“None of us are lying”: an interpretive description of the search for legitimacy and the journey to access quality health services by individuals living with Long COVID

Abstract Background Understanding of Long COVID has advanced through patient-led initiatives. However, research about barriers to accessing Long COVID services is limited. This study aimed to better understand the need for, access to, and quality of, Long COVID services. We explored health needs and experiences of services, including ability of services to address needs. Methods Our study was informed by the Levesque et al.’s (2013) “conceptual framework of access to health care.” We used Interpretive Description, a qualitative approach partly aimed at informing clinical decisions. We recruited participants across five settings. Participants engaged in one-time, semi-structured, virtual interviews. Interviews were transcribed verbatim. We used reflexive thematic analysis. Best practice to ensure methodological rigour was employed. Results Three key themes were generated from 56 interviews. The first theme illustrated the rollercoaster-like nature of participants’ Long COVID symptoms and the resulting impact on function and health. The second theme highlighted participants’ attempts to access Long COVID services. Guidance received from healthcare professionals and self-advocacy impacted initial access. When navigating Long COVID services within the broader system, participants encountered barriers to access around stigma; appointment logistics; testing and ‘normal’ results; and financial precarity and affordability of services. The third theme illuminated common factors participants liked and disliked about Long COVID services. We framed each sub-theme as the key lesson (stemming from all likes and dislikes) that, if acted upon, the health system can use to improve the quality of Long COVID services. This provides tangible ways to improve the system based directly on what we heard from participants. Conclusion With Long COVID services continuously evolving, our findings can inform decision makers within the health system to better understand the lived experiences of Long COVID and tailor services and policies appropriately

The mediating effects of first call resolution on call centers’ performance

This article aims to examine and validate the prepositions of the mediating impacts of first call resolution (FCR) on caller satisfaction within the contact center industry.A survey of 168 call center managers was analyzed through structural equation modeling, constituting an overall 43.3 per cent response rate for this study.The results show that FCR positively mediates the relationship between knowledge management, technology-based CRM and caller satisfaction within the inbound customer contact centers.We have empirically assessed call centers/contact centers’ success through caller satisfaction (an observed variable through their 2009 customer survey in Malaysia).Consequently, this study cannot generalize its findings in all other countries.Our strong argument is that within the operational variables, FCR is statistically significant and positively mediates knowledge management applications. But very important to note is that the customer contact centers are first touch points to a company's goods or services, and that many other factors such as product quality, company policy, target markets, decision-making processes and so on are also determinants of caller satisfaction, but fall outside the operational control of contact center activities.This research has empirically established that a company's capability in effectively acquiring a valid understanding of its current and potential customers’ information through CRM technologies will positively impact its acquisitions, customization, management and retention of customers.It also avails both the academic and contact center management the benefits that are inherent in measuring the impact of knowledge management and technology-based CRM on inbound FCR and caller satisfaction.This study finally recommends alternative areas for future research

A review of selected chiral stationary phases for gas chromatography

Niniejsza praca zawiera przegląd literatury dotyczącej faz stacjonarnych stosowanych do rozdzielania mieszanin związków optycznie czynnych za pomocą techniki chromatografii gazowej. Oprócz faz stacjonarnych komercyjnie dostępnych, tj. pochodne aminokwasów, cyklodekstryny oraz fazy wykorzystujące chelaty metali w pracy scharakteryzowano również nowe – ostatnio opublikowane rozwiązania.This thesis includes a review of literature about stationary phases applied to separate mixtures of optically active compounds with the use of gas chromatography technique. Apart from commercially available stationary phases, that is, derivatives of amino acids, cyclodextrin and phases using metal chelates, new and recently published solutions were also described in this thesis

The characteristic points extraction of the parametric space in character recognition systems

W artykule przedstawiono problematykę automatycznego rozpoznawania kodów adresowych na przesyłkach pocztowych. Rozpoznawanie kodów pocztowych jest kluczowym elementem systemu maszyn sortujących w węzłach pocztowych. Kod pocztowy, najczęściej zapisany w postaci z cyfr może być przedstawiony w postaci obrazów reprezentujących pojedyncze znaki. Ze względu na to, że obrazy znaków zawierają zniekształcenia, zaproponowano transformację obrazu do przestrzeni parametrów, gdzie możliwe będzie przeprowadzenie operacji normalizacji i korekcji rotacji, a ponadto możliwe będzie przetwarzanie obrazu w skali szarości wraz z zakłóceniami specyficznymi dla systemów pocztowych. Zastosowano metodę bazującą na parametryzacji wydzielonych obszarów w otoczeniu punktów charakterystycznych, która pozwala na wprowadzenie do wektora cech znaku wielkości niezależnych od rotacji obrazu znaku. Metoda może być zastosowana zarówno dla transformaty Radona, jak również jej modyfikacji. Dużą zaletą jest to, że zaproponowane rozwiązanie może być dowolnie rozwijane ze względu na inne techniki opisu wydzielonych obszarów, np. wyznaczanie cech bazujących na teksturze wydzielonego obszaru.The article presents the problem of automatic recognition of postal codes on mail pieces. Recognition of the postal codes is a main component of the system sorting machines in the mail nodes. The postal codes usually written in the form of digits can be presented in the form of digital images representing the particular characters. Due to the fact that the images contain various distortions, has been proposed the image transformation to parameter space, where it will be possible to perform the operation of normalization and correction of rotation. Using this procedure, which is based on parameterization of the areas surrounded by characteristic points which allows to obtain the invariant character feature vector of the sign. The method can be used both for the Radon transform, as well as its various modifications. The big advantage is that the proposed solution can be freely developed due to the different techniques of parameterization on separate areas, for example to determination of the characteristics based on texture isolated area

The Diamond Pipeline into the Third Millennium: A Multi-channel System from the Mine to the Consumer

The single-channel marketing system for rough diamonds, presented by De Beers as the ideal since the mid 1930s, has lost market share in the past decade. Most diamond industry analyst snow recognize the diamond pipeline to consist of two marketing channels (tiers) for rough diamonds; one for better-quality and the other for lower-quality, rough diamonds. However, we suggest that the pipeline now consists of three distinct channels that extend from the mine {rough diamonds) to the consumer (polished diamonds): 1 ) the Traditional Gem Channel, whose stability and prosperity are maintained by De Beers and which is characterized by high-value diamonds; 2) the Indian Channel, a high-volume market based on small, low-quality diamonds cut in India, most of which were formerly considered industrial diamonds; and 3) the Russian Channel, whose status and potential have yet to be fully determined. Each channel has its own characteristic organization and distribution system. These developments bode well for the fledgling Canadian diamond industry, as they indicate that Canadian diamond producers will have choices for marketing their rough diamonds. Résumé Le canal unique de mise en marché des diamants bruts de De Beers a perdu une part du marché au cours de la dernière décennie. Ce canal unique, et idéal selon De Beers, existait depuis le milieu des années 1930. La plupart des analystes de l'industrie diamantaire sont d'avis que, de nos jours, la mise en marché des diamants bruts se fait selon deux canaux (niveaux) différents, soit l'un pour les diamants de haute qualité, et l'autre pour les diamants de moindre qualité. Nous croyons plutôt que le marché actuel des diamants est constitué de trois canaux distincts par lesquels les diamants bruts des mines arrivent jusqu'aux consommateurs (diamants finis), soit 1) Le canal traditionnel, dont la stabilité et la prospérité sont assurées par l'organisation De Beers, s'occupe de diamants à prix élevés ; 2) Le canal indien, un marché à fort volume de diamants de basse qualité taillés en Inde et autrefois qualifiés de diamants industriels ; et 3) Le canal russe, dont les caractéristiques et le potentiel ne encore mal définis. Chacun de ces canaux possède sa propre organisation et son propre système de distribution. Ces développements récents sont de bon augure pour la jeune industrie diamantaire canadienne, puisque les producteurs canadiens disposeront d'un meilleuré ventail de mode de mise en marché

The research on properties of asphaltene stationary phase to separate mixtures of optically active compounds with the use of gas chromatography technique

W pracy przedstawiono wyniki badań nad możliwością zastosowania asfaltenów jako chiralnej fazy stacjonarnej do chromatografii gazowej. Wyniki uzyskane dla fazy asfaltenowej porównano z wynikami uzyskanymi poprzez zastosowanie komercyjnie dostępnej chiralnej fazy stacjonarnej. Badania wykazały, że frakcja asfaltenowa posiada właściwości umożliwiające uzyskanie rozdzielenia mieszanin związków optycznie czynnych.The paper presents a results of research on the possibility of application of asphaltenes as a chiral stationary phase for gas chromatography. The results obtained for asphaltene stationary phase were compared with results obtained using a commercially available chiral stationary phase. The research showed that asphaltene fraction has properties allowing to separate mixtures of optically active compounds