Measuring Economic Journals' Citation Efficiency: A Data Envelopment Analysis Approach

This paper by using Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA) and statistical inference evaluates the citation performance of 229 economic journals. The paper categorizes the journals into four main categories (A to D) based on their efficiency levels. The results are then compared to the 27 “core economic journals” as introduced by Dimond (1989). The results reveal that after more than twenty years Diamonds’ list of “core economic journals” is still valid. Finally, for the first time the paper uses data from four well-known databases (SSCI, Scopus, RePEc, Econlit) and two quality ranking reports (Kiel Institute internals ranking and ABS quality ranking report) in a DEA setting and in order to derive the ranking of 229 economic journals. The ten economic journals with the highest citation performance are Journal of Political Economy, Econometrica, Quarterly Journal of Economics, Journal of Financial Economics, Journal of Economic Literature, American Economic Review, Review of Economic Studies, Journal of Econometrics, Journal of Finance, Brookings Papers on Economic Activity.Ranking journals; Data Envelopment Analysis; Indexing techniques; Nonparametric analysis.

Escala multidimensional de evaluación del dolor (EMEDOR)

This study developed a pain evaluation scale and validated it for the Portuguese language. Development of the inventory - 308 readily available pain descriptors - were searched in international literature and validated by six judges. One hundred descriptors of acute pain and 100 descriptors of chronic pain were found, which were used in the next stage. Statistical validation - 493 health professionals and 146 patients experiencing acute and chronic pain participated in the study. Instructions, pain descriptors and respective definitions, pen and measuring tape were provided to participants. Psychophysical methods were used to establish categories, magnitude and cross-modality matching using line-length. Results revealed the ranking of the most frequently used descriptors of acute and chronic pain, with power equal to 0.99, close to the predicted (one), using line-length estimations. The Multidimensional Pain Evaluation Scale is thus validated for the Portuguese language.Os objetivos deste estudo foram elaborar escala de avaliação de dor e validá-la para a língua portuguesa. Elaboração de inventário - foram pesquisados 308 descritores de dor da literatura mundial e, a partir desses, seis juízes realizaram a validação aparente e de conteúdo. Como resultados foram encontrados 100 descritores de dor aguda e 100 de crônica, os quais foram utilizados na próxima etapa. Validação estatística - participaram 493 profissionais da saúde e 146 portadores de dor aguda e de crônica. Usou-se, como material, instruções aos participantes, descritores de dor e suas definições, caneta e trena. Foram utilizados métodos psicofísicos: estimação de categorias, estimação de magnitudes e emparelhamento intermodal com modalidade em comprimento de linhas. Os resultados mostram escalonamento dos descritores de maior caracterização para a dor aguda e para a dor crônica, tendo sido encontrado expoente igual a 0,99, próximo ao predito (um) ao utilizar comprimentos de linhas e estimativas numéricas. Foi validada para a língua portuguesa a Escala Multidimensional de Avaliação de Dor (EMADOR).Los objetivos de este estudio fueron elaborar una escala de evaluación del dolor y validarla para la lengua portuguesa. Elaboración de inventario - fueron investigados 308 descriptores del dolor en la literatura mundial y, a partir de estos, seis jueces realizaron la validación aparente y de contenido. Como resultados fueron encontrados 100 descriptores del dolor agudo y 100 del crónico, los cuales fueron utilizados en la próxima etapa. Validación estadística - participaron 493 profesionales de la salud y 146 portadores de dolor agudo y de crónico. Se usó, como material, instrucciones a los participantes, descriptores de dolor y sus definiciones, lápiz y cinta de medir. Fueron utilizados métodos psicofísicos: estimación de categorías, estimación de magnitudes y emparejamiento intermodal con modalidad en largo de líneas. Los resultados muestran escalonamiento de los descriptores de mayor caracterización para el dolor agudo y para el dolor crónico, fue encontrado exponente igual a 0,99, próximo al predicho (uno) al utilizar el largo de líneas y estimativas numéricas. Fue validado para la lengua portuguesa la Escala Multidimensional de Evaluación del Dolor (EMEDOR)

Evaluation of the quantitative and qualitative aspects of pain in the fibromyalgia sydrome

OBJETIVO: Avaliar a percepção da dor na fibromialgia por meio de técnica metodológica quantitativa e qualitativa. MÉTODOS: Foram avaliadas 30 pacientes mediante entrevista apreciada por meio de análise de conteúdo temática e do Instrumento de Descritores de Dor, porquanto para os dados resultantes foram calculados a média aritmética e o desvio-padrão para determinar quais descritores caracterizam a dor na fibromialgia. RESULTADOS E DISCUSSÃO: A análise de conteúdo resultou a construção de categorias de análise referentes às percepções de diagnóstico, motivações, doença, sentimentos, pensamentos e repercussões na qualidade de vida. Já o Instrumento de Descritores de Dor revelou que os descritores de maior atribuição na caracterização da dor foram: incômoda, que espalha, latejante, desconfortável e persistente, e os de menor atribuição foram: desgraçada, demoníaca, maldita, aterrorizante e assustadora. Os dois instrumentos mostraram tendência das pacientes em perceber e relatar a dor mais relacionada às características sensorial-discriminativas. Além disso, apresentaram dados relativos à importância do papel da família e do profissional de saúde no manejo da dor. CONCLUSÃO: Percebeu-se a necessidade de estimular a percepção e a expressão das pacientes em relação à dor, abarcando sua multidimensionalidade e, que o manejo da dor deve ser realizado levando-se em conta a tríade equipe de saúde, paciente e família, em face da complexidade do fenômeno.OBJECTIVE: Evaluate the perception of pain in the fibromyalgia through the quantitative and qualitative methodological technique. METHOD: A total of 30 patients were assessed through an interview analyzed by the thematic content and through the instrument Descriptors of Pain. Arithmetic mean and standard error were used to determine which descriptors better characterize the pain in the fibromyalgia. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION: The result of the content analysis was the construction of categories of analysis regarding the perceptions of: diagnosis, motivation, disease, feelings, thoughts and repercussions on the quality of life. The Descriptors of Pain instrument revealed the descriptors of higher attribution in the characterization of pain were inconvenient, spreading, pulsating, uncomfortable and persistent and the descriptors with the lower attribution were miserable, demoniac, cursed, terrifying and frightening. The two instruments showed the patients' tendency in perceiving and reporting the pain regarding to the sensorial-discriminating characteristics. In addition, data related to the importance of the family's and the health professional's roles in managing the pain were presented. CONCLUSION: The need to stimulate the perception and expression of patients regarding the pain in its multidimensionality was perceived. It is concluded that the management of pain must be performed considering the complexity of the phenomenon in terms of the triad health team - patient - family

Effect of fibre, antispasmodics, and peppermint oil in the treatment of irritable bowel syndrome: systematic review and meta-analysis

Objective: To determine the effect of fibre, antispasmodics, and peppermint oil in the treatment of irritable bowel syndrome. Design: Systematic review and meta-analysis of randomised controlled trials. Data sources: Medline, Embase, and the Cochrane controlled trials register up to April 2008. Review methods: Randomised controlled trials comparing fibre, antispasmodics, and peppermint oil with placebo or no treatment in adults with irritable bowel syndrome were eligible for inclusion. The minimum duration of therapy considered was one week, and studies had to report either a global assessment of cure or improvement in symptoms, or cure of or improvement in abdominal pain, after treatment. A random effects model was used to pool data on symptoms, and the effect of therapy compared with placebo or no treatment was reported as the relative risk (95% confidence interval) of symptoms persisting. Results: 12 studies compared fibre with placebo or no treatment in 591 patients (relative risk of persistent symptoms 0.87, 95% confidence interval 0.76 to 1.00). This effect was limited to ispaghula (0.78, 0.63 to 0.96). Twenty two trials compared antispasmodics with placebo in 1778 patients (0.68, 0.57 to 0.81). Various antispasmodics were studied, but otilonium (four trials, 435 patients, relative risk of persistent symptoms 0.55, 0.31 to 0.97) and hyoscine (three trials, 426 patients, 0.63, 0.51 to 0.78) showed consistent evidence of efficacy. Four trials compared peppermint oil with placebo in 392 patients (0.43, 0.32 to 0.59). Conclusion: Fibre, antispasmodics, and peppermint oil were all more effective than placebo in the treatment of irritable bowel syndrome

Energy production and use in Colorado's High Plains region

February 1982

American Indian/Alaska Native Transfer Student Experiences into a Four-Year University

This qualitative study examined the experiences of ten American Indian/Alaska Native transfer students attending a four-year land grant research institution. It used semi-structured interviews utilizing a narrative inquiry when telling their story. The theoretical frameworks used in the study were the Tribal Critical Race Theory (TribalCrit) and Funds of Knowledge. The study explored the strengths students used when navigating college during the transfer process. Through the findings of the study conceptual recommendations were made for institutions when trying to create a more inclusive college community for American Indian/Alaska Native transfer students

Evaluación de la calidad de vida en clientes con dolor crónico isquémico

The evaluation of quality of life (QOL) faced with chronic ischemic pain involves the clients in their subjectivity and multidimensionality. This descriptive study aimed to evaluate the quality of life of clients who presented chronic ischemic pain. A total of 100 clients of hospital institutes participated in the study. The instrument used to assess pain was an 11 point numerical scale, and to assess the quality of life, the World Health Organization Quality of Life-abbreviated questionnaire. The arithmetic mean for chronic pain was 5.59±3.16 points. The means for quality of life were: in the physical domain, 44.75±16.98; in the overall domain, 50.0±22.40; in the environment, 55.06±13.51, in the psychological, 56.21±17.19 and in the social domain, 68.33±21.84. Thus, the physical domain was, among the areas analyzed, the one which presented a greater impact on the quality of life of the clients with chronic ischemic pain.A avaliação da qualidade de vida (QV), frente à dor crônica isquêmica, envolve o cliente na sua subjetividade e multidimensionalidade. Este estudo descritivo teve como objetivo avaliar a qualidade de vida de clientes que manifestaram dor crônica isquêmica. Participaram da pesquisa 100 clientes de instituições hospitalares. O instrumento aplicado para avaliar a dor foi a escala numérica de 11 pontos e, para a qualidade de vida, o questionário World Health Organization Quality of Life-abreviado. A média aritmética para a dor crônica foi de 5,59±3,16 pontos. As médias para a qualidade de vida foram: no domínio físico, 44,75±16,98; no global, 50,0±22,40; no ambiental, 55,06±13,51; no psicológico, 56,21±17,19 e, no social, 68,33±21,84. Assim, o domínio físico foi, dentre os domínios analisados, o que apresentou maior impacto sobre a qualidade de vida dos clientes com dor crônica isquêmica.La evaluación de la calidad de vida (CV) frente al dolor crónico isquémico debe considerar la subjetividad del cliente y las múltiples dimensiones envueltas. Este estudio descriptivo tuvo como objetivo evaluar la calidad de vida de clientes que manifestaron dolor crónico isquémico. Participaron de la investigación 100 clientes de instituciones hospitalarias. El instrumento aplicado para evaluar el dolor fue la escala numérica de 11 puntos y para la calidad de vida, el cuestionario World Health Organization Quality of Life abreviado. El promedio aritmético para el dolor crónico fue de 5,59±3,16 puntos. Los promedios para la calidad de vida fueron: en el dominio físico, 44,75±16,98; en el global, 50,0±22,40; en el ambiental, 55,06±13,51; en el psicológico, 56,21±17,19 y en el social, 68,33±21,84. Así, el dominio físico fue, entre los dominios analizados, el que presentó un mayor impacto sobre la calidad de vida de los clientes con dolor crónico isquémico

Leader-Member Exchange Relationship, School Culture, And Job Satisfaction: Their Implication to Senior High School Teachers’ Work Performance

Teaching might not be the most popular profession in the world, but it is undoubtedly the most populated. With the change in the Department of Education in the Philippines, school leaders and teachers are challenged to maintain work performance under stressful conditions. The aim of this study is to investigate the implication of leader-member exchange relationship, school culture, job satisfaction on teachers’ work performance. This study utilized descriptive correlational design and stratified random sampling on the selection of the 157 senior high school teachers from two private universities in Cagayan de Oro City, Academic Year 2023-2024. Data revealed that teachers and principals have a very strong leader-member exchange relationship and shows no significant difference on their relationship. Teachers’ meets their expectations in their overall school culture, has an overall moderate job satisfaction, and exhibits strength on their overall work performance. The study also reveals no significant difference of the teachers’ overall work performance in terms of profile. However, contribution on LMX, teachers’ collaboration on school culture, and job responsibilities and community attachments/linkages have contributed teachers’ work performance. Thus, the theory of Maslow confirms teachers’ needs based on the study’s results. Therefore, this study recommends teachers to possibly show sense of openness to their principal, foster collaboration with colleagues, enroll in graduates studies, engage in community services and teachers serving 5 years above to possibly improve their personal attributes and engagement in community activities. Principals, on the other hand, to provide equal opportunities and minimize the work of the teachers. School administrators to possibly meet the needs of the teaching staff in improving job satisfaction and future research to consider other variables as part of the study’s limitations.&nbsp