Milica Bulajic

A fresh approach to evaluating the academic ranking of world universities

The aim of this article is to present new ideas in evaluating Shanghai University’s Academic Ranking of World Universities (ARWU). One issue frequently put forth in various publications is that the Shanghai rankings are sensitive to the relative weight they attribute to each variable. As a possible remedy to this issue, the statistical I-distance method is proposed to be used. Based on a sample containing the top 100 ranked universities, the results show a significant correlation with the official ARWU list. However, some inconsistencies concerning European universities have been noticed and elaborated upon.

How does the normalization of data affect the ARWU ranking

The aim of this paper is to present new ideas in evaluating Shanghai University’s Academic Ranking of World Universities (ARWU). In particular, this paper shall try to determine whether the normalization of data affects University ranks. In accordance with this, both the normalized and original (raw) data for each of the six variables has been obtained. Based on a sample containing the 54 US universities which are placed in the ARWU top 100, the statistical I-distance method was performed. The results showed great inconsistencies between university ranks obtained for the original and normalized data. These findings were then analyzed and the universities that had the greatest fluctuation in their ranks were noted.

A new approach to the QS university ranking using the composite I-distance indicator: Uncertainty and sensitivity analyses

Some major concerns of universities are to provide quality in higher education and enhance global competitiveness, thus ensuring a high global rank and an excellent performance evaluation. This article examines the Quacquarelli Symonds (QS) World University Ranking methodology, pointing to a drawback of using subjective, possibly biased, weightings to build a composite indicator (QS scores). We propose an alternative approach to creating QS scores, which is referred to as the composite I‐distance indicator (CIDI) methodology. The main contribution is the proposal of a composite indicator weights correction based on the CIDI methodology. It leads to the improved stability and reduced uncertainty of the QS ranking system. The CIDI methodology is also applicable to other university rankings by proposing a specific statistical approach to creating a composite indicator.

Blood donor satisfaction and the weak link in the chain of donation process

Recruiting and retaining enough donors is a problem. Six hundred and thirty nine blood donors were interviewed to identify the elements that can influence their satisfaction and the decision to become regulars. The majority of them were satisfied with staff skill and communication, they declared they were calm before donating and felt well after donation. First-time donors (FTDs) were more frightened, showed anticipatory anxiety, were less sure they would donate again (p<0.01) and the youngest were also less satisfied with the staffs behavior after donation. Identifying the more scared FTDs and diminishing their anxiety before donating could positively influence their decision to become regulars.

Gender differences revealed by the Brief Illness Perception Questionnaire in allergic rhinitis

The increasing prevalence of allergic rhinitis (AR) is reported worldwide. Illness perception (IP) assessment is warranted in current routine clinical practice to assist communication between patients and medical staff, and improve adherence to treatment and disease outcome.

A New Approach to the Evaluation of Countries’ Educational Structure and Development: The European Study

The ranking of higher education institutions, as well as the ranking of countries based on their scientific achievements, draws a significant amount of attention. Nevertheless, the ranking of countries according to their educational structure provides a completely different view. This article introduces a new approach to ranking, proposes certain changes in defining the parameters that should be included in the ranking process, and compares the results to the available Education index. This provides a new perspective on the evaluation of a country’s educational structure, which can speak volumes about its overall educational development.

Illness perception in tuberculosis by implementation of the Brief Illness Perception Questionnaire - a TBNET study.

How patients relate to the experience of their illness has a direct impact over their behavior. We aimed to assess illness perception in patients with pulmonary tuberculosis (TB) by means of the Brief Illness Perception Questionnaire (BIPQ) in correlation with patients’ demographic features and clinical TB score.Our observational questionnaire based study included series of consecutive TB patients enrolled in several countries from October 2008 to January 2011 with 167 valid questionnaires analyzed. Each BIPQ item assessed one dimension of illness perceptions like the consequences, timeline, personal control, treatment control, identity, coherence, emotional representation and concern. An open question referred to the main causes of TB in each patient’s opinion.The over-all BIPQ score (36.25 ± 11.054) was in concordance with the clinical TB score (p ≤ 0.001). TB patients believed in the treatment (the highest item-related score for treatment control) but were unsure about the illness identity. Illness understanding and the clinical TB score were negatively correlated (p < 0.01). Only 25% of the participants stated bacteria or TB contact as the first ranked cause of the illness.For routine clinical practice implementation of the BIPQ is convenient for obtaining fast and easy assessment of illness perception with potential utility in intervention design. This time saving effective personalized approach may improve communication with TB patients and contribute to better behavioral strategies in disease control.

Emotional support to apheresis donors: effect and implication.

It is widely accepted that well-being and satisfaction are unavoidably interlinked requirements that predispose donors to become regular. Detecting in advance even the mildest symptoms of discomfort during first donation, that may simply be the result of an unknown experience, is useful in preventing more disturbing symptoms (mens sana in corpore sano). Being able to recognize any form of uneasiness, even when not immediately apparent, creates in donors the awareness that staff is professionally skilled and really interested in their safety and comfort. This reinforces the staff/donor relationship and gives donors the chance to keep their calm and to learn how to manage disturbing emotions. Emotional support given to first-time platelet familiar donors during donation prevented or mitigated the onset of vaso-vagal symptoms and also freed positive emotions that reinforced the desire to donate. As a result, 62% of these donors, informed about the shortage of voluntary platelet donors, spontaneously gave their address contact to be called also for non-familiar recipients. The application of the psychological approach in Italy increased the rate of donor return to 97% and its partial application in Serbia was useful in converting familiar donors into voluntary ones.

A STATISTICAL APPROACH TO EVALUATING EFFICIENCY OF BANKS

Abstract Evaluating efficiency of banks has always represented a challenge for researchers. Although many different methods have been proposed, no particular approach is agreed upon. In this paper, statistical I–distance method is proposed. We employed this method on the Serbian banks in the five-year period. Results obtained by I-distance methodology are presented and thoroughly elaborated.

Asthma mortality in Serbia: a 30-year analysis.

INTRODUCTION The asthma mortality pattern differs among countries. No published evidence is currently available on asthma mortality in a European low-middle-income country in socioeconomic transition. We analyzed the trend of asthma mortality rate in Serbia during the period 1980-2009. MATERIALS AND METHODOLOGY a descriptive study; source of data: Republic of Serbia Institute of Statistics Death Registry. We analyzed asthma mortality data in the total population, including gender specific analysis, and in the selected ≥ 5-34 year age group. The International Classification of Diseases codes for asthma 493 (1980-1996) and J45 + J46 (1997-2009) were included. Population estimates were based on 1991 and 2002 census data, with extrapolation. RESULTS The over-all average mortality rate was 7.27 ± 2.14/100,000 inhabitants. The mortality rate peaked in 1981 at 11.3/100,000 but was 4.45/100,000 in the last year of analysis. While both overall mortality rate, as well as gender specific rates, showed clear decreases over the observed 30-year period (average absolute annual decrease of 0.195/100,000 inhabitants, 0.241/100,000 men and 0.149/100,000 women; p < 0.001) with corresponding relative annual decreases of 2.9% for the whole population, 3.0% for men and 2.8% for women, a stable trend of the rate was found in the age group ≥ 5-34 years. Male-to-female ratio was 1.59 ± 0.186, on average and it showed a stable trend over the observed period. CONCLUSION Although the failure of the health care system during the socioeconomic crisis of the 1990s might have transiently affected asthma mortality rates, the overall mortality rate for the disease shows a favorable decreasing trend.