Pharmacies Sales Correlation Using Data Mining.” The results showed that the most influential variables of “the relationship between doctors and their visits to pharmacies,” “the length of customer relationship” and “the relationship between the sale of pharmacies and the target set for medical representatives” were “deviation from the implementation plan.” Therefore, marketing and sales managers must pay special attention to these factors while planning and targeting for representatives. The authors could focus only on a small part of this study.

Lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ+) individuals face an elevated level of prejudice in various social settings like sports. These biases can relate to internalized stigma, which might prompt LGBTQ+ athletes to implement numerous identity coping strategies. Muslim LGBTQ+ athletes are likely to experience these dynamics more than others. However, there remains a dearth of scholarship on understanding how Muslim LGBTQ+ athletes employ different identity development coping strategies to tackle the prevalent stigma against them and use their visible identity development process as a means of social activism. Hence, in this book chapter, the authors explore the development of Muslim LGBTQ+ sportspersons' visible identity by defining the forces that shape their identity. The first author of the book chapter sheds light on his experiences while working with the LGBTQ+ community in the Islamic Republic of Pakistan and his recent interactions with the Muslim LGBTQ+ community in North America. The authors then highlight how Muslim LGBTQ+ athletes might use different identity coping strategies to show personal agency against the heteronormative system. Furthermore, the authors elucidate how sexual orientation intersects with religion within the sociocultural domain in shaping the identity and present global Muslim LGBTQ+ identity typology. Finally, the authors argue that Muslim LGBTQ+ athletes' visible identity depends upon two factors: religious negative/positive self-beliefs about religion Islam's openness toward LGBTQ+ rights and social acceptance, bounded by time and space.

The study aims to assess the efficiency of nanocomposite to improve the properties of gap-filling materials for pottery artifacts.

Five different pastes were used in the laboratory studies. The pastes consist mainly of pottery powder (grog), dental plaster, microballoons and an adhesive of Primal AC33, nano-silica and nano kaolinite in various concentrations. The prepared samples were subjected to accelerated heat and light aging. Besides, some investigations were used to evaluate the efficacy of the additive nanomaterials, such as TEM, digital and scanning electron microscopy microscopes. Contact angle, color change, shrinkage degree, physical properties and compressive strength tests were also conducted.

The results indicated that using Nano-silica considerably improves the mechanical strength and decreases the shrinkage of gap-filling materials. According to the results, a mixture of grog, microballoons and Primal AC33/Nano-silica Nanocomposites is the optimal gap-filling paste for archaeological pottery. Moreover, this paste showed a higher contact angle (120°), lower color change (ΔE = 2.62), lower shrinkage (3.3%), lower water absorption (3.36%), lower porosity (5.05%) and higher compressive strength (5124 N/mm²).

This paper attains to develop an economic polymer-nanocomposite that can be used with gap-filling materials for pottery artifacts.

This paper aims to examine the effect of the auditors’ burnout determinates on audit quality and performance. It also analyses whether the demographic characteristics of gender, age group, education and job positions affect auditors’ decisions for burnout, audit quality and performance.

A questionnaire was distributed on a sample of auditors in the top ten auditing firms in an emerging market including the Big 4. Factor analysis, correlation matrix and structural equation modeling were used for the analysis of the collected data and testing the developed hypotheses.

The results show that burnout has negative consequences for both the auditor and the auditing firm. While good organizational climate has a negative significant association with audit quality, nonethical decisions and audit performance, role clarity has positive significant association with the audit quality and performance and has an insignificant association with nonethical decisions. Also, turnover intention has significant positive association with nonethical decision, audit quality and performance.

This research is among the first to focus on auditor’s burnout determinates on audit quality and performance in an emerging market characterized by different socioeconomic, political and cultural factors compared with those of developed markets. Auditors, regulators and professional policymakers can benefit from the results of this research.

This study aims to offer an effective nanocomposite for potential use to consolidate and protect deteriorated archaeological pottery.

Three nanocomposites were used in the experimental study. This study used nano Primal AC33, silicon dioxide (SiO₂) and montmorillonite (MMT) nanoparticles to protect and consolidate pottery specimens. Pottery specimens were made at 800°C for this investigation. Consolidation materials were applied with a brush. The properties of the treated pottery specimens were assessed using several methods such as digital and scanning electron microscopes, static water contact angle, color alteration, physical properties and compressive strength.

Microscopic examination indicated the ability of the nano Primal AC33/MMT nanocomposites to cover the outer surface well and bind the inner granules. Concerning specimens with code F treated with nano Primal AC33 5%/MMT 3% nanocomposites, it achieved an increase in contact angle (120°), density (1.23 g/cm³) and compressive strength (561 kg/cm²), as well as a decrease in color change (ΔE = 2.62), water absorption (4.45%) and porosity (5.46%). The novelty of the results is due to the characteristics of nano Primal AC33 5%/MMT 3% nanocomposites used in the current study.

This study describes the significant results of the analytical methods used for evaluating consolidation materials used in this study. The findings offer useful information for the protection of archaeological pottery. The investigation indicated that nano Primal AC33 5%/MMT 3% nanocomposites gave the best results. Therefore, it is recommended to use this nanocomposite to consolidate archaeological pottery. As a result, the current work provides a promising first step in conserving archaeological pottery for future studies.

The purpose of this paper is to identify essential profession-related competencies, clinical knowledge and skills that medical students should develop in the early stages of their education for future professional practice.

A literature review and workshop resulted in a list of 46 crucial profession-related competencies. The first round of the modified Delphi survey (feedback questionnaire) involved experts who identified 26 items (via a Likert scale). The second round of the modified Delphi survey by faculty members highlighted ten items. Statistical analysis yielded four domains with items clustered as follows: interpersonal competencies (communication and collaboration), cognitive skills (problem solving, critical thinking and reflectivity), work-related skills (planning and time management) and professionalism (integrity, sense of responsibility, respect and empathy).

In conclusion, the results of this study provide insights and implications surrounding the competencies that are essential for assessment and facilitation in the early stages of a medical curriculum. The study also predicts the challenges of facilitating and assessing these competencies, as pointed out in recent literature. In general, outcomes of the study suggest that instead of categorizing the competencies, it is more meaningful to take a holistic and integrated approach in order to conceptualize, facilitate and assess these competencies in context of the complexities of real-life situations.

Ten items were identified as essential profession-related competencies that should be incorporated during the early stages of medical education. Six out of the ten items were agreed upon by all participants of the study: collaboration, communication, problem solving, integrity, responsibility and respect. This list aligns with the existing literature and graduate attributes internationally. Items related to planning and time management, critical thinking and reflectivity were regarded as specifically lacking and important areas of improvement for Arabic students. Divergence on items of empathy and medical ethics were observed among international and local panels, with the main concern, raised by medical faculty, being how to facilitate and assess these items. The competencies identified mandate reforms in the medical school curricula in an attempt to implement essential skills early in medical student’s career.