Online grocery shopping intention: Elderly's perspective in Malaysia

Purpose

This study investigates the factors associated with the elderly's intention to use OGS. Building on the Technology Acceptance Model, we propose several elderly-specific and functional-ageing constructs related to the perceived ease of use and usefulness of OGS.

Methods

The questionnaire was distributed physically and digitally to non-OGS users aged above 60, living in the Klang Valley, Malaysia, using a non-probability sampling approach. A total of 302 data were analysed using PLS structural equation modelling.

Results

The findings indicate that perceived ease of use, functional ability, life-course events, and digital literacy are associated with the elderly's perception of OGS's usefulness, while life-course events, digital literacy, technology anxiety, and facilitating conditions are associated with the perceived ease of use.

Conclusion

This study contributes to the OGS literature by addressing ageing complexities with OGS adoption among the elderly population, thereby offering insights for marketers and the government to tailor services and provide relevant support.

Elderly's intention to use technologies: A systematic literature review

The population aging and an increased life expectancy are widely recognized social changes. Technologies are believed to improve the elderly's daily lives and maintain their health efficiently. Despite the advantage of adopting technologies, the elderly are slower to adopt new technologies compared to younger adults. This paper presents a Systematic Literature Review (SLR) to identify the different antecedents prevailing in the literature on elderly technology adoption. The SLR classifies and analyzes 26 relevant articles on elderly's technology adoption. Our findings revealed that quantitative approach and cross-sectional studies predominate in this field, building fundamentally upon the technology-driven theories. We identify seven categories of antecedents influencing elderly's use of technology, namely, technology, psychological, social, personal, cost, behavior, and environment antecedents. A conceptual framework for elderly's technology adoption and recommendations were presented. Particular attention is given to the need for in depth study for the antecedents, development of new measurement scales and investigation on the effectiveness of the proposed benefits after technology adoption.

An atypical sternoclavicular septic arthritis that was treated conservatively

Sternoclavicular joint infection is rare. While it is usually treated surgically, we wish to report a case of non-operative treatment of such infection caused by an atypical organism. A 51-year-old woman, known case of diabetes mellitus, hypertension, dyslipidaemia and hyperthyroidism presented with pain over the left upper chest for two weeks associated with redness and fever for one week. The patient was diagnosed to have left sternoclavicular joint septic arthritis with medial end left clavicular osteomyelitis, left sternocleidomastoid, left anterior chest wall abscesses and left lower lobe posterior basal segment cavitating lung lesion with a single nodule in the lingular segment. The blood culture and sensitivity grew extended spectrum beta lactamase (ESBL) Klebsiella pneumonia and the patient was treated with two weeks of meropenem. Computed Tomography was then repeated 2 months later and features were suggestive resolving of left sternoclavicular joint septic arthritis with medial end left clavicular osteomyelitis. The patient is still under surveillance and is currently symptom free 1 year later. We present a case to our knowledge is the first case of rare gram negative rod organism, ESBL Klebsiella pneumoniae infection which caused the left sternoclavicular septic arthritis with medial end left clavicular osteomyelitis, left sternocleidomastoid and left anterior chest wall abscesses. The patient is most likely immunocompromised from being a diabetic with hyperthyroidism. First line treatment can be with antibiotics and when that fails, patient can be treated surgically. Two weeks of antibiotics therapy is possible in selected patients with monitoring of the infective markers.

Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma Database

Nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) is a cancer which is common in Asia. We report the establishment and early results of a multi-institutional prospective study of nasopharyngeal carcinoma, which seeks to systematically collect data as well as blood and tumour tissue samples from patients diagnosed with nasopharyngeal cancer at six centres in Malaysia. A total of 484 confirmed NPC cases were reported from the six participating centres between 1st July 2007 and 29th February 2008. Of these, 225 were newly diagnosed cases, 53 were recurrent cases and 206 were in remission at the time of reporting. Amongst the newly diagnosed cases, the most common presenting symptom was the presence of neck lumps (42%). Ophthalmo-neurologic symptoms were the presenting symptoms of 11% of the new cases. The majority of cases (75%) presented at stage III/IV.

Frozen-thawed embryo transfer: influence of clinical factors on implantation rate and risk of multiple conception

BACKGROUND

Frozen embryo transfer is an important supplementary procedure in the treatment of infertility. While general information concerning the outcome of frozen embryo transfer has been documented, few studies have addressed the potential of embryo implantation in particular clinical situations. Importantly, the risk of multiple conception following frozen embryo transfer has been poorly documented compared with the information available for fresh embryo transfer.

METHODS

This is a retrospective study analysing 3570 frozen embryo transfer cycles (1438 couples) with a view to increasing our understanding of the clinical circumstances that influence the potential for embryo implantation.

RESULTS

The overall implantation rate was 9.1%. The characteristics associated with a more favourable implantation rate were the success of the previous fresh embryo transfer cycle, age < 40 years and non-tubal factor aetiology of infertility. Such women had an increased risk of multiple conception.

CONCLUSION

Female age, the aetiology of infertility and the outcome of fresh embryo transfer are the most important factors influencing the implantation rate following frozen embryo transfer. A prognostic table has been constructed that may assist with the determination of the optimal number of embryos to be replaced in frozen embryo transfer to provide better individualized counselling and to secure an optimal chance of pregnancy while reducing the risk of multiple conception.

A comparative randomized trial of vinca alkaloids in patients with metastatic breast carcinoma

The therapeutic efficacy of vincristine, vinblastine, and vindesine were evaluated in a prospective randomized trial in patients with metastatic breast carcinoma. All patients were refractory to doxorubicin-containing chemotherapy. Vincristine was administered at 0.4 mg/m2/1/day by continuous infusion (CI), vinblastine at 1.7 mg/M2/1/day by CI, and vindesine at 1.2 mg/M2/1/day by CI or intermittent bolus (IB) over 5 days. The courses were administered at 2-week intervals for vincristine and 3-week intervals for vinblastine and vindesine. Ninety-nine patients were evaluable for response. The 15 patients treated with vincristine had no objective response. Of 23 patients treated with vinblastine, there were 2 complete responses (9%) and 5 partial responses (22%). Of 31 patients treated with CI vindesine, there were 6 partial responses (19%). Of 30 patients treated with IB vindesine, there were 5 partial responses (17%). The median duration of disease control was 13 weeks (range, 8-140+) for vinblastine, 18 weeks (range, 8-34) for CI vindesine, and 20 weeks (range, 12-47) for IB vindesine. These data illustrate that vinblastine (CI) and vindesine (CI or IB) have significant antitumor activity in patients with refractory metastatic breast carcinoma and that vincristine has not antitumor activity in similar patients.