bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Regulatory capture of the Chinese social credit system: Bureaucratic self-interests in project implementation
Authors: Szwajnoch Emilie
Published: June 2024

The construction of China’s social credit system (SCS) involves numerous bureaucratic agents who develop mechanisms aimed at contributing to the SCS’s overall objective of building mutual trust in society. This article traces the development of centrally designed censorship-related SCS mechanisms and examines them in a broader regulatory context. In doing so, we examine the effects that single SCS solutions produce for particular areas of governance, and the impact of bureaucratic interests on the proposed mechanisms and the entire SCS. The findings reveal that agents design mechanisms which support the underlying logic of their governance areas but which often diverge from the core SCS assumption of strengthening trustworthiness in society by raising the cost of violating legal provisions. This article also argues that, despite the trend towards centralization and controlling institutions, the ability of the Chinese party-state to develop a novel, complex, and coherent project may already be compromised at the central level due to the interplay of bureaucratic self-interests. Even though constructing the SCS has involved testing and introducing innovative mechanisms, these often fail to serve the project’s core assumption. As a result, long-existing mechanisms that now serve the SCS punitive regime may be more potent than the novel solutions in raising the cost of violating legal provisions.
‘Which would be more democratic? Allowing them the opportunity to change their mind or pressing on regardless’: A discursive psychological study of arguments for and against calls for a second Brexit referendum
Authors: Hunt Alexander R , Demasi Mirko A
Published: June 2024

Parliamentary debates are beneficial political environments to study using discourse analysis and discursive psychology. However, there is limited discursive psychological research analysing arguments for and against the possibility of a second referendum concerning the UK’s EU membership status. We collected our data by transcribing a parliamentary debate where politicians discussed a second referendum and analysed it using a discursive psychological framework. Whether they supported leave or remain, politicians discredit their opposing position for supposedly lacking democratic values. As such, politicians portrayed their stances on Brexit as a requirement to uphold democratic principles. The main implication of the analysis demonstrated that politicians defined democracy depending on the positions they took regarding calls for a second Brexit referendum. The present study contributes to the growing discursive literature on Brexit discourse by showing how the meaning of democracy is contested and used as a tool to manage accountability.
Digitalization's role in shaping climate change, renewable energy, and technological innovation for achieving sustainable development in top Asian countries
Authors: Huang Chao , Wang Chunlei , Rani Tayyaba , Rehman Syed Aziz Ur
Published: June 2024

Digitalization has emerged as a key player in reducing pollution and fostering a shift towards a low-carbon economy. However, its effectiveness in enhancing environmental sustainability hinges on the collaborative efforts of various economic stakeholders and their engagement with digital technologies. This research delves into the role of digitalization in advancing green innovation and facilitating the transition to renewable energy, focusing on its impact on environmental sustainability. Analyzing data from leading Asian countries from 1990 to 2022 through Panel quantile regression, the study reveals that digitalization significantly boosts environmental sustainability with green innovation and energy transition efforts. The findings highlight that green innovation is critical in diminishing ecological degradation, with notable effects (−0.085%, −0.104%, and −0.028%) across different quantiles, decreasing resource consumption and fostering sustainability. Furthermore, the shift towards renewable energy contributes to a cleaner environment by supporting decarbonization initiatives, thereby lessening environmental degradation. The analysis demonstrates that digitalization (−0.002%, −0.015%, −0.006%) curtails environmental degradation across various quantiles. Importantly, digitalization's interaction with green innovation and renewable energy acts synergistically to curb ecological degradation in Asia's leading economies. The study suggests that policy integration involving digitalization and green innovation could yield more excellent environmental benefits than the isolated impact of digitalization. By enhancing efficiency, optimizing resource utilization, encouraging the uptake of renewable energy, and fostering sustainable practices, the combined effect of digitalization and green initiatives offers substantial prospects for reducing environmental degradation. Consequently, policy frameworks that incorporate digitalization can significantly improve environmental quality.
Factors Related to, and Effective Interventions for, Vaccination Uptake Among Older Adults in Two Asia-Pacific Countries: A Rapid Review
Authors: Tong Wen Ting , Seth Ananta , Ng Mary Pei Ern , Tong Shao Chuen , Lau Amanda , Chen Tina Yen-Ting , Ong Suan Ee , Yoong Joanne Su-Yin
Published: June 2024

This rapid review aimed to present a comprehensive overview of barriers, facilitators, and effective interventions that promote vaccination uptake by older adults in the Asia-Pacific region. Rapid review methodology was applied, using two databases (PubMed, Embase). Articles were included if studies were conducted in Australia, Singapore, Indonesia, and the Philippines; included human population ≥50 years of age, and was published from 2016 to August 2022. Related articles were not found from Indonesia and Philippines. A total of 23 articles met the inclusion criteria, with 19 reporting on barriers and facilitators, whereas, four articles reported effective interventions to promote vaccination uptake. Among the 19 studies that identified barriers and facilitators to vaccination uptake, the more common factors were social influences (n = 8/19), perceived benefits of vaccine (n = 7/19), and perceived vaccine safety (n = 6/19). Interventions that focused on supporting clinicians were found to be effective in leading them to recommend vaccinations among older adults, such as creating awareness on the low baseline vaccination rates among older adults, provision of structured health assessment, and nurse reminders. More studies are needed to ascertain the barriers and facilitators to uptake, as well as to identify effective interventions influencing vaccine uptake among older adults in the Asia-Pacific region.
Men, Masculinities and Transnational Migration in the Canadian Context: A Scoping Review
Authors: Sowad Abu Saleh Mohammad , Lafrance Marc
Published: June 2024

Our paper examines how scholarly research on transnational migration has addressed gender identities, focusing specifically on the construction of masculinities among transnational migrant men in Canada. While research on transnational female migrants acknowledges their heterogeneous experiences of gender, research on transnational male migrants often presumes that their experiences of gender are largely homogenous. To fill this gap in the literature, our paper presents a scoping review of peer-reviewed research that explores how transnational migration both unmakes and remakes migrant men’s gender identities in the Canadian context. Our study concludes that there is a need for more scholarship relating to transnational migrant men in Canada, particularly that which examines how masculinities are produced by and productive of changing social locations, cultural positionalities, patterns of inequality, and hierarchies of power and privilege.
Improving School-to-Work Transitions: Antecedents of High-Quality Intern-Supervisor Exchanges
Authors: Chadwick Ingrid C. , Landry Guylaine , Lefter Alexandru M. , Panaccio Alexandra
Published: June 2024

Using a Canadian sample of 146 interns surveyed on three occasions (i.e., before, during, and after their internship experiences), we investigated university students’ skills and intentions as critical factors contributing to high-quality intern-supervisor exchanges. Specifically, we sought to better understand how to promote high-quality intern-supervisor relationships by looking at the influences of student-centered factors related to both educational (skills developed while in university) and organizational (intentions to develop relationship with supervisor) domains. To highlight the importance of these factors, we also examined whether their impacts on the quality of intern-supervisor exchanges ultimately translate into better internship outcomes, which we assessed by incorporating perceptions from both interns (i.e., internship satisfaction and general learning) and their supervisors (i.e., interns’ in-role performance and preparedness for work). Consistent with expectations, we found that both students’ skills developed while in university and students’ intentions to develop the relationships with their supervisors were positively related to the quality of intern-supervisor exchanges and, through that pathway, had positive indirect effects on internship satisfaction, general learning, in-role performance, and preparedness for work. Our findings indicate that students, universities, and employers all play a role in the development of high-quality intern-supervisor relationships, which are critical to student learning and performance.
Association of Life’s Essential 8 with depression among adults: A cross-sectional study of NHANES
Authors: Bai Yinyin , Guo Sanqin
Published: June 2024

The prevalence of depression continues to rise, and it has a high death and disability rate. Life’s Essential 8 (LE8) is an updated measurement of cardiovascular health (CVH), and a higher score of LE8 represents healthier CVH. Our study aimed to investigate the association between the LE8 and depression among adults. This cross-sectional study used data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. CVH was measured by using LE8 according to American Heart Association definitions. Depression was assessed by the 9-item Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9). Weighted univariable and multivariable logistic analyses were performed to investigate the association of LE8 with depression. Subgroup analyses were also conducted in different groups based on age, gender, race, body mass index (BMI), smoking, arthritis, cardiovascular disease, and chronic kidney disease. A total of 22,149 participants were included in the database, with a mean LE8 score of 71.27. The prevalence of depression was 7.32%. The mean scores of LE8 in health behaviors and health factors were 73.28 and 69.26, respectively. After adjustment of potential confounders, a higher LE8 score was associated with lower odds of depression (odds ratio = 0.27, 95% confidence interval: 0.20–0.37). A similar association was observed in the subgroup analyses. Higher overall LE8 scores and higher scores for each component (diet, physical activity, nicotine exposure, sleep duration, BMI, blood lipids, blood glucose, and blood pressure) were associated with lower odds of depression. LE8 score might be a useful tool for both cardiologists and psychiatrists in screening for and monitoring physical and mental health. Primary care physicians also could better tailor care and interventions to address both physical and mental health needs.
Liver fibrosis prediction models in a population of Latina and White women
Authors: Cathy Xu Lankai , Rangel-Garcia Maricela , Pinon-Gutierrez Rogelio , Fine Jeffrey R , Medici Valentina , Molfino Alessio
Published: June 2024

Point-of-care tools to assess advanced liver fibrosis, including the NFS, BARD, FIB-4, and APRI, are of major interest due to their noninvasive nature. However, these tools have not been investigated extensively in the Latina population. Given that the highest rate of NAFLD in Latinos and the most severe presentation of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is more common in women, we hypothesize that ethnicity may play a role in predicting liver fibrosis, particularly in women. We determined whether ethnicity alone or in association with other parameters can predict the severity of fibrosis in women with NAFLD when included in four tools. We retrospectively included 562 Latina and 133 White Caucasian women with a history of NAFLD. Associations between ethnicity and liver fibrosis severity using the four fibrosis predictor models were studied using backward selection multinomial logistic regression. Latina women compared to White showed lower body mass index (p < 0.001), higher HbA1c (p < 0.001), lower prevalence of bariatric surgery (p < 0.001), lower likelihood to smoke (p = 0.003), and higher prevalence of chronic kidney disease stages 3–5 (p = 0.01). Some clinical variables were associated with fibrosis but not univocally in each tool. We did not find differences in the outcome of the four models when holding all other factors and examining ethnicity alone between Latina and White women. Although we did not include data on liver histology, this is the first study examining the role of ethnicity in predicting the severity of fibrosis using established noninvasive scores and documenting no association between Latina ethnicity and the severity of fibrosis in women with NAFLD.
Safety Assessment of Triphenyl Phosphate as Used in Cosmetics
Authors: Burnett Christina L. , Bergfeld Wilma F. , Belsito Donald V. , Hill Ronald A. , Klaassen Curtis D. , Liebler Daniel C. , Marks James G. , Shank Ronald C. , Slaga Thomas J. , Snyder Paul W. , Fiume Monice , Heldreth Bart
Published: June 2024

The Expert Panel for Cosmetic Ingredient Safety (Panel) assessed the safety of Triphenyl Phosphate, which is reported to function as a plasticizer in manicuring products. The Panel reviewed the available data to determine the safety of this ingredient. The Panel concluded that Triphenyl Phosphate is safe in cosmetics in the present practices of use and concentration described in this safety assessment.
‘Yeah, this is my donation’: An application of psychological ownership in blood donation
Authors: Edwards Abigail R-A. , Thorpe Rachel , Masser Barbara M. , Barlow Fiona Kate
Published: June 2024

To meet the priority healthcare needs of any population there must be a consistently available blood supply donated by willing donors. Due to this universal need for blood, retaining blood donors remains an ongoing challenge for blood services internationally. Encouraging psychological ownership, or the feeling of ownership one experiences over a possession, provides a potential novel solution to donor retention. This study, based on semi-structured interviews with blood donors, investigates how donors perceive and develop psychological ownership in the context of blood donation. Interviews were conducted in Australia with 20 current blood donors (10 men, 10 women; Mage = 41.95). Through thematic analysis, six themes were identified based primarily on the theoretical framework of psychological ownership. This research offers a novel perspective on donor retention, suggesting that donors’ ownership over their individual donation practices, and not the blood service, may contribute to maintaining a stable blood supply.
Destructive belief systems and violent behavior within and between groups and identities
Authors: Gaffney Amber M. , Hogg Michael A. , Abrams Dominic
Published: June 2024

This special issue celebrates 25 years of the Sage journal Group Processes and Intergroup Relations. In this article, we use examples of the current sociopolitical climate to highlight the importance of the scientific inquiry into group processes and intergroup relations. Ingrained identities that arise from groups are responsible for causing wars, protests, community clashes with law enforcement, violence, climate change, major public health crises, and societal change. However, just as blame goes to groups, collectives can be harnessed for solutions. This special issue contains 13 articles that showcase the diversity of research in Group Processes and Intergroup Relations, all of which contribute to theory advancement and the application of science to real world issues.
Necrotizing Soft Tissue Infection Following a Closed Distal Radius Fracture: A Case Report and Literature Review
Authors: Law Jenaleen , Duraku Liron S. , Sivakumar Brahman , Hile Mark
Published: June 2024

Necrotizing soft tissue infections (NSTIs), characterized by extensive soft tissue destruction, are rare but life-threatening. We present a case of a NSTI in a healthy 65-year-old woman following a closed distal radius fracture. The patient presented with severe pain, fever, and lethargy 4 days after her index injury, with physical examination of the right upper limb revealing erythema and swelling to the mid-humeral level and blisters of the fingers and hand. Multiple surgical debridements were required to control the infection, which was caused by Streptococcus pyogenes. This case highlights the rapid progression and devastating consequences of NSTI, which can occur even in the setting of closed injuries in patients without comorbidities. Prompt diagnosis, early surgical intervention, and appropriate antimicrobial therapy are crucial in managing this pathology.

Level of Evidence: Level 5.
Enhancing Healthcare Professionals’ Culinary Skills, Food Management, Counseling Confidence, and Mediterranean Diet Adherence Through a Culinary Medicine Boot Camp: A Pilot Implementation Program (PIP)
Authors: Fernando Joan , Alonso Lucia , Gastaldo Isabella , Coll Alba , Lozano Josep , Martini Vinicius , Roura Elena , Williamson Lina , Escarrabill Joan , Moize Violeta
Published: June 2024

Awareness of nutrition’s role in chronic diseases is rising, demanding guidance on the diet-disease relationship. Nutritional practices become crucial for prevention, prompting healthcare professionals (HCP) to respond. The present study assessed a Culinary Medicine (CM) program’s impact on HCP’s Mediterranean diet adherence, food and diet therapy knowledge, food management skills, culinary proficiency, and counseling confidence. A mixed-methods pilot implementation program (PIP) engaged 20 HCP from Hospital Clinic Barcelona at the Alícia Foundation kitchen-lab. Four 8-hour CM sessions, held weekly, covered culinary knowledge emphasizing disease prevention and care. All twenty participants; 86% women, 14% men, 86% aged above 40, 14% between 31 and 39 years, 71% nurses, 7% medical doctors and 21% other occupation, completed the course and fourteen fulfilled pre-and post-program questionnaires. Notably, 86% had prior nutrition training, while only 14% had culinary training. After the program, there was significant improvement in Mediterranean diet adherence ( P < .05). Perceptions on dietary advice usefulness, patient-transferable knowledge acquisition, cooking techniques, and personal cooking skills confidence showed post-course improvements. This study underscores the potential of hands-on CM training in HCP nutrition education, influencing their culinary knowledge. Future studies with larger samples is needed to elucidate CM training’s impact on HCP and potential public health benefits.
Stigma and the use of umbrellas, hiking poles and walking sticks to aid walking in Hong Kong
Authors: Maximo Tulio , Fong Kenneth NK , Lau Newman ML
Published: June 2024

Background

The use of walking aids is widely acknowledged as one of the most relied-on forms of assistive technology. Using stick-shaped devices, such as a cane, is often the entrance for many people to the world of assistive technologies, often accompanied by the negative stigma associated with ageing and disability.

Objectives

This study investigated the perception of disability and needs of the Hong Kong population using walking aids, aiming to inform device design and service provision.

Methods

We observed 391 individuals using cane-like devices in their natural environment and conducted semi-structured interviews with 28 participants to understand stigma, barriers to acquisition, training, and design requirements.

Results

Half of the interviewees (50%, n = 14) did not feel disabled when using a walking stick, while 39% felt slightly disabled. 56% of the observed sample used non-medical-looking aids like hiking poles or umbrellas. Most interviewees (79%) purchased off-the-shelf devices, but less than half received seller support in choosing appropriate aids.

Conclusion

The feelings associated with using walking sticks and similar devices are mostly positive. There is a preference in Hong Kong for using devices without a medical appearance to aid walking, such as umbrellas and hiking poles. There is a need to raise awareness of the risks of using umbrellas to aid walking and empower the user to make informed decisions when purchasing walking aid devices. In addition, there is a need to support the supply chain of walking aids, including umbrellas and hiking poles, to provide more information on device use, misuse, training, and maintenance.
Narratives of conflict: Russian media’s evolving treatment of Ukraine (2013–2022)
Authors: Locoman Ecaterina , Lau Richard R
Published: June 2024

This article scrutinizes Russian state-run TV narratives over critical junctures – before the 2013 Euromaidan protests, the annexation of Crimea in 2014, and the periods leading up to and following the 2022 invasion – to illuminate how political agendas, historical narratives, and public perception intersect. The authors reveal the Russian political elite’s strategic shaping of narratives, influencing collective memory and swaying public opinion on the Ukraine crisis. The significance of the conflict narrative and Russia’s position is underscored, as reflected in the evolving structure of news broadcasts. The image of Russian leaders as capable and reliable is amplified during conflicts, while Ukrainian counterparts are persistently portrayed negatively. The media constructs an identity narrative that elevates Russian leaders and disparages Western counterparts post-crisis, mirroring geopolitical tensions. The framing of Ukraine’s narrative with WWII terminology is analyzed, highlighting attempts to deflect blame onto the West. This comprehensive study elucidates the subtle complexities of media narratives and their pivotal role in geopolitics and international relations.
Echoes of Culture: Relationships of Implicit and Explicit Attitudes With Contemporary English, Historical English, and 53 Non-English Languages
Authors: Charlesworth Tessa E. S. , Morehouse Kirsten , Rouduri Vaibhav , Cunningham William
Published: June 2024

Attitudes are intertwined with culture and language. But to what extent? Emerging perspectives in attitude research suggest that cultural representations in language are more related to implicitly measured (vs. explicitly measured) attitudes, and that such relationships persist across history and diverse languages. We offer a comprehensive test of these ideas by correlating (a) attitudes toward 55 topics (e.g., Rich/Poor, Dogs/Cats, Love/Money) from ~100,000 U.S. English-speaking participants with (b) representations of those same topics in word embeddings from contemporary English text, 200 years of English books, and 53 non-English languages. Strong and robust relationships emerged between representations in contemporary English and implicitly but not explicitly measured attitudes. Moreover, strong correlations with implicitly measured attitudes persisted across 200 years of books, and most non-English languages. Results provide new insights into the nature of implicitly measured attitudes and how they are intertwined with cultural representations that are relatively hidden in patterns of language across time and place.
Automated segmentation of ventricular volumes and subarachnoid hemorrhage from computed tomography images: Evaluation of a rule-based pipeline approach
Authors: Butler Mitchell , Shah Parin , Ozgen Burce , Michals Edward A , Geraghty Joseph R , Testai Fernando D , Maharathi Biswajit , Loeb Jeffrey A
Published: June 2024

Changes in ventricular size, related to brain edema and hydrocephalus, as well as the extent of hemorrhage are associated with adverse outcomes in patients with subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH). Frequently, these are measured manually using consecutive non-contrast computed tomography scans. Here, we developed a rule-based approach which incorporates both intensity and spatial normalization and utilizes user-defined thresholds and anatomical templates to segment both lateral ventricle (LV) and SAH blood volumes automatically from CT images. The algorithmic segmentations were evaluated against two expert neuroradiologists on representative slices from 20 admission scans from aneurysmal SAH patients. Previous methods have been developed to automate this time-consuming task, but they lack user feedback and are hard to implement due to large-scale data and complex design processes. Our results using automatic ventricular segmentation aligned well with expert reviewers with a median Dice coefficient of 0.81, AUC of 0.91, sensitivity of 81%, and precision of 84%. Automatic segmentation of SAH blood was most reliable near the base of the brain with a median Dice coefficient of 0.51, an AUC of 0.75, precision of 68%, and sensitivity of 50%. Ultimately, we developed a rule-based method that is easily adaptable through user feedback, generates spatially normalized segmentations that are comparable regardless of brain morphology or acquisition conditions, and automatically segments LV with good overall reliability and basal SAH blood with good precision. Our approach could benefit longitudinal studies in patients with SAH by streamlining assessment of edema and hydrocephalus progression, as well as blood resorption.
PaiNEd app. Assessing central sensitization in survivors of breast cancer: A reliability study
Authors: Fernández-Gualda Miguel Ángel , Ariza-Vega Patrocinio , Galiano-Castillo Noelia , Tovar-Martín Isabel , Ortiz-Comino Lucía , Lozano-Lozano Mario , Fernández-Lao Carolina
Published: June 2024

Introduction

Pain is a common adverse event in survivors of breast cancer (sBCs). As there is no gold standard to assess pain experience predominantly related to central sensitization (CS) symptoms, we designed the PaiNEd app, which includes an algorithm to report whether patients are under predominant CS pain mechanisms.

Objective

We aimed to assess the reliability of the PaiNEd app to estimate whether sBC pain experience is predominantly related to CS symptoms.

Methods

An observational, descriptive reliability design was employed to assess the inter- and intrarater reliability of the PaiNEd app. This app includes an algorithm that considers the number of painful body parts and some questionnaires related to pain, such as the Numeric Pain-Rating Scale, the Brief Pain Inventory, the Tampa Scale for Kinesiophobia, the Pain Catastrophizing Scale, and the Central Sensitization Inventory (CSI).

Results

A total of 21 sBCs with persistent pain were recruited. We observe a general trend of close agreement between the paper-based and app-based formats (ICCs ranged between 0.802 and 0.972; Cronbach's alpha ranged between 0.797 and 0.971). Test–retest reliabilities were moderate to excellent (ICCs ranged between 0.510 and 0.941; Cronbach's alpha ranged between 0.499 and 0.938). The agreement between the categorization of the CS algorithm and the CSI (cut-off point ≥ 40 for CS symptoms) was 95.24%.

Conclusion

The PaiNEd app emerges as a robust tool for evaluating pain experience predominantly related to CS and pain-related symptoms in sBCs. Its demonstrated reliability not only bolsters its utility but also signifies its potential as a valuable asset for healthcare professionals engaged in pain education programs.
From Transactions to Transformation: Exploring the Impact of Blockchain on Customer Financial Well-being
Authors: Yang Zhengrong , Ali Shoaib , Tao Wei , Chen Hehong
Published: June 2024

This study’s significance lies in its exploration of how Blockchain-enabled banking positively impacts customers’ financial well-being, offering valuable insights for financial institutions, policymakers, and academics, shedding light on the potential of Blockchain technology to enhance financial transparency and well-being in the banking sector. Convenience sampling was employed in our study, with a sample size of 273 banking customers, to investigate their perceptions and experiences related to blockchain technology in the banking sector. The study employs a Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM) approach to analyze the data and examine the direct and indirect relationships among key variables: Blockchain features (efficiency, security, and regulatory compliance), perceived information transparency, and perceived financial well-being. The findings reveal that Blockchain features significantly contribute to customers’ perceived financial well-being. Additionally, the study highlights that perceived information transparency mediates the relationship between these features and customers’ perceived financial well-being. These results emphasize the importance of Blockchain technology in enhancing financial well-being through increased information transparency. The practical implications of this study are far-reaching. Financial institutions can leverage Blockchain technology to enhance customers’ financial transparency and well-being. Policymakers may consider regulatory frameworks that encourage the adoption of Blockchain in the banking sector. Academics can explore related factors such as customer trust and knowledge for further insights. Building on the current research, future studies should explore additional factors that may influence the relationship between Blockchain-enabled banking, information transparency, and customers’ financial well-being. Further investigations could consider factors such as customer knowledge, trust, and socio-economic characteristics.
Entrepreneurial Potential in Secondary School Students. An Exploratory Evaluation
Authors: Bernal-Guerrero Antonio , Cárdenas-Gutiérrez Antonio Ramón , Domínguez-Quintero Ana María , Martín-Gutiérrez Ángela
Published: June 2024

Over the last decade, various entrepreneurial school practices have proliferated, including the creation of mini-companies. In the Spanish context, the Empresa Joven Europea (EJE) program has been the most widely employed educative program in this respect. Empresa Joven Europea is an educational program that proposes that secondary education students create and manage their own mini-businesses, thereby taking the legal form of a cooperative society and facilitating the acquisition of all basic educational skills through the cultivation of entrepreneurship. Nevertheless, there is still a gap between the theory and the practice of entrepreneurship education which, together with the conceptual expansion experienced in recent years, increases the need to assess the effectiveness of this type of programs. By means of an explanatory and cross-sectional study, we evaluated the impact of the program on the configuration of the entrepreneurial potential of the participating adolescents ( N = 270). The analysis has been carried out utilizing PLS-SEM with SmartPLS software version 3.3.9 and SPSS version 25. None of the six hypotheses formulated have been confirmed, which means that the desired effects have not been achieved in any of the three variables under study: attitudes, knowledge, and entrepreneurial skills. Such results may be related to aspects of curricular organization, the type of experiences based on cooperatives, a certain structural and conceptual lack of definition of the pedagogical methodology used, and the development of skills linked to identity. Moreover, it is possible that, although it is not evident in the competencies acquired, the program has influenced the apperception of what it means to be an entrepreneur and of the creation of critical awareness, which is associated with entrepreneurial potential. Our study, in addition to opening suggestions for further research along the same lines, presents several implications related to administrative and organizational aspects, to the design of the different pedagogical elements of the programs and to the evaluative criterion adopted.
Research performance of higher education in OECD countries: A hybrid multi-criteria decision-making approach
Authors: Maral Muammer
Published: June 2024

This study aims to analyze the research performance of 38 OECD countries in the last 10 years. For this purpose, the research performance of these countries was analyzed using multi-criteria decision-making (MCDM) methods with the productivity and publication impact data of 38 countries. The analyses were conducted both normal data and also with adjusted data based on the population and income level of the countries. Firstly, the importance level of research performance criteria was determined by three different MCDM methods. Using the weight values obtained from these methods, countries were ranked by three different MCDM methods used for ranking purposes. According to the results of the study, the publications in the highest cited 1% were determined as the most important and distinctive criterion. Secondly, the criterion expressing the relative impact of publications on the world was determined as the second most important criterion. In the analyses conducted without normalizing the data, USA showed the highest research performance. In the analyses conducted by considering the population of the countries, Switzerland showed the highest research performance. In the analyses conducted by taking into account the income level of the countries, Estonia has the highest research performance. As R&D expenditures, development level of countries and international collaboration increased, research performance of countries increased. However, with the increase in domestic collaboration, there has been a decrease in research performance. In addition, this research has shown how to use MCDM in the measurement of research performance by using objective methods with different backgrounds.
Modeling the Influence of Internal Audit Efficacy on Energy Saving Behavior: The Role of Sustainability Audit
Authors: Appiah Michael Karikari , Dordaah Joseph Naah , Sam Aloysius , Yeboah Samuel Ankomah , Amaning Newman
Published: June 2024

Amidst efforts to combat high corruption incidence in Ghana, the Office of the Special Prosecutor Act, 2017 (Act 959) was enacted to investigate and prosecute specific cases of alleged or suspected corruption offenses in accordance with the United Nations Convention against Corruption. Contrariwise there is a weak accountability, probity, and transparency in the Ghanaian Public Sector as asserted by the Transparency International release (2018–2022). Against this backdrop, this aims to analyze the implications of internal audit efficacy (measured with; risk management, environmental sensitivity, and audit effectiveness), on energy saving behavior, and develop a baseline model to enhance energy saving behavior through sustainability audit. The paper utilized a quantitative research approach and cross-sectional survey design to draw data from 405 public officials across different public sector agencies in Ghana. Variance-Based Structural Equation Modeling and SMART-PLS version 3.3.8 have been used to validate the hypotheses herein. The paper has found that internal audit efficacy has significant effect on sustainability audit and energy saving behavior. Moreover, the paper has revealed sustainability audit significantly mediates the relationship between internal audit efficacy and sustainable energy saving behavior among public sector officials. These indicative results have implications on the newly developed model that could be used to enhance energy saving behavior in a country where such studies have been inadequately explored. These results have reaffirmed the relevance of internal audit efficacy and sustainability audit in energy transition polices as well as the realization of sustainable development goals.
Not Our War: The Effects of Response Strategies and Message Frames From a Russian Association on the Public’s Attitude Toward Russians Living in Germany
Authors: Schilling Leoni , Hegner Sabrina , Beldad Ardion , Durmaz Elif , Hirschfeld Gerrit
Published: June 2024

The ongoing Russian invasion of Ukraine has adverse effects on Russians residing outside of their home country. To test whether a crisis communication strategy by a Russian association can mitigate the adverse effects, a 3 × 2 online experiment with 404 participants representing the general German population was implemented. Crisis communication strategy (denial vs. diminish vs. bolstering) and framing (emotional vs. rational) of a statement given by a Russian cultural organization in Germany on the news about Russian war crimes in the Ukraine were manipulated. By an intervention tournament design, two reference groups (comment declined vs. no manipulation) were employed. Our results show that a statement by the Russian association significantly positively affects respondents’ attitudes toward this association. Furthermore, when the statement was framed emotionally, participants had a more positive attitude toward the association. The type of crisis communication strategy used is of minor importance if a comment is provided.
Youth Risky and Antisocial Behaviors in Newfoundland and Labrador: The Perspectives of Young People
Authors: Issahaku Paul Alhassan , Adam Anda , Sulemana Alhassan
Published: June 2024

What do young people know about youth risky and antisocial behaviors (RASB) and what do they suggest could be done to address these behaviors? Although there is much literature on youth RASB, there has been little qualitative exploration of the question stated here. The current study aimed to broach the question and to fill the gap. The study contributes to extant literature by exploring types of RASB among youth, reasons for these behaviors, and possible ways to address them from the perspectives of young people in Newfoundland and Labrador (NL). Constructivist and interpretive perspectives where reality is determined through the social processes of subjectivity and intersubjectivity informed the study. Eighteen young people aged 15 to 24 years participated in three focus group discussions (FGD), and data were analyzed thematically. The three main themes resulting from the process were: (1) a spectrum of behaviors, which comprised six types of behaviors; (2) constructed explanations, where participants identified five possible reasons for RASB; and (3) suggested interventions, which comprised three subthemes on interventions to address youth RASB. The findings and their implications for further research and for policy and practice are discussed.
Can Survival Scoring Systems for Spinal Metastases be Used to Predict Postoperative Neurologic Recovery? A Retrospective Study on 204 Patients With Thoracolumbar Metastases Treated at a Tertiary Center
Authors: Kontakis Michael G. , Tsagkozis Panagiotis
Published: June 2024

Study Design

Retrospective Cohort Study.

Objective

Scoring systems for metastatic disease of the spine are used to select patients for surgical treatment based on survival estimation, but it is unknown whether they can be used to predict the outcome of surgery. This study aims to investigate the association between two widely used prognostic scores and the neurologic function after surgery.

Methods

Retrospective analysis of 204 patients with thoracolumbar metastases treated with decompressive surgery at Karolinska University Hospital (2001-2020). Modified Bauer and Tokuhashi scores were categorized based on surgical indication, and post-operative neurological function was assessed using the Frankel scale at two different post-surgery intervals.

Results

Modified Bauer scores ≥2 yielded higher late follow-up Frankel scores (3.9 ± 1.1) than scores <2 (3.5 ± 1.1), P = .03. Modified Tokuhashi scores ≥9 correlated with higher Frankel scores (4.5 ± .9) than scores <9 (3.5 ± 1.1), P < .0001. Both scoring systems positively predicted neurological outcomes at late follow-up, with odds ratios of 1.6 ( P = .03) for Bauer and 9.2 ( P < .0001) for Tokuhashi. However, only Tokuhashi predicted ambulatory function at late follow-up ( P < .0001), demonstrating its utility in prognosticating post-surgical mobility.

Conclusion

Higher modified Bauer and Tokuhashi scores were associated with better neurologic function at last follow-up, as well as greater likelihood of being able to walk again. The Tokuhashi score was found to be more accurate than the modified Bauer score in predicting the neurological outcome after surgery.
Recovery Time From Severe Community Acquired Pneumonia and Risk Factors Among Pediatrics, Ethiopia: A Retrospective Follow-Up Study
Authors: Wake Addisu Dabi
Published: June 2024

Introduction. Severe community acquired pneumonia (CAP) is a life-threatening condition, with high rates of morbidity and mortality. This study aimed to determine the recovery time from severe CAP and risk factors among pediatric patients. Methods. A retrospective follow-up study was conducted among 412 pediatric medical charts with severe CAP enrolled at Asella Referral and Teaching Hospital between January 01, 2021 and December 31, 2022. EpiData version 4.6.0.6 and STATA version 14.2 were used for data entry and statistical analysis, respectively. Bivariable and multivariable Cox proportional hazards regression analyzes were performed. Result. The median recovery time from severe CAP among pediatric patients was 5 days (IQR = 3-8 days). IDR of recovery from severe CAP was 13.089 per 100 [95%CI: 11.82, 14.49] pediatric days observations. The cumulative incidence of recovery from severe CAP was 89.56% [n = 369, 95%CI: 86.20, 92.18]. Age [AHR = 1.55, 95%CI: 1.12, 2.13, P = .007], vaccination status [AHR = 1.29, 95%CI: 1.03, 1.63, P = .027], presence of danger signs [AHR = 1.61, 95%CI: 1.26, 2.05, P = .000], presence of comorbidity [AHR = 1.67, 95%CI: 1.33, 2.10, P = .000], duration of seeking care [AHR = 1.71, 95%CI: 1.18, 2.47, P = .004], and oxygen therapy [AHR = 1.45, 95%CI:1.12, 1.87, P = .004] were statistically significant risk factors for recovery time from severe CAP. Conclusions. The median recovery time of patients with severe CAP is relatively high. Age, vaccination status, presence of danger signs, presence of comorbidities, duration of seeking care, and oxygen therapy were statistically significant risk factors of recovery time from severe CAP.
By Medical Students, for Medical Students: A Narrative Medicine Antiracism Program
Authors: Iwai Yoshiko , Holdren Sarah , Browne Alyssa R. , Lenze Nicholas R. , Lopez Felix Gabriel , Randolph Antonia M. , Weil Amy B.
Published: June 2024

Objectives

Medical schools have sought to incorporate concepts of race and racism in their curricula to facilitate students’ abilities to grapple with healthcare disparities in the United States; however, these efforts frequently fail to address implicit bias or equip students with cultural humility, reflective capacity, and interpersonal skills required to navigate racialized systems in healthcare. The purpose of this study was to develop and evaluate an antiracism narrative medicine (NM) program designed by and for preclinical medical students.

Method

Preclinical medical students at a single center were eligible to participate from June-July 2021. Program evaluation included a postprogram qualitative interview and electronic survey. The semistructured interview included questions about program experience, lessons learned, and perspectives on antiracism curricula in medical education. Interviews were qualitatively analyzed using open and axial coding. Survey data were analyzed with descriptive statistics.

Results

A total of 30 students registered. All (100%) respondents reported “somewhat true” or “very true” in the postprogram survey when asked about their ability to reflect on their own racial identity, racial identity of others, and influence of their racial identity on their future role as a healthcare worker through the program. Qualitative analysis revealed 3 themes: (1) curricular engagement; (2) racism and antiracism in medicine; and (3) group experience. Subthemes included: meaningful theoretical content; multimodal works and unique perspectives; race, identity, and intersectionality; deeper diversity, equity, and inclusion engagement; reconstructive visions; future oriented work; close reading and writing build confidence in discomfort; community and support system; and authentic space among peer learners.

Conclusion

This virtual, peer-facilitated antiracism NM program provided an engaging and challenging experience for participants. Postprogram interviews revealed the program deepened students’ understanding of racism, promoted self-reflection and community building, and propagated reconstructive visions for continuing antiracism work.
Contesting housing commodification and financialization through bridging: Experiences from Mexico and Brazil
Authors: Basile Patricia , Reyes Alejandra
Published: June 2024

The appropriation of the housing sector by global finance has transformed housing policies worldwide while leading to new opportunities for capital accumulation. Financialized models have also become increasingly prevalent in the Global South, promoting mortgage and household debt and stark housing commodification impacting lower-middle-income communities and residents. Yet, despite adversity, housing social movements have worked to challenge some of these trends in struggles for housing justice and de-financialization. This study examines the organizing work of such housing struggles in Mexico and Brazil in the face of varied commodification and financialization processes through the analytical framework of bridging. Bridging as a strategy entails social movements’ dynamic relationships and practices in challenging and altering housing commodification and financialization processes in relation to changing political environments. Housing movements integrate reactive responses to immediate threats with proactive strategies for long-term structural change, emphasizing the importance of multifaceted approaches in addressing housing financialization. Bridging between invented and invited spaces of action showcases how housing movements adjust to evolving circumstances and establish new counter-hegemonic arenas to advance their objectives and ideas. Bridging scales enables further reach of demands and visibility, creating the possibility of challenging the distances inherent to financialization networks. The accomplishments, constraints, and paths of housing organizing for de-financialization provide critical lessons about the co-constitutive nature of social mobilization, housing policies, and the financial market.