Developments in land mobile satellite service in Europe

The evolution of land mobile radio has reached a stage to benefit from satellite communications. The provision of a service on a pan-European basis makes the use of satellites a viable proposition. The paper describes the European position on both system and space segment aspects of the land mobile satellite service. Also, some of the functions of the European institutions, such as the European Telecommunications Standards Institute (ETSI), the Conference of European Postal and Telecommunications Administrations (CEPT), and the Commission of European Communities (CEC), in establishing these services are identified

A Scientometric Analysis of Highly Cited Works on Herbal Drugs, Medicines and Vaccines

The present study aims to analyse the research output performance on Herbal Drugs, Medicines and Vaccines. A total of 973 research articles published in Web of Science database were analysed to find out the performance of Herbal Medicines, Drugs and Vaccines developers from all over the world in terms of growth of Publications and Citations impact during the period 1989-2021. Global publication shares, prolific author in the field, high productive Institutions, Journals, are studied in this article. The top most cited countries are: USA with 64799 Citations for 288 (29.6%) Publications followed by People R China with 29264 Citations for 185 (19%) Publications, UK with 22700 Citations for 112 Publications, Germany with 11522 Citations for 65 publications. India recorded 11859 Citations for 61 publications. The most productive institutions were: University Exeter (29), Harvard University National University of Singapore, Chinese Academy of Science and so on. The most Cited Institutions are: Harvard University with 9428 Citations for 22 Publications followed by Beth Israel Deaconess Med Ctr with 6476 Citations for 10 Publications, University of Exeter with 5411 Citations for 29 Publications. The most cited Paper is “Eisenberg DM, Davis RB, Ettner SL, Appel S, Wilkey S, et al., Trends in alternative medicine use in the United States, 1990-1997 - Results of a follow-up national survey, JAMA-JOURNAL OF THE AMERICAN MEDICAL ASSOCIATION. 1998 NOV 11; 280 (18): 1569-1575” with 4562 Citations. The most Cited journals were: JOURNAL OF ETHNOPHARMACOLOGY topped the list with 17235 Citations for 101 Publications followed by JAMA-JOURNAL OF THE AMERICAN MEDICAL ASSOCIATION with 7614 Citations for 8 Publications, PHYTOTHERAPY RESEARCH with 4761 Citations for 21 Publications. It noted that researcher has given the preference to highly impact Journals for their publications

Effectiveness and Acceptability of a Mobile Phone Text Messaging Intervention to Improve Blood Pressure Control (TEXT4BP) among Patients with Hypertension in Nepal: A Feasibility Randomised Controlled Trial

Background: Uncontrolled blood pressure (BP) is the leading cause of preventable deaths in low- and middle-income countries. mHealth interventions, such as mobile phone text messaging, are a promising tool to improve BP control, but research on feasibility and effectiveness in resource-limited settings remains limited. Objective: This feasibility study assessed the effectiveness and acceptability of a mobile phone text messaging intervention (TEXT4BP) to improve BP control and treatment adherence among patients with hypertension in Nepal. Methods: The TEXT4BP study was a two-arm, parallel-group, unblinded, randomised controlled pilot trial that included 200 participants (1:1) (mean age: 50.5 years, 44.5% women) with hypertension at a tertiary referral hospital in Kathmandu, Nepal. Patients in the intervention arm (n = 100) received text messages three times per week for three months. The control arm (n = 100) received standard care. The COM-B model informed contextual co-designed text messages. Primary outcomes were change in BP and medication adherence at three months. Secondary outcomes included BP control, medication adherence self-efficacy and knowledge of hypertension. A nested qualitative study assessed the acceptability of the intervention. Results: At three months, the intervention group had greater reductions in systolic and diastolic BP vs usual care [-7.09/-5.86 (p ≤ 0.003) vs -0.77/-1.35 (p ≥ 0.28) mmHg] [adjusted difference: systolic β = -6.50 (95% CI, -12.6; -0.33) and diastolic BP β = -4.60 (95% CI, -8.16; -1.04)], coupled with a greater proportion achieving target BP (70% vs 48%, p = 0.006). The intervention arm showed an improvement in compliance to antihypertensive therapy (p < 0.001), medication adherence (p < 0.001), medication adherence self-efficacy (p = 0.023) and knowledge on hypertension and its treatment (p = 0.013). Participants expressed a high rate of acceptability and desire to continue the TEXT4BP intervention. Conclusion: The TEXT4BP study provides promising evidence that text messaging intervention is feasible, acceptable, and effective to improve BP control in low-resource settings

Role of informal healthcare providers in tuberculosis care in low- and middle-income countries: A systematic scoping review.

Achieving targets set in the End TB Strategy is still a distant goal for many Low- and Middle-Income Countries (LMICs). The importance of strengthening public-private partnership by engaging all identified providers in Tuberculosis (TB) care has long been advocated in global TB policies and strategies. However, Informal Healthcare Providers (IPs) are not yet prioritised and engaged in National Tuberculosis Programs (NTPs) globally. There exists a substantial body of evidence that confirms an important contribution of IPs in TB care. A systematic understanding of their role is necessary to ascertain their potential in improving TB care in LMICs. The purpose of this review is to scope the role of IPs in TB care. The scoping review was guided by a framework developed by the Joanna Briggs Institute. An electronic search of literature was conducted in MEDLINE, EMBASE, SCOPUS, Global Health, CINAHL, and Web of Science. Of a total 5234 records identified and retrieved, 92 full-text articles were screened, of which 13 were included in the final review. An increasing trend was observed in publication over time, with most published between 2010-2019. In 60% of the articles, NTPs were mentioned as a collaborator in the study. For detection and diagnosis, IPs were primarily involved in identifying and referring patients. Administering DOT (Directly Observed Treatment) to the patient was the major task assigned to IPs for treatment and support. There is a paucity of evidence on prevention, as only one study involved IPs to perform this role. Traditional health providers were the most commonly featured, but there was not much variation in the role by provider type. All studies reported a positive role of IPs in improving TB care outcomes. This review demonstrates that IPs can be successfully engaged in various roles in TB care with appropriate support and training. Their contribution can support countries to achieve their national and global targets if prioritized in National TB Programs

Joint Power Control and Spreading Gain Optimisation for Minimising the Energy Consumption in CDMA based Ad hoc Networks

This paper addresses the impact of the spreading gain on the efficiency of mobile Ad Hoc networks using Code Division Multiple Access (CDMA) as a mode of transmission. In particular, we concentrate on the trade off between the increase in transmission data rate, hence decrease of transmission time, and the necessary power needed to reach acceptable levels of interference in the system. We formulate this trade off as an optimisation problem with associated constraints, where the cost function is the overall energy consumed in the network and the constraints are the acceptable signal to interference ratio for each node. The solution to this optimisation problem provide optimal values for both the transmission spreading gains and powers that need to be allocated to each node in order to minimise the total energy consumption of the network

Leveraging Deep Learning Based Object Detection for Localising Autonomous Personal Mobility Devices in Sparse Maps

© 2019 IEEE. This paper presents a low cost, resource efficient localisation approach for autonomous driving in GPS denied environments. One of the most challenging aspects of traditional landmark based localisation in the context of autonomous driving, is the necessity to accurately and frequently detect landmarks. We leverage the state of the art deep learning framework, YOLO (You Only Look Once), to carry out this important perceptual task using data obtained from monocular cameras. Extracted bearing only information from the YOLO framework, and vehicle odometry, is fused using an Extended Kalman Filter (EKF) to generate an estimate of the location of the autonomous vehicle, together with it's associated uncertainty. This approach enables us to achieve real-time sub metre localisation accuracy, using only a sparse map of an outdoor urban environment. The broader motivation of this research is to improve the safety and reliability of Personal Mobility Devices (PMDs) through autonomous technology. Thus, all the ideas presented here are demonstrated using an instrumented mobility scooter platform

Indian Contribution in Covid-19: A Scientometric Mapping of Research Publications

The study examines India’s performance based on its publication output in Covid-19 during 2020-2021, based on several parameters, including the publications share and rank, the institutional profile of selected institutions, international collaboration profile and major collaborative partners, patterns of communication in national and international journals, Highly cited papers and most productive authors. The study uses 2 years of publications data in Covid-19 drawn from the Web of Science international multidisciplinary bibliographical database. It is interesting to note that the prolific authors belong to All India Institute of Medical Science with 489 Publications (1266 Citations), Post Grad Inst Med Educational & Res with 171 (666 Citations), Dr. DY Patil University with 85 (382 Citations), Indian Institute of Technology with 54 (349 Citations), Manipal Academy of Higher Education with 59 (279 Citations), and Banaras Hindu University with 56 (171 Citations). The most productive authors are Kumar A from Armed Forces Med College, Dept Ophthalmology, Pune (Maharashtra state) with 115 Publications and registered 372 Citations (H-Index: 10), Wiwanitkit from Dr. DY Patil Univ, Pune (Maharashtra state) with 91 Publications (411 Citations) (H-Index: 11), Kumar S from Jai Narayan Vyas Univ, Jodhpur(Rajasthan state) with 85 (421 Citations) (H-Index: 10), Gupta S with 57 (209 Citations) (H-Index: 7), Singh with 53 (175 Citations) and Sharma S with 52 (359 Citations). The most preferred journals by the scientists were: INDIAN JOURNAL OF OPHTHALMOLOGY with 143 papers (443 Citations), JOURNAL OF BIOMOLECULAR STRUCTURE & DYNAMICS with 113(1066 Citations), ASIAN JOURNAL OF PSYCHIATRY with 100 (1419 Citations), INDIAN PEDIATRICS (61), DERMATOLOGIC THERAPY (57), INDIAN JOURNAL OF MEDICAL RESEARCH (52), and INDIAN JOURNAL OF PEDIATRICS (50). The most cited one is Singhal T A Review of CoronavirusDisease-2019 (COVID-19), INDIAN JOURNAL OF PEDIATRICS. 2020 APR; 87 (4): 281-286 with 604 Citations

Educational interventions for imposter phenomenon in healthcare: a scoping review

Background Imposter Phenomenon (IP) is a subjective feeling of intellectual fraudulence and self-doubt experienced by individuals in goal-orientated high-achieving professions. The impact of IP within healthcare has been associated with individual physical and mental health and concerns around training, career progression and DEI at an institutional level. To effectively address IP in healthcare, this scoping review aims to explore educational interventions designed to empower high-achieving individuals with the tools needed to confront and overcome IP. Methods The scoping review adhered to a predetermined protocol informed by the JBI methodology and PRISMA-ScR guidelines in order to identify educational interventions addressing IP in high-achieving industries. Articles were searched across multiple databases, including MEDLINE (Ovid), PsychINFO, SCOPUS, and Web of Science, alongside grey literature, without imposing any time constraints. A systematic approach including a thematic analysis allowed for a nuanced exploration and interpretation of the identified educational interventions and their impact on addressing IP. Results Seventeen articles were incorporated into the review, with the majority originating from the USA and majority being published since 2020. Ten studies targeted healthcare professionals, undergraduate and postgraduate healthcare students. Majority of studies aimed at addressing IP, featured a larger number of female participants than males. Workshops with self-reflection and group-guided exercises to overcome IP were the most popular educational interventions. Coaching and structured supervision were also suggested. Across all papers, three themes emerged for coping strategies: individual, peer-to-peer, and institutional. Conclusions This scoping review suggests how group and individual interventions such as workshops, small group discussions and coaching can be used to overcome IP in healthcare. Institutional changes like diversity promotion, supervisor education, and support networks are crucial in addressing IP. Further long term and speciality specific assessments are needed to measure impact. Overall, the review highlights how educational awareness and a variety of strategies can be implemented to create a supportive environment for professionals dealing with IP, promoting their well-being and success

Venezuela e ALBA: regionalismo contra-hegemônico e ensino superior para todos

Partindo de um quadro teórico neo-gramsciano crítico à globalização, este artigo aplica a nova teoria do regionalismo (NTR) e a teoria do regionalismo regulatório (TRR) à sua análise e teorização dos tratados de comércio da Aliança Bolivariana para os Povos da Nossa América (ALBA-TCP) como regionalismo contra-hegemônico na América Latina e Caribe (ALC). A ALBA está centrada na ideia de um Socialismo do Século XXI, que, como (inicialmente) também a Revolução Bolivariana da Venezuela, substitui a 'vantagem competitiva' pela 'vantagem cooperativa'. Em seu caráter de conjunto de processos multidimensionais e transnacionais a ALBA-TCP opera dentro de/transversalmente a um número de setores e escalas, ao mesmo passo que as transformações estruturais são movidas pela interação de agentes do Estado e agentes não estatais. A política de Educação Superior para Todos (ESPT) do governo venezuelano rejeita a agenda neoliberal globalizada de mercadorização, privatização e elitismo e reinvindica educação pública gratuita em todos os níveis como um direito humano fundamental. A ESPT está sendo regionalizado em um espaço educacional emergente da ALBA e assume um papel-chave nos processos de democracia direta e participatória, dos quais a construção popular (bottom-up) da contra-hegemonia e a redefinição política e econômica da ALC dependem. Antes de produzir sujeitos empreendedores conformes ao capitalismo global, a ESPT procura formar subjetividades ao longo de valores morais de solidariedade e cooperação. Isso será ilustrado com referência a um estudo etnográfico de caso da Universidade Bolivariana da Venezuela (UBV).This paper employs new regionalism theory and regulatory regionalism theory in its analysis and theorisation of the Bolivarian Alliance for the Peoples of Our America (ALBA) as a counter-hegemonic Latin American and Caribbean (LAC) regionalism. As (initially) the regionalisation of Venezuela's Bolivarian Revolution, ALBA is centred around the idea of a 21st Century Socialism that replaces the 'competitive advantage' with the 'cooperative advantage'. ALBA, as a set of multi-dimensional inter- and transnational processes, operates within and across a range of sectors and scales whilst the structural transformations are driven by the interplay of state and non-state actors. The Venezuelan government's Higher Education For All (HEFA) policy, which is being regionalised within an emergent ALBA education space, assumes a key role in the direct democratic and participatory democratic processes upon which a bottom-up construction of counter-hegemony depends. HEFA challenges the globalised neoliberal higher education agenda of commoditisation, privatisation and elitism. Rather than producing enterprising subjects fashioned for global capitalism, HEFA seeks to form subjectivities along the moral values of solidarity and cooperation

Measuring mental well-being in Sri Lanka : validation of the Warwick Edinburgh Mental Well-being Scale (WEMWBS) in a Sinhala speaking community

Background: Well-being is an important aspect of people’s lives and can be considered as an index of social progress. The Warwick Edinburgh Mental Well-being scale (WEMWBS) was developed to capture subjective mental well-being. It is a widely tested measure of mental well-being at the population level and has 14 items and a short-form with 7 items. This study was carried out to culturally validate and adapt the WEMWBS among a Sinhala speaking population in Sri Lanka. Methods: A forward and backward translation of the scale into Sinhala was done followed by a cognitive interview. The translated and culturally adapted scale and other mental health scales were administered to a sample of 294 persons between the ages of 17–73 using a paper-based version (n = 210) and an online survey (n = 84). Internal consistency reliability and test–retest reliability were tested. Construct validity, and convergent and discriminant validity were assessed using the total sample. Results: The translated questionnaire had good face and content validity. Internal consistency reliability was 0.91 and 0.84 for the 14-item and 7-item scales, respectively. Test–retest reliability over two weeks was satisfactory (Spearman r = 0.72 p < 0.001). Confirmatory factor analysis supported a one factor model. Convergent validity was assessed using WHO-5 well-being index (Spearman r = 0.67, p < 0.001), Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9) (Spearman r = (-0.45), p < 0.001) and Kessler psychological distress scale (K10) (Spearman r = (-0.55), p < 0.001). Conclusions: The translated and culturally adapted Sinhala version of the WEMWBS has acceptable psychometric properties to assess mental well-being at the population level among the Sinhala speaking population in Sri Lanka