bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Early Pregnancy and Motherhood Among Young Women in Sub-Saharan African Countries: Analysis of Trends and Associated Factors
Authors: Mpilambo Jacques Elengemoke , Abduraghiem Latief , Susuman A. Sathiya
Published: October 2023

This study examined the trends and factors associated with early pregnancies and motherhood among young women in three sub-Saharan African countries: Malawi, Mali, and Niger. Descriptive and multivariate analyses showed that the prevalence of early childbearing declined significantly in all three countries between 2006 and 2016. Moreover, the determinants of age at first childbearing varied across these nations. It is crucial to implement programmes that encourage delaying the age of the first sexual debut. In addition, providing adolescent women with comprehensive knowledge about responsible and safer sex practices and motherhood is paramount in addressing this challenge.
Human sacrifice: From religious ritual to legal sentence in Nepal
Authors: Atreya Alok , Menezes Ritesh G , Nepal Samata
Published: October 2023

Human sacrifice is a gruesome and controversial practice where one or more individuals are killed as part of a religious ceremony or as a gift to a deity. While the practice has been widely condemned globally, it still persists in some communities in some countries. Nepal, in particular, has a history of animal sacrifice with larger offerings taking place every five years. While animal sacrifice is legal, the ultimate punishment for engaging in human sacrifice is a legal sentence. This article examines the historical and cultural context of sacrifice in Nepal and explores some contemporary cases of human sacrifice reported in the media. The article also considers the impact of superstitious beliefs and the need for evidence-based attitudes to support human rights.
The ‘where’ of EU social science collaborations: How epistemic inequalities and geopolitical power asymmetries persist in research about Europe
Authors: Fishberg Rachel , Larsen Anton Grau , Kropp Kristoffer
Published: October 2023

A growing body of work has problematised how global epistemic inequality is reproduced in contemporary university settings and epistemic cultures – thinking through the lens of Eurocentrism and utilising the language of a Global North and South. However, the extent to which a relationship between geopolitical and epistemic inequality is woven into knowledge production within Europe has received less attention. Rising EU funding opportunities have facilitated a corresponding climb in transnational European social science collaborations, in concert with an expansion of empirical locations with which these projects engage. Still, increases in member state participation do not necessarily contribute to a more balanced epistemic landscape for knowledge production. Not all countries are treated equally as cases and often, these patterns of inequality reflect what Maria do Mar Pereira calls the epistemic status of nations: the idea that certain countries and continents are considered more or less likely to produce valuable or exportable scholarly knowledge. In this article, Pereira’s theory of epistemic status is extended in its implications to study choices for the selection of countries as cases. We use both quantitative data from the EU CORDIS register and ethnographic data exploring academic and collaborative practices in transnational EU-funded projects. The article addresses the ‘where’ of collaborative research by focusing on epistemic attributes rather than participatory optics. In doing so, we reflect not only on the structures and strategies of science funding in Europe but also further unsettle discussions around global epistemic inequality within academic theory and practices.
Diarrhea as a Disease of Poverty Among Under-Five Children in Sub-Saharan Africa: A Cross-Sectional Study
Authors: He Zhifei , Ghose Bishwajit , Cheng Zhaohui
Published: October 2023

The objective of this study was to assess the prevalence of diarrhea among under-five children in low-middle-income countries and identify the sociodemographic factors associated with it. Data of 36 countries in sub-Saharan Africa from demographic and Health Surveys (2006-2018) comprising 251 341 mother-child (singleton) dyads were analyzed to estimate the prevalence and various modifiable and non-modifiable risk factors of diarrhea. Occurrence of diarrhea during the last 2 weeks was the outcome variable which was measured by mothers’ observation of the condition. The overall prevalence of having diarrhea during last 2 weeks was 18.44% (19.12% among boys and 17.75% among girls). Boys had higher percentage of having diarrhea than girls in all countries except in Libya. The risk ratios of having diarrhea decreased progressively with higher wealth quintiles; the risks of were respectively 7% [RR = 0.93, 95% CI = 0.91; 0.97], 11% [RR = 0.89, 95% CI = 0.86; 0.92] and 18% [RR = 0.82, 95% CI = 0.78; 0.85] lower for households in the middle, richer and richest households. Rural residency was associated with lower risks [RR = 0.95, 95% CI = 0.93; 0.98] and not having access to improved water [RR = 1.05, 95% CI = 1.03; 1.08] and toilet facilities [RR = 0.04, 95% CI = 1.01; 1.07] were associated with higher risks of diarrhea. Regarding children’s characteristics, higher age groups, birth order were associated with higher risks and female sex with lower risks. Children with mothers in the higher age groups and with above secondary level education had lower risks, and primary education had higher risks of diarrhea. Meta-analysis of 36 countries revealed a significantly negative association between wealth quintile and diarrhea (Odds ratio = 0.72, 95% CI = 0.69; 0.74). Findings indicate the presence of a significant wealth gradient in the burden of diarrheal diseases among under-five children in sub-Saharan Africa, and underscores the need for paying special attention to the marginalized communities when designing intervention programs.
Increasing Community in a HyFlex Class During COVID-19
Authors: Savignano Mark , Holbrook John
Published: October 2023

This experience paper recounts the research and outcomes of applying a modified professional learning community (PLC) to a pre-service teacher education course. The purpose of applying the PLC to the pre-service teacher education course was to increase community amongst students participating in a HyFlex classroom. In a HyFlex classroom, students can participate in person or online synchronously. This causes issues with students feeling a lack of community and connectedness to their peers. The result was that students felt more connected to their peers during the course and appreciated the PLC as part of the class.
The Role of Adverse Childhood Experiences in the Trajectories to Adulthood of Chinese Youth: A Retrospective Study
Authors: Wang Dianxi
Published: October 2023

This study uses data from a retrospective survey of the life history of participants from five cohorts born between 1930 and 1979, to analyze the role of adverse childhood experiences (ACEs). We found that ACEs have significant effects on the transition of young Chinese people into adulthood. Young people who have experienced more ACEs were more likely to transition to adulthood earlier, and accelerate their acceptance of adult social roles, and young adults with a high incidence of ACEs also have an increasing probability of falling into the disadvantaged or least successful trajectory to adulthood. More ACEs are associated with a decreased probability of being classified into the delayed and advantaged trajectories into adulthood characterized by high education and stable work, and an increased probability of being classified into the early and disadvantaged trajectories into adulthood characterized by unemployment, early marriage, and more children.
Enhancing user experience and usability in engineering education: A comparative analysis of multiple functions and tangible user interfaces
Authors: Sidhu Manjit Singh , Ying Jee Geak
Published: October 2023

A study was conducted at University Tenaga Nasional to compare engineering students’ preferences in using augmented reality technology user interface (UI) applications to solve selected engineering problems. The study utilized a cross-sectional design and the Wilcoxon signed-rank test approach within a controlled environment to analyse the difference in rankings of engineering applications. The study also measured learnability and assessed the software quality using questionnaire for user interaction satisfaction. The multiple function UI was found to be statistically significant more effective than the tangible user interface (TUI) for engineering students. The study provides reliable evidence that multiple function UI is a better option in engineering education than TUI.
Ecologies of quantification in waste management: Landfilling, e-waste recycling, and car breaking
Authors: Sosna Daniel , Stehlíková Barbora , Mašek Pavel
Published: October 2023

Quantification has become a privileged form of knowing and vehicle of governance. Anthropological critique has demonstrated that a view of numbers as independent carriers of meaning is untenable; instead, numbers should be conceptualized as being part of relations and temporalities, opening space for shifts in understanding. Proposing the perspective of ‘ecologies of quantification’, we acknowledge the wider notion of ecology that accommodates materiality, cognition, and experience, and acknowledges that the constituents of the relations are always in a process of becoming. We put waste management at the centre of our interest to explore the ways quantification attempts to conquer arguably one of the unruliest domains of contemporary social life. Based on our collaborative ethnographic research on the management of municipal solid waste, discarded electrical and electronic devices, and junked cars in Czechia, we point to problems emerging when numbers become stripped of their relations. Our research sheds light on experience in the process of quantification and demonstrates that there are multiple ways to know quantity.
Judging automation: Towards a normative critical theory
Authors: Bielskis Andrius
Published: October 2023

This article discusses automation from the point of view of the intersection between Aristotle and Marx. First, it was Aristotle’s notion of automatous – self-moving tools – that gave rise to the contemporary concept of automation. Marx’s historical materialism is important as it puts the ongoing process of automation into a historical perspective. The development of self-moving machines should free us from the slavery of hard work, yet the legal and political superstructure of capitalism means that the growth of automation produces new forms of precarious wage-slavery. Alasdair MacIntyre’s Aristotelian notion of practice is discussed vis-à-vis the Marxian notion of alienated labour. Given the conceptual structure – alienated labour (which prevents us from flourishing) versus non-alienated labour (as essential for human flourishing) – the article poses the question of whether we can apply this in our attempt to assess the ongoing process of automation.
Drug reintroduction testing and beta-lactam hypersensitivity in children: Protocols and results, a 12-year experience
Authors: Daghfous Hafaoua , Moussa Chirine , Ben Mansour Amani , Slim Azza , Ben Saad Soumaya , Tritar Fatma
Published: October 2023

Introduction: Oral provocation test (OPT) to beta-lactam antibiotics (BL) is a gold standard in allergology investigation. We aimed to demonstrate the contribution of OPT in BL hypersensitivity (HS) indicated as a first step in diagnosis. Methods: We conducted a retrospective study from 2007 to 2019, in a single Tunisian tertiary care academic center. It concerned children with presumed non-severe allergic manifestations to BL, with a reaction that has occurred at least 6 months before the OPT. Results: We identified 35 children for inclusion. After the first OPT, a second OPT with a different BL was performed in case of a positive result of the first one. In 12 cases (34.2%), the OPT elicited a reaction. In eight cases the allergy was to penicillin and in two cases to cephalosporins (cefixim). Cross-reactivity was noted in two cases. Conclusion: An OPT to BL indicated in the first instance in non-severe reaction in children will allow a rapid diagnosis in case of suspicion of HS to BL.
Pyrolysis of municipal solid waste compost: Pilot plant evaluation as a sustainable practise of waste management
Authors: Palma A , Clemente-Castro S , Ruiz-Montoya M , Giráldez I , Díaz MJ
Published: October 2023

To evaluate the potential of compost based on municipal solid waste (MSW) and 20% legume pruning under a pyrolysis process, generated products, including solids (biochar), liquids (bio-oil), and gases (non-condensable gases), through experimentation in a pilot plant with a fluidized bed reactor at 450°C and gas chromatography/mass spectrometry have been analysed. In addition, the compost kinetic behaviour by thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), using the Flynn–Wall–Ozawa (FWO) method, has been investigated. Four different reaction zones, associated with lignocellulosic materials (hemicellulose, cellulose, and lignin) with a first step for water evaporation, in TGA curve have been observed. A biochar with low stability and aromaticity, considering high and low O/C and H/C ratios, respectively, has been obtained. The obtained pyrolytic liquids contain a high concentration of phenolic compounds because of a significant presence of lignins and other high molecular weight compounds in the original material. Moreover, the generated non-condensable gases consist mainly of short-chain compounds, such as alcohols, aldehydes, and alkenes produced from hemicellulose, cellulose, and proteins.
Implementing Healing Touch Pilot in an Inpatient Rehabilitation Unit: Reductions in Pain and Anxiety
Authors: Conway Pat , Tomaino Janet M. , Quade Stacey
Published: October 2023

Energy-based therapies (EBT) are increasingly being used as comfort measures for hospitalized patients. This article describes the background and process of implementing an EBT healing touch (HT) pilot program in an inpatient rehabilitation unit. The pilot built on knowledge gained in a preliminary EBT pilot in two hospital units to improve rehabilitation patient outcomes and gather additional information to support a fully funded, sustainable rehabilitation EBT program. Thirty-five percent of the rehabilitation patients received HT, most commonly for pain and anxiety, by experienced HT practitioners over the 9-month pilot period. Both HT practitioners’ and patients’ ratings showed that patients’ level of pain and anxiety decreased by approximately two points after the HT experience. Documented patient comments confirmed their positive experience, including comments describing a reduction in anxiety and increased sense of calm.
US and European Stock Markets in Response to Exogenous Shocks: Cross-Regional Analysis of Dynamic Networks During the COVID-19 Pandemic
Authors: Schuenemann Jan-Hendrik , Katenka Natallia , Ribberink Natalia
Published: October 2023

This study aims to analyse the impact of force majeure events or exogenous shocks, characterized by a high level of uncertainty, on the US and European stock market behaviour through cross-regional and inter-industrial comparisons. Based on the sample of 832 largest stock-listed companies publicly traded in both regions, the authors investigate whether specific regional and industrial differences in the stock market reaction to exogenous shocks—as exemplified by the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic—and their recovery paths to be determined. The novelty of the research conducted by the authors is underpinned by the application of a dynamic network analysis method—supported by the exponential random graph modelling—for a data sample of publicly traded companies, encompassing major players and industrial leaders in both regions. Furthermore, the methods are applied quarterly for an identical set of industries in cross-market comparison, within a time span of periods before, during and beyond the exogenous shock. The results reveal significant differences in the reaction of US and European stock markets to exogenous shocks, despite globally integrated financial markets. The connectivity of the largest listed companies on the US market is higher than the European ones. Thus, publicly traded companies in the United States are more likely to be closely connected to their industry peers. As demonstrated by a cross-market comparison of the European and US stock market network configuration, the US network reveals higher probabilities of intra-industrial connections of its market participants. In contrast, the European stock market exhibits fewer connections and a less dense network of market participants in times of uncertainty or exogenous shocks. Except for the European financial industry, which behaves similarly to its US counterpart, the overall interconnectedness of European companies is weaker within the uncertainty-related timespan. The latest could be partially explained by numerous national regulations being implemented at a country level, which are partly deviating from the EU single-market policies. In contrast to a relatively homogeneous setting of the US market, a low level of interconnectedness of publicly traded companies in Europe could be further argued by the application of non-harmonized industrial policies, with the latest being expanded during the ongoing crisis in selected European locations. This difference could also be explained by the absence of a mutual strategy for alleviating the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic in Europe. The obtained results could be valuable for academics, conducting similar thematic research; for portfolio investors, and policymakers in forecasting, reacting and assessing stock market behaviour overall—and at the level of industrial sectors in particular—in response to events characterized as force majeure, exogenous shocks or periods of uncertainty.
Green Human Resource Competency Mechanisms: Moderator Role Between Green Supply Chain and the Oil and Gas Industry Environmental Performance
Authors: Kandil Tarek Taha
Published: October 2023

The oil and gas (O&G) industry has been plagued by numerous green factors that have adversely affected supply chain management practices in recent years. This study aims to examine the impact of green human resource (GHR) competency mechanisms to strengthen the relationship between green supply chain management (GSCM) practices and environmental performance (EP). Using the proposed model, the present study developed a quantitative method for obtaining data from listed O&G companies in the UAE between December 2018 and May 2019. A total of 254 questionnaires were used for the analysis. There was a significant moderating effect between EP and GSCM, with GHR competency mechanisms decreasing the occurrence of negative environmental impacts associated with O&G operations. The findings will enable HR managers to align green skills with EP in UAE petroleum companies.
Assessing the Efficiency and Persistence of African Stock Markets through DEA Score: Evidence from COVID-19 Pandemic
Authors: Oppong Emmanuel Owusu , Mfoutou Bruvine Orchidée Mazonga
Published: October 2023

The few studies on COVID-19’s impact on stock market efficiency have reached mixed conclusions. However, the findings lean towards a negative impact, no studies have assessed market efficiency when returns increase in the existing capacity of COVID-19 cases, exchange rates and inflation rates. This study uses data envelopment analysis (DEA) and the DEA-adjusted estimator. We finally adopt the cross and time product ratios to determine the persistence of stock market efficiency. We find that the COVID-19 pandemic severely impacted the efficiency of African stock markets in 2021 and that the efficiency of African stock markets persists only in the short run. These findings are relevant to investors seeking to diversify their portfolios during pandemics and to regulators of African stock markets. Global investors should diversify their portfolios with African stock markets to mitigate the impact of pandemics on their investments. To reap the benefits of diversification, investors should invest in efficient African markets during pandemics and sell stocks in inefficient markets in the short run. In addition, regulators of African stock markets should adopt technologies that aid in the flow of information among investors.
Adult STEM Education for Democratic Participation
Authors: Zarestky Jill , Vilen Lauren
Published: October 2023

Many key concerns require engagement with science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) knowledge. Consider the complexity and nuance of climate change, energy policy, health and medicine, and data security. Informed voting or decision-making on such issues is no easy task; effective participation in our society requires considerable STEM capabilities. Education of all age groups is essential for a scientifically knowledgeable population involved in making democratic decisions about the future. Lindeman argued for adult education learning processes hand-in-hand with democratic processes, yet, once adults leave formal education, there are woefully few opportunities for the general public to learn or engage with STEM content. Adult education as a field has an important obligation to continue to support adults’ STEM learning. This obligation includes helping scientists and STEM educators better connect to adult learners in informal and nonformal settings. This paper explores adult STEM education for democratic participation. We begin with an overview of adult STEM education, followed by STEM knowledge and skills, with a focus on the utility and value of scientific processes and ways of thinking. We then continue with the function of STEM learning in democratic processes followed by frameworks of adult STEM, specifically scientific literacy and place-based education, and conclude with implications and recommendations for adult education practice.
To Hear a Heart Beat
Authors: Cunliff Ed
Published: October 2023

N/A
Adult Education, Futures Literacy, and Deep Democracy: Engaging Democratic Visioning and Anticipatory Futures For More Sustainable Futures
Authors: Barcinas Susan J. , Fleener M. Jayne
Published: October 2023

Adult education has historically played a role in modern democracies in support of civic participation and democratic engagement. In the context of a relatively stable and unchanging society, learning “about” and participating “in” the democratic process allow for tweaking the mechanisms of democracy. In present times, taken for granted democratic practices inadequately address the spirit of democracy as social and environmental changes undergo rapid and unanticipated changes. In the context of a past, present, and futures, democracy’s future/s is a vast, complex system that offers practical and inspirational hope to communal living. Anticipatory futures perspectives explore our relationships with the future beyond that of prediction to understand and develop human capacities to enact necessary and important changes for unknown and unanticipated futures. This paper explores the role of adult education in supporting a deep democracy approach for creating more sustainable, ecological, and just futures by developing our relationship with the broad spectrum of anticipatory futures.
Conceptualization and Measurement of Peer Collaboration in Higher Education: A Systematic Review
Authors: Schürmann Verena , Marquardt Nicki , Bodemer Daniel
Published: October 2023

Collaboration is a construct comprising diverse definitions and frameworks. Additionally, being a latent variable and because of its complexity and interactive nature, collaboration is difficult to measure. Therefore, this systematic literature review was guided by two fundamental questions: what to measure and how to measure. Through the review and synthesis of 28 carefully selected studies we derived an integrative framework displaying indicators for peer collaboration in higher education and beyond. Moreover, the results give insights into measurement approaches of collaboration comprising information on data collection and analysis as well as contextual factors (e.g., task type, time).
Merging Eco-Literacy, Visual Poetry, and Arts-Informed Practices: A Curriculum of Eco-Justice Education
Authors: Kulnieks Andrejs
Published: October 2023

Writing poetry over finger-paintings that are created with natural dyes is an embodied reflexive practice that can help students connect with ideas about eco-justice as they develop a deeper relationship with the Earth. As Kimmerer (2013) explains, “The exchange between plants and people has shaped the evolutionary history of both” (p. 124). Writing practices also shape who we are becoming. Through the creation of visual poetry, I investigate the importance of engaging with language and landscapes to develop relationships with one another.
The intersection of property rights and environmental law
Authors: Grinlinton David
Published: October 2023

This article examines the legal and policy intersection of property rights and environmental law. Property rights are closely connected to and often in tension with many elements of environmental law and policy. Appropriate controls on the use of property rights and natural resources, and effectively managing the environmental consequences of such use, are critical in addressing the environmental challenges of our time. This paper first reviews the importance of property rights in the context of our legal, social, economic and political systems. It then examines the active use of property rights and mechanisms to address environmental challenges, including the creative and innovative use and development of new forms of property rights that have emerged in recent times. This is followed by a discussion of recent developments in restricting the use of property rights in land use and natural resource development to address environmental issues. The paper concludes with some ideas for future development of the law, and emerging new directions for future research. Throughout the paper, New Zealand will be used as a case study to reflect on the relationship between property rights and environmental protection.
Building an outreach culture for fairer access to higher education in Haryana, India: A ‘bottom up’ contribution to policy implementation
Authors: Stewart Ann , Sabharwal Nidhi S , Yadav Renu
Published: October 2023

This article is concerned with an institutional initiative designed to encourage the development of an outreach culture which can support fairer, more equal, access to higher education (HE) in India. The initiative constituted the final impact phase of a 5-year Fair Chance Foundation (FCF) research project (2017–2022) which explored gendered pathways to fair access to HE in the northern Indian state of Haryana. We present the methodology used to prepare a toolkit, named an Outreach Activity Resource (OAR), which enabled staff in government colleges in Haryana to plan and conduct pilot ‘taster days’. The article provides an assessment of the outcome of these events. It argues that a practitioner as researcher methodology and a collaborative ‘bottom up’ research approach provide the basis for the development of contextually appropriate outreach activities to support fairer, more equal, access to higher education (HE). We argue that the adoption of ‘top down’ initiatives, in very different economic, social and cultural contexts to the those where they were originated, may fail to address the way in which the local ‘problem’ presents itself and may hinder the development of a contextually informed outreach culture which will support fairer, more equal access to HE. In contrast, initiatives such as the one presented here can contribute essential locally informed expertise, built on contextually informed research, to national and international policy making in relation to widening access to HE in an era in which massification is extending across the globe.
The Preoperative Lymphocyte-To-Monocyte Ratio Predicts Mortality Among Patients Undergoing Endovascular Aortic Repair for Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm
Authors: Nishibe Toshiya , Kano Masaki , Akiyama Shinobu , Koizumi Jun , Dardik Alan
Published: October 2023

Purpose

The purpose of this study was to investigate the preoperative lymphocyte-to-monocyte ratio (LMR) as a potential surrogate biomarker predictive of overall mortality in patients undergoing endovascular aortic repair (EVAR) for abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA).

Methods

Data on patients with AAA treated by EVAR between March 2012 and December 2016 were obtained from a prospectively maintained EVAR database at Tokyo Medical University Hospital, Tokyo, Japan. The LMR was calculated by dividing the absolute lymphocyte count by the absolute monocyte count.

Results

One hundred seventy-six patients were included in this study after selection based on the exclusion criteria. The subjects consisted of 148 males and 28 females with a mean age of 78.5 years (range, 51-89 years). The median follow-up period was 4.98 years (range, .03-9.28). A receiver operating characteristic curve analysis determined the optimal cut-off value of the preoperative LMR for predicting overall mortality with 3.21 (area under the curve, .71; 95% confidence interval [CI], .62-.79; sensitivity, 57.4%; specificity, 77.0%; P < .001). On univariable and multivariable analyses, octogenarian (hazard ratio [HR], 1.89; 95%CI, 1.10-3.22; P = .020), poor nutritional status (HR, 2.95; 95%CI, 1.73-5.03; P < .001), chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (HR, 1.79; 95%CI, 1.06-3.03; P = .031), active cancer (HR, 2.60; 95%CI, 1.53-4.41; P < .001), and low preoperative LMR (HR, 2.56; 95%CI, 1.53-4.30; P < .001) were identified as independent predictors for overall mortality.

Conclusion

This study showed that a low preoperative LMR (<3.21) is an independent predictor of overall mortality after EVAR for AAA. The LMR may help in decision-making regarding the prediction of poor prognosis after EVAR.
Even Nectar is Poisonous in Excess: The Impact of Leader Humility on Pride, Entitlement, and Organizational Citizenship Behavior
Authors: Bahmannia Somayeh , B Darren K. , van Knippenberg Daan , Lowe Kevin B.
Published: October 2023

Studies on the effect of leader humility generally portray leader humility as beneficial, whereas a minority of studies recognize potential negative influences. This is probably most clearly the case in the study of organizational citizenship behavior (OCB) for which both positive and negative relationships with leader humility have been established. We advance the analysis of the leader humility—OCB relationship by proposing that leader humility has diminishing returns, such that its effects are positive at lower levels but at higher levels turn negative. We argue that high levels of leader humility boost followers’ views of themselves, as expressed in higher levels of pride, which gives rise to psychological entitlement. Such entitlement in turn reduces OCB. This suggests a model in which leader humility has a curvilinear, increasing returns, relationship with follower entitlement, mediated by follower pride, that in turn mediates a curvilinear, decreasing returns, relationship with OCB. Results of a multiwave, multisource survey supported these predictions.
Quantitative Electroencephalography Objectivity and Reliability in the Diagnosis and Management of Traumatic Brain Injury: A Systematic Review
Authors: Amico Francesco , Koberda Jaroslaw Lucas
Published: October 2023

Background. Persons with a history of traumatic brain injury (TBI) may exhibit short- and long-term cognitive deficits as well as psychiatric symptoms. These symptoms often reflect functional anomalies in the brain that are not detected by standard neuroimaging. In this context, quantitative electroencephalography (qEEG) is more suitable to evaluate non-normative activity in a wide range of clinical settings. Method. We searched the literature using the “Medline” and “Web of Science” online databases. The search was concluded on February 23, 2023, and revised on July 12, 2023. It returned 134 results from Medline and 4 from Web of Science. We then applied the PRISMA method, which led to the selection of 31 articles, the most recent one published in March 2023. Results. The qEEG method can detect functional anomalies in the brain occurring immediately after and even years after injury, revealing in most cases abnormal power variability and increases in slow (delta and theta) versus decreases in fast (alpha, beta, and gamma) frequency activity. Moreover, other findings show that reduced beta coherence between frontoparietal regions is associated with slower processing speed in patients with recent mild TBI (mTBI). More recently, machine learning (ML) research has developed highly reliable models and algorithms for the detection of TBI, some of which are already integrated into commercial qEEG equipment. Conclusion. Accumulating evidence indicates that the qEEG method may improve the diagnosis and management of TBI, in many cases revealing long-term functional anomalies in the brain or even neuroanatomical insults that are not revealed by standard neuroimaging. While FDA clearance has been obtained only for some of the commercially available equipment, the qEEG method allows for systematic, cost-effective, non-invasive, and reliable investigations at emergency departments. Importantly, the automated implementation of intelligent algorithms based on multimodally acquired, clinically relevant measures may play a key role in increasing diagnosis reliability.
Baseline measures for women with mesh complications accessing a pain service (as part of the London Complex Mesh Centre)
Authors: Thillainathan Anish , Cambitizi Julia , Tidman Victoria , Petersen Katrine , Tavakkoli Moein , Baranowski Andrew Paul
Published: October 2023

Introduction

Pelvic mesh was first used for stress urinary incontinence in 1998 following which its usage rapidly expanded to include treatment of pelvic organ prolapse. Numerous complications relating to mesh insertion soon became apparent, culminating in the Independent Medicines and Medical Devices Safety: First Do No Harm Report published by Baroness Cumberlege in 2020. Following this report, the UCLH London Complex Mesh Centre funded by NHS England, was one of a small number of specialist centres set up for mesh-injured women. The Pelvic Pain service of the Pain Management Centre at UCLH provides a service for patients attending the London Complex Mesh Centre. The aim of our study was to distinguish the differing needs of mesh-injured women from those with chronic pelvic pain by comparing patient-reported outcome measures between these two cohorts.

Methods

Distribution of data was calculated using the D’Agostino–Pearson normality test. Mann–Whitney tests were used to ascertain statistical difference between the two cohorts. Ethnicity was compared between groups using Fisher’s exact test. Quantile regression models were used to assess whether differences in medians between groups remained after adjustment for age and ethnicity. Statistical significance was set at p < .05.

Results

Patients with mesh were significantly older than those with chronic pelvic pain and were more likely to be of white ethnicity. After adjustment for age and ethnicity, analysis revealed that bladder interference, sex interference and DAPOS A were significantly higher amongst mesh-injured women, whereas GP and hospital admissions were significantly lower.

Discussion

Our data shows the importance of mesh-injured women having access to pain management services with pathways of care integrated within women’s and mental health services. It is essential that these programmes include support to discuss ways of returning to sexual relationships and have models to address anxiety such as graded exposure and psychological input.
Coping With the Pandemic in 2020 and 2021: A Mixed-Method Study of Adolescents in Luxembourg
Authors: Bebić-Crestany Džoen , Vaiouli Potheini , Kirsch Claudine
Published: October 2023

The unprecedented Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic affected adolescents’ routines, experiences, and physical and mental health but not everybody reacted in the same way. The present longitudinal mixed-method study based in Luxembourg explores adolescents’ emotional responses to the pandemic as well as resilience factors that helped them cope with the challenges. It combines data from a survey completed in 2021 by 332 adolescents and from interviews carried out with 19 adolescents in 2020 and 2021. Overall, the results document the importance of support through family and peer relationships in order to withstand adversity. The findings may help parents, educators, and policymakers develop a supportive environment that minimizes the consequences of future negative events on adolescents.
Corporate Reputation in Industry 4.0: A Systematic Literature Review and Bibliometric Analysis
Authors: Hamidi Saidatul Rahah , Ismail Maizatul Akmar , Mohamed Shuhidan Shuhaida , Abd Kadir Shamsiah
Published: October 2023

Corporate reputation is the most prominent area in corporate studies, which signals the current and future corporate practices to pertinent stakeholders. In Industry 4.0 (I4.0), relying on traditional channels would be deemed unwise as corporate information transmitted through these channels is sluggish compared to the swift processes via social media. The study aims to explore and provide insight into corporate reputation in I4.0 by identifying trends in publication and research productivity. To achieve the study objectives, a systematic literature review (SLR) with a bibliometric analysis of past studies from 2010 to 2022 was performed to identify the emerging themes of corporate reputation in I4.0. Resultantly, an upward trend existed in publications and citations after 2011 when the United States of America (USA) and the Netherlands were demonstrated to be the most productive countries in corporate reputation research. The findings of the bibliometric analysis also postulated that crisis communication, engagement, and credibility, as well as the corporate image, could be emerging areas for further research. As such, this study provides valuable insights for academia and practitioners after discovering several potential themes to be further appraised regarding corporate reputation in I4.0 in future studies.
Understanding the Role of Service Quality of Government APPs in Continuance Intention: An Expectation–Confirmation Perspective
Authors: Mao Zijun , Zou Qi , Bu Tingting , Dong Ying , Yan Rongxiao
Published: October 2023

Given the huge investment made in developing government applications (APPs), it is essential for them to achieve the levels of performance needed to ensure service quality and meet public needs. Although public loyalty is crucial to the success of government APPs, few studies have analyzed the characteristics of service quality or the continuous use of government APPs and their associations. The present study has developed a theoretical model to show how government APPs service quality promotes continuance intention. A questionnaire survey of 388 government APP-users in China and a structural equation model have been used to verify this theoretical model. The empirical results show that overall service quality has an indirect positive impact on government APPs users’ continuance intention through expectation confirmation, perceived usefulness, and user satisfaction. This study enriches our understanding of service quality and government APPs continuance intention, while also exploring government APPs development, design, and promotion.
Relationship Between Interest Rate and Risk of P2P Lending in China Based on the Skew-Normal Panel Data Model
Authors: Ye Rendao , Lin Ya
Published: October 2023

This study examines the relationship between interest rate and defunct platform risk of China’s peer-to-peer (P2P) lending platforms. P2P lending provides an alternative funding source for individuals and micro-enterprises and offers a new investment tool for households. But the frequent collapses of many platforms were huge losses to market participants and even led to a decline in China’s P2P lending industry. In this study, weekly data of 76 platforms from December 3, 2017, to October 6, 2019, are employed, and empirical research based on the normal and skew-normal panel data model respectively is conducted. Statistical indicators prove that the skew-normal panel data model is preferable to another one in modeling the data set of interest rates. The empirical results show that China’s P2P market is efficient overall. But the positive correlation between the interest rate and risk is not significant for platforms with excessively high interest rates, whose interest rates are more determined by the types of ownership. The findings and implications are provided in the end.
The Co-creation of Museum Experience Value From the Perspective of Visitor Motivation
Authors: Yang Yongzhong , Liu Shuangji , Song Xiaoting
Published: October 2023

Marketing and tourism research emphasizes the importance of the co-creation of experience value in creating and maintaining sites of cultural consumption. However, the role of visitor motivation has been relatively overlooked, as have the dynamics of this process in museum space. Addressing these gaps, this study examines the co-creation of museum experience value from the perspective of visitor motivation in seven museums in Chengdu, China. The survey was used to collect 549 valid samples. Using survey questionnaire data and regression and structural equation analysis, this study reveals the significant relationship between visitor motivation, participation, interaction, and experience value in the co-creation of museum experience value. More specifically, participation and interaction play a mediating role in the relationship between visitor motivation and experience value, while visitor knowledge plays a moderating role in the relationship between visitor motivation and experience value. Expanding the literature on experience value co-creation by museum visitors, the results of this study have important implications for museum management.
L2 Proficiency Level Influences Loanword Adaptation: Variable Adaptation of English Co-occurrence of Low Vowel and Nasal Into Mandarin
Authors: Wang Wei
Published: October 2023

As the most commonly established and attested language contact phenomenon, loanwords, also known as lexical borrowings, may undergo transformations when borrowed from the source language (SL) to the borrowing language (BL). Previous studies have separately illustrated the role of perception and phonology in the borrowing process. However, the speech perception or phonology contributes more to the adaptation pattern in some cases than others. Few studies attempt to explain this phenomenon. To fill in the gap, the present study hypothesizes that differences in borrowers’ L2 proficiency level of the SL are the potential source. To examine this hypothesis, an online adaptation experiment was designed and conducted. The experiment examines how Mandarin Chinese native speakers adapt the English non-words ended in the combination of low vowel and nasal coda. The results suggest that BL monolinguals and less proficient L2 learners of the SL tend to use a phonetic mapping strategy guided by the backness of vowels, while advanced learners of the SL are more likely to adopt a phonological mapping strategy based on coda nasal place. This paper concludes by proposing that borrowers’ L2 proficiency level has an effect on the certain randomized variations in the process of loanword adaptation.
Trends Over Time in the Use, Carbon Footprint and Costs of Facet Joint Injections and Medial Branch Blocks to Manage Lumbar Pain in England: Retrospective Analysis of an Administrative Dataset
Authors: Ojelade Elizabeth , Koris Jacob , Van-Hove Maria , Gray William K. , Briggs Tim W. R. , Hutton Mike
Published: October 2023

Study Design

Retrospective analysis of an administrative dataset.

Objective

This study aims to investigate changing practice over a six-year period in the use of repeated lumbar facet joint injections/medial branch blocks in England.

Methods

Patient data were extracted from the Hospital Episodes Statistics database for the period 1st April 2015 to 31st March 2021 for the index lumbar injection and for repeat lumbar injections performed within one year of the first. The exposure of interest was two injections within 180 days or three within one year. Patients aged <17 years and where the body site was listed as cervical, thoracic or sacral were excluded.

Results

Data were available for 134,249 patients of which, 8,922 (6.6%) had either two injections within 180 days or three injections within one year. First injections fell from 42,511 in 2015/16 to 13,368 in 2019/20 as did the number of repeat injections: 4,018 to 424 for the same period. If all years had the same carbon footprint as 2019/20, 2.8 kilotons of CO2e would have been saved over the five years, enough to power 2,575 average UK homes for 1 year. The financial cost of injections decreased from £27.6 million in 2015/16 to £7.9 million in 2019/20.

Conclusions

The number of patients having repeated lumbar injections has decreased over time but has not been eliminated. More work is needed to educate patients and clinicians regarding alternative and more effective treatments.
Human Development Status of the Rabha Community of Assam, India: An Exercise in Constructing a Disaggregated Human Development Index
Authors: Das Bhargab , Bhuyan Ratna
Published: October 2023

The Rabha community of Assam, which has been culturally a farming and forest-based community, is one of the most backward scheduled tribe communities in the state. It is assessed that lack of education, lack of access to standard health facilities and widespread poverty have ensnared the tribe to a low standard of living. The present work tries to study the socio-economic status of the Rabha community and measure the human development status of the community by way of constructing a community-specific disaggregated Human Development Index.