Commercial Companies Research Articles

Exploration of Features of Mobile Applications for Medication Adherence in Asia: Narrative Review

Background Medication is crucial for managing chronic diseases, yet adherence rates are often suboptimal. With advanced integration of IT and mobile internet into health care, mobile apps present a substantial opportunity for improving adherence by incorporating personalized educational, behavioral, and organizational strategies. However, determining the most effective features and functionalities for these apps within the specific health care context in Asia remains a challenge. Objective We aimed to review the existing literature, focusing on Asian countries, to identify the optimal features of mobile apps that can effectively enhance medication adherence within the unique context of Asian societies. Methods We conducted a narrative review with the SPIDER (sample, phenomenon of interest, design, evaluation, research type) tool. We identified studies on mobile apps for medication adherence from January 2019 to August 2024 on PubMed and Scopus. Key search terms included “Asia,” “chronic disease,” “app,” “application,” “survey,” “experiment,” “questionnaire,” “group,” “medical adherence,” “medication adherence,” “case-control,” “cohort study,” “randomized controlled trial,” “clinical trial,” “observational study,” “qualitative research,” “mixed methods,” and “analysis,” combined using logical operators “OR” and “AND.” The features of mobile apps identified in the studies were evaluated, compared, and summarized based on their disease focuses, developers, target users, features, usability, and use. Results The study identified 14 mobile apps designed to enhance medication adherence. Of these, 11 were developed by research teams, while 3 were created by commercial companies or hospitals. All the apps incorporated multiple features to support adherence, with reminders being the most common, present in 11 apps. Patient community forums were the least common, appearing in only 1 app. In total, 6 apps provided lifestyle modification functions, offering dietary and exercise recommendations, generating individualized plans, and monitoring progress. In addition, 6 apps featured health data recording and monitoring functions, with 4 allowing users to export and share records with researchers or health care professionals. Many apps included communication features, with 10 enabling feedback from researchers or health care professionals and 7 offering web-based consultation services. Educational content was available in 8 apps, and 7 used motivation strategies to encourage adherence. Six studies showed that mobile apps improved clinical outcomes, such as blood glucose, lipid, and pressure, while reducing adverse events and boosting physical activities. Twelve studies noted positive humanistic effects, including better medication adherence, quality of life, and user satisfaction. Conclusions This review has identified key components integrated into mobile apps to support medication adherence. However, the lack of government and corporate involvement in their development limits the generalizability of any individual app. Beyond basic reminder functions, features such as multiuser support, feedback mechanisms, web-based consultations, motivational tools, and socialization features hold significant promise for improving medication adherence. Further pragmatic research is necessary to validate the effectiveness of these selected apps in enhancing adherence.

Individual- and system-level determinants of breastfeeding in a low-resource setting

The benefits of breastfeeding are widely established and therefore the World Health Organization recommends that every child be exclusively breastfed for the first 6 months of life and continue breastfeeding up to 2 years of age or beyond. However, the rate of exclusive breastfeeding is low globally and has declined in Bangladesh in recent years. In this review, Bangladesh is used as an example to demonstrate the complex individual- and system-level determinants of breastfeeding in a low-resource setting. Mothers face barriers to breastfeeding within the context of marketing by commercial milk formula companies, limited safe alternatives to breastfeeding directly from the breast, and insufficient resources to support breastfeeding in the hospital, community, and workplace setting. Future research and implementation science is required to investigate the overlapping effects between breastfeeding and the high antibiotic use and Caesarean section rates in Bangladesh, along with public health efforts to promote breastfeeding based on robust evidence.

The Importance of Public Relations in Building Corporate Reputation

This study examines the importance and value of Public Relations department (PR) in creating reputation within institutions such as commercial companies. Scholars and PR professionals emphasize that PR has a large impact on creating a two-way communication, promoting and maintain good reputation. The main purpose of this theoretical research is that how corporate reputation is seen and to what extent domestic companies in the Kurdistan Region pay attention to it. In this research, PR literature has been reviewed and it is argued that it can be used as a guideline for creating, developing and maintain institutional reputation.

The Impact of the Corona virus and trade credit on the profitability and value of companies

This study aimed to identify the impact of the Corona virus and commercial credit risks on the profitability and value of companies. The problem of the study was the presence of real risks that threaten the profitability of companies resulting from commercial credit risks and the Corona crisis. The study adopted the descriptive analytical approach, and the study population represents commercial companies in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Saudi Arabia, and the study concluded with a set of results, the most important of which are: the presence of a significant impact of commercial credit risks on the profitability and value of companies, the existence of a statistically significant relationship between commercial credit risks and corporate profitability, and the study proved the existence of a negative correlation between credit risk and the Corona crisis as an independent variable and between companies’ profitability as a variable. continued. The study recommended that companies should review the mechanisms and procedures taken to confront the risks of commercial credit on the profitability of companies, and review the mechanisms and procedures taken to confront the risks of the Corona crisis on the profitability and value of companies.

Powers of Comptrollers to Request Bankruptcy Declaration for Commercial Companies and Judicial Oversight

The study aimed to outline the procedure for requesting the disclosure of insolvency applications by the Comptroller General of Companies, along with the conditions to be adhered to when filing such applications. Additionally, it explored the judicial oversight of the control powers exercised when submitting insolvency disclosure requests. Key findings of the study highlighted that the comptroller of companies derives the authority to submit insolvency notices from Article 193 of the Jordanian Companies Act. This article empowers the comptroller to oversee companies' performance and their compliance with the law from the moment of their registration, emphasizing the importance of not being deleted. Noteworthy recommendations include the necessity of imposing additional penalties on companies that fail to cooperate with the comptroller, enhancing their role in both preventive and punitive oversight. Furthermore, the study emphasizes consolidating the principle of comprehensive oversight to promote corporate governance, control, and early detection.

Local perceptions of marine conservation aquaculture for the restoration of native Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar) in Downeast, Maine

The entities responsible for the management of the endangered Gulf of Maine Distinct Population Segment of Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar) have partnered with a commercial aquaculture company to apply a novel conservation aquaculture program. This effort marks a major shift in management and has garnered mixed public reactions. Recent expansion of aquaculture in Maine has been a point of controversy as people and systems grapple with the social, environmental, and legal aspects of this burgeoning industry. Still, the use of aquaculture for conservation has shown some promise. In 2021, a questionnaire was administered to 850 households (response rate 27 %) in Maine via the Drop-off and Pick-up method. We examined differences and similarities in attitudes, beliefs, and knowledge about Atlantic salmon, hatcheries, and aquaculture between property owners in the town where the proposed net pens would be located (Cutler; n=73), and those in neighboring towns (n=152). The Potential for Conflict Index (PCI2) was used to examine differences between the groups. Both groups held similar positive attitudes toward Atlantic salmon, endangered species conservation, freshwater hatcheries, and both commercial and conservation aquaculture. Both groups believe that “Atlantic salmon should be protected,” and that freshwater hatcheries and marine conservation aquaculture “should be used for conservation.” However, Cutler residents had less consensus and supported the use of freshwater hatcheries and marine conservation aquaculture less than other respondents. Community concerns have stalled efforts to move the project forward. Our research indicates there are several social concepts which may help to explain localized opposition to the project.

Commercial Law and its Evaluation in International Law

The ease and prevalence of capital movement across international borders has led to its expansion in trade and the economy in recent years, and this may make resolving legal disputes more challenging. As a result of all these changes, national markets are becoming more and more global marketplaces, and commerce is expanding. Legal processes in this process must first be identified, and their characteristics ascertained in order to resolve legal disputes. While research has been done on qualified merchants in commercial law and related fields, no research has been done on qualified merchant requirements on an international scale. This study has, therefore, evaluated the global nature of the qualified trader under commercial law. Semiotic analysis and content analysis techniques were used in the study to evaluate conceptual studies carried out in academic settings. The research findings indicate that while certain national laws exist in the field of commercial law for eligible merchants, significant shortcomings persist in this domain, even within domestic legal frameworks. Confusion in domestic law stems from a number of factors, including the distinction made between the concepts of tradesman and merchant, the definition of "commercial enterprise," and the use of the term "part of" in reference to the requirement of operating a portion of the commercial company. International legal confusion results from inadequate representation of the qualifications of domestic and foreign traders in the legal system, which in turn affects local and national definitions of qualified traders and international activity areas. As a result, both domestically and globally, a more flexible, inclusive, and problem-solving legal strategy is needed.

Dynamic path finding for multi-load agent pickup and delivery problem

Recently, the Multi-Agent Pickup and Delivery (MAPD) problem has attracted widespread attention from both academia and industry. In the MAPD problem, each task has its pickup and delivery locations, and the agent needs to pick this task up from the pickup location and deliver it to its delivery location. Therefore, existing works consider the MAPD problem as the core problem in industrial scenarios, e.g., logistics warehouse. Note that the agents considered in the MAPD problem are single-load agents that complete tasks one by one. However, many commercial companies have deployed agents with multi-load instead of single-load agents to improve efficiency and reduce costs. The agents with multi-load can complete multiple tasks at once, so existing solutions cannot work well with the MAPD problem for multi-agents. To solve this issue, we investigate a novel problem in this paper, namely the Multi-Load Agent Pickup and Delivery (MLAPD) problem, where the agents with multi-load not only need to complete assigned real-time tasks but also need to avoid conflicts with each other and the goal is to minimize the total cost in the warehouse. To address this novel problem, we develop a task assignment to complete the assignments between multi-load agents and online tasks in real-time and a dynamic path finding problem that enables multi-load agents to move along conflict-free paths. Finally, extensive experiments in two different warehouses examine the effectiveness of our solutions.

Enlightened marketing and its role in promoting sustainable marketing: A survey of the opinions of a sample of department managers in a number of commercial companies in the independent Zakho administration

The research aimed to understand and know the relationship between enlightened marketing and its role in promoting and its impact on sustainable marketing, by applying it to trade companies in the city of Zakho. The study was conducted on a sample consisting of 85 commercial companies, and the marketing, warehouse and purchasing managers in these companies were surveyed. Using probability equations, standard deviations, and the 25 SPSS program to test the correlation and effect, the study showed that there is a positive and significant relationship between the dimensions of enlightened marketing and the dimensions of sustainable marketing for the aforementioned trading companies. The results of the statistical analysis also showed that there is a positive and significant effect of the dimensions of sustainable marketing on the dimensions of enlightened marketing. There are additional benefits. It is important for sustainable marketing, in addition to its positive and moral impact on the company’s reputation. In conclusion, according to the results of the study, the researchers reached several important and fundamental conclusions and proposals. Supporting and enhancing the role of informed marketing can play a decisive role in promoting sustainable marketing.

Analyzing the influence of the sustainability shift in European building codes on the alignment of identity, practice, and knowledge in commercial real estate firms

Sustainability has become a key concern across multiple sectors, including commercial real estate. Due to environmental challenges, numerous new European building regulations emphasize sustainability, pushing businesses to adapt. This research examines the effect of these sustainability-driven changes in European building codes on commercial real estate companies by utilizing the identity-practice-knowledge framework. Existing studies highlight external pressures and catalysts for change, while insights from seven interviews with industry experts reveal internal challenges, such as the need for additional expertise, and opportunities, such as enhancing sustainable practices. This paper explores how the shift in European building regulations impacts the alignment of identity, practice, and knowledge within commercial real estate firms and identifies the priorities these companies must address. The findings aim to assist these firms in preparing for the sustainability transition and in designing effective change processes for a seamless transformation.

Impact of Human Resource Management Policies and Practices on Employee Motivation, Commitment and Performance

The primary goal of this study is to demonstrate how human resource management (HRM) policies and practices, which include employee job status, job security, internal promotion, and individualized rewards, have a substantial impact on employee motivation and commitment and their level of performance in the organization. Employees of commercial banks, insurance companies and financial companies at the managerial and assistant levels were included in this study. According to the study, there is a substantial and positive association between HRM policies and practices with that of employee motivation, and commitment. Similarly, a high level of employee motivation and commitment would contribute to the improvement of their level of performance in the institution as they accomplish the allocated duty based on their best efficiency, ability, and knowledge. It is the reason that management of the organization needs to focus on the improvement of employee job status, job security, internal promotion, and individualized rewards along with other variables of HRM policies and practices so that employees would feel motivated and committed to the accomplishment of assigned jobs. It is essential for the improvement of employee performance and also the overall performance of the organizations so that they can sustain and perform business activities in society for a long duration of time.

Profitability Indicators: Critical Analysis and Applicability in Modern Conditions

Constant variability of the external environment is one of the key features affecting the business activity of domestic organizations and generates the need for constant updating of managers’ professional skills. The issues of assessment efficiency of commercial companies are always relevant not only for owners, but also for managers, employees and other stakeholders. In the conditions of economic instability, the interest to the indicators of organizations’ efficiency increases and, accordingly, their clarification and adjustment is required. and adjustment. The purpose of the study is to summarize the profitability indicators depending on the goal-setting of the participants of commercial organizations and to establish the possibility of using these indicators to assess the effectiveness of the company’s activities. Many years of experience of the authors of this article in the field of business valuation allowed to systematize the techniques of calculation of the main profitability indicators, to present an updated system of their grouping, as well as to classify the factors affecting them. Also, theoretical approaches to the calculation of invested capital were generalized in the course of the work. The research applied the methods of analysis, comparison, synthesis, classification, collection and generalization, logic, graphical and tabular display of information. Theoretical significance of the obtained results consists in the development of the methodology of value-oriented management in order to actualize and adapt the algorithms for calculating profitability indicators to domestic conditions, taking into account the interests of the participants of the organization. The practical significance of the work consists in the development of methods for assessing the performance indicators of the company, which can be used in the corporate governance of commercial structures, as well as in making management decisions by stakeholders.

Private commercial companies sharing health-relevant consumer data with health researchers in sub-Saharan Africa: an ethical exploration

ABSTRACT Sharing large digital-first datasets, including for purposes for which they were not originally intended, is a hallmark of the “big data revolution”. Through their routine operations, private commercial companies collect massive amounts of diverse data from their customers, some of which may interest those working in the public sector, such as health researchers. Researchers and government agencies worldwide have been increasingly using data from commercial entities (such as Google, Microsoft, Apple, Facebook/Meta, Twitter/X and Amazon, among others) to generate health-related insights. This article explores ethical issues raised by the practice of commercial companies sharing consumer data with third parties for the purposes of promoting health in the sub-Saharan African (SSA) context. First, as an illustrative example, it examines some of the ways telecommunication (telecom) companies in SSA shared mobility data from cellphone users with public health researchers during the COVID-19 pandemic. Second, it examines a recent debate about the ethical responsibilities of companies that collect, process and share user-generated data, drawing implications for the SSA context. Finally, since this is a relatively understudied subject, we point out some areas where future conceptual and empirical work could contribute to the development of relevant ethics guidance and regulatory governance in SSA.

Legal Concept of Cyber Risk Insurance Contract

Business companies are at an unconventional and non-material risk that threatens their business reputation or brand potential in the market. (Cyber Risk), so insurance companies have introduced specialized insurance contracts designed to mitigate the impact of this devastating risk. The need for commercial companies to purchase cyber risk insurance policies has recently increased due to persistent and increasing threats to their operating systems containing the company's database and customers. It has become necessary for businesses to take note of how the cyber risk policy can be covered. At the same time, it is difficult to identify common exceptions in cyber risk insurance contracts because it is relatively recent. In addition, there is a kind of confusion between the insurance contract of cyber risk and some contracts that you may suspect on the other hand.

Toward a Mølmer Sørensen gate with .9999 fidelity

Abstract Realistic fault-tolerant quantum computing at reasonable overhead requires two-qubit gates with the highest possible fidelity. Typically, an infidelity of ≲ 10 − 4 is recommended in the literature. Focusing on the phase-sensitive architecture used in laboratories and by commercial companies to implement quantum computers, we show that even under noise-free, ideal conditions, neglecting the carrier term and linearizing the Lamb–Dicke term in the Hamiltonian used for control-pulse construction for generating Mølmer–Sørensen XX gates based on the Raman scheme are not justified if the goal is an infidelity target of < 10 − 4 . We obtain these results with a gate simulator code that, in addition to the computational space, explicitly takes the most relevant part of the phonon space into account. With the help of a Magnus expansion carried to the third order, keeping terms up to the fourth order in the Lamb–Dicke parameters, we identify the leading sources of coherent errors, which we show can be eliminated by adding a single linear equation to the phase-space closure conditions and subsequently adjusting the amplitude of the control pulse (calibration). This way, we obtain XX gates with infidelities < 10 − 4 .

Gene-based drug therapy for children and youth treated with psychoactive medications.

Psychoactive medications are increasingly used to treat children and youth with mental health conditions, but individual variations in response highlight the need for precision medicine. Pharmacogenetic (PGx) testing is a key component of precision medicine. The number of commercial pharmacogenetic testing companies promoting PGx, with the promise of achieving individualized and effective treatment of mental health conditions, has grown exponentially in recent years. Scientific evidence supporting the use of PGx to manage mental health conditions is limited, especially for paediatric populations. This practice point outlines steps guiding the use and interpretation of PGx testing for psychoactive medications in clinical settings, along with key supportive resources. Practice guidelines have been developed for variants in pharmacogenes encoding cytochrome P450 drug-metabolizing enzymes (e.g., CYP2C19, CYP2D6, CYP2C9) as one determinant of drug concentrations in blood, which can support both drug choice and dosing strategy for certain anti-psychotics, anti-depressants, and anti-epileptics. Adverse drug reactions to some anti-epileptic drugs (e.g., carbamazepine and phenytoin) have been associated with certain human leukocyte antigen types and variants in DNA polymerase gamma (POLG; valproic acid). Evidence remains limited for genetic variants of drug target proteins, making it challenging to identify patients with altered treatment responses at a therapeutic blood concentration.

Японские письменные предсказания в виртуальном пространстве

The article presented to your attention addresses the problem the virtualization of the well-known traditional Japanese divination practice — “omikuji” (translated from Japanese as “divine lot”), and also touches upon more global issues such as how Japanese religious practices are currently developing on the Internet. A significant portion of the research is dedicated to analyzing the transformation process of a religious tradition that used to be practiced exclusively “in person” and examining how contemporary Japanese people of different age groups and social status relate to the phenomenon of web religiosity. The study is based on data collected from an online survey conducted in July 2023. A total of 32 people responded to the survey (almost all informants are either Japanese or long-time foreign expatriates residing in Japan). The article includes screenshots of digital omikuji and their translations made by the author. The results of the study indicate that virtualization has made the practice of omikuji more accessible to laypeople, especially for people with disabilities. The texts of the predictions were significantly simplified during their virtualization. However, as the survey results suggest, the accessibility of the practice has led to a certain degree of loss of trust among believers. While omikuji had previously been perceived by the Japanese as a kind of entertainment within the temple or shrine grounds, the transition of the practice to the online space has further “simplified” it. Moreover, virtualization has turned the practice of traditional divination into another tool of promoting and advertising Japanese commercial companies, which negatively affects the perception of the omikuji tradition among believers.

Advanced therapies in orthopaedics.

Advanced therapies are expected to play a crucial role in supporting repair after injury, halting the degeneration of musculoskeletal tissue to enable and promote physical activity. Despite advancements, the progress in developing advanced therapies in orthopaedics lags behind specialties like oncology, since innovative regenerative treatment strategies fall short of their expectations in musculoskeletal clinical trials. Researchers should focus on understanding the mechanism of action behind the investigated target before conducting clinical trials. Strategic research networks are needed that not only enhance scientific exchange among like-minded researchers but need to include early on commercial views, companies and venture perspectives, regulatory insights and reimbursement perspectives. Only in such collaborations essential roadblocks towards clinical trials and go-to-patients be overcome.

Generating pathways to domestically sourced plasma-derived medicinal products: Report from a workshop by the International Plasma and Fractionation Association and the Working Party on Global Blood Safety of the International Society of Blood Transfusion.

Plasma-derived medicinal products (PDMPs) are recognized internationally as essential medicines required to treat various acute and chronic conditions including congenital deficiencies of plasma proteins in haemophilia and primary immune deficiency. Global provision of these medicines is dominated by a small number of commercial companies, influencing the price and availability of the products. Achieving a level of strategic independence from this dominance is now seen as a public health priority in many countries. During the Regional Congress of the International Society for Blood Transfusion (ISBT) in Cape Town, South Africa, in November 2023, around 50 delegates from 24 countries participated in a workshop (WS) organized jointly by the International Plasma and Fractionation Association (IPFA) and the ISBT Working Party on Global Blood Safety on pathways towards provision of PDMPs from domestic plasma independent of commercial purchase in the open market. The WS was structured around three themes, each addressed by a separate group: Quality/safety requirements for plasma for fractionation (PfF) Stepwise access for safe plasma proteins Approaching contract fractionation A synthesis of conclusions from these groups included the following: The need to acquire support from government authorities for a national plasma policy, recognizing the difficulties posed by unstable political and bureaucratic environments. The value of embedding plasma and PDMPs within a patient blood management (PBM) paradigm to promote optimal clinical use of PDMPs. Training of blood/plasma collection personnel in the relevant principles of Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP), coupled with regulatory oversight of plasma product production in the engaged jurisdictions. Appreciation that limited access to contract fractionation may necessitate a stepwise approach, which may include small-scale preparation of versions of essential plasma proteins as an intermediate phase towards the manufacture of industrial-scale PDMPs from domestic plasma.

The Literature that Commercial Insurance Payers Use to Substantiate Knee Osteochondral Allograft Policies Are of a Low Level of Evidence.

The purpose of this study is to analyze how the largest insurance companies support their medical necessity policies regarding osteochondral allograft transplantation (OCA) and to determine whether the literature they cite in their policies is of a high level of evidence (LOE). The 10 largest national health insurance companies were identified. Each payer was contacted via phone or email to obtain their coverage policy regarding OCA. For each policy, the medical necessity criteria were recorded, and all cited references were screened. For all references applicable to OCA, the LOE was recorded, and each reference was screened to determine whether they mentioned the specific criteria reported in the policies. The medical policies for 6 of the 10 national health insurance companies were identified. These 6 policies cited a collective total of 102 applicable references. Most of these studies were an LOE of IV (n = 58, 56.9%) and an LOE of V (n = 18, 17.6%). There were similarities amongst the medical necessity criteria between different commercial payers; however, most criteria were poorly supported by the cited literature. Our results demonstrate that commercial insurance companies utilize studies that are of a low LOE when justifying their medical necessity criteria. Moreover, these cited studies infrequently support or mention the commercial payers' criteria. Future studies should continue to explore how well-supported insurance policies are with the goal of potentially increasing access and authorization for well-supported treatment modalities.