bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Starved lubrication analysis for the top ring and cylinder liner of a two-stroke marine diesel engine considering the thermal effect of friction
Authors: Liu Zhan , Ning Xin , Meng Xianghui , Liao Qiucheng , Wang Jintao
Published: September 2021

The thermal effect of friction plays an important role in friction pairs working under heavy load and starved lubrication conditions, such as the piston ring and cylinder liner (PRCL) system of two-stroke marine diesel engines. Friction heat will degrade the lubrication and increase the scuffing risk. In this study, considering the thermal effect of friction, the tribological characteristics of the top ring and cylinder liner of a two-stroke marine diesel engine under starved lubrication are studied. It is found that the temperature rise due to friction is significant and has a strong influence on the tribological characteristics of the PRCL system. Moreover, based on the orthogonal test method, the effects of groove textures under different oil supplies are also explored. Only well-designed groove textures can reduce friction and wear at the same time.
A Bayesian framework for modelling the preferential selection process in respondent-driven sampling
Authors: McLaughlin Katherine R.
Published: September 2021

In sampling designs that utilize peer recruitment, the sampling process is partially unknown and must be modelled to make inference about the population and estimate standard outcomes like prevalence. We develop a Bayesian model for the recruitment process for respondent-driven sampling (RDS), a network sampling methodology used worldwide to sample hidden populations that are not reachable by conventional sampling techniques, including those at high risk for HIV/AIDS. Current models for the RDS sampling process typically assume that recruitment occurs randomly given the population social network, but this is likely untrue in practice. To model preferential selection on covariates, we develop a sequential two-sided rational choice framework, which allows generative probabilistic network models to be created for the RDS sampling process. In the rational choice framework, members of the population make recruitment and participation choices based on observable nodal and dyadic covariates to maximize their utility given constraints. Inference is made about recruitment preferences given the observed recruitment chain in a Bayesian framework by incorporating the latent utilities and sampling from the joint posterior distribution via Markov chain Monte Carlo. We present simulation results and apply the model to an RDS study of Francophone migrants in Rabat, Morocco.
Exploring, browsing and interacting with multi-level and multi-scale dynamics of knowledge
Authors: Lobbé Quentin , Delanoë Alexandre , Chavalarias David
Published: September 2021

The ICT revolution has given birth to a world of digital traces. A wide number of knowledge-driven domains like science are daily fueled by unlimited flows of textual contents. In order to navigate across these growing constellations of words, interdisciplinary innovations are emerging at the crossroad between social and computational sciences. In particular, complex systems approaches make it now possible to reconstruct multi-level and multi-scale dynamics of knowledge by means of inheritance networks of elements of knowledge called phylomemies. In this article, we will introduce an endogenous way to visualize the multi-level and multi-scale properties of phylomemies. The resulting system will enrich a state-of-the-art tree like representation with the possibility to browse through the evolution of a corpus of documents at different level of observation, to interact with various scales of description, to reconstruct a hierarchical clustering of elements of knowledge and to navigate across complex semantic lineages. We will then formalize a generic macro-to-micro methodology of exploration and implement our system as a free software called the Memiescape. Our system will be illustrated by three use cases that will respectively reconstruct the scientific landscape of the top cited publications of the French CNRS, the evolution of the state of the art of knowledge dynamics visualization and the ongoing discovery process of Covid-19 vaccines.
Maximizing the Potential of Mini-Grants to Promote Policy, Systems, and Environmental Changes: Outcomes and Challenges
Authors: Tompkins Nancy O’Hara , Wright Jessica , Giacobbi Peter , Alelaiwat Bayan , Vance James , Gregory Micah , Bromley Craig , Ross Megan
Published: September 2021

Purpose and Objectives

This article describes the implementation and evaluation of a chronic disease mini-grant initiative, coordinated by a state health department in collaboration with multiple stakeholders. Braided funding from federal and state sources was used to build and implement the initiative.

Intervention Approach

Mini-grants, facilitated by five different facilitating organizations, were funded to promote implementation of policy, systems, and environmental (PSE) changes at the local level. Grant recipients represented a variety of sectors, including education, government, and nonprofit organizations.

Evaluation Methods

Primary (surveys) and secondary (final reports) data documented achievement of PSE changes.

Results

A total of $196,369 was dispersed to 65 organizations; 126 PSE changes in the areas of physical activity, nutrition, and tobacco were reported. Challenges in implementing and evaluating mini-grants were identified, including the heterogeneity of the sectors/settings involved and associated variability of proposed activities, time lines, measurement, and evaluation activities. COVID-19 (coronavirus disease 2019) also disrupted the plans for many projects.

Implications for Public Health

The success of this initiative can be attributed to four main elements: (1) the use of intermediary organizations to facilitate the mini-grants; (2) a participatory evaluation process, combined with early and ongoing communication among all stakeholders; (3) a braided funding strategy; and (4) a multisector approach that engaged both traditional and nontraditional public health organizations. The processes and outcomes, including challenges, can inform other state health departments’ efforts in braiding funding and engaging intermediary organizations to expand the reach of PSE changes at the local level.
Hemostatic Efficacy and Biocompatibility Evaluation of a Novel Absorbable Porous Starch Hemostat
Authors: Zhu Jianjun , Wu Zhuona , Sun Wenzhong , Meng Zhiyun , Zhu Xiaoxia , Gan Hui , Gu Ruolan , Guo Xuan , Dou Guifang
Published: September 2021

Background

A novel absorbable porous starch hemostat (APSH) based on calcium ion-exchange crosslinked porous starch microparticles (Ca2+CPSM) was developed to improve hemostasis during surgeries for irregular cuts. The aim of this study was to compare its hemostatic efficacy and biocompatibility in a standard rat liver injury model relatively to Arista AH, Quickclean, and crosslinked porous starch microparticles (CPSM, without calcium ion).

Methods

72 Wistar rats (220g–240 g) were randomly assigned to six groups (Arista, Quickclean, CPSM, Ca2+CPSM, native potato starch, and untreated control group, n =12 per group). 30 mg of each hemostatic agent was applied to a standard circular liver excision (8 mm in diameter and 3 mm deep) in rats. Following their hemostatic efficacy, in vivo biocompatiblity evaluation was examined. The native potato starch (NPS) group was used as the negative group.

Results

Ca2+CPSM had almost the same hemostatic efficacy compared with Arista; meanwhile, all the 4 hemostatic agents had good blood compatibility. In terms of in vivo tissue compatibility, Ca2+CPSM had relatively fast degradation and absorption rate with good histocompatibility. As the morphological, anatomic observation and H&E staining of liver defects after implantation, Ca2+CPSM was almost completely absorbed by liver tissue after 14 days.

Conclusion

According to our study, Ca2+CPSM could effectively achieve hemostasis in the standard rat liver injury model and exhibited good blood compatibility and in vivo tissue compatibility. These finding suggested that Ca2+CPSM as a new kind of APSH had its extensive clinical application value.
Are primary care physicians aware of peripheral artery disease risk reduction and management in the Saudi healthcare transformation era? A health cluster observational study
Authors: Alsheikh Sultan , AlGhofili Hesham , Alayed Omar A , Aldrak Abdulkareem , Iqbal Kaisor , Altoijry Abdulmajeed
Published: September 2021

Introduction

Patients with peripheral artery disease (PAD) are often underdiagnosed and undertreated. This study aimed to assess the knowledge of the recommended target levels of blood pressure, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, glycosylated hemoglobin A1C, and knowledge and attitude about PAD risk reduction therapies among physicians working in primary care settings in Saudi Arabia.

Methods

This observational cross-sectional study included family medicine consultants, residents, and general practitioners working in a health cluster in the capital city of Saudi Arabia using a self-administered questionnaire.

Results

Of the 129 physicians who completed the survey, 55% had completed PAD-related continuing medical education hours within the past 2 years. Despite this, the knowledge score of the recommended target levels was high in only 13.2% of the participants. Antiplatelet therapy was prescribed by 68.2% of the participants.

Conclusion

Here we identified the knowledge and action gaps among primary care providers in Saudi Arabia. Physicians had an excellent attitude about screening for and counseling about risk factors. However, they showed less interference in reducing these risk factors. We recommend addressing these knowledge gaps early in medical school and residency programs.
Loss-based active learning via double-branch deep network
Authors: Fang Qiang , Xu Xin , Tang Dengqing
Published: September 2021

Due to the limitation of data annotation and the ability of dealing with label-efficient problems, active learning has received lots of research interest in recent years. Most of the existing approaches focus on designing a different selection strategy to achieve better performance for special tasks; however, the performance of the strategy still needs to be improved. In this work, we focus on improving the performance of active learning and propose a loss-based strategy that learns to predict target losses of unlabeled inputs to select the most uncertain samples, which is designed to learn a better selection strategy based on a double-branch deep network. Experimental results on two visual recognition tasks show that our approach achieves the state-of-the-art performance compared with previous methods. Moreover, our approach is also robust to different network architectures, biased initial labels, noisy oracles, or sampling budget sizes, and the complexity is also competitive, which demonstrates the effectiveness and efficiency of our proposed approach.
Oral anticoagulation improves survival in very elderly Chinese patients with atrial fibrillation: A report from the Optimal Thromboprophylaxis in Elderly Chinese Patients with Atrial Fibrillation (ChiOTEAF) registry
Authors: Guo Yutao , Kotalczyk Agnieszka , Imberti Jacopo F , Wang Yutang , Lip Gregory YH ,   on behalf of the ChiOTEAF Registry Investigators
Published: September 2021

Background

Advancing age is a major risk factor for ischemic stroke in atrial fibrillation. We aimed to evaluate the predictors of all-cause death/any thromboembolism and the impact of oral anticoagulant on clinical outcomes in very elderly (≥85 years) Chinese atrial fibrillation patients.

Methods

The ChiOTEAF is a prospective registry proceeded in 44 sites from 20 provinces in China between October 2014 and December 2018. Outcomes of interest were all-cause mortality, any thromboembolism, major bleeding, and new onset/worsening heart failure.

Results

The eligible cohort for this analysis included 6416 patients and 1215 (18.9%) patients were aged ≥85 years. Only 320 (26.4%) very elderly patients were treated with oral anticoagulant, of whom 205 (64.1%) received non-vitamin K antagonist oral anticoagulants, while antiplatelet therapy was used among 642 (53.1%) very elderly patients. On multivariate analysis, the use of oral anticoagulant was an independent predictor of a lower risk of the composite outcome (OR: 0.46; 95% CI: 0.32–0.66) and all-cause death (OR: 0.47; 95% CI: 0.32–0.69) among these very elderly atrial fibrillation patients.

Conclusions

Advanced age should not be a reason to withhold oral anticoagulant, since the use of oral anticoagulants is safe and improves survival.
Youthification of television through online media: Production strategies and narrative choices in DRUCK/SKAM Germany
Authors: Krauß Florian , Stock Moritz
Published: September 2021

This article discusses online media’s contribution to the youthification of television through the case study of DRUCK (tr. Pressure, 2018–), the German format adaptation of SKAM (tr. Shame, 2015–17). Youthification is understood as the television industry’s attempts to reach and win back teen and tween viewers with strategies in production, representations, aesthetics and distribution. In DRUCK, online media are integral to the youthification in all these strategies. Our multifaceted analysis of this serial combines perspectives from media industry studies to investigate production strategies, sociological analysis of film and television to examine the thematic and narrative choices and theories of transmedia storytelling to make sense of the specific distribution choices.
Glycemic variability of acute stroke patients and clinical outcomes: a continuous glucose monitoring study
Authors: Palaiodimou Lina , Lioutas Vasileios-Arsenios , Lambadiari Vaia , Theodorou Aikaterini , Themistocleous Marios , Aponte Laura , Papagiannopoulou Georgia , Foska Aikaterini , Bakola Eleni , Quispe Rodrigo , Mendez Laura , Selim Magdy , Novak Vera , Tzavellas Elias , Halvatsiotis Panagiotis , Voumvourakis Konstantinos , Tsivgoulis Georgios
Published: September 2021

Introduction:

Glycemic variability (GV) has been associated with worse prognosis in critically ill patients. We sought to evaluate the potential association between GV indices and clinical outcomes in acute stroke patients.

Methods:

Consecutive diabetic and nondiabetic, acute ischemic or hemorrhagic stroke patients underwent regular, standard-of-care finger-prick measurements and continuous glucose monitoring (CGM) for up to 96 h. Thirteen GV indices were obtained from CGM data. Clinical outcomes during hospitalization and follow-up period (90 days) were recorded. Hypoglycemic episodes disclosed by CGM but missed by finger-prick measurements were also documented.

Results:

A total of 62 acute stroke patients [48 ischemic and 14 hemorrhagic, median NIHSS score: 9 (IQR: 3–16) points, mean age: 65 ± 10 years, women: 47%, nondiabetic: 79%] were enrolled. GV expressed by higher mean absolute glucose (MAG) values was associated with a lower likelihood of neurological improvement during hospitalization before and after adjusting for potential confounders (OR: 0.135, 95% CI: 0.024–0.751, p = 0.022). There was no association of GV indices with 3-month clinical outcomes. During CGM recording, 32 hypoglycemic episodes were detected in 17 nondiabetic patients. None of these episodes were identified by the periodic blood glucose measurements and therefore they were not treated.

Conclusions:

Greater GV of acute stroke patients may be related to lower odds of neurological improvement during hospitalization. No association was disclosed between GV indices and 3-month clinical outcomes.
Universal masking to prevent SARS-CoV-2 transmission from Taiwan’s practices
Authors: Chao Chia-Wei , Chia-Rong Hsieh Vivian , Tan Chun-Yi , Yuan Min-Hao
Published: September 2021

In the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic, Taiwan, with its universal masking policy, slowed down the spread of cases and flattened its epidemic curve without enforcing lockdown or mass quarantine in 2020. This study identifies the distinguishing features of Taiwan’s universal masking policy practice, such as priority, continuous improvement, multi-stakeholder partnership, transparency and accountability, and altruism and social solidarity. By confronting uncertainty through the COVID-19 crisis, this study suggests that face masking, rather than being just a physical barrier of non-pharmacological intervention, can be adopted as an interactive policy platform to empower the public for stimulating cross-sector collaboration towards social innovation and creating spillover effects, such as acts of public trust, altruism, and solidarity.
Television Infographics as Orienting Response: An Eye-Tracking Study of the Role of Visuospatial Attention in Processing of Television News
Authors: Pjesivac Ivanka , Wojdynski Bartosz W. , Geidner Nicholas
Published: September 2021

This experimental study ( N = 77) examined the role of infographics in orienting viewer's attention in television news. The results of pupil dilation measurements using the eye-tracking method showed that when used in the over-the-shoulder format, visual representation of numerical data triggers an orienting response and directs the viewer's attention to that part of the screen. The study also showed that bar graphs were more successful in holding viewer's attention than the simple tabular presentation of information, with a significant covariate of video viewer size, and that the presence of infographics and individuals’ quantitative ability both positively predicted information recall.
Differential effects of donor lymphocyte infusion upon treatment response and GVHD according to relapse level and donor sources in patients with myelodysplastic syndrome
Authors: Park Silvia , Kim Tong Yoon , Lee Jong Hyuk , Lee Joon yeop , Min Gi June , Park Sung Soo , Yahng Seung-Ah , Shin Seung-Hwan , Yoon Jae-Ho , Lee Sung-Eun , Cho Byung Sik , Eom Ki-Seong , Lee Seok , Kim Hee-Je , Min Chang-Ki , Lee Jong Wook , Kim Yoo-Jin
Published: September 2021

Introduction:

Donor lymphocyte infusion (DLI) is one of the effective options for post-transplant disease control of myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS). Its success or failure depends on the induction of antitumor immune reactions, durability of clinical responses, and severity of unwanted toxicities mainly from graft- versus-host disease (GVHD).

Methods:

By analyzing 61 patients receiving DLI for post-transplant MDS relapse, we assessed treatment outcomes and affecting factors, especially focusing on the level of relapse (hematological, molecular, and imminent relapse).

Results:

The response rate (42.1%, 36.4%, 72.7%), and overall survival (OS) at 2 years (27.8%, 45.5%, 70.1%) were different for each relapse level with imminent relapse group showing the most promising results. For OS, response to DLI or pre-DLI chemotherapy, and time to relapse were independent prognostic factors. Meanwhile, post-DLI GVHD and time to relapse were independently predictive for DLI response; post-DLI GVHD was predictive for DLI response, but not for OS, suggesting a potential detrimental impact of GVHD on survival. The incidence of GVHD and GVHD-related deaths were 37.7% and 10.0%, respectively, and CD3+ cell doses triggering GVHD tended to be lower in cases with haploidentical donor or imminent relapse.

Conclusion:

Despite being limited by small number of cases and its retrospective nature, this study again demonstrated the therapeutic effects of DLI in relapsed MDS, and that earlier detection and intervention at lower level relapse might possibly be associated with better results. Furthermore, we propose that tailored cell dosing schedule based on relapse level and donor source may be helpful in minimizing fatal GVHD.
Therapeutics for type-2 diabetes mellitus: a glance at the recent inclusions and novel agents under development for use in clinical practice
Authors: Shah Najeeb , Abdalla Mohammed Altigani , Deshmukh Harshal , Sathyapalan Thozhukat
Published: September 2021

Diabetes mellitus (DM) is a chronic, progressive, and multifaceted illness resulting in significant physical and psychological detriment to patients. As of 2019, 463 million people are estimated to be living with DM worldwide, out of which 90% have type-2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). Over the years, significant progress has been made in identifying the risk factors for developing T2DM, understanding its pathophysiology and uncovering various metabolic pathways implicated in the disease process. This has culminated in the implementation of robust prevention programmes and the development of effective pharmacological agents, which have had a favourable impact on the management of T2DM in recent times. Despite these advances, the incidence and prevalence of T2DM continue to rise. Continuing research in improving efficacy, potency, delivery and reducing the adverse effect profile of currently available formulations is required to keep pace with this growing health challenge. Moreover, new metabolic pathways need to be targeted to produce novel pharmacotherapy to restore glucose homeostasis and address metabolic sequelae in patients with T2DM. We searched PubMed, MEDLINE, and Google Scholar databases for recently included agents and novel medication under development for treatment of T2DM. We discuss the pathophysiology of T2DM and review how the emerging anti-diabetic agents target the metabolic pathways involved. We also look at some of the limiting factors to developing new medication and the introduction of unique methods, including facilitating drug delivery to bypass some of these obstacles. However, despite the advances in the therapeutic options for the treatment of T2DM in recent years, the industry still lacks a curative agent.
Effects of SGLT2 inhibitors on cardiovascular death and all-cause death in patients with type 2 diabetes and chronic kidney disease: an updated meta-analysis including the SCORED trial
Authors: Zhao Li-Min , Zhan Ze-Lin , Qiu Mei
Published: September 2021

Background:

The effects of sodium-glucose transporter 2 (SGLT2) inhibitors on cardiovascular death (CV death) and all-cause death (AC death) in patients with type 2 diabetes (T2D) and chronic kidney disease (CKD) are currently under intensive investigation. We intended to conduct an updated meta-analysis including the SCORED trial to evaluate the effects of SGLT2 inhibitors on death and cardiorenal events in this vulnerable population.

Methods:

Cardiorenal outcome trials of SGLT2 inhibitors were included. Primary outcomes were CV death and AC death, while secondary outcomes were hospitalization for heart failure (HHF), myocardial infarction (MI), CKD progression, cardiovascular death or hospitalization for heart failure (CV death or HHF), major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE), and stroke. Meta-analysis was conducted for each outcome.

Results:

Eight trials were included for meta-analysis. Compared with placebo, SGLT2 inhibitors significantly lowered the risk of CV death (HR = 0.86, 95% CI = 0.75–0.98), AC death (HR = 0.87, 95% CI = 0.79–0.96), HHF (HR = 0.64, 95% CI = 0.56–0.74), MI (HR = 0.76, 95% CI = 0.65–0.89), CKD progression (HR = 0.62, 95% CI = 0.54–0.72), and CV death or HHF (HR = 0.73, 95% CI = 0.67–0.80). No heterogeneity existed in the above meta-analyses (all I2 values = 0%), whereas moderate heterogeneity existed in the meta-analyses for MACE and stroke (I2 = 31.6% and 44.5%, respectively).

Conclusions:

Our findings suggest that SGLT2 inhibitors versus placebo significantly lower death, heart failure, renal failure, and MI events in patients with T2D and CKD. Head-to-head trials are needed to examine the possible differences in the effects of various gliflozins on MACE and stroke.
Repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation for major depressive disorder: basic principles and future directions
Authors: Miron Jean-Philippe , Jodoin Véronique Desbeaumes , Lespérance Paul , Blumberger Daniel M.
Published: September 2021

Repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) is a safe and well-tolerated intervention for major depressive disorder (MDD). Over 150 randomized controlled trials (RCTs) have been carried out, and its efficacy has been confirmed in dozens of meta-analyses. Real world data has also confirmed the effectiveness of rTMS for MDD in clinical practice, with the most recent literature indicating response rates of 40–50% and remission rates of 25–30%. In this review, we first offer an historical perspective, followed by a review of basic principles, such as putative mechanisms, procedures and protocols, stimulation targets, efficacy and durability of response, side effects, and the placebo controversy. In the second part of this review, we first discuss solutions to increase accessibility to rTMS, such as modifications to treatment equipment, protocols and setting. We continue with possible means to further increase effectiveness, such as treatment personalization and extension. We conclude by addressing the scheduling issue, with accelerated rTMS (arTMS) as a possible solution.
Oral candidiasis caused by ciclesonide in a patient with COVID-19 pneumonia: A case report and literature review
Authors: Ohashi Nobuhide , Ideta Yuka , Takeda Atushi , Iwai Toshinori , Kioi Mitomu , Miyazaki Akihiro , Mitsudo Kenji
Published: September 2021

Steroid has recently been reported as a treatment for new coronavirus disease (COVID-19). The incidence of oropharyngeal candidiasis due to the inhaled steroid ciclesonide is lower than that due to other inhaled steroids. We report the first case of oral candidiasis with COVID-19 pneumonia using ciclesonide. A 75-year-old man was hospitalized for COVID-19 pneumonia. After admission, an oral combination of lopinavir/ritonavir was administered, and ciclesonide was inhaled for 7 days. On the 14th day of hospitalization, white plaque was found in his oral mucosa. Candida albicans was identified by oral bacterial tests, and amphotericin B was initiated. On the 35th hospital day, negative result for C. albicans was confirmed. Intraoral monitoring and intervention by dental care workers are considered important for the prevention of infectious complications induced by corticosteroids.
China’s viral villages: Digital nationalism and the COVID-19 crisis on online video-sharing platform Bilibili
Authors: Schneider Florian
Published: September 2021

When the COVID-19 virus broke out in China, foreign observers speculated whether the Chinese leadership was facing its ‘Chernobyl Moment’. China’s leadership, however, defied foreign expectations about its ostensibly floundering legitimacy and instead turned the crisis into a national success story. This article explores the role that digital media played in cementing this success, specifically how various actors mobilized nationalist sentiments and discourses on the online video-sharing platform Bilibili. By focusing on visual discourses, online commentaries, and the affordances of the digital platform, the article analyses the role that ‘hip’ and youthful content played in the authorities’ attempts to guiding online audiences to rally around the flag. The results of these efforts were viral villages of community sentiment that created strong incentives for conformity, and in which the official party line was able to reverberate with pop-culture memes and popular nationalism.
Does Organizational Justice Influence Employee Innovative Behavior in an Arabic Context? Evidence From the Libyan Oil Industry
Authors: Fadul Ali
Published: September 2021

Innovative employees are the main source of an organization’s survival in a dynamic environment. Therefore, understanding how to stimulate and sustain employee innovative behaviors is of great importance for organizations. From this perspective, based on the social exchange theory, the current study seeks to investigate the influence of organizational justice on employee innovative behavior within the Libyan context. Through a pre-designed questionnaire, data were gathered from 295 employees working for 5 Libyan national oil companies and analyzed using partial least squares—structural equation modeling [PLS]. The results indicated that procedural justice is positively related to employee innovative behavior, whereas distributive justice and interactional justice are not. The findings foster the assumption that organizational justice perceptions and responses differ across cultures based on national values. The results and implications are discussed in light of the literature and the Libyan work environment and culture.
Stakeholders’ Attitudes Toward Genetically Modified Rice in Malaysia
Authors: Mustapa Muhammad Adzran Che , Arham Ahmad Firdhaus , Amin Latifah , Hashim Hasrizul
Published: September 2021

Rice, as a staple food for a large proportion of the world, is a vitally important food crop. More than 3.5 billion people in the world depend on rice, which provides 20% of human calorific needs per day. This paper aims to analyze several sociodemographic factors that affect stakeholders’ attitudes toward genetically modified (GM) rice in Malaysia. This research involved a total of 509 adult respondents in the Klang Valley. The results of the study showed that Malaysian stakeholders’ attitudes toward GM rice can be classified as positive. They perceived GM rice as having moderate benefits and risks, and they considered the moral aspects to be moderate, as was religious acceptance. One-way MANOVA initially detected a significant difference in attitude toward GM rice across stakeholder groups, educational level, and age. Additionally, univariate as well as post hoc analysis, confirmed significant differences in attitudes across stakeholders (perceived moral concerns, religious acceptance, and encouragement); educational level (perceived benefits, religious acceptance); and age (religious acceptance). These findings are useful for scientists and government regulators in terms of understanding the effects of sociodemographic factors on attitudes toward GM rice in Malaysia.
Sustainable Consumption Intentions of Consumers in Turkey: A Research Within the Theory of Planned Behavior
Authors: Ayar Ilknur , Gürbüz Ahmet
Published: September 2021

Sustainable consumption can be a way to minimize the environmental impact of the rapidly growing consumption phenomenon. However, sustainable consumer behavior changes depending on many different factors and determining these factors is very important for many disciplines. This study aims to determine the sustainable consumption behavior of consumers and the factors affecting this behavior within the framework of Planned Behavior Theory, which is used in many fields in the literature. The research was conducted within the framework of attitude, subjective norms, and perceived behavior control as well as altruistic values variables added to the model. Research data survey method with Turkey/Kastamonu were collected from the consumers in the province. The questionnaire was adapted using previous studies, and its validity and reliability analysis were made. Research data were tested with Structural Equation Modeling, which is used frequently in social sciences and behavioral sciences. As a result; It has been revealed that the variables of Planned Behavior Theory, which are attitude, subjective norm, perceived behavioral control, and also the altruistic values dimension added to the model have a statistically significant effect on sustainable consumption intention, and intention has an effect on sustainable consumption behavior. It was concluded that perceived behavioral control has no direct effect on sustainable consumption behavior. These findings have important consequences for a large number of individuals and organizations such as policy makers, scientists, environmental organizations, health organizations, and businesses.
Managerial Attention and Export Performance: A Comparison between mMNEs and Pure SME Exporters
Authors: Fan Jiasi
Published: September 2021

Drawing on the attention-based view and literature on small- and medium-sized enterprises’ (SMEs) internationalization, we explore the value of international attention (i.e., managerial time and effort devoted to understanding the international marketplace) for SME export performance. We further argue that SMEs are heterogeneous in terms of situated contexts and organizational structures, and for that matter, differ in performance gains achieved through their managers’ international attention. A distinction is therefore made between pure exporters and so-called “micromultinationals (mMNEs)” that engage in more committed international activities besides exporting. Based on a survey of Dutch SMEs, our findings indicate a positive association between managers’ international attention and firms’ export performance. This relationship is stronger for mMNEs than for pure SME exporters, pointing to the implication that managers’ international attention should be commensurate with firm specifics in order to add values.
Differences in Mechanisms Linking Motivation and Turnover Intention for Public and Private Employees: Evidence From China
Authors: Zheng Junwei , Gou Xueqin , Li Hongyang , Xie Hongtao
Published: September 2021

Drawing on motivated information processing theory, this study examined and compared the mechanism of prosocial motivation and intrinsic motivation on turnover intention among public and private employees. A valid sample of 328 public and private respondents was selected from the responses to the module of the International Social Survey Programme (ISSP) in the 2015 Chinese General Survey. The t-test was used to examine the differences in prosocial motivation, intrinsic motivation, and turnover intention through SPSS, and the methods of multigroup structural equation modeling and bootstrapping were adopted to examine and compare the mediation effects through AMOS. The results indicated that there were significant differences in prosocial motivation, intrinsic motivation, and turnover intention between public and private employees. Additionally, the indirect effects of prosocial motivation and intrinsic motivation on turnover intention were significantly mediated by affective commitment and then job satisfaction. There were significant public-private differences in the mediation mechanism. The findings suggest the chain mediation mechanism that prosocial motivation and intrinsic motivation are critical in facilitating organizational commitment, enhancing job satisfaction, and reducing turnover intention. This research contributes to a better understanding of the motivational mechanisms impacting turnover intention in the Chinese indigenous context, and suggests that so-called “good soldiers” and “good aspirants” are more likely to emerge in the public sector and remain in the public sector organizations.
Migrant Workers in the Seaweed Sector in Sabah, Malaysia
Authors: Hussin Hanafi , Khoso Abdullah
Published: September 2021

This article uses the content analysis (CA) to examine the secondary data on the migrant workers in the seaweed sector in Sabah, Malaysia, and analyzed the migrant workers’ contributions to the sector and kinds of socio-cultural, economic, and legal challenges they faced. Through online academic publication searching, six academic papers and reports, and three media news stories about the migrant workers in the seaweed sector in Malaysia were found. In these articles and new stories, three major themes were identified: the number of migrant workers, their contribution to the seaweed sector, and the problems and challenges they faced. Under theme three, the subthemes included stereotypes, threats, risks, poverty, wages, and exploitation. The article found that migrant workers produced most of the seaweed in different regions in Sabah, Malaysia. However, the authorities do not directly recognize the contribution of migrant workers, as most workers in the seaweed sector are undocumented. The stateless status of most migrant workers has jeopardized the workers in the sector and provided power to the middlemen to exploit them. Stereotypes concerning migrant workers—low daily wages and low production rates—are significant issues and problems in their lives, which together exacerbate their economic and social misery and vulnerability. Although occupational health and safety are a prime concern in seaweed farming, no details were found concerning the health and safety of the migrant workers in the sector. Cumulatively, these factors (challenges to the migrant workers) may decrease the quantity and inferior quality of seaweed in Malaysia.
An Examination of Innovation Capabilities and Corporate Reputation in Banking Sector
Authors: Hanaysha Jalal Rajeh
Published: September 2021

The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of innovation capabilities on corporate reputation in banking sector. A quantitative method was used for collecting the data and fulfilling the stated objective. Specifically, the data were collected from 188 employees in banking sector in the United Arab Emirates. The analysis for the collected data was conducted using the partial least square-structural equation modelling (PLS-SEM) approach. The findings indicated that product innovation as well as service innovation have significant positive impacts on corporate reputation. The results also confirmed that process innovation has a positive effect on corporate reputation. Finally, the outcomes verified that marketing innovation has a significant impact on corporate reputation. The results confirm the significance of innovation capabilities in enabling business practitioners in the banking sector to improve their businesses reputations and thrive in today’s dynamic market environment.
Examination of Long Memory in Indian Stock Market: A Sectoral Juxtaposition
Authors: Naik Ramashanti , Reddy Y. V.
Published: September 2021

One of the situations encountered in time series analysis is long-range dependence, also known as Long memory. We investigated the presence of long memory in the Indian sectoral indices returns and investigated whether the long memory behaviour is affected by the data frequency. We applied the autoregressive fractionally integrated moving average (ARFIMA) models to 13 sectoral indices of the National Stock Exchange of India and examined the long memory in daily, monthly and quarterly return series. The results indicate the persistence in daily return series and anti-persistence in monthly and quarterly return series. Thus, we conclude that the frequency of data does have a significant effect on the behaviour of long memory patterns. The results will be helpful for present and potential investors, institutional investors, portfolio managers and policymakers to understand the dynamic nature of long memory in the Indian stock market.
The Idée Fixe of Corporate Jobs in India: The Institutional Change in Legal Education and the Different Factors for the Shift
Authors: Mahaseth Harsh , Makhija Sanchita
Published: September 2021

The rise of the corporate sector in the legal profession is a phenomenon which has been accompanied by a rising popularity of the legal profession. The legal profession from being a mere ‘backup’ option has transformed into a lucrative avenue which students are choosing to opt for willingly that is, the profession has gained the attention of students as a worthwhile career option. There is a web of factors which is propelling this trend in India. These factors include the increasing standards of legal education in India, and the establishment of the first National Law University in Bangalore in 1986. NLSIU’s polished and premium education standards set the ball rolling for National Law Universities which were established following its example. The legal profession took centre-stage and provided that option to the students. The allure of a corporate job where they could earn lakhs and climb hierarchies in order to earn more proved to be an effective potential reward for this new generation of students. This change in the prioritization of an entire generation resulted in the NLUs re-orienting their curriculum to offer the best corporate conditioning to these young aspiring lawyers. The initial idea of focusing on improving the litigation standards of the country was effectively discarded and it was replaced with an active pursuit of producing a corporate culture in law schools. This article will look at the institutional change, the factors affecting this shift in legal education, and concludes by identifying both positive and negative factors due to this shift.
Unequal Civic Development? Vocational Tracking and Civic Outcomes in Germany
Authors: Savage Corey , Becker Michael , Baumert Jürgen
Published: September 2021

Vocational education and training (VET) is a common form of upper secondary school tracking in countries around the world. There are ongoing debates regarding the effects of this differentiation on academic and labor market outcomes; however, evidence on civic outcomes is lacking. Using a unique cohort study in Germany ( N = 2461) and a doubly robust weighting approach with a rich set of baseline covariates to address selection bias, we estimated the effects of VET (relative to academic upper secondary school) on political interest, internal political efficacy, and intent to vote across 15 years of late adolescence and early adulthood. We estimated negative effects of VET on these civic outcomes, particularly as participants grew older. Implications for future research and VET policy are discussed.
Continuity in Indonesia’s Strategy in the South China Sea Under Joko Widodo
Authors: Sari Angguntari C.
Published: September 2021

This study seeks to address two interrelated questions: Does Indonesia underbalance against China? Why does President Joko Widodo stick with the strategy of to this day? The study lays out three main arguments. First, there are two types of strategies: the appropriate and inappropriate one (under-balancing). Indonesia, under the first and beginning of the second term of Jokowi presidency, adopts the prudent strategy. Thus, it does not underbalance against the Chinese military threats in the South China Sea. Such prudent strategy consists of several dimensions: facilitating the United States’ security presence in Asia, engaging major powers such as China in bilateral and multilateral economic and political–military ties to socialise China into a peace-loving country. Second, Indonesia’s non-balancing action, which is the second-best strategy after a more traditional direct internal and external military balancing, is considered a prudent choice, for three main reasons: (a) it is predicated on the assessment that China is perceived as a risk-averse limited-aims revisionist power; (b) Indonesia has very limited capacity to directly balance China and (c) the United States is perceived to be willing and able to balance China. Lastly, the continuity of this strategy, which started during the post-Cold War era, is partly related to the positive feedback effects or self-reinforcing process of existing formal institutions.
Indonesia’s Global Maritime Fulcrum: From Hedging to Underbalancing
Authors: Caroline Edna
Published: September 2021

This article examines why Indonesia’s vision of the Global Maritime Fulcrum (GMF) was not properly developed in accordance to its strategic response to the increased rivalry between China and the USA in the Asia-Pacific region. Although the GMF initially focussed on achieving domestic agendas, Indonesia’s implicit intention is to utilise the GMF as a hedge in order to strengthen economic cooperation with China while keeping the USA engaged in the region’s security architecture. My article seeks to go beyond the existing literature’s employment of primarily structural realist analysis to understand Indonesia’s strategic behaviour by applying a neoclassical realist approach to Indonesia’s case, which better demonstrates current conditions exhibiting how conflicting elite interests generate political discord which in turn hinders the state’s ability to extract and mobilise domestic resources, ultimately hampering Indonesia’s ability to achieve its GMF goals. Although certain threats and opportunities within the international system have manifested themselves to actively encourage the proper implementation of GMF, this strategy remains underdeveloped since the time of its launch. Neoclassical realism provides a better explanation that enhances our understanding of how Indonesia assesses and responds to its strategic environment.
Health Promotion and Sexology Student and Teaching Staff Perspectives of Online Learning and Teaching During COVID-19: A Mixed Methods Study
Authors: Blackford Krysten , Birney Kieran , Sharma Shefali , Crawford Gemma , Tilley Matt , Winter Sam , Hendriks Jacqueline
Published: September 2021

Universities are undergoing rapid and unprecedented changes due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and the needs of learners during this transition are not necessarily well understood or addressed. This study aimed to examine the impact of the “remote internal” unit delivery in a large Western Australian university, as experienced by students and teaching staff within a department of health promotion and sexology (DHPS). In the remote internal mode, previously “internal” (face-to-face) students received prerecorded lectures and attended workshops and seminars in real time through use of the learning platforms. The mixed methods study was conducted across three phases in 2020. A quantitative online student survey was followed by student and teaching staff focus groups and document analysis. Six themes were uncovered regarding the student experience of the remote internal mode: (1) face-to-face contact provides a sense of community, (2) online learning is better when it is interactive, (3) online learning is convenient, (4) delivery mode affects student willingness to contribute to discussions, (5) students enjoy a mixture of teaching patterns, and (6) technological issues create barriers to effective learning. Five themes were revealed regarding teaching staff experience of the remote internal mode: (1) connections matter, (2) face-to-face delivery enhances engagement, (3) learning outcomes are a priority for teaching staff, (4) online delivery needs effective supports, and (5) students have online privacy concerns. Considerations for course modalities, methods to enhance interactivity, and supportive technology and infrastructure are recommended to ensure that the technological, demographic, and socio-environmental needs of students are adequately met.
Climate and energy justice along the Brahmaputra river in Northeast India
Authors: Rampini Costanza
Published: September 2021

Recurrent summer floods along the Brahmaputra river and its tributaries are a major challenge for the people and state governments of Northeast India. While riverine communities in the region rely upon a variety of adaptation strategies to live with these destructive floods, climate change is expected to further exacerbate this challenge, as melting Himalayan glaciers and changes in the South Asian monsoon lead to an increase in the frequency of severe floods. At the same time, a multitude of new dams are under construction in the Brahmaputra river basin, to meet India’s growing energy demands. Though these dams could provide flood protection for downstream communities, political and economic factors have led dam-builders to prioritize hydroelectricity generation over flood control. Furthermore, hydroelectricity generated along the Brahmaputra is “evacuated” to distant urban centers, while rural dwellers in Northeast India suffer from high levels of energy poverty. Using the Ranganadi Hydroelectric Project in Arunachal Pradesh as a case study, this paper examines how, by changing the flood regime and undermining current adaptive strategies, large dams along the Brahmaputra are testing the capacity of downstream communities to live with summer floods. This work highlights the ways in which poor and vulnerable communities in Northeast India are forced to bear the costs of both climate change impacts and decarbonization efforts.