bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The role of junior enterprises in the development of students' entrepreneurial skills
Authors: Daniel Ana Dias , Almeida João
Published: September 2020

Purpose

This study assesses the effects of junior enterprises (JEs) on the entrepreneurial attitudes and intentions of engineering higher education students, compared to a group of social sciences students.

Design/methodology/approach

This research analyses a sample of 132 students enrolled in engineering higher education courses in Portugal and Brazil, while 83 of the respondents being involved in a JE and 49 not. The authors compare this group to another group of 176 social sciences students from several higher education courses, while 93 being enrolled in JE and 83 not.

Findings

The results show that students enrolled in JEs show higher levels of entrepreneurial intention (EI), as well as their antecedents such as attitude towards the behaviour (ATB), perceived behavioural control (PBC) and social norms (SN) , and the impact of this extracurricular activity is higher on engineering students than on social sciences students. Also, country and gender differences were found in some variables.

Research limitations/implications

Further studies are needed to confirm the results in a broader population and in other countries. Also, the study addressed attitudes and intentions but not actual behaviour due to the time lag problem. There is also the risk of self-reported bias on the answers due to social desirability bias, for example. Finally, because JEs have their own recruitment process, there is a possible “self-selection problem” of students who might have previously developed some of entrepreneurial attitudes and skills assessed by the questionnaire.

Practical implications

The results have important implications for engineering higher education institutions. Despite many of them provide entrepreneurship training courses, they should also encourage students to join extracurricular activities or even create their own at their institution to complement their skills' development. Also, teachers should be encouraged to integrate these activities into their subjects, avoiding a major barrier to the participation in extracurricular activities which is the students' time constraints. Finally, participation in extracurricular activities can be promoted by institutions in many ways, such as allowing students to obtain academic credits or through supporting financially or logistically the organisations that promote these activities.

Social implications

This study contributes to the discussion on how to promote the development of entrepreneurial competences in young people that soon will enter the labour market.

Originality/value

This study contributes to the discussions on the value of extracurricular activities, such as the enrolment in JEs, to the development of entrepreneurial attitudes and intention on the training of the next generation of engineers capable of facing future worlds' challenges.
Influence of female managers' emotional display on frontline employees' job satisfaction: a cross-level investigation in an emerging economy
Authors: Mehmood Khalid , Li Yan , Jabeen Fauzia , Khan Ali Nawaz , Chen Shouming , Khalid Gulfam Khan
Published: September 2020

Purpose

Emotions and emotional labor play a crucial role in professional interactions. Due to the increasing participation share of women managers in the workforce, especially in the customer-oriented service context, this study adopts a multilevel approach and mobilizes person–job fit theory to investigate whether the emotional labor of female managers influences the association between customer orientation and job satisfaction in frontline employees in a services setting.

Design/methodology/approach

The participants were 124 immediate female managers working in bank branches and their 896 customer-facing employees in China.

Findings

The results show that the positive relationship between customer orientation and job satisfaction in frontline employees is strengthened by increases in female managers' deep acting, but it is weakened with the increase in their surface acting.

Research limitations/implications

The study findings provide support for scholars and financial service organizations as they seek to better understanding the dynamics behind the mobilization of women's emotions and their extent. In term of limitations, the data were taken from a single type of organization located in the northern cities of China, so it can be expected that the findings of this study will not generalize to all contexts.

Originality/value

This paper is the first to investigate female managers' emotional labor employing a cross-level analysis in financial services setting.
Investigating onsite restaurant interactive self-service technology (ORISST) use: customer expectations and intentions
Authors: Xu Yang , Jeong EunHa , Baiomy Ahmed E. , Shao Xiaolong
Published: September 2020

Purpose

This study aims to investigate consumers’ intention to use onsite restaurant interactive self-service technology (ORISST) using a modified value attitude-behavior model. To extend the understanding of how consumers’ dining value focus could influence their intention to use ORISST, this study examines the conditional indirect effects of restaurant type (quick-service vs fine-dining) within the proposed model.

Design/methodology/approach

An online survey was developed and distributed to randomly selected respondents in the USA. A total of 588 (quick-service: 295; fine-dining: 293) responses were used for the data analysis. Structural equation modeling with a robust maximum likelihood method was used to examine the proposed model. To investigate the moderated effects of restaurant type, a latent moderated mediation model was used.

Findings

The results showed that consumers’ value perceptions toward technology use in restaurants influenced their intention to use ORISST via both hedonic and utilitarian expectations. Latent moderated mediation analyzes revealed that the mediation effect of hedonic expectation between perceived value and the intention was stronger in fine-dining than in quick-service restaurants.

Originality/value

This study extends the understanding of consumer intentions to use interactive self-service technology in restaurants by building on a model that is customer-oriented instead of tech-specific. Furthermore, the conditional effects of restaurant type are investigated using the latent moderated structural equation method. The findings of this study provide guidelines for managers of quick-service and fine-dining restaurants to better incorporate ORISST in their restaurants, to boost customer experiences and to increase operational efficiency.
Interprofessional, multitiered daily rounding management in a high-acuity hospital
Authors: Eamranond Pracha Peter , Bhukhen Arti , DiPalma Donna , Kunuakaphun Schawan , Burke Thomas , Rodis John , Grey Michael
Published: September 2020

Purpose

The purpose of this explanatory case study is to explain the implementation of interprofessional, multitiered lean daily management (LDM) and to quantitatively report its impact on hospital safety.

Design/methodology/approach

This case study explained the framework for LDM implementation and changes in quality metrics associated with the interprofessional, multitiered LDM, implemented at Saint Francis Hospital and Medical Center (SFHMC) at the end of 2018. Concepts from lean, Total Quality Management (TQM) and high reliability science were applied to develop the four tiers andgembarounding components of LDM. A two-tailedt-test analysis was utilized to determine statistical significance for serious safety events (SSEs) comparing the intervention period (January 2019–December 2019) to the baseline period (calendar years 2017 and 2018). Other quality and efficiency metrics were also tracked.

Findings

LDM was associated with decreased SSEs in 2019 compared to 2017 and 2018 (p ≤ 0.01). There were no reportable central line-associated blood stream infection (CLABSI) or catheter-associated urinary tract infection (CAUTI) for first full calendar quarter in the hospital's history. Hospital-acquired pressure injuries were at 0.2 per 1,000 patient days, meeting the annual target of <0.5 per 1,000 patient days. Outcomes for falls with injury, hand hygiene and patient experience also trended toward target. These improvements occurred while also observing a lower observed to expected length of stay (O/E LOS), which is the organizational marker for hospital’s efficiency.

Research limitations/implications

LDM may contribute greatly to improve safety outcomes. This observational study was performed in an urban, high-acuity, low cost hospital which may not be representative of other hospitals. Further study is warranted to determine whether this model can be applied more broadly to other settings.

Practical implications

LDM can be implemented quickly to achieve an improvement in hospital safety and other health-care quality outcomes. This required a redistribution of time for hospital staff but did not require any significant capital or other investment.

Social implications

As hospital systems move from a volume-based to value-based health-care delivery model, dynamic interventions using LDM can play a pivotal role in helping all patients, particularly in underserved settings where lower cost care is required for sustainability, given limited available resources.

Originality/value

While many hospital systems promote organizational rounding as a routine quality improvement process, this study shows that a dynamic, intense LDM model can dramatically improve safety within months. This was done in a challenging urban environment for a high-acuity population with limited resources.
Knowledge sharing in ISD projects: role of task interdependence and social capital
Authors: Lee Hyejung , Park Jun-Gi , Lee Jungwoo
Published: September 2020

Purpose

Extant literature on design theory has little empirical evidence about how work characteristics affect team interaction processes. This paper examines the knowledge-sharing process in information systems development (ISD) projects.

Design/methodology/approach

Task interdependence from work design theory was used as an antecedent of knowledge sharing for collaboration for the empirical analysis. Data were collected from 203 ISD project teams in South Korea to examine team social capital and knowledge sharing among team members.

Findings

The results indicate that task interdependence has a statistically significant impact on the knowledge-sharing process. The mediating roles of social capital and knowledge sharing are critical. Additionally, the effects of social capital change over time as long-term projects have different mechanisms than short-term ones.

Originality/value

The paper introduces a novel perspective (i.e. the adoption of task interdependence from work design theory) and integrates it with the research constructs that play important roles in ISD projects: knowledge sharing and teams’ social capital. In an ISD project team, which represents knowledge-intensive collaboration and has heterogeneous team characteristics, task interdependence has a positive impact on the team as predicted by work design theory. It verifies the mediating effect of social capital, particularly the changing influence of social capital with time.
Controlling opportunism in partnerships: a process view
Authors: Maurya Dayashankar , Srivastava Amit Kumar
Published: September 2020

Purpose

Controlling partner opportunism in public-private partnership (PPP) requires effective adaptation of governance mechanisms over life-cycle. This paper proposes a process framework of effective governance adaptation for controlling partner opportunism in case of PPP.

Design/methodology/approach

Using in-depth interview data and extensive secondary data, a comparative case analysis of governance adaptation for controlling partner opportunism in two provinces in the “National Health Insurance Program” in India was conducted. The study uses contextual analysis and critical incident technique to identify the opportunistic behaviors and use processing tracing to map the adaptation of governance mechanisms for effective control of partner opportunism.

Findings

The paper makes several propositions and proposes a three-stage framework for effective governance adaptation for controlling partner opportunism. The study proposes that governance adaptation begins with the iterative process of discovering governance needs, followed by the dynamic interaction between governance mechanisms shaping the adaptation process. The process ends with two-dimensional alignment–alignment of partner's goal and alignment of governance mix with governance needs resulting in effective governance.

Research limitations/implications

The paper contributes to the existing debates on governance mix and its effectiveness in PPP by proposing two-dimensional alignment for optimal governance adaptation leading to effective PPP governance.

Originality/value

Existing research presents contradictory findings about the effectiveness of governance mechanisms to control partner opportunism. The proposed process-view of governance adaptations tries to address this conundrum to some extent.
Does China's power supply chain systems perform well? A data-based path-index meta-frontier analysis
Authors: Sun Jiasen , Xu Shuqi , Li Guo
Published: September 2020

Purpose

To improve the sustainable performance of the power supply chain system (PSCS), the Chinese government proposed a series of relevant policies and promoted the application of various technologies in the power industry. This study analyzes the sustainable performance and technology levels of PSCSs in various regions of China.

Design/methodology/approach

To quantify the technological heterogeneity between PSCSs, this study incorporates a meta-frontier into the performance evaluation model. To increase the performance of inefficient PSCSs, this study also proposes a series of performance improvement path indexes.

Findings

Empirical analysis of China's provincial PSCSs, using data from 2014 to 2017, has yielded several key findings. First, the average performance of PSCSs of all provinces in China is 0.7192, indicating that PSCSs in China have great potential for improvement. Second, independent of power generation subsystem (PGS) or power retail subsystem (PRS), regional differences affect the technological heterogeneity of PSCSs in China. Third, for PGS, the technological level of PSCSs in the eastern region displays a high level, while the management level can still be greatly improved. Fourth, only the PSCS of Beijing is best in both PGS and PRS. The two subsystems of the PSCSs in the other provinces are either insufficiently managed or technologically inadequate.

Originality/value

Compared with the traditional performance model, the model proposed in this study considers the technological heterogeneity between PSCSs. In addition, the path indexes proposed in this study clearly indicate an improvement direction and the specific improvement level for inefficient PSCSs.
Developing a smart system with Industry 4.0 for customer dissatisfaction
Authors: Kuo Chun-Min , Chen Wen-Yuan , Tseng Chin-Yao , Kao Chang Ting
Published: September 2020

Purpose

This paper develops a smart system based on the concept of Industry 4.0 to prevent customer dissatisfaction. The value of this prevention system is that it enables hoteliers to interact with customers by understanding what they like/dislike from their behaviors via data analysis. Therefore, this system helps hoteliers to enhance service quality by predicting service issues.

Design/methodology/approach

The system, named the dissatisfaction identification system (DIS), is developed. A total of 127 service items were examined by a hotel manager who preset the threshold values for the measurement of service quality. A big data set for the questionnaire survey is statistically generated by a pseudorandom number generator and 10,000 mock data sets are taken as input for comparison.

Findings

The results indicated that 36 out of 127 service items are identified as service issues for the participating hotel. Examples include customer code number 01d, “Space of parking lot is adequate” in the safety management category, and number 05a, “A hotel's service time meets my needs” in the front office service category. The items identified require improvement action plans for preventing customer dissatisfaction.

Originality/value

This paper offers a new perspective paper emphasizing customer dissatisfaction using a big data-driven technology system. The DIS, prevention system, is developed to aid hotels by enhancing their relationships with customers using a data-driven approach.
Red teaming financial crime risks in the banking sector
Authors: Scott Benjamin Fraser
Published: September 2020

Purpose

In recent years, Australian regulators have focussed on the financial crime compliance obligations of banks and other reporting entities, and there is a clear expectation that banks develop effective approaches to the management of non-financial risk. Red teaming is a methodology used in the intelligence and military domains to understand external threats. The purpose of this paper is to provide an overview of red teaming methods, set out a framework for using them in financial crime compliance and provide practical examples of red teaming exercises, which banks can use to manage financial crime risks.

Design/methodology/approach

This paper provides an overview of the financial crime compliance landscape in Australia. It outlines some of the key concepts and techniques used in red teaming, drawing in particular on the framework developed by strategic policy expert Micah Zenko. It explores the benefits of red teaming for financial crime compliance practice, concluding with three example exercises for financial crime teams.

Findings

Based on this research, red teaming methods can assist banks in taking a proactive approach to identify and mitigating financial crime risks. Rather than confining red teaming to cybersecurity applications, banks should consider they can use red teaming methods in their financial crime compliance functions.

Originality/value

This paper represents the first assessment of how to apply red teaming methods to risk management in financial crime compliance. It combines a historical and theoretical overview of red teaming methods with example red teaming exercises for money laundering, sanctions and strategic policy scenarios.
Open innovation for sustainability through creating shared value-role of knowledge management system, openness and organizational structure
Authors: Chaurasia Sushil S. , Kaul Natashaa , Yadav Babita , Shukla Dhirendra
Published: September 2020

Purpose

This paper aims to identify the prominent themes of open innovation for sustainability (OIS) and establish their inter-relationships. Moreover, it examines the importance of success factors (i.e. knowledge management system, openness and organizational structure) and their configuration for co-creating shared value for OIS in manufacturing micro small and medium enterprises.

Design/methodology/approach

The first stage of investigation determines the relationship between concepts using the bibliometric technique. The second stage examines predictors (e.g. knowledge management system, openness and organizational structure) that contribute to the desired outcomes (creation of shared value in OIS) through necessary condition analysis.

Findings

The investigation demonstrates that all three conditions are necessary for (at different levels) creating shared values for OIS. More specifically, the investigation shows that the different levels of creation of shared value outcomes do require organizations to configure organizational interventions at different levels of the knowledge management system, openness and organizational structure.

Practical implications

To use the concept of open innovation (OI), organizations need to expand their view beyond their existing resource pool and business environment, to include their partners and stakeholders for more inclusivity. Such creation of shared value for OI does require active participation, interaction and collaboration with both manufacturer, retailers and other stakeholders, for developing an insight in creating value for sustainability problem-solving context.

Originality/value

The investigation advances the existing body of knowledge that propagates the significance of knowledge management system, openness and organizational structure as the antecedent to increase the creation of shared value for sustainability by organizations. The investigation advances the existing body of knowledge that propagates the significance of knowledge management system, openness and organizational structure as an antecedent to increase the creation of shared value for sustainability by organizations.
Can internal audit functions improve firm operational efficiency? Evidence from China
Authors: Chen Ying , Lin Bin , Lu Lizhen , Zhou Gaoguang
Published: September 2020

Purpose

The purpose of this study is to examine the effects of internal audit function (IAF) quality on the operational efficiency of Chinese firms.

Design/methodology/approach

The authors use regression models with a sample of Chinese listed companies to test their research hypotheses.

Findings

The authors find that IAF quality is positively associated with firm operational efficiency. The result is unchanged after correcting for endogeneity via the instrumental variable method and using an alternative measure of firm operational efficiency. The authors show that IAF competence improves firm operational efficiency, but the relationship between IAF independence and firm operational efficiency is insignificant. Additionally, they find that IAF quality can only significantly improve firm operational efficiency in the presence of effective corporate governance at the firm level and strong institutions at the province level. Using path analysis, the authors find that an IAF can improve firm operational efficiency directly or indirectly by promoting firm internal control quality.

Practical implications

The findings of this study suggest the need for a balance between IAF competence and independence to achieve the goals of IAF. Additionally, the authors study suggests that the effectiveness of IAF is contingent on corporate governance and market-based institutions.

Originality/value

The study’s findings contribute to the burgeoning literature on the relationship between IAF and firm operational performance and deepen the authors’ understanding of the role of IAF in an emerging economy whose government plays a major role in promoting and enforcing internal audits. The study also empirically support the Internal Audit Governance Maturity Model proposed by the Institute of Internal Auditors.
Determinants and consequences of internal audit functions within colleges and universities
Authors: DeSimone Steven , Rich Kevin
Published: September 2020

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to identify factors associated with the presence and use of internal audit functions (IAFs) at US colleges and universities, as well as their relationship with financial reporting quality and federal grant outcomes.

Design/methodology/approach

Using a combination of publicly available and manually collected data, this paper uses a two-stage model to examine both the factors associated with the use of IAFs within US institutions of higher education and the consequences therein.

Findings

Results indicate that institutions with larger enrollments and endowments, those that receive public funding and those that have an audit committee are more likely to maintain an IAF. Findings also suggest that the presence of an IAF is negatively associated with reported material weaknesses for major programs at significant levels. Finally, the presence of an IAF is found to have a positive and significant association with federal grants received by the institution, with an even stronger association for IAFs that perform grant-specific procedures.

Originality/value

The study’s findings provide the first large-sample quantitative insights on IAF work within US colleges and universities. Results should be of interest to college/university leadership as they attempt to improve financial reporting quality and grant outcomes, as well as external stakeholders looking to evaluate whether institutions are acting as good stewards over resources. Additionally, the Institute of Internal Auditors may find the results helpful when promoting the profession.
Auditors’ judgment subordination and the theory of planned behavior
Authors: Cyr Dominic , Héroux Sylvie , Fontaine Richard
Published: September 2020

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to examine circumstances under which auditors subordinate their judgment. More specifically, the authors investigate factors associated with auditors’ propensity to accept client-preferred accounting methods that conform to accounting standards but do not faithfully represent the entity’s financial position, financial performance and cash flows.

Design/methodology/approach

Based on the theory of planned behavior (TPB), the authors developed a survey that was sent to auditors at a non-Big 4 audit firm.

Findings

Main results suggest that auditors tend to agree with a client’s preferred accounting method when they anticipate little fallout from this decision, they believe they can easily justify the method, and they perceive that colleagues, shareholders and creditors would also agree with the decision.

Practical implications

Results benefit auditing standard setters and regulators and are relevant for accounting institutes and audit firms because practitioners can learn about circumstances under which auditors subordinate their judgment.

Originality/value

This study contributes to the audit literature by using the TPB to identify factors associated with auditors’ judgment subordination. In addition, it applies the TPB in a context where a client-preferred accounting method is considered acceptable but is not the most appropriate in light of the audited entity’s specific circumstances.
Real effects of real estate: evidence from unemployment rates
Authors: Dogan Can , Topuz John Can
Published: September 2020

Purpose

This paper aims to investigate the relationship between residential real estate prices and unemployment rates at the Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA) level.

Design/methodology/approach

This paper uses a long time-series of MSA-level quarterly data from 1990 to 2018. It uses an instrumental variable approach to estimate the effects of residential real estate prices on unemployment rates using the geography-based land constraints measure of Saiz (2010) as the instrument.

Findings

The results show that changes in residential real estate prices do not have a causal effect on unemployment rates in the same quarter. However, it takes 9-12 months for an increase (decrease) in real estate prices to decrease (increase) unemployment rates. This effect is significant during both pre- and post-financial crisis periods and robust to control for the economic characteristics of MSAs.

Research limitations/implications

This paper contributes to the emerging literature that studies the real effects of real estate. Particularly, the methodology and the findings can be used to investigate causal relationships between housing prices and small business development or economic growth. The findings are also of interest to policymakers and practitioners as they illustrate how and when real estate price shocks propagate to the real economy through unemployment rates.

Practical implications

This study’s findings have important implications for academics, policymakers and investors as they provide evidence of a snowball effect associated with shocks to real estate prices: increasing (decreasing) unemployment rates following a decrease (increase) in real estate prices exacerbates the real estate price movements and their economic consequences.

Originality/value

This paper analyzes a significantly longer period, from 1990 to 2018, than the existing literature. Additionally, it uses the MSA-level land unavailability measure of Saiz (2010) as an instrument to explore the effects of residential real estate prices on unemployment rates and when those effects are observed in the real economy.
Does transformational leadership influence TQM practices? A comparison analysis between manufacturing and service firms
Authors: Bouranta Nancy
Published: September 2020

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to fill a gap in the existing literature that relates leadership style to total quality management (TQM) focus. Specifically, the study evaluates whether and how leadership style may affect the implementation of TQM practices.

Design/methodology/approach

A structured questionnaire was used to collect data from employees of different organizations operating in the manufacturing (n = 156) and service sectors (n = 147). Exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses as well as structural equation modeling were adopted to test the hypothesized research model.

Findings

The results revealed that transformational leadership has a positive impact in the implementation of TQM practices (e.g., customer focus, process management, human resource management, strategic planning and learning). It was also found that, regardless of industry type, manufacturing or service, transformational leadership has a significantly positive influence on TQM practices. In addition, it was noted that manufacturing companies showed a higher level of TQM practices than did service companies.

Originality/value

This study represents, to the best of the author’s knowledge, the first empirical examination of the relationship between transformational leadership and TQM in the service and manufacturing industries, with the goal of determining the differences between these two sectors. The study's conclusions may be useful for service and manufacturing organizations in achieving more effective leadership in the implementation of TQM.
Action and progress on sustainability challenges: case examples from Marriott, Booking and Soneva
Authors: Landau Tomer
Published: September 2020

Purpose

The purpose of this study is to provide an insight on how hospitality companies engage with the sustainable development goals (SDGs) and whether their corporate social responsibilities declaration and actions could achieve the targets of the SDGs by 2030 as they relate to their respective companies.

Design/methodology/approach

This study provides a case study analysis of three selected hospitality companies – Marriott International, Booking Holdings and The Soneva Group. The data for the study were obtained from secondary resources such as the companies’ publications and websites. It uses the module of sustainability challenges and the monitoring framework provided in the global sustainable development report 2019.

Findings

All the companies examined in this study are investing significant effort and resources to achieve the goals. They are focussing mainly on actions related to challenges that present high to medium levels of socio-political agreement and factual certainty. Though significant progress has been made towards achieving social and economic goals, there is still a large gap in relation to environmental goals. The efforts made solely by the hospitality companies to achieve the targets of Goal 13 are not enough, as hospitality companies cannot achieve these targets on their own. More actions and contributions from governmental and international agencies will be required.

Originality/value

This paper contributes to an understanding of the role that the SDGs play in the hospitality industry and how companies should engage and interact with the goals. Further research might be needed to analyse the financial implications of the SDGs in relation to the companies’ efforts and their respective investment contributions.
The impact of infected T lymphocyte burst rate and viral shedding rate on optimal treatment scheduling in a human immunodeficiency virus infection
Authors: Bukkuri Anuraag
Published: September 2020

We consider a mathematical model of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection dynamics of T lymphocyte (T cell), infected T cell, and viral populations under reverse transcriptase inhibitor (RTI) andprotease inhibitor (PI) treatment. Existence, uniqueness, and characterization of optimal treatment profiles which minimize total amount of drug used, viral, and infected T cell populations, while maximizing levels of T cells are determined analytically. Numerical optimal control experiments are also performed to illustrate how burst rate of infected T cells and shedding rate of virions impact optimal treatment profiles. Finally, a sensitivity analysis is performed to detect how model input parameters contribute to output variance.
Exploring the implications of COVID-19 on widening health inequalities and the emergence of nutrition insecurity through the lens of organisations involved with the emergency food response
Authors: Macaninch Elaine , Martyn Kathy , Lima do Vale Marjorie
Published: September 2020

Background

This paper describes the impact of COVID-19 during the first month of containment measures on organisations involved in the emergency food response in one region of the UK and the emerging nutrition insecurity. This is more than eradicating hunger but considers availability of support and health services and the availability of appropriate foods to meet individual requirements. In particular, this paper considers those in rural communities, from lower socioeconomic groups or underlying health conditions.

Methods

Semistructured professional conversations informed the development of a questionnaire which gathered insights from five organisations involved with the emergency food response in the South East, England, UK. Descriptive themes were derived though inductive analysis and are further discussed in relation to UK government food support measures and early published data.

Results

Four themes emerged from conversations, including: (1) increasing demand, (2) meeting the needs of specific groups, (3) awareness of food supply and value of supporting local and (4) concerns over sustainability. All organisations mentioned changes in practice and increased demand for emergency food solutions. Positive, rapid and innovative changes helped organisations to adapt to containment restrictions and to meet the needs of vulnerable people. Although concern was raised with regards to meeting the specific needs of those with underlying health conditions and the sustainability of current efforts.

Conclusion

Considerable gaps in food provision were identified, as well as concerns regarding increased long-term food and nutrition insecurity. The paper makes recommendations to improve nutrition security for the future and considers the lessons learnt from the COVID-19 pandemic. The generalisability of these early insights is unknown but these real-time snapshops can help to direct further research and evaluation.
Effect of the COVID-19-induced lockdown on nutrition, health and lifestyle patterns among adults in Zimbabwe
Authors: Matsungo Tonderayi Mathew , Chopera Prosper
Published: September 2020

Background

The COVID-19 is a global public health emergency resulting in lockdowns, associated diet and lifestyle changes and constrained public health delivery.

Objective

To investigate the impacts of the COVID-19-induced lockdown in Zimbabwe on nutrition, physical activity, alcohol consumption and smoking among Zimbabwean population aged ≥18 years.

Methods

A cross-sectional online survey was conducted using a structured questionnaire to collect information on demographics (age, gender, place of residence, current employment), food system dimensions, diet and physical activity patterns, stress and anxiety, body image perceptions, lifestyle behaviours like smoking, alcohol intake, screen time and ease of access to health services.

Results

The participants (n=507) were mostly women (63.0%) between the ages of 31 and 40 years (48.1%) and had tertiary education (91.3%). The lockdown resulted in increase in food prices (94.8%) and decrease in availability of nutritious foods (64%). Most (62.5%) of the participants reported a reduction in their physical activity levels. The prevalence of generalised anxiety disorder (GAD) was 40.4% and mostly affecting woman (63.5%, p=0.909), 31–40 years age group (49.6%, p=0.886). Based on the Body Mass Index-based Silhouette Matching Test (BMI-SMT) 44.5% gained weight, 24.3% lost weight and 31.2% did not have weight change. The paired samples t-test showed that there was a significant increase in perceived body weight (p<0.001). More than half (59.6%) reported having difficulties accessing medicinal drugs and 37.8% growth monitoring services.

Conclusions

The lockdown period was associated with increase in food prices, decrease in dietary diversification, elevated GAD symptoms, disrupted diet and consumption patterns. There were low levels of physical activity and perceived weight gained during the lockdown period, thus increasing the risk of overweight and obesity. Further studies incorporating participants of different socioeconomic status are warranted to get more conclusive results.
Role of food aid and assistance in addressing the double burden of malnutrition in Ghana: a qualitative policy analysis
Authors: Torto Niisoja M , Brownell Kelly D
Published: September 2020

Background and aims

In many low-income and middle-income countries, the double burden of malnutrition threatens public health and economic progress, urging a re-evaluation of the roles and responsibilities of nutrition actors, both traditional and non-traditional. This study examines the food aid and assistance activities of the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP)—one non-traditional actor in the double burden conversation—and the potential for these activities to reach beyond their traditional mandate on undernutrition to also address overweight and obesity in Ghana.

Methods

Information on WFP activities in Ghana from 2012 up through its planning into 2023 was extracted from 11 WFP planning, operations and evaluation documents. WFP activities were then judged against the WHO’s framework on the determinants of the double burden of malnutrition to determine their potential to address the double burden. Semistructured interviews were also conducted with 17 key informants in the global nutrition landscape to identify challenges that may complicate the role of WFP and other actors in addressing the double burden.

Results

The analysis demonstrates that WFP activities in Ghana can serve as a platform on which to address the double burden, particularly by targeting the food access, food systems and socioeconomic disadvantage determinants of the double burden. Actors’ uncertainty with what role WFP should play in addressing the double burden, insufficient government attention to malnutrition and poor data on overweight and obesity were identified as potential challenges that complicate addressing the double burden.

Conclusion

The findings suggest that integrating WFP as a partner in the effort to address the double burden in Ghana might help amplify progress. To better address the double burden, WFP might prioritise retrofitting existing activities rather than implementing new interventions.
Why are black adults over-represented among individuals who have experienced lifetime homelessness? Oaxaca-Blinder decomposition analysis of homelessness among US male adults
Authors: Rhee Taeho Greg , Rosenheck Robert A
Published: September 2020

Background

Non-Hispanic black adults experience homelessness at higher rates than non-Hispanic white adults in many studies. We aim to identify factors that could account for this disparity.

Methods

We used national survey data on non-Hispanic black and white men with complete data from the National Epidemiological Survey on Alcohol and Related Conditions Wave III. Using the Oaxaca-Blinder decomposition analysis, we examined race-based disparities in correlates of risk for lifetime homelessness.

Results

In our analysis, 905 of 11 708 (7.7%) respondents, representing 6 million adults nationwide, reported lifetime homelessness. Black adults were 1.41 times more likely to have been homeless than white adults (95% CI 1.14 to 1.73; p=0.002). Overall, 81.6% of race-based inequality in lifetime homelessness were explained by three main variables with black adults having: lower incomes, greater incarceration histories since age of 18 and a greater risk of traumatic events (p<0.01 for each). They also had more antisocial personality disorder, younger age and parental drug use (p<0.05 for each).

Conclusion

Although previous studies suggested that black homeless men have higher rates of drug abuse than white homeless men, our findings highlight the fact that black–white disparities in lifetime homeless risk are associated with socio-structural factors (eg, income and incarceration) and individual adverse events (eg, traumatic events), and not associated with psychiatric or substance use disorders.
Use of pCONUS HPC for the treatment of unruptured wide-necked bifurcation aneurysms: early clinical experience using single antiplatelet therapy
Authors: Aguilar Perez Marta , Hellstern Victoria , Serna Candel Carmen , Wendl Christina , Bäzner Hansjörg , Gansladt Oliver , Henkes Hans
Published: September 2020

Background

In recent years, a growing number of stents and stent-like devices have become available to facilitate the treatment of challenging aneurysms. However, the need for dual antiplatelet therapy can limit their use, especially in ruptured aneurysms. The hydrophilic polymer coating (pHPC, phenox) is a novel glycan-based multilayer polymer that reduces platelet adhesion. This study aims to report our initial experience using the pCONUS HPC device for the treatment of unruptured wide-necked bifurcation aneurysms (WNBA) using acetylsalicylic acid (ASA) as single antiplatelet therapy (SAPT).

Methods

We retrospectively identified all patients who were treated with the pCONUS HPC for unruptured WNBA in a multi-staged procedure using ASA as SAPT. Records were made of periprocedural complications, clinical outcome and angiographic and clinical follow-up.

Results

We identified 15 patients with 15 WNBA. The average age was 69 years old (range, 41–76). Seven aneurysms were located in the middle cerebral artery, five in the anterior communicating artery, two at the basilar tip and one in the posterior communicating artery. Immediate post-treatment angiography showed five aneurysms with modified Raymond-Roy classification (mRRC) grade I and four aneurysms with mRRC grade II. There were no haemorrhagic complications. Four patients developed thrombus formation during the second treatment session, all of them completely resolving after administration of glycoprotein IIb/IIIa antagonists. Angiographic follow-up data were available for 10 patients and showed adequate occlusion (mRRC I or II) in eight aneurysms (80%). In-stent stenosis was observed in one patient whereas two patients showed de novo stenosis in one of the efferent branches.

Conclusions

This early experience on the use of the pCONUS HPC device suggests that it can be useful for treating unruptured WNBA under ASA as SAPT. Further investigation with a randomised treatment registry and larger cohort is needed.
One-loop effective scalar-tensor gravity
Authors: Latosh Boris
Published: September 2020

Non-minimal interactions are proven to be generated at the one-loop level in simple scalar-tensor gravity models. The John interaction from the Fab Four class is generated. The interaction affects the speed of gravitational waves in the contemporary Universe. Its role in low-energy phenomenology is discussed. Brans-Dicke-like interaction is generated in a non-minimal model. An opportunity to generate a dynamic low-energy Newton constant is addressed.
Searching for small droplets of hydrodynamic fluid in proton–proton collisions at the LHC
Authors: Zhao Wenbin , Zhou You , Murase Koichi , Song Huichao
Published: September 2020

In this paper, we investigate the hydrodynamic collectivity in proton-proton collisions at $$\sqrt{s}=$$

s

=

13 TeV, using with three different initial conditions, namely, , and . With properly tuned parameters, hydrodynamics gives reasonable descriptions of the measured two-particle correlations, including the integrated and $$p_\mathrm{T}$$

p
T

-differential flow. However, the hydrodynamic simulations fail to describe the negative four-particle cumulant $$c_2^v\{4\}$$

c
2
v

{
4
}

as measured in experiments. The four-particle cumulant $$c_2^v\{4\}$$

c
2
v

{
4
}

is always positive after hydrodynamic evolutions. Further investigations show that the non-linear response between the final $$v_2$$

v
2

and the initial $$\varepsilon _2$$

ε
2

becomes significant in p-p systems. This leads to a large deviation from linear eccentricity scaling and generates additional flow fluctuations, which results in a positive $$c_2^v\{4\}$$

c
2
v

{
4
}

even with a negative $$c_2^\varepsilon \{4\}$$

c
2
ε

{
4
}

from the initial state. We also presented the first hydrodynamic calculations of mixed harmonic azimuthal correlations in p-p collisions. Although many qualitative features are reproduced by the hydrodynamic simulations, the measured negative normalized Symmetric-Cumulant $$nsc_{2,3}\{4\}$$

n
s

c

2
,
3

{
4
}

cannot be reproduced. Obviously hydrodynamic calculations have a general difficulty to describe the data. It triggers that whether hydrodynamics with a new initial state could solve this puzzle, or hydrodynamics itself is not the appreciated mechanism of the observed collectivity, and the non-hydrodynamic modes become important in p-p collisions at the LHC.
On the axial-vector form factor of the nucleon and chiral symmetry
Authors: Lutz Matthias F. M. , Sauerwein Ulrich , Timmermans Rob G. E.
Published: September 2020

We consider the chiral Lagrangian with nucleon, isobar, and pion degrees of freedom. The baryon masses and the axial-vector form factor of the nucleon are derived at the one-loop level. We explore the impact of using on-shell baryon masses in the loop expressions. As compared to results from conventional chiral perturbation theory we find significant differences. An application to QCD lattice data is presented. We perform a global fit to the available lattice data sets for the baryon masses and the nucleon axial-vector form factor, and determine the low-energy constants relevant at $$\hbox {N}^3$$

N
3

LO for the baryon masses and at $$\hbox {N}^2$$

N
2

LO for the form factor. Partial finite-volume effects are considered. We point out that the use of on-shell masses in the loops results in non-analytic behavior of the baryon masses and the form factor as function of the pion mass, which becomes prominent for larger lattice volumes than presently used.
Real or not real that is the question...
Authors: Bertlmann Reinhold A.
Published: September 2020

My discussions with John Bell about reality in quantum mechanics are recollected. I would like to introduce the reader to Bell’s vision of reality which was for him a natural position for a scientist. Bell had a strong aversion against “quantum jumps” and insisted to be clear in phrasing quantum mechanics, his “words to be forbidden” proclaimed with seriousness and wit – both typical Bell characteristics – became legendary. I will summarize the Bell-type experiments and what Nature responded, and discuss the implications for the physical quantities considered, the real entities and the nonlocality concept due to Bell’s work. Subsequently, I also explain a quite different view of the meaning of a quantum state, this is the information theoretic approach, focusing on the work of Brukner and Zeilinger. Finally, I would like to broaden and contrast the reality discussion with the concept of “virtuality,” with the meaning of virtual particle occurring in quantum field theory. With some of my own thoughts I will conclude the paper which is composed more as a historical article than as a philosophical one.