Geographical Location Research Articles

Digitalizing corporate whistleblowing systems: the role of country peers in the adoption of substantive CSR initiatives

Purpose This study aims to examine whether companies adopt digital platforms for corporate whistleblowing systems (CWSs), as more substantive corporate social responsibility (CSR) initiatives, by following the existing practices of their industry peers (competitive pressure) and/or geographical location peers (legitimacy pressure). Design/methodology/approach This study identifies 446 focal companies in the European Economic Area that introduced new CWSs during 2017–2021. Then, the peers are defined as companies with existing CWS practices that are similar in size to each focal company. Using a quantitative approach, this study uses a logistic regression model. Findings This study finds that companies are more likely to adopt digital CWS if their country peers (not, industry peers) have done so, especially the ones operated in countries where governments build CSR partnerships with companies through cooperative consensus. However, the role of country peers is less prominent when companies have CSR committees. Practical implications This study shows the importance of country norms over competitive pressure in CSR. Nevertheless, the results offer additional insights for policy-makers by showing that country regulations mandating CWSs are not significant in promoting the adoption of digital CWS nor reducing the role of country peers. Social implications Providing CWSs with digital platforms may show corporate commitment to better preventing social misconduct and improving social responsibility. Originality/value While most literature focuses on the role of industry peers and/or community peers in a single-country setting, this study examines the role of country peers specifically on digitalization regarding CSR and governance.

Global disparities in cancer care: Bridging the gap in affordability and access to medications between high and low‐income countries

AbstractBackgroundCancer remains a significant challenge for health care systems, despite notable progress in the field. These advancements have significant financial implications that disproportionately affect low‐income countries. This review article aims to explore the present state of drug development, assessing the availability of drugs in different income countries, and proposing potential solutions to address the inequality in access to new cancer treatments.MethodsA search was conducted on MEDLINE and PubMed on October 2, 2023 and updated on December 14, 2023, limited to English language articles.ResultsThere is a projected rise in cancer cases worldwide, particularly in low‐income countries where most cancer‐related deaths are expected. Although the approval rate of cancer treatments has risen, their excessive cost and lack of affordability pose significant barriers to widespread access. Disparities in the costs of crucial cancer medications are influenced by geographic location and procurement connections. Potential solutions to address the inequity in drug distribution include sharing production secrets, implementing price discrimination, international funding, improved primary health care measures, and the implementation of cost‐effective screening methods.ConclusionPreventing, screening for, and treating cancer should be a global priority with minimal differences in access to therapy among various countries.

Usable Privacy and Security in Mobile Applications: Perception of Mobile End Users in Saudi Arabia

Privacy and security is very critical for mobile users and in-depth research into the area highlights a need for more scientific literature on the perception and challenges of end users to better align the design of privacy and security controls with user expectations. In this paper, we have explored the perceptions of the usability of privacy and security settings in mobile applications from mobile users in Saudi Arabia. The findings highlight that gender, age, and education level of users do not have any positive correlation with the privacy and security usability perceptions of mobile users. On the other hand, user concerns about privacy and security and the trustworthiness levels of end users regarding mobile phone privacy and security have a positive impact on end users’ perception of privacy and security usability. Furthermore, privacy usability perception has a positive impact on users’ feelings about their control over the privacy and security of their mobile phones. Based on the results of this empirical study, we propose that user-centric design of privacy and security controls, transparent data handling policies, periodic data management status preview and validation by end users, user education guidelines, strict governmental policies, and automated security settings recommendations can enhance the usability of the privacy and security of mobile phone applications. Our study did not take the geographical location of respondents into account, nor were the respondents balanced based on age and gender. In future work, these weaknesses need to be taken into account, and more qualitative studies can help to extract design guidelines for usable and secure mobile applications.

The Influence of Artificial Light Exposure on Indigenous Populations: Exploring Its Impact on Menarcheal Age and Reproductive Function

The impact of artificial light exposure on human health has garnered significant attention in recent years. In particular, its effects on reproductive health have raised concerns. Given that the onset of menarche serves as a crucial indicator of reproductive maturity, understanding the implications of artificial light exposure becomes paramount. Age of menarche onset occurs relatively earlier in urban females than females raised in rural areas. Besides the decline in age of menarche onset, exposure to artificial light may contribute to impairment in reproductive hormones, particularly gonadotropins, by disrupting rhythms of reproductive hormones, modulating stress hormones and kisspeptin productions, and causing body weight changes. This drastic environmentally induced change may increase the proportion of teenage pregnancies, unfulfilled childhood dreams, depression, and ill-prepared marriages, thus creating a potential need for public health intervention. Due to limited studies and often lack of longitudinal data, a significant knowledge gap exists in unraveling the potential mechanism involved in alteration of these physiologic processes. The purpose of the current review was to elucidate the intricate interplay between environmental factors, cultural practices, and biological processes within indigenous communities. By meticulously examining the multifaceted influences of artificial light, including its prevalence and varying intensity based on geographical locations and light pollution levels, this study aimed to provide scholarly insights in-to the pathophysiologic mechanisms underlying the observed changes. The findings of this inquiry will also inform evidence-based strategies and interventions aimed at safeguarding the reproductive well-being of indigenous populations amidst the escalating challenges posed by artificial light exposure.

Clonal and horizontal transmission of carbapenem-resistant Enterobacterales strains and genes via flies.

Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is one of the most pressing global public health challenges; in particular, the rapid dissemination of carbapenem-resistant Enterobacterales (CRE) is emerging as a significant concern worldwide. Flies, serving as carriers of pathogens, pose a potential threat in the transmission of antibiotic-resistant bacteria (ARB) between animals and humans. The aim of this study was to evaluate and reveal the potential risk of AMR spread by flies. A total of 450 flies were collected from four farms, four rural areas, and four urban areas in Dengfeng, Henan, China. To select CRE strains on the surface of flies, three flies sampled from the same geographical location were arbitrarily selected and placed into one tube of brain heart infusion broth (BHI), and the supernatant was screened using CHROMagar™ mSuperCARBA culture medium. Different colors and shapes of colonies were identified by matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry and 16S rRNA sequencing. Antimicrobial susceptibility testing for CRE strains was performed using broth microdilution. All CRE strains were whole-genome sequenced. Short-read sequencing was performed using MGISEQ-2000 and long-read sequencing was conducted using GridION. Totally, 150 BHI tubes were screened for CRE strains, and 33 strains were identified as CRE positive. In 24 mSuperCARBA plates, only one species of CRE strain was isolated from each plate. In three plates, two different species of CRE strains were identified in each plate. In one plate, three different species of CRE strains were simultaneously isolated. Carbapenem resistance genes were detected in 81.8% of CRE strains, and blaNDM-1 was predominant (66.7%). No significant correlations between carbapenem-resistant phenotypes and carbapenem resistance genes were observed. The complete genomes of all 33 strains were obtained. Genome analysis revealed that clonal transmission events may have occurred among different farms and rural areas. Phylogenetic analysis revealed that blaNDM-1 IncFII plasmids could break bacterial species barrier for cross-host transmission in diverse areas. To understand and control the transmission of AMR from the perspective of One Health, it is imperative to enhance surveillance of ARB, antibiotic resistance genes, and antibiotic-resistant plasmids in flies.

Characteristics of longitudinal maternal health studies in sub-Saharan Africa: A systematic mapping of literature between 2012 and 2022.

High maternal mortality rates in sub-Saharan Africa necessitate the need for aligned research focusing on prevalent causes and neglected conditions in the region. This mapping review aimed to describe the characteristics of longitudinal maternal health studies between 2012 and 2022 in sub-Saharan Africa and identify gaps in priority conditions or geographical locations. We identified references through a Medline (PubMed) search covering September 2012 to June 2022. We included prospective cohort or clinical trials that enrolled at least 1000 pregnant women, with a study site in sub-Saharan Africa, and published in English or French. Screening and data extraction were done in duplicate using EPPI-reviewer software. Descriptive analysis was used to summarize the results, identifying patterns in studies across time, country, study design, topics, and funders. We identified 213 eligible studies, which were covered in 534 publications. We identified studies in 33 of the 48 sub-Saharan African countries, with the majority in east and southern Africa. The predominant study topics were HIV (36.4%), nutrition (20%), and malaria (16.3%), with very few publications on hypertensive disorders of pregnancy (6.4%), ante/postpartum hemorrhage (3.7%), and sexually transmitted infections (3.2%). More studies were cohorts (115/213; 54%) than clinical trials. The National Institutes of Health (31.5%), Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation (22.1%), and USAID (10.8%) were the largest research funders. Identifying research trends and mismatches between research topics and disease burden provides useful information for guiding future research prioritization. In particular, gaps exist for studies on hypertensive disorders of pregnancy and ante/postpartum hemorrhage, among the top causes of maternal mortality in sub-Saharan Africa.

Three-year survival follow-up of patients with gastrointestinal cancer treated during the COVID-19 pandemic in Spain: data from the PANDORA-TTD20 study.

The initial SARS-CoV-2 pandemic wave in Spain in 2020 precipitated significant paradigm shifts in gastrointestinal oncology patient management. This study captures the "Zeitgeist" of this period by analyzing adaptive strategies, treatment modifications, and survival outcomes, leveraging a 3-year follow-up perspective to extract insights from this unprecedented experience. We conducted a multicenter, retrospective cohort study utilizing the RETUD-TTD registry, encompassing 703 patients across 19 Spanish centers in April 2020. We evaluated alterations in clinical practice, therapeutic approaches, coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19)-related impacts, and patient survival. A Bayesian hierarchical model was employed to identify potential regional-specific frailties. The peak of the pandemic in April 2020 catalyzed substantial shifts in oncological care delivery. Outpatient consultations decreased by 13%, with a notable selection bias toward cases with more favorable prognostic indicators. Multidisciplinary tumor board discussions were significantly curtailed (eg, mean monthly colorectal cancer cases discussed was reduced from 40 to 23), compromising qualitative care measures. This occurred concurrently with an average of over 3 oncologists per center on medical leave. Contrary to initial concerns, the healthcare system demonstrated remarkable resilience. The majority of patients received standard-of-care therapies with regulatory approval, albeit with regimen modifications in 15% of cases. These adaptations included extended dosing intervals, dose intensity modulations, and transitions to oral formulations while maintaining unexpectedly stable long-term survival outcomes. The Bayesian frailty model detected minimal unmeasured prognostic factors related to geographic location, and the type of pandemic-induced adaptation did not significantly impact survival. The model revealed that coronavirus disease 2019's impact was less pronounced than other core prognostic variables. The decentralized Spanish healthcare system exhibited substantial robustness in managing pre-pandemic diagnosed gastrointestinal malignancies, despite asymmetrical, and occasionally severe organizational disruptions. The insights gleaned from this experience could inform future crisis preparedness strategies and optimize care provision during subsequent public health emergencies.

Economic Burden of Haemophilia from a Societal Perspective: A Scoping Review.

Haemophilia is a rare genetic bleeding disorder that leads to musculoskeletal complications. The high cost of haemophilia treatment necessitates a thorough evaluation of its economic burden. However, due to the difficulty of estimating direct non-medical, indirect, and intangible costs, studies often underestimate the actual economic burden of haemophilia. This scoping review aims to summarise economic studies in haemophilia conducted from a societal perspective. A systematic search across eight scholarly databases, grey literature, and reference lists until the5th of July 2023 was conducted to identify relevant studies. The inclusion criteria encompassed full-text, English-language publications of economic analyses in congenital haemophilia from a societal perspective. Model-based studies and those adopting a payer perspective were excluded. Costs were adjusted to international dollars (I$) and US dollars (US$) in 2022 for comparability. Out of 2993 potential sources identified, 25 studies met the inclusion criteria, covering 7226 persons with haemophilia across 22 countries. All studies reported direct medical costs, with four excluding the cost of haemostatic therapy. Fifteen studies reported direct formal non-medical costs, while eight reported direct informal non-medical costs. All but one study reported the indirect costs. The average annual costs of haemophilia varied widely based on treatment modality, disease severity, geographical location, and included cost categories. When including the cost of clotting factor replacement therapy (CFRT), the total cost for severe haemophilia without inhibitors ranged from 1566 I$ to 700,070 I$ per person per year (lowest value reported in India and highest in the United States). CFRT represented up to 99.9% of the total cost for those receiving prophylaxis and up to 95.1% for episodic treatment. Haemostatic therapies accounted for 82% of the total cost in patients with inhibitors. There is a significant heterogeneity in defining cost categories required for a comprehensive economic analysis from a societal perspective. While haemostatic therapies constitute a substantial portion of the overall cost, direct non-medical and indirect costs are crucial as they are often paid out-of-pocket and may impede access to treatment. It is essential for haematologists and economists to establish a standardised costing framework for future studies, particularly in the era of novel therapies.

Vascular endothelial growth factor in inflammatory bowel disease: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) is linked to inflammation and angiogenesis, indicating a possible role in inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) and its main clinical manifestations, Crohn's disease (CD) and ulcerative colitis (UC). This systematic review and meta-analysis investigated studies assessing circulating VEGF concentrations in IBD patients and healthy controls, considering the effect of IBD type, sample type and geographical location. A systematic search identified 18 studies (28 group comparators) investigating 1741 IBD patients and 1291 controls. Data were extracted and analysed using standardized mean differences (SMD) with 95% confidence intervals (CI). VEGF concentrations were significantly higher in IBD patients (SMD = .71, 95% CI .38 to 1.04; p < .001). UC patients showed higher VEGF concentrations than CD patients. Serum samples indicated significant VEGF elevations, unlike plasma samples. Significant VEGF increases were observed in studies conducted in Western Europe and Asia, but not in Eastern Europe. No significant differences were found between active and inactive disease. VEGF concentrations are elevated in IBD patients, with variations by disease type, sample type and geography. However, VEGF is not a reliable marker of disease activity. Future research should standardize methods and explore regional influences to enhance VEGF's clinical utility as a biomarker of IBD.

Clinico-histopathological characteristics and management outcome of rare chronic infective granulomatous diseases: A case series study

Granulomatous skin diseases are common cutaneous dermatoses commonly encountered by practicing dermatologist. Granulomatous skin lesions are distinctive pattern of chronic inflammatory response of skin due to reaction against various organic and inorganic antigens. Granulomas are characterized by focal collection of epithelioid cells or histiocytes, admixed with variable number of leucocytes (especially mononuclear cells) and multinucleated giant cells. Granulomatous reaction is a type IV hypersensitivity reaction evoked by poorly soluble reactive substances. Incidence and prevalence of different types of granulomatous dermatitis depend on geographic location. Granulomatous skin lesions are common in the eastern parts of India. Many granulomatous skin lesions have identical histomorphology and conversely a single pathology can produce varied histological features. Some rare suppurative chronic granulomatous skin diseases include Botryomycosis, Actinomycosis, Rhinosporoidosis, Nocardiosis, and Cutaneous Tuberculosis. To describe clinical, histopathological features and treatment outcome of rare chronic infective granulomatous diseases. In this observational case series study, we retrospectively analysed six biopsy proven cases of rare chronic infective granulomatous diseases presented to our department (OPD) of Dermatology, Venereology and Leprosy (DVL) over a period of six months between June 2023 to November 2023 at Great Eastern Medical School and Hospital (GEMS), Srikakulam, Andhra Pradesh, India. The patient’s full clinical history, morphology of lesions, histopathological findings and treatment outcome were analysed. Along with histopathology, other necessary laboratory investigations were performed if required. A total of six patients were involved in the study, of whom four were males and two were females. The male to female ratio was 2:1, with a slight male majority. The most common age group was 31-40 years for both males and females. Painful raised lesion for long duration was the predominant complaint among those patients. Out of these six rare chronic granulomatous diseases, bacterial infections were common than fungal infection. All the cases showed clinical improvement after one month of starting treatment.: Most of the patients had a chronic history with improper treatment. So, it is imperative that the clinical diagnosis has to be confirmed with histopathology for the definitive diagnosis and appropriate treatment of these rare chronic infective granulomatous diseases. All these rare cases showed excellent progress after starting the right treatment.

The Origin and Geography of Brown Forest Soils

Brown soils, Brown forest soils, Burozems or Cambisols have been studied for more than 100 years, and to this day, their nature, origin and process organization remain controversial. In addition, issues of their geography are quite controversial, especially in such a large country as Russia. A brief review of the literature on the morphological diversity features of the genesis and origin of brown soils in the various geographical locations of Eurasia is given. It was shown that the genesis of brown soils is not as closely related to the type of forest vegetation as previously thought, although, at the same time, the vast majority of brown soils are forest soils. Depending on the geographic situation and local climatic and geogenic conditions, Brown forest soils have related subtypes among adjacent soil types in different natural zones. Thus, in the polar zone, they are close to Entic Podzols, in the subtropics to Cinamonic soil, and in the forest-steppe, they replace zonal Retisols in positions with a relatively less contrasting and even climate. Being to a certain extent intrazonal soils, brown soils are combined with other more intrazonal soils—Rendzinas—and form the so-called Burozem-Rendzinas on uplands, composed of carbonate rocks in various natural zones. The article is illustrated with original photographs of Brown forest soils from various natural zones, taken by the author during numerous expeditions. It has been established that Burozems combine the characteristics of intrazonal soil, which is inherent in all natural zones, and have elements of zonal soils, as well as adjacent intrazonal soils in invariant combinations of soil-forming factors. From this, two conclusions can follow about their further classification fate: a more thorough justification for an independent soil type or a classification of structural metamorphism and in situ transformation of minerals among various existing zonal soil types.

Barriers and Facilitators Affecting Access to Health Care for People With Syphilis: Protocol for a Scoping Review.

Syphilis is a systemic, preventable, and curable infection caused by the bacterium Treponema pallidum. Despite being treatable, syphilis continues to have a high incidence, with a resurgence observed even in countries with strong health surveillance systems. This highlights the need to understand the various strategies used globally to improve access to care for individuals with syphilis. This scoping review aims to identify and map the barriers and facilitators affecting access to health care for people with syphilis. This scoping review will follow the methodology outlined by the Joanna Briggs Institute. The search will be conducted across several databases, including PubMed/MEDLINE, Scopus, Embase, LILACS (Virtual Health Library), and CINAHL (EBSCO). In addition, sources of unpublished studies or gray literature will be explored. Studies focusing on access to health care for individuals with syphilis will be included, regardless of geographic location, country, or language. Two independent reviewers will assess the results, and data will be extracted using a tool specifically developed for this review. The extracted quantitative data will be presented in tables and analyzed using descending hierarchical classification, represented by a class dendrogram. Barriers and facilitators will be categorized into dimensions of access. Database searching began in October 2024. Full-text screening and review are expected to be completed in December 2024. Data extraction and analysis are expected to be completed by February 2025, and the final report will be completed in March 2025. The findings of this scoping review, guided by this protocol, will elucidate the main barriers and facilitators that affect access to syphilis treatment. This study may contribute to the practices of health professionals, managers, and the academic community, and provide relevant information for the population. Open Science Framework Registries osf.io/kpsab; https://osf.io/kpsab. PRR1-10.2196/63561.

Economic Impact of Droughts in Southern Brazil, a Duration Analysis

Hydrometeorological hazards are currently a cause for great concern worldwide. Droughts are among the most recurrent events, causing significant losses. This article presents a study on the duration of droughts in the southernmost state of Brazil, which has a large agricultural sector and experiences frequent drought events. The approach focuses on the economic recovery time of municipalities affected by the drought in 2020, 2022 and 2023, using the total value of invoices issued within each municipality between companies and from companies to consumers. The Kaplan–Meier estimator and Cox regression models are applied, incorporating covariates such as the size of the municipality, geographic location, and primary economic activity sector. The results show that the longest recovery period is concentrated in small cities, particularly in those where agriculture or livestock is the primary economic activity. The greatest resilience is observed in cities within the metropolitan region, where economic activity is more concentrated in services and industry and where populations are generally larger. The study identifies that after each drought event, at least 75% of municipalities achieve economic recovery within 3 months. These findings support better planning for both drought prevention and impact reduction and they are relevant for the development of economic and social policies.

Point-of-interest recommendation based on the spatial-temporal graph

Purpose Point-of-interest (POI) recommendation techniques play a crucial role in mitigating information overload and delivering tailored services. To address limitations in conventional POI recommendation systems, constrained by sparse user-POI interactions and incomplete consideration of temporal dynamics, POI recommendation based on the spatial-temporal graph (STG-POI) is proposed. Design/methodology/approach Spatial-temporal sequence graphs from geographical locations and user interaction history data are constructed, which are used to mine spatial-temporal sequence information. Using the data filtered by the band-pass filter, graph neural networks with distance-awareness and sequence-awareness are applied to capture high-order spatial-temporal connections within diverse graph topologies. The model leverages contrastive learning for self-supervised disentanglement of graph representations, providing self-supervised signals for sequential and geographical intent perception, thereby achieving more precise POI personalization. Findings Compared to the baseline model GSTN, experiments on the Foursquare and Gowalla data sets reveal that STG-POI improves testing AUC by 2.0%, 2.1%, 2.0% and decreases logloss by 1.9%, 3.3%, 0.3%, respectively. These results indicate the model’s effectiveness in capturing spatial-temporal information, surpassing mainstream POI recommendation baseline models. Originality/value This approach constructs a dual graph from user interaction data, harnessing sequential and geographical information as self-supervised signals. It yields decoupled representations of these influences, offering a comprehensive insight into user behaviors and preferences within location-based social networks, thus enhancing recommendation accuracy and interpretability. This approach addresses the challenge in graph convolutional network where only rough and smooth features are conducive to recommendation by using band-pass filters to significantly reduce computational complexity, thereby enhancing recommendation speed by filtering out noise data that does not contribute to recommendation performance. Experimental results indicate that this model surpasses current mainstream approaches in POI recommendation tasks, effectively integrating both geographical and temporal features.

Decay without mourning: future-thinking heritage practices

ABSTRACT This paper seeks to further heritage theory and practice by considering decay as a transformative process contributing to heritage formation and value. Informed by our expertise in a variety of fields bordering heritage studies, we highlight the interplay of generative and degenerative aspects in different modes of decay and suggest that partnering with decay epistemologically, artistically, academically, practically, and democratically would allow heritage to be understood not as a rearguard action against loss but rather as a creative and generative process. To explore these ideas, we draw on several cases in geographical locations with unique socio-political and socio-environmental conditions, namely South Africa, Japan, Brazil, and Antarctica. We investigate different domains including archives and museums, heritage practices, landscapes, indigenous knowledge, environmental history, and nature conservation. We argue that decay is tightly linked to the concept of authenticity and acts as a code that holds a key to both past, present and future values of heritage, depending on the positionality and institutionalisation of the interpreter.

Influenza Vaccination, Household Composition, and Race-Based Differences in Influenza Incidence: An Agent-Based Modeling Study.

Objectives. To estimate the effect of influenza vaccination disparities. Methods. We compared symptomatic influenza cases between Black and White races in 2 scenarios: (1) race- and age-specific vaccination coverage and (2) equal vaccination coverage. We also compared differences in household composition between races. We used the Framework for Reconstructing Epidemiological Dynamics, an agent-based model that assigns US Census‒based age, race, households, and geographic location to agents (individual people), in US counties of varying racial and age composition. Results. Influenza cases were highest in counties with higher proportions of children. Cases were up to 30% higher in Black agents with both race-based and race-equal vaccination coverage. Compared with corresponding categories of White households, cases in Black households without children were lower and with children were higher. Conclusions. Racial disparities in influenza cases persisted after equalizing vaccination coverage. The proportion of children in the population contributed to the number of influenza cases regardless of race. Differences in household composition may provide insight into racial differences and offer an opportunity to improve vaccination coverage to reduce influenza burden for both races. (Am J Public Health. Published online ahead of print November 14, 2024:e1-e8. https://doi.org/10.2105/AJPH.2024.307878).

Barriers and Facilitators to Becoming a Medical Physicist in Bangladesh

The notion of gender equity is debatable, and worldwide health professionals are exploring the argument. However, the contextual situation and experience are different in each country and vary across cultures. There is an extensive amount of literature that presents women’s participation and involvement as increased in science, technology, engineering and mathematics over the last decades (Frize et al., 2022); however, there are variations in data and analyses documented which refer to the gender disparity of medical physicists (MPs) Worldwide (Barabino et al., 2020; Crowe and Kairn, 2016). Medical physics is one of the fields in health care where women are underrepresented, with only 29.8% of the workforce reported identifying as females in this sector (Tsapaki et al., 2018; Tsapaki and Rehani, 2015). Historically, the healthcare profession is male-dominated (Witz, 1990), with women being underrepresented in many specialist fields like academic medicine, surgical specialities and leadership positions (Kramer et al., 2021). The Nursing profession is, however, excluded from this category and considered a woman’s job. Furthermore, women’s contributions to the healthcare industry are not frequently acknowledged (Paradis et al., 2021). Moreover, the career trail for men and women in the healthcare profession is suggestively different (Baig, 2020). Broadly, regarding leadership positions and the range of decision-making, there are observable gender discrepancies in the industry. One of the main reasons for this is social restrictions, which women in specific geographic locations like Bangladesh encounter frequently. The lack of support or a platform for women to practice their profession with autonomy impedes their progress or movement upward in their careers. Women's unhindered involvement, participation and career development in patient care will improve healthcare provision, especially in caring for vulnerable patient groups like the elderly, individuals with significant co-morbidities, and minorities (Covington et al., 2020). In addition, involving more women in healthcare will not only reduce the gender disparity and empower them but also create a sense of confidence in the professions and services provided and, as a result, improve overall well-being. This study will aim to understand the views and experiences of gender-based discrimination among practising medical physicists in Bangladesh.

Study of rotavirus genotypes G and P in one Egyptian center-cross-sectional study.

Rotavirus-associated gastroenteritis is a common health problem in children, different variations of rotavirus genotypes differ according to geographic locations and the practice of wide-scale vaccination. Therefore, the present study aimed to detect both the G and P genotypes of rotavirus in children ≤ 5 years old in one center in Egypt as a cross-sectional study, to correlate the genotypes with various demographic and clinical data in infected children and to evaluate the common mixed genotypes G and P in infected children. The cross-sectional study included children with acute gastroenteritis ≤ 5 years old from January 2023 till March 2024 recruited from Mansoura University Children's Hospital, Egypt based upon laboratory diagnosis by exclusion of bacterial and protozoa pathogens. The stool samples were obtained from each child and subjected to detection of rotavirus antigen by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) followed by genotypes identification of G and P genotypes by nested polymerase chain reaction (PCR). A nested PCR study for rotavirus genotypes revealed that G1 was the most common genotype (24.7%) followed by G2 (21.1%), G3 (20%), G9 (20%), and G4 (14.1%). The genotyping of the P genotype revealed that P9 was the commonest genotype (24.7%), followed by P4 (21.2%), P10 (20%), P8 (17.6%) and P6 (16.5%). The commonest combined genotypes of G and P were G1P4 (85.7%), G3P8(88.2%), followed by G2P6 (77.8%) and G9P9(76.5%) and G4P9 (66.7%) followed by G4P10 (33.3%), G9P10(23.5%), G2P10(22.2%), G1P10 (14.3%), G3P10(11.8%). The distribution was significant (P = 0.001). The positive rotavirus antigen was more frequently detected in females (55.3%) than males (44.7%, Odd ratio 0.2, 95% CI 0.22-0.71, P = 0.001). There was a significant association between the summer season and positive rotavirus antigen (P = 0.001) and rural residence of the patients (Odd ratio 6,9 95%CI 3,5-13.5, P = 0.001). The significant associated clinical sign with positive rotavirus antigen was fever (Odd ratio 3,3, 95%CI 1,8-6.05, P = 0.001). The genotypes G and P were significantly associated with positive rotavirus antigen as all cases positive by antigen had been detected by nested PCR with the commonest genotypes G4 (24.7%, P = 0.001) and genotype P9 (24.7%, P = 0.001). The present study highlights the common genotypes of rotavirus at one center in Egypt, G1, G2, and G3 were the commonest G genotypes. As regard genotype P the commonest genotypes were P9, P4, and P10. The commonest combined genotypes were G1P4, G3P8, G2P6. There was no effect of the practice of rotavirus vaccination at limited rates at private health sections as the rotavirus is still a major pathogen of acute gastroenteritis in children. There is a need for the inclusion of rotavirus vaccination in the national program of children vaccination in Egypt.

Impact of resistant starch type 3 on fecal microbiota and stool frequency in Thai adults with chronic constipation randomized clinical trial.

Constipation poses a significant health concern affecting individuals of varying ages and geographic locations worldwide. While the impacts of numerous probiotics on constipation are well-characterized, there has been limited assessment of the potential prebiotic effects of resistant starches. We therefore conducted a randomized, double-blind and placebo-controlled, clinical trial of resistant starch type 3 (RS-3) in Thai adults with self-reported chronic constipation. The effects of these mixed natural starch fibers on beneficial gut bacteria, bowel movements and stool consistency were evaluated after 6- and 12-week periods. Regardless of subject age, consumption of RS-3 compared to placebo resulted in significant improvements in gut health by dramatically increasing levels of beneficial bacteria (Bifidobacterium, Prevotella, Akkermansia and Megamonas) in the gut and relieving constipation. RS-3 consumption was associated with a significantly increased frequency of bowel movements, with subjects reporting these as healthy stools. Our findings provide important insights into the therapeutic advantages of RS-3 for constipation, and propose RS-3 as a feasible alternative strategy for management of constipation.

Analysis of access to amenities in peri-urban areas in West Africa: A GIS-based approach in Abomey-Calavi, Republic of Benin

Urban facilities and services are essential to human life. Access to them varies according to the geographical location of the population, whether urban, peri-urban or rural, and according to the modes of transport available. In view of the rapid development of peri-urban areas in developing countries, questions are being asked about the ability of the inhabitants of these areas to access these facilities and services. This study examines the ability of the inhabitants of Hêvié, Ouèdo and Togba, three peri-urban districts of Abomey-Calavi in the Republic of Benin, to access commercial, educational, school and health facilities. To this end, we have adopted a GIS-based methodology. It is a combination of isochronal method and accessibility utility measurement. The isochrones were produced according to the main modes of travel recorded on the study area and over a time t ≤ 20 min divided into intervals of 05 min. Analysis of the data enabled us to understand that the main modes of travel adopted by residents are walking, motorcycle and car. Access to educational and health facilities is conditioned by the mode of travel used. Access to commercial and entertainment facilities in t ≤ 20 min is not correlated with the modes of transport used.