Evaluation of in vitro biocompatibility of scaffolds for the repair of bone defects

The use of bone scaffolds in traumatology and orthopedics is an extremely important issue. The growing number of cases of significant bone defects, in particular after revision arthroplasty, combat trauma and due to the introduction of new methods of reconstructive surgery of bones and joints, requires more detailed studies of the using different osteoplastic materials. Materials and methods. As scaffolds used 4 types of materials that are most often used in the clinic for the correction of bone defects - ceramic hydroxylapatite, beta-tricalcium phosphate, allogeneic bone matrix treated with gamma irradiation, allogeneic bone matrix scaffold. The effect of matrices on the viability of normal human fibroblasts (M19 cell line) in cell culture in vitro was studied. The viability of cells after their co-cultivation with scaffolds was determined by colorimetric method by staining with crystal violet. To obtain an osteoinductive effect used platelet-rich plasma (PRP), standardized by the method of Araki with some modifications. The proliferative activity of fibroblasts was assessed by the level of expression of the proliferation marker Ki-67 by immunocytochemical analysis. Results. It was found that the least pronounced antiproliferative effect is shown by allogeneic bone matrix treated with gamma irradiation. Data on the complex effect of co-cultivation of fibroblasts with scaffolds in the presence of PRP on cell viability and proliferative activity were obtained. It was found that PRP improves the survival of fibroblasts by 15-30 % and increases their proliferative activity by 35-75 %. Delipidization of scaffold from allogeneic bone matrix, heat-treated by local bone bank technology, increased its biocompatibility with human fibroblasts. Conclusions. According to the results of a comparative analysis of the impact of different scaffolds on the viability of normal human fibroblasts, it was found that scaffolds from allogeneic bone matrix have the least pronounced antiproliferative effect. Platelet-rich plasma has been shown to improve fibroblast survival and increase their proliferative activity. Treatment with 70 % ethyl alcohol scaffold from allogeneic bone matrix, heat-treated by local bone bank technology, increased its biocompatibility with human fibroblasts.

AN EMPIRICAL ASSESSMENT OF ADOPTION AND INNOVATION OF THE PORTABLE BANKING TECHNOLOGY IN KENYA

The study investigated the appropriateness of innovation diffusion in understanding and explaining the adoption rate and acceptability of portable bank technology in Kenya through the assessment of the factors that influence the adoption of portable banking technology. The study employed a sample of 115 portable bank technology adopters based on a purposive sampling technique and tested the five attributes of innovations, namely relative advantage, compatibility, complexity, trialability, and observability. The study found that relative advantage, compatibility, Trialability, and observability positively impact adoption. Trialability and complexity were found to have a lesser significant effect on adoption. Complexity hurts adoption. More specifically, the regression model revealed that compatibility is the most significant determinant of adopting portable bank technology with t=4.21 and p ≤ 0.001. Trialability has a significant positive impact on adoption with t= 4.27 and p ≤ 0.001. Observability has a high explanatory value with t = 4.45 and p ≤ 0.001. Relative advantage has returned a positive explanatory coefficient at t=4.50 and p ≤ 0.001. Finally, Complexity had no significant impact on the adoption of portable banking technology. The study has uncovered useful trends in portable bank technology adoption in Kenya. The study recommended that future research should focus on broader variables and carry out comparative studies on both homogeneous and heterogeneous settings to gauge the net effect of technical attributes on technology adoption.

Factors affecting of bank selection decisions to saving deposits by individual customers in Ben Tre province

The purpose of this article is to determine and measure factors affecting the decision of choosing a bank for saving deposits of individual customers in Ben Tre province. With a convenient sampling of 279 customers aged between 20 and 65, the obtained data is analyzed by the Reliability Analysis, Exploratory Factor Analysis, and Binary Logistic regression analysis. The result suggests that contrary to assertions in previous studies, Bank Reputation does not impact individual customers' decisions when choosing the bank to deposit. Besides that, (1) Convenience, (2) Service quality, (3) Bank technology, (4) Financial benefits, (5) Reference groups have positive impacts on the decision of choosing a bank for saving deposits. The practical implications drawn from this study suggest that the Bank should develop business strategies appropriate to the market by providing services with more utilities based on modern systems and technology platforms. This study also separates the scale of the Bank Technology factor from the Convenience factor or Service quality factor. This reliable scale will be the standard for future studies in banking selection in Vietnam.

Novel Approach to Disseminate Educational Materials Using Technology

Introduction/Objective Our facility initiated a modification to an existing on-site Specialist in Blood Bank Technology and Transfusion Medicine (SBB) Program, in July 2018. The modification changed a local program to a hybrid on-site and distance learning program. The curriculum was established using a dynamic repository of recorded presentations (video/audio recordings and PowerPoint/audio presentations) as part of the self-paced, didactic educational portion of the program. The challenge was to provide a primary method for accessing the didactic portion of the program that would be flexible and available through a variety of venues. Our SBB Program was awarded $2,500 by the ASCP Foundation Laboratory Science Program Director Educational Grant in 2018 in support of modifying the current SBB program to a modified, hybrid on-site plus on-line program. Methods The grant provided the necessary seed money to purchase iPads, seen as the method for delivery of the educational materials. The Apple iPad® (Apple, Inc., One Apple Park Way, Cupertino, CA 95014) was purchased to enable student access to on-line lecture materials through the company’s secure web portal. The SBB Program Director prepared the iPad for the students to ensure the on-line links were usable. The Directors demonstrated the use of the iPad to the students for accessing educational content during the orientation week. Results NA-Educational Practice Abstract Conclusion The acquisition of iPads offered the flexibility needed by the students to access learner materials throughout their day where Wi-Fi is available (at work, home, café, etc.) without being dependent upon work or home computers. Further, use of the iPads has opened the opportunity to access assignments, download required texts where electronically available, and access the company learner management system for completing quizzes related to the student assignments.

The Terminological Data Bank “Classification Parameters of Phraseological Units” as an Electronic Terminographic Product: Design Experience

The aim of the study is to design an electronic terminographic product in the form of a terminological data bank (TDB) “Classification Parameters of Phraseological Units” with consistent implementation of infological and datological stages. The object in the study is the TDB, the focus is terms for designation of types of phraseological units (PU), which actively function in Ukrainian and Russian linguistics in the 2nd half of the 20th century to 2020. The methodology of the study is based on theoretical foundations of phraseology, terminology, applied linguistics, and computer terminography (linguistic database/data bank technology). The general and specific scientific methods are used: analysis and synthesis, ascent from the abstract to the concrete, classification, definitional analysis, identification, linguistic observation and description, selection, elements of a statistical method. The infological stage is related to the solution of a set of information problems: 1) definition of the principle of regularization of terms of phraseology, 2) selection of terms with the archeseme “phraseoclassification type” from scientific literature in order to form an alphabetical register, 3) establishment of the composition of the dedicated terminology subsystems, 4) description of terminology subsystems, 5) creation of an electronic catalog of terms for further computer processing of collected information. The main principle of systematization is the thesaurus: “terminological system – terminological microsystem – terminological subsystem – term”. The next step is to develop a datalogical scheme, which is a system of tables whose fields display information about the described terms in the form of data, for example: number, term, terminology subsystem, scientific source, definition, illustration, paradigm relations of the term. The TDB modeled in the work is a special terminology dictionary (monolingual (Ukrainian) in terms of the number of languages involved), which has 113 terms to denote types of PUs and covers 17 classifications of PUs. The TDB “Classification Parameters of Phraseological Units” is positioned as an electronic terminographic product created for storage of information, optimization and intensification of system research on fundamental issues of phraseology and phraseography, works devoted to problems of comprehensive analysis and parameterization of PUs. The prospect of the study is to create a Russian-language version of this terminographic product.

Assessment of Bank Technology Machine and Mobile Banking as Market Strategies to Raising Performance of Banks in Nigeria

The market challenge in form of increasing competition for success in the banking sector calls for market strategies that are customer- based towards raising the performance of Nigerian banks. The use by banks, of Automated Teller Machines and Mobile banking are at the centre stage of this market strategy. Existing knowledge on this aspect of marketing is inadequate. This study assessed the empirical effects of Automated Teller Machine and Mobile banking as marketing tools on return on equity of banks in Nigeria. Both primary and secondary data were used in the study. The data were fitted to Panel regression models of Fixed and Random effects. Findings support increasing distribution of Teller machines and raising awareness on Mobile banking as result-oriented marketing strategy for banks.

PENGARUH FAKTOR DEMOGRAFIS PADA ADOPSI LAYANAN BERBASIS TEKNOLOGI PADA PERBANKAN SYARIAH

Mobile phone and internet users in Indonesia continues to grow rapidly. It utilized by the bank to provide technology-based services, so that customers can trade without restriction of place and time. However, like other technologies, customers require adjustment for the adoption of such technology-based services. One of the factors that affect the adoption of technology-based service is the customer demographics.This study investigates the demographic effects of the adoption of mobile banking and internet banking. Data collected in the form of a survey of 44 respondents in Jakarta conducted in March 2015. The uniqueness of the study lies in the analysis that weighed between users on a technology-based service Islamic bank with conventional banks.The results showed demographic characteristics banking customers that use technology-based service in Islamic banks so that it can be followed up to the target or marketing communications.Keywords: Mobile Banking, Internet Banking, Sharia Bank, Technology Adaptation, Marketing, Demographic.