ET Enterprises (United Kingdom)

Abstract Background: This 30-day single-center, randomized, controlled, examiner-blind, parallel-design clinical trial compared the efficacy in controlling dental plaque and gingivitis of the Autobrush® 360° U-shaped sonic toothbrush to that of an ADA reference soft manual toothbrush. Gingival abrasion and recession were also evaluated to establish safety-in-use. Methods: 77 subjects, aged 5-65 years, with mild-to-moderate plaque and gingivitis levels were assigned to: 1) twice-daily brushing for 2 minutes with the ADA reference manual toothbrush (MTB) and fluoride toothpaste; or 2) twice-daily brushing for 30 seconds with the Autobrush® (AB) and fluoride toothpaste. Subjects refrained from oral hygiene for 12-16 hours prior to each clinical assessment at baseline, Day 15 and Day 30. Evaluations comprised assessments of oral soft and hard tissue, gingivitis, gingival recession, gingival abrasion and supragingival plaque. Pre-to-post-brushing plaque assessments were measured on Day 30. No dental prophylaxis was performed. Within- and between-treatment means were assessed using an ANCOVA model. Results: No treatment-related oral adverse events, nor differences between groups for gingival recession and abrasion were detected. Significant gingivitis and plaque reductions were observed for AB compared to MTB on Days 15 and 30 (p<0.0001). Compared to MTB, AB reduced whole-mouth gingivitis scores by 25% and 41%, respectively. These overall results comprised improvements in gingivitis levels in all the assessed hard-to-reach areas compared to MTB. Whole-mouth plaque scores were reduced 26.5% and 27.7% on Days 15 and 30, respectively, for the AB compared to the MTB. Improvement in Day 30 post-brushing plaque scores for AB were significantly better (p<0.0001) than MTB for whole-mouth, gumline, proximal and most distal surfaces at 43%, 82%, 27% and 69%, respectively. Conclusion: 30-seconds brushing with the Autobrush® toothbrush was superior to 2-minutes brushing with an ADA-accepted reference manual toothbrush in reducing gingivitis and plaque after 15- and 30-days use. It also demonstrated highly significant levels of plaque removal after a single brushing on Day 30. Both toothbrushes were well-tolerated and the safety-in-use of the Autobrush® was demonstrated in this 30-day study. Clinical Trial Registration: This clinical study was registered retrospectively on ClinicalTrials.gov under entry NCT06122376. The first submission date was 05-11-2023.

The article examines the peculiarities of innovative management of the development of hotel enterprises in Ukraine in the context of a transitional economy, post-pandemic recovery, and full-scale war. It is argued that in the modern environment, innovation is no longer an optional direction of modernization and is transforming into a system-forming mechanism for ensuring operational stability, financial adaptability, service continuity, and competitiveness of hotel enterprises. It is proven that innovation in the hospitality sector is becoming an integrated management model that combines digitalization, data analytics, security solutions, ESG practices, and product diversification. The methodological basis of the study is a desk-research approach based on the generalization of open sources, analytical reviews, and public materials of Ukrainian hotels of the “****” category for 2020–2024. Key innovation groups have been systematized: formation of a digital operational core (PMS, CRM, channel manager, communication automation), personalization of the customer experience based on data management, environmental and ESG solutions, security and cyber protection tools, as well as the development of product diversification (wellness, MICE, partnership formats). It has been established that the most resistant to crisis shocks are those management models that integrate digital solutions with business continuity systems, demand analytics, and sustainable development principles. The relationship between the level of innovation maturity of a hotel, profitability, guest loyalty, and brand reputation stability has been substantiated. Systemic barriers to innovative development have been identified: uneven digital maturity between chain and independent hotels, lack of investment, lack of data competencies, fragmentation of information systems, and a high level of external uncertainty. The scientific novelty of the study lies in the development of a phased model of innovative development of a hotel enterprise in conditions of crisis turbulence according to the logic: “digital core → stability and security → data analytics → personalization and AI → ESG and diversification”. The practical significance of the results obtained lies in the possibility of using the proposed model as a tool for strategic planning and assessing the innovative maturity of Ukrainian hotel enterprises in the process of their post-war recovery and integration into the international hospitality market.

Purpose This study aims to understand how their internalised organisational values impacted the effectiveness of continuous improvement (CI) initiatives in a charitable organisation, and how action learning fostered individual and teams’ ability to solve problems while reinforcing the organisational values. In addition, it examines how Shingo principles can serve as a frame for guiding cultural transformation. Design/methodology/approach This paper is exploratory in nature and adopts a single purposive case study design. A mixed methods approach was used, combining the analysis of semi-structured interviews, a survey and archival data. Findings The internalisation of cultural values and the design of the workshops using the action learning methods proved to be critical to the success of the CI journey. In turn, these workshops were also designed to reinforce specific core organisational values. Although the organisation implicitly used the Shingo model without specifically structuring its improvement journey around the model, results show that the behaviours and practices are in line with the principles advocated by the model. Practical implications This paper provides critical reflective insights designed to enable senior managers and charity practitioners to use the findings to improve the effectiveness of CI initiatives in their organisations. Originality/value To the best of the authors’ knowledge this is the first paper to address the applicability of the Shingo model in charities. It also contributes to the current body of literature by demonstrating the importance of using organisational values as foundations for CI journeys and how action learning mechanisms are a powerful tool for accelerating and sustaining change.

Luminescent solar concentrators (LSCs) are large-area, high-efficiency solar energy-harvesting devices with considerable potential in building-integrated photovoltaics. Their performance is dominantly governed by the luminescent materials, which determine the light-harvesting efficiency, spectral conversion capability, and long-term operational stability of the devices. As important luminescent materials, metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) have advantages for LSC applications, including high luminescent efficiency, excellent stability, low environmental impact, and facile synthesis. Nevertheless, despite these favorable characteristics, the exploration of MOF-based luminescent materials in LSC devices remains relatively limited. In this work, a red-emitting MOF, designated as SCU-UEu-2, was synthesized with high reaction yield and good feasibility for large-scale production. Compared with Eu-based MOFs, SCU-UEu-2 shows a broader excitation range, while in contrast to quantum dots, it exhibits a narrower emission bandwidth. Moreover, the minimal spectral overlap between its absorption and emission effectively suppresses reabsorption energy losses, thereby improving LSC efficiency. The photoluminescent quantum yield (PLQY) of the SCU-UEu-2 reaches 90.28%. As a proof of concept, an LSC device incorporating SCU-UEu-2 was fabricated and systematically evaluated. Under simulated sunlight illumination (100 mW·cm-2), the device achieved a maximum optical conversion efficiency (ηopt) of 9.9%, demonstrating strong potential of MOF-based luminescent materials for high-performance LSC applications.

Freelance book indexers have to sort out not only what goes in the index, but also how much to charge for their indexing services. This article provides a step-by-step process that book indexers can use to determine how much money they ought to charge for an indexing project, taking into account personal budgets, business expenses, and project-specific concerns such as rush jobs and expertise.

This study investigates the impact of financial literacy on savings, entrepreneurship, and economic development in fragile and conflict-affected settings. Using a mixed-methods approach, we surveyed 500 individuals and conducted case studies of 10 local businesses in Adamawa state Nigeria. Our results show that financial literacy has a significant positive impact on savings, entrepreneurship, and economic development. The findings suggest that financial literacy programs can be an effective tool for promoting economic stability and resilience in fragile states. This study contributes to the existing literature by providing evidence of the importance of financial literacy in fragile and conflict-affected settings. Our results show that financial literacy has a significant positive impact on savings, entrepreneurship, and economic development. The findings suggest that financial literacy programs can be an effective tool for promoting economic stability and resilience in fragile states. The study's results indicate that individuals with higher financial literacy levels are more likely to save, invest, and engage in entrepreneurial activities, leading to improved economic outcomes. Furthermore, our case studies reveal that local businesses with financially literate owners are better equipped to manage risks, make informed decisions, and achieve sustainable growth. This study contributes to the existing literature by providing evidence of the importance of financial literacy in fragile and conflict-affected settings. The findings have implications for policymakers, practitioners, and researchers seeking to promote economic development and stability in fragile states. By highlighting the benefits of financial literacy, this study provides a foundation for designing and implementing effective financial literacy programs that can support economic resilience and growth in conflict-affected settings.

The artist Sarah Oppenheimer has designed a dynamic glass sculpture titled “N-05001” to inhabit the newly renovated Metropolitan Warehouse at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. This immense warehouse facility, the Met, was originally constructed in stages between 1894 and 1916, and has been repurposed into the new home for MIT’s School of Architecture, with Diller Scofidio + Renfro as the design Architect. The renovation includes four new atriums running from ground to roof levels that cut directly through the core of the existing building, exposing century-old structural layers and enabling natural light to flow into the surrounding academic spaces. “N-05001” will roam about one of the most populated atriums at a nearly imperceptible pace, challenging occupants’ perception of static architectural space. The sculpture consists of a 0,5 m diameter glass cylinder, 3,8 m tall, which travels up and down the end of a 6,0 m long cantilevered horizontal glass beam suspended from a trolley traversing the flange of a structural steel girder. A stainless steel counterweight on the opposite end of the glass beam balances the asymmetric configuration. This paper will focus on the initial problem of engineering a moving large-scale glass cylinder, and the increasingly complex stages of analysis, design, and coordination culminating in the creation of a glass machine whose intentionally exposed operation is transparent yet undetectable.

Technology transfer (TT) has been identified as a global health priority due to its impact on improving access to vaccines, including for pandemic influenza preparedness and response through bilateral and multilateral mechanisms. This study aimed to (1) characterize examples of influenza vaccine TT (IVTT) and (2) identify key lessons learned that may inform future activities relevant for next-generation influenza vaccine technologies. Using a contingent effectiveness model, a convergent mixed-methods study was conducted with vaccine manufacturers and global experts to capture quantitative survey data on IVTT activities and enablers and qualitative data on successes, challenges, and opportunities for IVTT through interviews, complemented by secondary data from peer-reviewed and grey literature to characterize additional IVTT observations. This study included 24 participants, including 14 representatives from 13 vaccine manufacturers and 10 experts. Interviews were conducted with representatives from eight manufacturers and seven experts. Eighteen IVTT observations were identified through the surveys and interviews, of which 15 IVTT transfers were completed and 13 resulted in an approved vaccine. Secondary data provided additional evidence on eight IVTT recipients and one supplier, expanding the range of institutional and programmatic contexts assessed. Shorter IVTT completion and vaccine approval timelines were observed in association with prior TT experience and private management structures for manufacturers, for pre-pandemic/pandemic influenza vaccines versus seasonal influenza vaccines, and among bilateral transfer mechanisms (versus multilateral mechanisms) and fill/finish transfer methods. Manufacturers also described spillover benefits, including the use of IVTT-related know-how for the development of COVID-19 and routine vaccines. Both manufacturers and experts generally agreed on a list of 17 enablers for successful IVTT and ranked government commitment to vaccine production and procurement as the top enabler. Findings from the literature-based observations were consistent with primary data and included additional public sector recipient experiences, evidence of widespread human capital development, and a commentary on the importance of the demand environment. Assessed IVTT activities across primary and secondary data sources yielded commercial and spillover benefits as described in the contingent effectiveness model and provided a triangulated analysis of IVTT experiences across manufacturers, experts, and documented cases. Participants agreed that effective technology transfer is contingent upon a host of determinants. Using a systematic application of the contingent effectiveness model to IVTT, this study provided an exploratory analysis of past activities among vaccine manufacturers and experts. While certain nuances for influenza were identified, the lessons learned from this study may be applicable for other TT activities, including those to support pandemic preparedness. The contingent effectiveness model is a useful tool to inform and evaluate future TT activities.

Abstract Background: Digital health interventions are increasingly being explored to strengthen adolescent school health systems in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). However, many digital health applications fail to achieve sustainability and scalability due to limited stakeholder integration and poor alignment with institutional systems. This study aimed to co-create and develop a contextually relevant digital school health application for adolescents in Karachi, Pakistan, using an Enterprise Architecture (EA) framework. Methods: A qualitative descriptive co-creation study was conducted in urban schools affiliated with the Aga Khan Education Service, Pakistan. A total of 411 stakeholders, including students, parents, teachers, school health nurses, and clinical psychologists, participated in the study. Data were collected using structured questionnaires comprising open-ended and closed-ended items informed by Enterprise Architecture domains. Qualitative data were analyzed thematically, while quantitative data were summarized using descriptive statistics. Findings from the co-creation phase informed the development and usability evaluation of a prototype digital school health application named AdolCare. Results: Stakeholders identified mental health, physical activity, healthy diet, and pubertal health as priority adolescent health content areas. Across stakeholder groups, confidentiality, authenticity of information, and student empowerment emerged as core principles guiding application development. The Enterprise Architecture framework facilitated the identification of stakeholder roles, with students positioned as primary users, health professionals as content facilitators, and parents as supportive observers. Preferred application features included quizzes, self-assessment tools, gamification, audio-visual content, and moderated “Ask the Expert” functions. Participants also emphasized the importance of simple English language, culturally appropriate content, and accessibility across Android and iOS platforms. Conclusions: The integration of co-creation methodology with an Enterprise Architecture framework enabled the development of a scalable, acceptable, and contextually responsive digital school health model for adolescents in an LMIC setting. The findings highlight the potential of structured digital health integration within school systems to strengthen adolescent health promotion, health literacy, and early support services. The proposed framework may inform future development of school-based digital health interventions in similar resource-constrained contexts.