Social entrepreneurship in the era of digitalization and disruptive technology

(Galvanauskaite, 2014) mentioned that, “Social entrepreneurship is an emerging phenomenon and an important field that tackles the social problems of today’s world (Mair & Marti, 2006; Nicholls, 2008)”. (MORTENSEN, 2021) in her dissertation mentioned that, “Business models in all industries are being disrupted by advanced technology (Morrar et al., 2017).”. This thesis is aimed at exploring the role of technology in social entrepreneurship. (Holmes, n.d.) mentioned that, “Social constructivism, a social learning theory developed by Russian psychologist Lev Vygotsky, posits that individuals are active participants in the creation of their own knowledge (Schreiber & Valle, 2013).”. Through social constructivist and actor-network theory, existing literature covering the phenomenon of social entrepreneurship and the technology’s role in social enterprises has been reviewed. Interviewing the founders of several organizations that lie across the spectrum of social enterprises has been the source of this research’s empirical data, which was then analyzed according to grounded theory. Results showed that by utilizing technological capabilities, social organizations managed to do the job that other sectors failed to do, besides improving both economic and social conditions. Technology use breaks a lot of barriers and facilitates peoples’ lives and helps eradicate the endless loop of social injustice these people live in. in the field of social entrepreneurship, the use of technology enables anyone at any level to have a social impact. How technologies are utilized in social enterprises to serve unprivileged communities, especially in developing countries, how they are implemented, and the role of technology in disrupting the market by creating social impact. In addition to breaking trade hurdles, social organizations tend to co-operate on an inter-organizational level to overcome this. According to social constructivist theory, the findings of this research can be an interest to other researchers in this field, it will provide a clearer understanding of the technology’s role in SE. Policymakers can look for insights on technology means, such as an open-source model, that can be applied to ensure a better life. Nascent social enterprises, governments, and businesses can learn a lesson on using technology to create a social impact instead of using it to extend the gap between the rich and the poor. Finally, this thesis isn’t conclusive; there are still broader questions to be asked and more research opportunities to be taken and hopefully, these findings can define a wider scope for upcoming research on the technology utilization in social entrepreneurship(Galvanauskaite, 2014) mencionó que “el emprendimiento social es un fenómeno emergente y un campo importante que aborda los problemas sociales del mundo actual (Mair & Marti, 2006; Nicholls, 2008)”. (MORTENSEN, 2021) en su disertación mencionó que “los modelos de negocios en todas las industrias están siendo interrumpidos por la tecnología avanzada (Morrar et al., 2017)”. Esta tesis tiene como objetivo explorar el papel de la tecnología en el emprendimiento social. (Holmes, s.f.) mencionó que “el constructivismo social, una teoría del aprendizaje social desarrollada por el psicólogo ruso Lev Vygotsky, postula que los individuos son participantes activos en la creación de su propio conocimiento (Schreiber & Valle, 2013)”. A través de la teoría del constructivista social y de la red de actores, se ha revisado la literatura existente que cubre el fenómeno del emprendimiento social y el papel de la tecnología en las empresas sociales. Entrevistar a los fundadores de varias organizaciones que se encuentran en el espectro de las empresas sociales ha sido la fuente de los datos empíricos de esta investigación, que luego se analizaron de acuerdo con la teoría fundamentada. Los resultados mostraron que al utilizar las capacidades tecnológicas, las organizaciones sociales lograron hacer el trabajo que otros sectores no lograron, además de mejorar las condiciones económicas y sociales. Los usos de la tecnología rompen muchas barreras y facilitan la vida de las personas y ayudan a erradicar el ciclo interminable de injusticia social en el que viven estas personas. En el campo del emprendimiento social, el uso de la tecnología permite que cualquier persona en cualquier nivel tenga un impacto social. Cómo se utilizan las tecnologías en las empresas sociales para servir a las comunidades desfavorecidas, especialmente en los países en desarrollo, cómo se implementan y el papel de la tecnología en la disrupción del mercado al generar un impacto social. Para superar esto, además de romper los obstáculos comerciales, las organizaciones sociales tienden a cooperar a nivel interorganizacional. De acuerdo con la teoría constructivista social, los hallazgos de esta investigación pueden ser de interés para otros investigadores en este campo, ya que proporcionarán una comprensión más clara del papel de la tecnología en la SE. Los formuladores de políticas pueden buscar información sobre medios tecnológicos, como: modelo de código abierto, que se puede aplicar para garantizar una vida mejor. Las empresas sociales nacientes, los gobiernos y las empresas pueden aprender una lección sobre el uso de la tecnología para crear un impacto social en lugar de usarla para ampliar la brecha entre ricos y pobres. Finalmente, esta tesis no es concluyente; Todavía hay preguntas más amplias por hacer y más oportunidades de investigación por aprovechar y, con suerte, estos hallazgos pueden definir un alcance más amplio para la próxima investigación sobre el uso de la tecnología en el emprendimiento social

Diffusion tensor magnetic resonance imaging in the gradingof liver fibrosis associated with congenital ductal plate malformations

Purpose: Liver biopsy is still the standard method for the diagnosis of ductal plate malformations (DPM). However, it is an invasive tool. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) has shown its accuracy in the diagnosis of this pathology. Herein, a study was conducted to elucidate the role of diffusion MRI parameters in predicting the degree of hepatic fibrosis. Material and methods: This prospective study included 29 patients with DPM and 20 healthy controls. Both groups underwent diffusion tensor magnetic resonance imaging (DT-MRI), and its parameters were compared between patients and controls, and then they were correlated with the degree of liver fibrosis in the patient group. Results: All patients with DPM, whatever its type, expressed a significantly lower hepatic apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) compared to controls. However, fractional anisotropy (FA) showed no significant difference between them. The ADC value of 1.65 × 10-3 mm2/s had sensitivity and specificity of 82.1% and 90%, respectively, in differentiating DPM patients from healthy controls. It was evident that patients with higher fibrosis grades had significantly lower hepatic ADC, indicating a negative correlation between ADC and the grade of hepatic fibrosis; rs = -0.901, p < 0.001. Conclusions: DT-MRI showed good efficacy in the diagnosis of congenital DPM. Moreover, ADC could be applied to monitor the degree of liver fibrosis rather than the invasive liver biopsy. No significant correlation was noted between the FA and the grades of liver fibrosis

PEGylated liposomes : immunological responses

A commonly held view is that nanocarriers conjugated to polyethylene glycol (PEG) are non-immunogenic. However, many studies have reported that unexpected immune responses have occurred against PEG-conjugated nanocarriers. One unanticipated response is the rapid clearance of PEGylated nanocarriers upon repeat administration, called the accelerated blood clearance (ABC) phenomenon. ABC involves the production of antibodies toward nanocarrier components, including PEG, which reduces the safety and effectiveness of encapsulated therapeutic agents. Another immune response is the hypersensitivity or infusion reaction referred to as complement (C) activation-related pseudoallergy (CARPA). Such immunogenicity and adverse reactivities of PEGylated nanocarriers may be of potential concern for the clinical use of PEGylated therapeutics. Accordingly, screening of the immunogenicity and CARPA reactogenicity of nanocarrier-based therapeutics should be a prerequisite before they can proceed into clinical studies. This review presents PEGylated liposomes, immunogenicity of PEG, the ABC phenomenon, C activation and lipid-induced CARPA from a toxicological point of view, and also addresses the factors that influence these adverse interactions with the immune system

Burnout among surgeons before and during the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic: an international survey

Background: SARS-CoV-2 pandemic has had many significant impacts within the surgical realm, and surgeons have been obligated to reconsider almost every aspect of daily clinical practice. Methods: This is a cross-sectional study reported in compliance with the CHERRIES guidelines and conducted through an online platform from June 14th to July 15th, 2020. The primary outcome was the burden of burnout during the pandemic indicated by the validated Shirom-Melamed Burnout Measure. Results: Nine hundred fifty-four surgeons completed the survey. The median length of practice was 10&nbsp;years; 78.2% included were male with a median age of 37&nbsp;years old, 39.5% were consultants, 68.9% were general surgeons, and 55.7% were affiliated with an academic institution. Overall, there was a significant increase in the mean burnout score during the pandemic; longer years of practice and older age were significantly associated with less burnout. There were significant reductions in the median number of outpatient visits, operated cases, on-call hours, emergency visits, and research work, so, 48.2% of respondents felt that the training resources were insufficient. The majority (81.3%) of respondents reported that their hospitals were included in the management of COVID-19, 66.5% felt their roles had been minimized; 41% were asked to assist in non-surgical medical practices, and 37.6% of respondents were included in COVID-19 management. Conclusions: There was a significant burnout among trainees. Almost all aspects of clinical and research activities were affected with a significant reduction in the volume of research, outpatient clinic visits, surgical procedures, on-call hours, and emergency cases hindering the training. Trial registration: The study was registered on clicaltrials.gov "NCT04433286" on 16/06/2020

Impact of opioid-free analgesia on pain severity and patient satisfaction after discharge from surgery: multispecialty, prospective cohort study in 25 countries

Background: Balancing opioid stewardship and the need for adequate analgesia following discharge after surgery is challenging. This study aimed to compare the outcomes for patients discharged with opioid versus opioid-free analgesia after common surgical procedures.Methods: This international, multicentre, prospective cohort study collected data from patients undergoing common acute and elective general surgical, urological, gynaecological, and orthopaedic procedures. The primary outcomes were patient-reported time in severe pain measured on a numerical analogue scale from 0 to 100% and patient-reported satisfaction with pain relief during the first week following discharge. Data were collected by in-hospital chart review and patient telephone interview 1 week after discharge.Results: The study recruited 4273 patients from 144 centres in 25 countries; 1311 patients (30.7%) were prescribed opioid analgesia at discharge. Patients reported being in severe pain for 10 (i.q.r. 1-30)% of the first week after discharge and rated satisfaction with analgesia as 90 (i.q.r. 80-100) of 100. After adjustment for confounders, opioid analgesia on discharge was independently associated with increased pain severity (risk ratio 1.52, 95% c.i. 1.31 to 1.76; P &lt; 0.001) and re-presentation to healthcare providers owing to side-effects of medication (OR 2.38, 95% c.i. 1.36 to 4.17; P = 0.004), but not with satisfaction with analgesia (beta coefficient 0.92, 95% c.i. -1.52 to 3.36; P = 0.468) compared with opioid-free analgesia. Although opioid prescribing varied greatly between high-income and low- and middle-income countries, patient-reported outcomes did not.Conclusion: Opioid analgesia prescription on surgical discharge is associated with a higher risk of re-presentation owing to side-effects of medication and increased patient-reported pain, but not with changes in patient-reported satisfaction. Opioid-free discharge analgesia should be adopted routinely

Mortality from gastrointestinal congenital anomalies at 264 hospitals in 74 low-income, middle-income, and high-income countries: a multicentre, international, prospective cohort study

Summary Background Congenital anomalies are the fifth leading cause of mortality in children younger than 5 years globally. Many gastrointestinal congenital anomalies are fatal without timely access to neonatal surgical care, but few studies have been done on these conditions in low-income and middle-income countries (LMICs). We compared outcomes of the seven most common gastrointestinal congenital anomalies in low-income, middle-income, and high-income countries globally, and identified factors associated with mortality. Methods We did a multicentre, international prospective cohort study of patients younger than 16 years, presenting to hospital for the first time with oesophageal atresia, congenital diaphragmatic hernia, intestinal atresia, gastroschisis, exomphalos, anorectal malformation, and Hirschsprung’s disease. Recruitment was of consecutive patients for a minimum of 1 month between October, 2018, and April, 2019. We collected data on patient demographics, clinical status, interventions, and outcomes using the REDCap platform. Patients were followed up for 30 days after primary intervention, or 30 days after admission if they did not receive an intervention. The primary outcome was all-cause, in-hospital mortality for all conditions combined and each condition individually, stratified by country income status. We did a complete case analysis. Findings We included 3849 patients with 3975 study conditions (560 with oesophageal atresia, 448 with congenital diaphragmatic hernia, 681 with intestinal atresia, 453 with gastroschisis, 325 with exomphalos, 991 with anorectal malformation, and 517 with Hirschsprung’s disease) from 264 hospitals (89 in high-income countries, 166 in middleincome countries, and nine in low-income countries) in 74 countries. Of the 3849 patients, 2231 (58·0%) were male. Median gestational age at birth was 38 weeks (IQR 36–39) and median bodyweight at presentation was 2·8 kg (2·3–3·3). Mortality among all patients was 37 (39·8%) of 93 in low-income countries, 583 (20·4%) of 2860 in middle-income countries, and 50 (5·6%) of 896 in high-income countries (p<0·0001 between all country income groups). Gastroschisis had the greatest difference in mortality between country income strata (nine [90·0%] of ten in lowincome countries, 97 [31·9%] of 304 in middle-income countries, and two [1·4%] of 139 in high-income countries; p≤0·0001 between all country income groups). Factors significantly associated with higher mortality for all patients combined included country income status (low-income vs high-income countries, risk ratio 2·78 [95% CI 1·88–4·11], p<0·0001; middle-income vs high-income countries, 2·11 [1·59–2·79], p<0·0001), sepsis at presentation (1·20 [1·04–1·40], p=0·016), higher American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) score at primary intervention (ASA 4–5 vs ASA 1–2, 1·82 [1·40–2·35], p<0·0001; ASA 3 vs ASA 1–2, 1·58, [1·30–1·92], p<0·0001]), surgical safety checklist not used (1·39 [1·02–1·90], p=0·035), and ventilation or parenteral nutrition unavailable when needed (ventilation 1·96, [1·41–2·71], p=0·0001; parenteral nutrition 1·35, [1·05–1·74], p=0·018). Administration of parenteral nutrition (0·61, [0·47–0·79], p=0·0002) and use of a peripherally inserted central catheter (0·65 [0·50–0·86], p=0·0024) or percutaneous central line (0·69 [0·48–1·00], p=0·049) were associated with lower mortality. Interpretation Unacceptable differences in mortality exist for gastrointestinal congenital anomalies between lowincome, middle-income, and high-income countries. Improving access to quality neonatal surgical care in LMICs will be vital to achieve Sustainable Development Goal 3.2 of ending preventable deaths in neonates and children younger than 5 years by 2030

ANALYSIS OF THE EXTERNAL DEMAND FOR EGYPTIAN ORANGE EXPORTS USING ALMOST IDEAL DEMAND SYSTEM

The agricultural foreign trade sector is one of the most important sectors that have a direct impact on the economic development programs. Oranges occupy the first place among Egyptian citrus varieties, with Egyptian production of about 3.014 million tons representing about 70.4% of the total citrus production of 4.3 million tons (2012-2016). Its productive area reached 294.5 thousand feddans representing about 68% of the total area of citrus fruits, which amounted to about 433 thousand feddans during the same period. The problem of the study is the volatility of the quantity of Egyptian exports of oranges during the period of study (2000-2017), which made the Egyptian exports of oranges face great competition from many countries in foreign markets, which may lose them in their foreign markets and allow the competition to win these markets, The available statistics indicate that the average production of Egyptian oranges was about 2.6 million tons as an average for the period 2005-2017. However, the quantity of exports is only 23.5% of this production. The   objective of the research is to analyze the structure of the demand for Egyptian exports of oranges by achieving two main objectives: The first aims to study the development of Egyptian exports of oranges and the main importing countries. The second deals with estimating the price and cross price elasticities through the almost ideal demand system for Egyptian orange. The research was based on the use of descriptive statistical analysis in the presentation and characterization of export prices of Egyptian orange, and the variables of quantities and prices of the most competitive countries in each of the studied markets, The econometric analysis was used to estimate the market model of the demand for Egyptian oranges in each of the markets studied using the Linear Almost Ideal Demand System (LAIDS) model. The research was based on UN.org data. Comtrade http: //, Ministry of Agriculture and Land Reclamation, Central Agency for Public Mobilization and Statistics (2005-2017), as well as some scientific references related to the subject