Background Checks Research Articles

Towards Improved Quality Control of In Situ Sea Surface Temperatures from Drifting and Moored Buoys in the NOAA iQuam System

The NOAA in situ Sea Surface Temperature (SST) Quality Monitor (iQuam) online system collects in situ SSTs from various sources, performs quality control (QC), and provides QC’ed data to users. Like many other in situ QCs, the iQuam QC employs comparisons with Level 4 SST analysis. However, the current daily L4 analyses do not capture the diurnal cycle, nor do they resolve the fine structure of SST in dynamic areas. As a result, high-quality in situ SSTs significantly deviating from the L4 SST may be rejected. This paper discusses the new Diurnal Reference Check (DRC), which addresses overscreening for buoys whose sampling frequency is sufficient for resolving the diurnal cycle. The DRC separates records from individual buoys into 24-h segments and characterizes each segment with the median nighttime (MNT) SST and the amplitude of the diurnal signal (ADS). The segment is rejected if the ADS is unrealistically large or if the difference between the MNT and L4 SST exceeds a geographically dependent threshold. The outliers are further screened out by comparison of individual in situ SSTs with the MNT. All thresholds are determined from the analysis of matchups with reprocessed NOAA SSTs from multiple low-orbiting satellites. The satellite matchups are also used to validate the QC results. The DRC minimizes the overscreening, increases the number of high-quality in situ data by ~5%, and reduces the QC reliance on the L4 analysis. In addition, a new retrospective satellite-based quality check is introduced to identify matchups, which are most useful for training SST algorithms and validation of reprocessed satellite data.

Internal Auditors and Fraud Detection In CAL-Bank

This study investigated the role of internal auditors in preventing and identifying fraud at Cal-Bank Limited in Ghana using a descriptive survey research design with a sample size of 100 respondents. The study found that internal auditors play a vital role in identifying and preventing fraud and that inadequate fraud policies, training, auditing experience, weak book- keeping, and insufficient employee criminal background checks contribute to fraud. Despite using internal control systems and software to combat fraud, the audit department faced challenges such as a lack of audit manuals and frequent management override of internal controls. The study recommends implementing adequate criminal background checks before employing staff and providing the audit department with resources, training, and independence to combat fraud effective.

Financial adviser background checks


 
 
 Using the 2009 National Financial Capability Survey, we identify demographic characteristics associated with financial adviser users who conduct adviser background checks and/or consider more than one adviser before making a choice, and if these activities improve their trust in financial advisers. We find that very few financial adviser users check backgrounds, but there is a positive relationship between adviser background checks and trust levels. Overall, these findings indicate that having a reliable background check system in place, allowing financial consumers to conduct adviser background checks in an easy and efficient manner, will help improve trust in financial advisers.
 
 

Student Education Background Verification for TPGIT College

Abstract: One of the most fundamental aspects of background checks is an education verification process. Market conditions are becoming increasingly harsh, forcing individuals to resort to any means to get a job. A significant number of job seekers are misrepresenting their qualifications to attract the attention of potential employers. It is not easy to detect unethical acts such as the falsification of studies, fake institutions, or false claims which makes it necessary to carry out background checks. An average of two to 2.5 million students graduate each year in India. It is all the more important to introduce rigorous education verification procedures given such a large influx of graduates. Companies and institutions, since they have their databases for verifying information on individuals, also use third-party education verification services. We are developing and building a new system called TPGIT to check students' educational activities using email logs in this project. TPGIT is an innovative, cloudbased service that automates the student verification process in colleges and universities. For this purpose, incoming emails are extracted and grouped according to the process model they belong to. Then, the emails of each process model are divided into subgroups and assigned a label indicating the type of business activity. These tasks are performed by using an unsupervised learning technique in conjunction with semantic similarity measurement methods. In addition, this method enables the labelling of emails with activity names that can be used for activity detection in new incoming emails, triggering an automatic response to the verifier. The tool is evaluated based on the relevance of the extracted emails.

Prediction of distinct populations of innate lymphoid cells by transcriptional profiles.

Innate lymphoid cells (ILCs) are a unique type of lymphocyte that differ from adaptive lymphocytes in that they lack antigen receptors, which primarily reside in tissues and are closely associated with fibers. Despite their plasticity and heterogeneity, identifying ILCs in peripheral blood can be difficult due to their small numbers. Accurately and rapidly identifying ILCs is critical for studying homeostasis and inflammation. To address this challenge, we collect single-cell RNA-seq data from 647 patients, including 26,087 transcripts. Background screening, Lasso analysis, and principal component analysis (PCA) are used to select features. Finally, we employ a deep neural network to classify lymphocytes. Our method achieved the highest accuracy compared to other approaches. Furthermore, we identified four genes that play a vital role in lymphocyte development. Adding these gene transcripts into model, we were able to increase the model's AUC. In summary, our study demonstrates the effectiveness of using single-cell transcriptomic analysis combined with machine learning techniques to accurately identify congenital lymphoid cells and advance our understanding of their development and function in the body.

Online Candidate Selection System for Elections

This research proposes an innovative online platform for political parties in Sri Lanka to enhance the candidate selection process. The platform incorporates features such as sentiment analysis, background checks, aptitude tests, ranking system, and analysis of candidates' promises and activities. Developed using advanced technologies, it aims to ensure transparency, efficiency, and accessibility for all eligible candidates, ultimately contributing to a more democratic election.

Septic arthritis of the temporomandibular joint: a systematic review

Introduction: This study aimed to describe the history, clinical presentation, laboratory examination, treatment, and long-term functional characteristics of patients with septic arthritis of the temporomandibular joint (SATMJ). Methods: All articles in the English literature on SATMJ were queried using PubMed, Science Direct, and Google Scholar (2013 to 8 March 2023), and the keywords "temporomandibular OR TMJ AND septic arthritis". Articles are included if related to the SATMJ in patients of all ages, using case reports, case series, and cohort studies. The Newcastle-Ottawa Scale was applied to all included investigations. Article selection followed PRISMA’s guidelines for measuring the quality of systematic reviews. Results: A preliminary literature search yielded 220 results, of which 25 matched the inclusion requirements, and one more came via reference checking. There were 25 cases with a mean age of 26.7 years (0.1 to 85). Symptoms mainly consisted of TMJ/preauricular pain (n=17, 42.5%), trismus (n=20, 50%), and facial/preauricular swelling (n=24, 60%). Most patients had no systemic symptoms (n=16, 40%). The average mouth opening measured 16.3 mm (5 to 36). The diagnosis was made using the following imaging techniques: X-ray (n=6, 15%), CT scan (n=33, 82.5%), MRI (n=16, 40%), and ultrasound (n=1, 2.5%). Staphylococcus aureus (n = 10, 25%) was the most frequently isolated. Approximately 40 patients (100%) received antibiotics, 26 (65%) patients underwent surgery (e.g., joint aspiration, arthroscopy, etc.), of which two patients (5%) required further surgical intervention. In general, long-term results were positive. In 10 of the 40 patients (25%) who had documented follow-up, sequelae occurred. Conclusion: In the event of trismus, jaw pain, or preauricular edema, SATMJ should be considered. Quick examination and broad-spectrum antibiotic treatment are part of management. Although surgery is not always necessary, it can be life-saving in serious circumstances.

Hormone therapy for sexual function in perimenopausal and postmenopausal women.

Hormone therapy for sexual function in perimenopausal and postmenopausal women.

What should I say? Testing ways to reduce fear and increase disclosure of incivility in reference checks.

We utilize signaling theory as a foundation for testing ways to decrease reference providers' fear of adverse consequences and increase disclosure of workplace incivility in reference checks. We focus on three reminders-commonly recommended by practitioners-that may be sent to reference providers in the instructions prior to the reference check: reminders of applicant consent, qualified privilege, and confidentiality. 420 supervisors were recruited via Prolific.co to complete a hypothetical reference check for the employee with whom they least like to work. Participants were randomly assigned to one of eight conditions in a two (applicant consent reminder: yes/no) X two (qualified privilege reminder: yes/no) X two (confidentiality reminder: yes/no) between-subjects design. Instructions before the reference check were manipulated in a manner that corresponded to their experimental condition, after which they completed measures of fear and incivility. Results showed no main effects, but two interactions. Applicant consent and qualified privilege interacted in relation to fear of adverse legal consequences, and confidentially and qualified privilege interacted in relation to reports of applicant incivility (p < .10). Collectively, our largely null findings suggest that reference checks may be a limited tool for incivility prevention.

E-Cigarette Use and the Cessation of Tobacco Cigarette Smoking: Protocol for an Umbrella Review.

Electronic nicotine delivery systems (ENDS), commonly called e-cigarettes, have been examined in clinical studies for their effects on tobacco smoking cessation. In the past 2 years, a dozen or more systematic reviews on ENDS and cigarette smoking cessation have been published that present differing conclusions and recommendations on the use of ENDS. Our umbrella review aims to synthesize the findings from current systematic reviews to investigate the quit rates and the percentage of participants abstinent from cigarette smoking using ENDS. Additionally, we will examine the quit rates with ENDS in comparison to other established cessation treatments. The search will retrieve systematic reviews that include both clinical trials and experimental studies on the use of ENDS for smoking cessation. We will also include nonrandomized cohort studies that track ENDS use and the subsequent abstinence from smoking. Databases searches will be conducted in Embase, Scopus, PubMed, and 7 additional registries. Secondary searches will include reference checking, citation chasing, and consultations with topic experts. Two reviewers will perform a title and abstract exclusion followed by a full-paper inclusion process. Data extraction will be conducted by 1 reviewer and completely checked by a second reviewer. Each systematic review will be assessed by 2 reviewers for methodological quality using AMSTAR2 (A Measurement Tool to Assess Systematic Reviews, version 2) and for reporting bias using categories from the Centre for Evidence-Based Medicine's Catalogue of Bias. Unreported discrepancies between the protocol and the published review will be identified. The umbrella review started on March 1, 2023. At the time of publication, the study selection was being conducted and the pilot testing of the data extraction and bias assessment forms were in progress. The review is expected to be completed by December 31, 2023, followed by the submission of the review for journal publication. A second-order meta-analysis will calculate the range and average of quit rates for ENDS. A vote counting of the direction of effect, based on quit rates, will be used to present the relative effectiveness of ENDS for smoking cessation compared to other cessation treatments (including no treatment). A citation matrix will list primary studies with their bias ratings from all the systematic reviews. The effect of overlapping studies between the systematic reviews will be calculated using the corrected coverage area analysis. A sensitivity analysis will examine the impact of the intensity of cessation treatment on quit rates. Depending on the availability of data, subgroup analyses will be conducted based on participants' gender, age, prior quit attempts, and nicotine dependence. The strength or weakness of the evidence synthesis will be assessed using a stratification of evidence technique. Reporting bias will be presented with a tabulation of bias indicators. Publication bias will be assessed. The use of ENDS for smoking cessation is a highly controversial subject. Through an exhaustive synthesis of the available data, we will present the quit rates of cigarette smoking cessation obtained with ENDS and how they compare to quit rates obtained from other established cessation treatments. The critical quality and bias assessment of the systematic reviews will indicate the most reliable sources to inform treatment considerations and policy development. PROSPERO CRD42023406165; https://tinyurl.com/4ekzpbrj. PRR1-10.2196/47711.

Pediatric firearm injury epidemiology at a level 1 trauma center from 2019 to 2021: including time of the COVID-19 pandemic

BackgroundFirearms are a leading cause of death in children. The demand for firearms increased following COVID-19 “stay-at home orders” in March 2020, resulting in record-breaking firearm sales and background checks. We aim to describe the changes in pediatric firearm-related injuries, demographics, and associated risk factors at a Level 1 trauma center in Houston before and during the COVID 19 pandemic.ResultsThe total number of pediatric firearm-related injury cases increased during March 15th to December 31st, 2020 and 2021 compared to the same time period in 2019 (104 verses 89 verses 78). The demographic group most affected across years were males (87% in 2019 vs 82% in 2020 and 87% in 2021) between 14 and 17 years old (83% in 2019 vs 81% in 2020 and 76% in 2021). There was an increase in firearm injuries among black youth across all years (28% in 2019 vs 41% in 2020 vs 49% in 2021). Injuries in those with mental illness (10% in 2019 vs 24% in 2020 vs 17% in 2021), and injuries where the shooter was a known family member or friend (14% in 2019 vs 18% in 2020 vs. 15% in 2021), increased from 2019 to 2020.ConclusionThe total number of pediatric firearm-related injuries increased during the COVID-19 pandemic compared to the previous year despite a decline in overall pediatric emergency department visits. Increases in pediatric firearm-related injuries in already vulnerable populations should prompt further hospital initiatives including counseling on safe firearm storage, implementation of processes to identify children at risk for firearm injuries, and continued research to mitigate the risk of injury and death associated with firearms in our community.

Analysis of Merit System on Filling High Leadership Positions in the Government of East Manggarai Regency

The purpose of this research is to analyze the application of merit system in the implementation of open selection for high leadership positions in the context of a local socio-cultural setting. The merit system policy in this open selection in this research refers to the Regulation of the Minister of Administrative Reform and Bureaucratic Reform (Permenpanrb) Number 15 of 2019. This research was conducted in the East Manggarai Regency Government utilizing a post-positivist research approach with qualitative data collection techniques. The findings showed that the implementation of open selection for filling JPT in East Manggarai Regency was not based on succession planning, there were differences in administrative requirements with relevant regulations; the addition of several administrative files. The background checking process is only carried out based document-driven and conducted indirectly to the participants’ work environment. The process of monitoring and evaluation or re-mapping for elected officials is carried out periodically. The limited number of elected officials with different socio-cultural backgrounds is due to the composition of employees and selection participants who mostly come from the East Manggarai Regency area and share the same socio-cultural background. Keywords: Civil Service, Merit System, Open Selection, Primordialism.

Risk Assessment of Operating Room Occupational Hazards Using Failure Modes and Effects Analysis (FMEA)

Background: The operating room is one of the most risky parts of the hospital. All employed personnel are exposed to occupational hazards. This study aimed to assess and control the risk of occupational hazards in urology surgeries using the technique of analysis of error states and its effects in the operating room. Methods: In this cross-sectional study, data were collected through observation of common operating room processes, background checks and documents, and focus group discussion. Data analysis was in accordance with the failure modes and effects analysis (FMEA) method based on risk priority number (RPN). Results: Considering 16 common operating room processes, there were 23 potential error modes of which 5 of them were identified as unacceptable and high risk. These five items included "working with sharp tools with RPN8/311", "working under high pressure and risky conditions with RPN 292", "hand washing with RPN 254.6", "intubation/extubation/suction of secretions with RPN 213.2", and "working with radiation equipment with RPN 206.9". Conclusion: In case of unacceptable errors, corrective actions were presented in three areas of decreasing occurrence and severity and increasing the ability to detect errors. It is suggested that retraining courses be held to prevent errors, ensure the health of operating room personnel, and increase the quality of services.

Best Practices for Promoting Safe Patient Care Delivery by Hospital-Based Traveling Clinical Staff: An Integrative Review.

Hospitals use traveling clinical staff (TCS) to fill personnel shortages. Although this approach may help improve staffing ratios, it is not without risk. The interdisciplinary team conducted an integrative literature review to determine best practices for promoting safe patient care delivery by TCS. Using the Johns Hopkins Evidence-Based Practice model, the authors performed an integrative literature review, including appraisal of quality, synthesis of themes, and best-evidence recommendations. The final synthesis included 16 articles. Evidence demonstrated the importance of preemployment screening, standardized onboarding and orientation, and optimizing the integration of TCS into the work environment. Hospitals should use these recommendations when incorporating TCS into their teams.

School-based physical activity interventions among children and adolescents in the Middle East and Arabic speaking countries: A systematic review.

It is widely recognised that noncommunicable diseases are on the rise worldwide, partly due to insufficient levels of physical activity (PA). It is a particularly concerning health issue among children and adolescents in Arabic countries where cultural and environmental factors may limit their opportunity for engaging in physical activities. This review sought to assess the effectiveness of school-based PA interventions for increasing PA among schoolchildren aged six to 18 years in Middle Eastern and Arabic-speaking countries. A systematic literature search was developed to identify studies reporting the evaluation of school-based PA interventions in Arabic-speaking countries. Four different databases were searched from January 2000 to January 2023: PubMed/MEDLINE, Web of Science, Scopus and CINAHL. Article titles and abstracts were screened for relevance. Full article scrutiny of retrieved shortlisted articles was undertaken. After citation searches and reference checking of included papers, full data extraction, quality assessment and narrative synthesis was undertaken for all articles that met the inclusion criteria. This review adhered to PRISMA guidelines for conducting systematic reviews. Seventeen articles met the inclusion criteria. Eleven articles reported statistically significant improvements in the levels of PA among their participants. Based largely on self-reported outcomes, increases in PA between 58% and 72% were reported. The studies with a follow-up period greater than three months reported sustained PA levels. There are a limited range of types of programmes evaluated and evaluations were only identified from 30% of the countries in the region. Relatively few studies focused solely on PA interventions and most of the interventions were multi-component (lifestyle, diet, education). This review adds to the existing body of research about the efficacy of school-based interventions to increase physical activity levels. To date, few evaluations assess PA specific interventions and most of the interventions were multi-component including education components on lifestyle and diet. Long-term school-based interventions combined with rigorous theoretical and methodological frameworks are necessary to develop, implement and evaluate PA interventions for children and adolescents in Arabic-speaking countries. Also, future work in this area must also consider the complex systems and agents by which physical activity is influenced.

Performance and Yield Stability of Quality Protein Maize (Zea mays L.) Hybrids under Rainfed Condition

Abstract Quality protein maize (QPM) commercialization can combat the food and nutritional insecurity that is common in some developing nations of the world. Evaluation of QPM hybrids under varying rainfed environments provide valuable evidence for the selection of the most productive genotypes for the target environment. The present study was conducted at three locations to assess the agronomic performance and the grain yield stability of 11 QPM and 2 commercial hybrids (checks) over two years. There were significant (p ≥ 0.01) differences among the environments in the expression of all measured traits while genotype as well as genotype × environment interaction also differed significantly for all the traits except for husk cover and Anthesis-silking interval. The tested QPM hybrids outperformed the local and reference checks by 17.28% and 29.47% respectively. The biplot explained 85.3% of the total variation in yield, with 65.4% attributed to principal component 1 and 19.9% to principal component 2. Three vertex hybrids, EWQH-25, EWQH-21 and Local Check, were identified as the most responsive in the environments within which they fall. Hybrid EWQH-21 produced the highest yield across all environments but was unstable. Therefore, hybrids EWQH-22, EWQH-9, and EWQH-13, with similar yield values and more stable performances were recognized as ideal across environments. Lapai 2017 (E2) proves to be both representative and discriminative, making it the ideal test environment for selecting hybrids with broad adaptability. The study concludes that EWQH-9, EWQH-13, and EWQH-22 be recommended for cultivation across the environments while EWQH-21 be recommended for the specific area of adaptation.

Implicit Resentment and the Gun Policy Preferences of White Americans

Although several studies have examined race differences in gun‐related attitudes, researchers are only beginning to explore how racial attitudes might contribute to the gun policy preferences of white Americans. While many white Americans tend to oppose firearm restrictions, it is unclear whether racialized policy preferences tend to support these leanings. Our analysis of national data from Wave 4 of the Baylor Religion Survey (n = 1,063) indicates that white Americans who report more implicit resentment are more likely to support policies that would increase the number of armed people in schools and allow more people to carry concealed firearms and less likely to support policies that would limit the possession of handguns, semiautomatic weapons, and high‐capacity magazines. Interestingly, white Americans who report more implicit resentment are also less likely to support policies that would expand gun safety programs and background checks that include mental health screenings. These associations persisted with adjustments for age, gender, race or ethnicity, education, household income, marital status, the presence of children, religious identity, religiosity, political orientation, region of residence, and urban residence. We conclude that implicit resentment is consistently associated with less restrictive and more precarious gun policy preferences among white Americans. These patterns are noteworthy because they support the same general conclusion: white Americans who report more implicit resentment tend to want more guns in society with fewer legal restrictions related to access and safety.

Fibrin sealants for the prevention of postoperative pancreatic fistula following pancreatic surgery.

Fibrin sealants for the prevention of postoperative pancreatic fistula following pancreatic surgery.

Volunteering in prisons: a systematic review and narrative synthesis

BackgroundIndividuals from the community who volunteer within prisons are an understudied population, despite previous research indicating the increase in involvement of the penal voluntary sector and benefits to both prisons and prisoners from effective implementation of volunteer programmes. ObjectivesThis study aimed to identify the characteristics, motivations and experiences of individuals who volunteer in prisons. Study designThis was a systematic review conducted according to Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-analyses guidelines. MethodsPeer-reviewed publications were identified through searchers of five electronic databases (MEDLINE, PsycINFO, Scopus, Applied Social Sciences Index & Abstracts and Social Sciences Database) without date restrictions, supplemented by hand searching and reference checking of retrieved articles. Explicit inclusion and exclusion criteria determined study eligibility. Study quality was appraised using standard tools. A narrative synthesis was conducted, and motivations were organised according to the Volunteer Function Inventory. ResultsEight studies (five qualitative and three quantitative) reported a total of 764 volunteers across five countries. More than half of the included studies investigated individuals providing primarily religious volunteer support; volunteers in these studies were typically middle aged, White and female. Prison volunteers frequently described motivations related to altruistic or humanitarian values, as well as social reasons. Positive experiences of volunteering were related to personal benefits to volunteers. Negative experiences were related to a lack of support and challenges in volunteers’ relationships with prison staff. ConclusionsPrison volunteer programmes have the ability to improve the psychological health of prisoners and provide a range of potential benefits to penal systems and volunteers themselves, but research on individuals who volunteer in prisons is limited. Difficulties in the volunteer role could be mitigated by developing formal induction and training packages, promoting closer integration with paid prison staff and providing ongoing supervision. Interventions to improve the volunteer experience should be developed and evaluated.

Local versus radical surgery for early rectal cancer with or without neoadjuvant or adjuvant therapy.

Local versus radical surgery for early rectal cancer with or without neoadjuvant or adjuvant therapy.