1,217 research outputs found

    Segmenting the UK Mobile Fashion Consumer

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    As mobile apparel retail websites and apps grow in popularity, insight into the psychology and behaviours of shoppers using these mobile interfaces has become more important. Although Android operated mobile devices dominate the market, the current study of fashion consumers’ opinions shows that, in terms of fashion shopping via mobile devices, Apple’s iOS is leading. The data show that mostly females aged 18 to 34 years old purchase clothing via smart phones, and consumers using iOS smart phones purchase more clothing via mobile than Android OS. Over 60% of respondents prefer to use websites on their mobile devices despite the wide range of mobile apps available. 70% of respondents think that ’website and products do not display properly on the small screen’. This is the first study focusing on critical issues of fashion m-retail’s environment based on mobile fashion consumers’ behaviour and shopping experience. Five mobile fashion consumer types - self-confident addicted shoppers, time-conscious consumers, followers, bargain hunters and style-conscious connected browsers - were identified. Appropriate marketing strategies can be developed, guided by the specific mobile fashion consumer type’s shopping journey, and apparel retailers can better define their target consumers and more effectively tailor mobile interfaces to meet customer needs. Keywords: m-retail, mobile device, mobile fashion consumer, mobile marketing, consumer behaviour, mobile apps, smart phones, fashion retail, apparel, consumer segmentation, comparative analysis

    The impact of an intervention to introduce malaria rapid diagnostic tests on fever case management in a high transmission setting in Uganda: A mixed-methods cluster-randomized trial (PRIME).

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    Rapid diagnostic tests for malaria (mRDTs) have been scaled-up widely across Africa. The PRIME study evaluated an intervention aiming to improve fever case management using mRDTs at public health centers in Uganda. A cluster-randomized trial was conducted from 2010-13 in Tororo, a high malaria transmission setting. Twenty public health centers were randomized in a 1:1 ratio to intervention or control. The intervention included training in health center management, fever case management with mRDTs, and patient-centered services; plus provision of mRDTs and artemether-lumefantrine (AL) when stocks ran low. Three rounds of Interviews were conducted with caregivers of children under five years of age as they exited health centers (N = 1400); reference mRDTs were done in children with fever (N = 1336). Health worker perspectives on mRDTs were elicited through semi-structured questionnaires (N = 49) and in-depth interviews (N = 10). The primary outcome was inappropriate treatment of malaria, defined as the proportion of febrile children who were not treated according to guidelines based on the reference mRDT. There was no difference in inappropriate treatment of malaria between the intervention and control arms (24.0% versus 29.7%, adjusted risk ratio 0.81 95\% CI: 0.56, 1.17 p = 0.24). Most children (76.0\%) tested positive by reference mRDT, but many were not prescribed AL (22.5\% intervention versus 25.9\% control, p = 0.53). Inappropriate treatment of children testing negative by reference mRDT with AL was also common (31.3\% invention vs 42.4\% control, p = 0.29). Health workers appreciated mRDTs but felt that integrating testing into practice was challenging given constraints on time and infrastructure. The PRIME intervention did not have the desired impact on inappropriate treatment of malaria for children under five. In this high transmission setting, use of mRDTs did not lead to the reductions in antimalarial prescribing seen elsewhere. Broader investment in health systems, including infrastructure and staffing, will be required to improve fever case management

    Prozone effect of serum IgE levels in a case of plasma cell leukemia

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    We describe a case of multiple myeloma (MM) and secondary plasma cell leukemia (PCL) secreting IgE-kappa immunoglobulin. To our knowledge, only 2 cases of IgE-producing secondary PCL have been reported in the medical literature. In our patient, the only tumor marker available for monitoring the therapeutic response to chemotherapy and allogeneic stem cell transplantation was the quantitative M component at serum protein electrophoresis (SPEP), because serum free light chains were in the normal range, Bence-Jones proteinuria was absent, and quantitative serum IgE levels provided inaccurate and erratic results, due to the prozone effect. This is a laboratory phenomenon that occurs when antigen excess interferes with antibody-based methods requiring immune complex formation for detection. It is important to recognize the presence of a prozone effect, because it can produce falsely normal results, and therefore it could lead clinicians to incorrect assessment of the response to therapy

    The Effect of a School-Based Intervention on Physical Activity and Well-Being: a Non-Randomised Controlled Trial with Children of Low Socio-Economic Status

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    Abstract Background Self-determination theory (SDT) has been used to predict children’s physical activity and well-being. However, few school-based SDT intervention studies have been conducted, and no research exists with children of low socio-economic status (SES). Therefore, SDT-derived needs-supportive teaching techniques informed the design and analyses of the Healthy Choices Programme (HCP). The aim was to determine if the HCP could enhance moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) and well-being among children of low SES through increasing autonomy-support, needs satisfaction and intrinsic motivation. Method A mixed factorial two (group) × two (time) wait-list controlled trial was conducted and reported using the TREND guidelines. A total of 155 children (56% females; intervention n = 84, control n = 71) took part and completed measures at baseline (week 0) and post-intervention (week 11). The effect of the intervention on MVPA (model 1) and well-being (model 2) was tested through serial mediation models with three mediators (i.e. autonomy-support, needs satisfaction and intrinsic motivation). Results In comparison to the control group, the intervention was related to increases in MVPA (β = .45) and autonomy-support (β = .17). In model 1, analyses revealed partial mediation of the MVPA change through autonomy-support (β = .14), intrinsic motivation (β = .51) and all three SDT mediators in sequence (total r 2  = .34). In model 2, well-being was indirectly enhanced through autonomy-support (β = .38) and autonomy-support and needs satisfaction in sequence (total r 2  = .21). Conclusions The HCP enhanced MVPA and well-being by engendering a needs-supportive physical activity environment. The scientific and practical contribution of this study was the application of SDT in all aspects of the HCP intervention’s design and analyses. Practitioners may consider integrating SDT principles, as implemented in the HCP, for health promotion. Trial Registration This study is registered on Research Registry (number researchregistry2852)

    TCR signal strength controls thymic differentiation of discrete proinflammatory gamma delta T cell subsets

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    The mouse thymus produces discrete gd T cell subsets that make either interferon-g (IFN-g) or interleukin 17 (IL-17), but the role of the T cell antigen receptor (TCR) in this developmental process remains controversial. Here we show that Cd3g+/− Cd3d+/− (CD3 double-haploinsufficient (CD3DH)) mice have reduced TCR expression and signaling strength on gd T cells. CD3DH mice had normal numbers and phenotypes of ab thymocyte subsets, but impaired differentiation of fetal Vg6+ (but not Vg4+) IL-17- producing gd T cells and a marked depletion of IFN-g-producing CD122+ NK1.1+ gd T cells throughout ontogeny. Adult CD3DH mice showed reduced peripheral IFN-g+ gd T cells and were resistant to experimental cerebral malaria. Thus, TCR signal strength within specific thymic developmental windows is a major determinant of the generation of proinflammatory gd T cell subsets and their impact on pathophysiology

    A Systematic Review of the Effectiveness of Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) for Body Image Dissatisfaction and Weight Self-Stigma in Adults

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    © 2018, The Author(s). Body image dissatisfaction (BID) and weight self-stigma are prevalent and associated with physical and psychological ill-health. Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) is increasingly employed for both, yet little is known about its effectiveness. Searches of 12 databases identified six studies using online, face-to-face or self-help ACT interventions for BID or weight self-stigma, of varying duration and intensity. Their effectiveness and quality were evaluated. Two reported improved BID, three improved weight self-stigma, and one reported no impact on weight self-stigma. Methodological issues (small sample sizes, lack of allocation concealment, attention control and long-term follow up) impacted the validity of findings. Due to the small number of studies and poor study quality, the effectiveness of ACT for BID and weight self-stigma remains unclear. Nonetheless findings suggest psychological flexibility may facilitate reduction in BID and weight self-stigma and indicate that brief online as well as lengthy face-to-face delivery may be useful. Suggestions for further research are made

    The determinants and consequences of adult nursing staff turnover: a systematic review of systematic reviews.

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    BACKGROUND: Nurses leaving their jobs and the profession are an issue of international concern, with supply-demand gaps for nurses reported to be widening. There is a large body of existing literature, much of which is already in review form. In order to advance the usefulness of the literature for nurse and human resource managers, we undertook an overview (review of systematic reviews). The aim of the overview was to identify high quality evidence of the determinants and consequences of turnover in adult nursing. METHODS: Reviews were identified which were published between 1990 and January 2015 in English using electronic databases (the Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, MEDLINE, EMBASE, Applied Social Sciences Index and Abstracts, CINAHL plus and SCOPUS) and forward searching. All stages of the review were conducted in parallel by two reviewers. Reviews were quality appraised using the Assessment of Multiple Systematic Reviews and their findings narratively synthesised. RESULTS: Nine reviews were included. We found that the current evidence is incomplete and has a number of important limitations. However, a body of moderate quality review evidence does exist giving a picture of multiple determinants of turnover in adult nursing, with - at the individual level - nurse stress and dissatisfaction being important factors and -at the organisational level - managerial style and supervisory support factors holding most weight. The consequences of turnover are only described in economic terms, but are considered significant. CONCLUSIONS: In making a quality assessment of the review as well as considering the quality of the included primary studies and specificity in the outcomes they measure, the overview found that the evidence is not as definitive as previously presented from individual reviews. Further research is required, of rigorous research design, whether quantitative or qualitative, particularly against the outcome of actual turnover as opposed to intention to leave. TRIAL REGISTRATION: PROSPERO Registration 17 March 2015: CRD42015017613

    Consensus on circulatory shock and hemodynamic monitoring. Task force of the European Society of Intensive Care Medicine.

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    OBJECTIVE: Circulatory shock is a life-threatening syndrome resulting in multiorgan failure and a high mortality rate. The aim of this consensus is to provide support to the bedside clinician regarding the diagnosis, management and monitoring of shock. METHODS: The European Society of Intensive Care Medicine invited 12 experts to form a Task Force to update a previous consensus (Antonelli et al.: Intensive Care Med 33:575-590, 2007). The same five questions addressed in the earlier consensus were used as the outline for the literature search and review, with the aim of the Task Force to produce statements based on the available literature and evidence. These questions were: (1) What are the epidemiologic and pathophysiologic features of shock in the intensive care unit ? (2) Should we monitor preload and fluid responsiveness in shock ? (3) How and when should we monitor stroke volume or cardiac output in shock ? (4) What markers of the regional and microcirculation can be monitored, and how can cellular function be assessed in shock ? (5) What is the evidence for using hemodynamic monitoring to direct therapy in shock ? Four types of statements were used: definition, recommendation, best practice and statement of fact. RESULTS: Forty-four statements were made. The main new statements include: (1) statements on individualizing blood pressure targets; (2) statements on the assessment and prediction of fluid responsiveness; (3) statements on the use of echocardiography and hemodynamic monitoring. CONCLUSIONS: This consensus provides 44 statements that can be used at the bedside to diagnose, treat and monitor patients with shock
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