bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Unequal Access: Healthcare Disparities in Cervical Cancer Screening Among African Women
Authors: Langa Neema , Tuthill Zelma Oyarvide , Kutela Boniphace
Published: January 2025

Using the structural intersectionality framework, world-system and the fundamental causes of diseases theories, and cross-sectional data of 61,543 women from the Population-Based HIV Impact Assessment Project conducted in Tanzania, Rwanda, Malawi, and Zimbabwe, this study examines the intersection of structural factors associated with inequalities in cervical cancer screening among women within the underdeveloped African countries. The findings suggest deeper-rooted intersecting structural factors that inhibit ( or affect) the likelihood of being screened for cervical cancer in a lifetime among the marginalized (lower educated and poor) populations across the studied countries. There is also a significant rural-urban divide in the effect of socioeconomic status (SES) on cervical cancer screening, with rural women with lower education having a lower likelihood of being tested in Rwanda and Zimbabwe. Unexpectedly, rural-educated women in Tanzania and Malawi had a lower likelihood of being tested for cervical cancer in their lifetime compared to urban women. This research highlights the importance of implementing inclusive policy interventions that integrate new technologies in cervical cancer screening among marginalized women with multiple identities, as well as strengthening the roles of healthcare providers in reminding patients about the significance of regular screening in Africa. This is essential for Africa to keep pace with the advancements in cervical cancer screening strategies seen in the developed world.
Trends in Research of Odontogenic Keratocyst and Ameloblastoma
Authors: Liu X.-H. , Zhong N.-N. , Yi J.-R. , Lin H. , Liu B. , Man Q.-W.
Published: January 2025

Odontogenic keratocyst (OKC) and ameloblastoma (AM) are common jaw lesions with high bone-destructive potential and recurrence rates. Recent advancements in technology led to significant progress in understanding these conditions. Single-cell and spatial omics have improved insights into the tumor microenvironment and cellular heterogeneity in OKC and AM. Fibroblast subsets in OKC and tumor cell subsets in AM have been analyzed, revealing mechanisms behind their biological behaviors, including OKC’s osteolytic features and AM’s recurrence tendencies. Spatial transcriptomics studies of AM have identified engineered fibroblasts and osteoblasts contributing to matrix remodeling gene and oncogene expression at the invasion frontier, driving AM progression. Three-dimensional culture technologies such as organoid models have refined analysis of AM subtypes; uncovered the role of AM fibroblasts in promoting tumor cell proliferation and invasion; and identified signaling pathways such as FOSL1, BRD4, EZH2, and Wnt as potential therapeutic targets. Organoid models also served as preclinical platforms for testing potential therapies. Although preclinical models for AM exist, reliable in vitro and in vivo models for OKC remain scarce. Promising mimic models, including human embryonic stem cells–derived epithelial cells, human oral keratinocytes, human immortalized oral epithelial cells, and HaCaT keratinocytes, show promise, but the advancements in 3-dimensional culture technology are expected to lead to further breakthroughs in this area. Artificial intelligence, including machine learning and deep learning, has enhanced radiomics-based diagnostic accuracy, distinguishing OKC and AM beyond clinician capability. Pathomics-based models further predict OKC prognosis and differentiate AM from ameloblastic carcinoma. Clinical studies have shown positive outcomes with targeted therapies. In a study investigating SMO-targeted treatments for nevoid basal cell carcinoma syndrome, nearly all OKC lesions resolved in 3 patients. A recent clinical trial with neoadjuvant BRAF-targeted therapy for AM demonstrated promising radiologic responses, potentially enabling organ preservation. This review highlights recent advancements and trends in OKC and AM research, aiming to inspire further exploration and progress in these fields.
LAPS SA: Measuring Attachment to Dogs and Cats Among South American Countries
Authors: Albuquerque Natalia , Corte Sylvia , Feld Alejandra , Otta Emma , Prist Ricardo , Johnson Timothy P.
Published: January 2025

Human biological and cultural evolution is tied to the relationships established with other animals. Attachment is one of the mechanisms established between dogs/cats and humans and allows the generation of affective bonds and close proximity. Many instruments have been used to study attachment of people to their dogs/cats, such as the Lexington Attachment to Pets Scale (LAPS). Our aim was adapting LAPS for South American populations (Brazil, Argentina, Chile, Uruguay, Peru and Colombia), and its languages (Brazilian Portuguese and South American Spanish) and evaluating them with South American data. We translated and back translated the instrument, examined versions with a pilot sample and collected data from 2832 respondents (18-85 y.o.), who lived with at least one cat/dog. We report and compare findings from psychometric analyses of the two versions of LAPS using both classical test (coefficient alpha, confirmatory factor analysis) and item response theory (Rasch analysis) methodologies. Findings demonstrate the comparability of the versions while observing some minor differences in their dimensionality. As in the original LAPS, results suggest one main dimension (general attachment) that assesses the general relationship between a person and a companion animal. We suggest that using appropriate language (e.g., companions and guardians instead of pets and owners) will improve understanding. We emphasize the importance of adapting wording and content of research tools considering cultural aspects of the populations studied. We introduce LAPS SA (LAPS South America) as a unified instrument to measure attachment between people and companion animals. Implications for the use of LAPS SA and future research are discussed.
Perceptions of Academic Malpractice are not Always Biased by Halo Effects
Authors: Makin Alexis , Taylor Autumn , Macpherson Lauren
Published: January 2025

The attractiveness halo effect has been discussed for over a century. Physically attractive people are often judged more favourably and accrue many life advantages. Halo effects have been observed in university settings for decades, but perhaps their influence is waning due to increased awareness of unconscious bias. The first study examined judgments of students accused of academic malpractice. Undergraduate student participants ( N = 302) completed an online survey. They were presented with a vignette outlining a fictional but realistic academic malpractice scenario, beside a photograph of an attractive or unattractive ‘student’. Participants rated the fictional student in terms of guilt, appropriate punishment, and seriousness of malpractice. There was no evidence for halo effects. The second study examined judgements of fictional researchers accused of questionable research practices. Psychology researchers ( N = 42) completed another online survey. They were presented with a vignette describing dubious data manipulation, beside a photo of an attractive or unattractive ‘researcher’. The same rating scales were used, and again, there were no halo effects. Evidently, university students and staff can sometimes make professional judgements without emotional bias. These null results are important, because they show that halo effects may not now be so pervasive.
What Happened to Parishioner Giving During & After Covid-19? Estimating the Effects of Covid-19 on Religious Donating Behavior
Authors: Hill Enoch , Strandberg Alicia Graziosi
Published: January 2025

This study investigates how the COVID-19 pandemic influenced donor behavior among parishioners of US Catholic churches. A statistical forecast models donation frequency and amounts following COVID-19 based on pre-pandemic trends. Comparing these predictions to actual donation amounts provides a measurement of the COVID-19 impact over the first two years following the onset of the pandemic. The analysis suggests that the overall impact of COVID-19 on total donations in the first two years was relatively minor, with decreases of 2.6 percent and 3.7 percent, respectively. However, this aggregate figure obscures noteworthy changes in donor dynamics. Not surprisingly, a large minority of those who gave in the 12 months prior to COVID stopped giving in the 12 months following its onset (just over 4 out of 10 parishioners). Further, among continuing donors, the frequency of giving declined by approximately 10 percent. However, those who remained active increased their average gift size by 48 percent over the forecast in the first year following the onset of the pandemic. This increase in gift size was persistent into the second year, even as the frequency of donations returned to pre-pandemic levels. These findings highlight a complex shift in donor behavior in response to the pandemic.
Paradoxical Parenting Practices and Australian Higher Education
Authors: Brooks Rachel , Cook Julia , Woodman Dan
Published: January 2025

While there is now a large literature on ‘intensive parenting’ practices, the majority of studies have focused on young children, rather than those in their early adulthood. This article draws on interviews with 30 Australian parents to explore parenting practices as they pertain to higher education. It argues that although parents tended to stress the importance of children achieving independence during their degree programmes, in other ways, their parenting practices were notably ‘intensive’ in nature. The research is significant in documenting both the extension of intensive parenting beyond the years of childhood and the associated dependencies that appear to continue to characterise family relationships in early adulthood. It also suggests that, politically, it may be harder to demonstrate the degree that responsibilities (particularly those that are financial in nature) have shifted from the state to families if parental contributions are masked by the discourse of ‘independence’.
Social Positioning and Pathways of Social Mobility of Intermarried Ukrainian Migrants in Poland
Authors: Brzozowska Anita
Published: January 2025

The article draws on the narratives of 40 migrants from Ukraine intermarried with Polish citizens, shedding light on their subjective dimensions of mobility and social positioning. The research captures the diversity of migration trajectories and socio-demographics and explores how individuals construct their own definitions of success and failure that guide their actions. It also investigates their perceptions of stratification systems in Ukraine and Poland, offering insights into the structural conditions shaping intermarried migrants’ social positioning and opportunities for advancement. The analysis indicates three non-linear pathways of social mobility through entrepreneurship, utilisation of cultural capital and legalisation of stay, challenging the assumptions on straightforward vertical mobility of intermarried migrants.
A hima traditional ecological knowledge perspective of the sustainability goals in AlUla’s journey through time masterplan
Authors: Alshami Abdulrahman , Bryant Martin , Toland Andrew
Published: January 2025

Saudi Arabia’s ‘Vision 2030’ proposes a more diversified society and a less oil-dominated economy, enabled by several ambitious best-practice sustainability urbanisation projects, one of which is the ‘Journey Through Time’ Masterplan for the urban region of AlUla in the Kingdom’s Hegra Valley. The Masterplan proposes an expansion and intensification of existing towns, economically supported by international tourism focused on the Hegra UNESCO World Heritage Site. It thereby couples tangible cultural heritage management with sustainable urban development. Yet the AlUla Masterplan has shown little evidence of engaging with the intangible heritage of traditional ecological knowledge and practices, known in Arabic as hima, which have been intrinsically connected to the ancient heritage fabric for millennia. Based on interviews with community elders and traditional knowledge-holders, site observations of traditional practices and techniques, and a review of government documents and websites, this paper demonstrates that consideration of local hima practices has the potential to integrate urban sustainability transitions together with the preservation of tangible and intangible cultural heritage. It suggests that practices embedded in local hima, like water-use and land-use arrangements, offer sustainable resource management and disaster mitigation options for the AlUla scheme; and that hima’s intrinsic social dimension, and its culture of intergenerational transmission, offers opportunities to connect heritage, community and the regional environment. Our research concludes with the benefits of integrating hima traditional ecological knowledge with cultural heritage preservation and urban modernisation, offering an approach to sustainable transformations of the region’s cities, communities and sometimes fragile resources.
Authoritarian urbanism beyond the city: Infrastructure-led extended urbanisation and India’s more-than-neoliberal configurations
Authors: Bathla Nitin
Published: January 2025

In the context of the prevailing global rightward and populist shift, there exists a largely unexplored yet profound nexus between authoritarian neoliberalism and infrastructure-led extended urbanisation beyond the city. Drawing on insights from extensive ethnographic fieldwork conducted along India’s highway corridors, this paper examines the authoritarianism and social fragmentation inherent in the state’s attempts to extend infrastructure-led urbanisation into economically bypassed regions. By exploring the intersections between the construction of recent highway corridors through previously bypassed regions inhabited by marginalised religious and caste groups and the outbreak of state-backed violence, this paper analyses authoritarian urbanism emerging amidst social struggles over enclosure and urbanisation of agrarian land. Specifically, the paper delves in depth into the planning of two recent highway corridors – the Delhi–Mumbai Expressway and the India–Myanmar–Thailand highway – and the escalation of state-sponsored religious conflicts and polarisation in the regions these corridors traverse. This research demonstrates how national-scale infrastructure projects, such as the Bharatmala highway programme, allow for the framing of a national-popular project that selectively incorporates hegemonic socio-religious groups such as certain Hindu caste groups who have reaped the primary benefits of economic liberalisation while disenfranchising marginalised communities. The paper defines authoritarian urbanism as a more-than-neoliberal configuration emerging from a toxic amalgamation of state power, bellicose militarism, infrastructure-led urbanisation and religious nationalism. It concludes that this emerging authoritarian urbanism obscures the neoliberal crises of jobless growth and fails to address the uneven development and social inequalities resulting from infrastructure-led urbanisation.
Content Analysis of Food and Beverage Advertisements on TV, Radio, and Billboards in Iran
Authors: Amini Maryam , Ghodsi Delaram , Shafaatdoost Mehrnoosh , Borazjani Mohadese , Aghayan Maryam , Shariatzadeh Nastaran
Published: January 2025

Food advertising may influence food preferences and consumption. Due to these advertisements’ role in health, the present study has updated the data available on television and radio food advertisements in Iran until 2020. Meanwhile, food advertisements on billboards have been analyzed for the first time. All programs broadcast on two TV and radio channels were downloaded and saved 24 h daily for one week (November 10-16th, 2020). Also, on November 15th billboards located on the busy highways of Tehran were photographed. Validated protocols analyzed the advertisements. A total of 6026 advertisements were analyzed, including 4287 on TV, 1545 on radio, and 194 on billboards. The total duration of TV and radio advertising was 48.6 h. Food products were the most displayed advertisements on TV, radio, and billboards (33.6%). Overall, “condiments” and “desserts” were the most frequently advertised food products among all the studied media (20% and 17%, respectively). The most common advertising appeal included “High quality” on TV and billboards and “Stimulation of profiteering and profit-seeking” on the radio. Advertising violation based on Iran’s regulations, Nutrient profile model for the marketing of food and non-alcoholic beverages to children in the WHO Eastern Mediterranean Region, and International Network for Food and Obesity / Non-communicable Diseases (NCDs) Research Monitoring and Action Support (INFORMAS) was reported to be 13%, 74%, and 51%, respectively. Food products ranked the highest among all the advertisements. A clear violation of domestic and international advertising regulations was observed which given the high share of food advertising in the studied media, could endanger public health. This study supports the need for stricter regulations and adherence to international standards to improve nutritional status.
Factors Influencing Knowledge and Attitudes towards Second-Hand Smoking Exposure Among University Students: An Exploratory Study
Authors: Islam Md. Majharul , Al-Mamun Firoj , ALmerab Moneerah Mohammad , Moonajilin Mst. Sabrina , Mamun Mohammed A.
Published: January 2025

Despite extensive global research on second-hand smoking (SHS) exposure, there is a noticeable lack of studies focusing on the knowledge and attitudes of university students in Bangladesh. This cross-sectional study aimed to address this gap by assessing the levels of knowledge and attitudes towards SHS exposure among university students in Bangladesh. Utilizing a convenience sampling technique, data were collected from 383 university students, encompassing socio-demographic information, as well as knowledge and attitude-related inquiries. Statistical analyses were conducted using SPSS software, including independent t-tests and analysis of variance (ANOVA) and multiple linear regression. The findings revealed that participants exhibited a moderate level of knowledge and attitude towards SHS exposure. Multiple linear regression identified age, gender, mother’s education, and self-rated health status as significant predictors of knowledge, explaining 12.9% of its variance (R2 = 0.129, F = 6.117, P < .001). Furthermore, age, gender, and living with parents emerged as significant predictors of attitude, explaining 14.7% of its variance (R2 = 0.147, F = 7.165, P < .001). The study highlights the need for interventions aimed at enhancing awareness and fostering positive attitudes towards SHS exposure among university students in Bangladesh. It is recommended that university authorities organize seminars and implement health education initiatives targeting vulnerable populations to address the findings and promote a smoke-free environment on campus.
Ageing Healthy: Perceptions of Older Persons, Community Members, and Other Stakeholders in Uganda
Authors: Kyomugisha Eunice L. , King Rachel , Parkes-Ratanshi Rosalind , Nakkazi Susan , Brayne Carol , Lafortune Louise
Published: January 2025

Promoting healthy ageing would benefit from an understanding of what this means to stakeholders. We explored healthy ageing perceptions in rural and peri-urban Ugandan communities. Community dialogues, focus group discussions with older persons, community members, community-based organization leaders, key informant interviews with Ministries of Gender (2), Health (1), non-governmental organizations (3) and elderly representatives (5) were held. Thematic content analysis framework was used. Physical perceptions of ageing healthy included physical fitness, absence of health challenges, good physical appearance and looking younger. Emotional perceptions were a stress-free life with children’s care, a balanced diet, basic needs and activity involvement. Socio-economic included financial stability, medical accessibility, future planning and network engagement. Spirituality, ageing with dignity and knowledge of body changes were others. The study provides insight into physical, emotional, and socio-economic perceptions of healthy ageing. Additional research in other settings would inform the UN Decade of Healthy Ageing.
Professional Identity and Self-efficacy Among Occupational Therapy Students Engaged in Objective Structured Clinical Examination Utilizing Simulation Learning
Authors: Sarsak Hassan Izzeddin
Published: January 2025

Objective structured clinical examination (OSCE) is widely used in health programs and has been applied in medical education to enhance clinical knowledge and help build clinical competence and confidence. It is carried out in different clinical stations that simulate real clinical situations and scenarios and helps prepare students for clinical training and practical applications. The purpose of this study was to investigate the change in professional identity and self-efficacy of occupational therapy students after applying OSCE utilizing simulated learning. A pre-post study design was used. The participants were 48 occupational therapy university students at 1 university in Saudi Arabia. Total scores and subscale scores for professional identity and self-efficacy were compared before and after OSCE using the Wilcoxon signed- rank test. Spearman's rank correlation coefficient was calculated to examine the relationship between professional identity and self-efficacy. There were significant increases in both professional identity and self-efficacy total scores after OSCE ( P < .05). Most items in the professional identity, such as choosing occupational therapy again ( P < .01) and improving occupational therapy skills ( P < .01) and the self-efficacy, such as doing very well in class ( P < .01) and ability to learn the material for class ( P < .01) increased significantly. OSCE utilizing simulated-based learning plays a supportive role in forming occupational therapy students’ identities as clinicians and can potentially enhance their overall self-efficacy, professional identity and growth. It is a beneficial teaching and learning strategy for occupational therapy educators and considered important steppingstones for students transitioning to real life occupational therapy practice.
Navigating the Post-Pandemic Landscape: The Challenges and Opportunities of Community-Based Networks in Substance Prevention
Authors: Miles Joshua-Paul
Published: January 2025

The COVID-19 pandemic has significantly influenced substance prevention work, exacerbating existing challenges and providing new opportunities for community-based substance prevention networks (CSPNs). CSPNs are interorganizational networks that include various providers, such as nonprofits and government agencies, that collaborate to provide substance prevention services and are embedded in local communities. This study analyzes the post-pandemic adaptation of a CSPN in the United States. Through qualitative thematic analysis of interview data with network leaders, this study identifies two primary challenges: resource constraints and engagement obstacles and two primary opportunities: innovation in service delivery and data importance. The findings affirm what is known about the barriers to substance prevention and point to a novel shift in community-based substance prevention work. Particularly, CSPNs are adopting harm-reduction tactics and expanding digital outreach to support clients. As CSPNs continue to emerge, this research provides insight into the evolving landscape of substance prevention work and the critical role of community-based networks. The findings in this study offer practical implications for enhancing CSPN effectiveness and resilience in substance prevention.
The Daily Lives of Crowdsourced U.S. Respondents: A Time Use Comparison of MTurk, Prolific, and ATUS
Authors: Rinderknecht R. Gordon , Doan Long , Sayer Liana C.
Published: January 2025

Amazon’s Mechanical Turk (MTurk) and Prolific are popular online platforms for connecting academic researchers with respondents. A broad literature has sought to assess the extent to which these respondents are representative of the U.S. population in terms of their demographic background, yet no work has assessed the representativeness of their daily lives. The authors provide this analysis by collecting time diaries from 136 MTurk and 156 Prolific respondents, which they compare with diary responses from 468 contemporaneous responses to the American Time Use Survey (ATUS). Responses from MTurk and Prolific respondents include several notable differences relative to ATUS responses, including doing less housework and care work, spending less time traveling, spending more time at home, and spending more time alone. In general, MTurk respondents worked more than ATUS respondents, and Prolific respondents spent more time in leisure. These differences persist even after adjusting for demographic differences. The present findings highlight time use as a potential major source of differences across samples that go beyond demographic differences. Thus, scholars interested in these samples should consider how time use may moderate processes of interest.
The Intersection of Juvenile Psychopathy, Protective Factors, Treatment Change, and Diversity in Justice-Involved Youth
Authors: Lovatt Kristine M. , Stockdale Keira C. , Olver Mark E.
Published: January 2025

We examined the intersection of juvenile psychopathy with protective factors, dynamic violence risk, and recidivism in a court adjudicated Canadian sample of 257 male and female, ethnoracially diverse youth. The Psychopathy Checklist: Youth Version (PCL:YV) and measures of dynamic violence risk (Violence Risk Scale–Youth Version; VRS-YV) and protective factors (Structured Assessment of Protective Factors–Youth Version; SAPROF-YV) were rated from court and treatment files. Recidivism information was obtained from official criminal records. PCL:YV scores were associated with fewer protective factors and predicted recidivism across gender and ethnoracial (Indigenous vs non-Indigenous) groups; however, PCL:YV scores did not incrementally predict future crime and violence when controlling for violence risk and/or protective factors scores, while both of the latter measures did. Juvenile psychopathy is a clinically relevant construct for justice-involved youth but it does not equate to a lack of protective factors or inability to make treatment-related changes in risk.
Alignment in Mature Ecosystems: An Iterative Process Of Interorganizational Influence
Authors: Paavola Lauri , Gawer Annabelle , Hänninen Mikko
Published: January 2025

Extant empirical research on ecosystem alignment has offered little insight into how mature ecosystems align their members with a new value proposition. Our longitudinal empirical study of a seven-year hub-driven alignment initiative within the SOK led retail ecosystem in Finland explores how a mature ecosystem hub attempted to enroll its members in a value-proposition updating, ecosystem-wide initiative and the members’ reaction. We find that the mature ecosystem alignment process unfolds through four distinct sets of practices: (1) Courtship, (2) Mutual Adaptation, (3) Peer Emulation, and (4) Coercion. We describe these practices and associated mechanisms and develop a process model indicating how they unfold and interrelate. Our study provides a nuanced, empirically grounded account of mature ecosystem alignment as an iterative process of multilateral interorganizational influence that leads to, on the one hand, a convergence of actions among an expanding set of ecosystem members and, on the other hand, a divergence of views between the newly aligned members and a subset of members who become increasingly entrenched in their perception of irreconcilable differences and ultimately leave the ecosystem. Our discussion suggests that the tension between the hub’s temptation to control and the ecosystem members’ concern about preserving their autonomy propels the alignment process to its conclusion. We conclude with methodological contributions, managerial implications and avenues for future research.
The Predictive Value of a Nomogram Based on Ultrasound Radiomics, Clinical Factors, and Enhanced Ultrasound Features for Central Lymph Node Metastasis in Papillary Thyroid Microcarcinoma
Authors: Gao Lei , Wen Xiuli , Yue Guanghui , Wang Hui , Lu Ziqing , Wu Beibei , Liu Zhihong , Wu Yuming , Lin Dongmei , Yi Shijian , Jiang Wei , Hao Yi
Published: January 2025

This study aims to establish and validate an ultrasound radiomics nomogram for preoperative prediction of central lymph node metastasis in papillary thyroid microcarcinoma (PTMC) before operation. A retrospective analysis conducted on ultrasonic images and clinical features derived from 288 PTMC patients, who were divided into training cohorts ( n = 201) and validating cohorts ( n = 87) in a ratio of 7:3 base on the principle of random allocation. Radiomics features were extracted from the PTMC patients after ultrasonic examination, followed by dimension reduction and characteristic selection to construct the radiomics score (Radscore) using LASSO regression analysis. Subsequently, the models, ultrasound features plus clinical features (US-Clin), radiomics score model, and combined model of clinical features plus ultrasound features and Radscore (Combined-model) were built through multi-factor logistic regression analysis. After that, the nomograms were developed for visualization and presentation of these models. The discriminative power, calibration and clinical utility of the nomogram models were evaluated in the training and validating cohorts. The Radscore model comprised 12 carefully selected features. The independent risk factors for conventional ultrasound features and clinical features of PTMC in predicting CLNM included age <45 years, tumor envelope invasion, male gender and presence of microcalcifications, while the enhanced ultrasound features risk factor was extrathyroidal expansion. The combined model showed good performance in predicting PTMC CLNM, with AUCs of 0.921 and 0.889 in the training and validating cohorts, respectively. And DCA based on the prediction model showed good clinical utility. The nomogram developed based on preoperative clinical data, ultrasound features, and Radscore of PTMC patients can more accurately predict central lymph node metastasis (CLNM) in PTMC patients. However, it needs to be validated for clinical applicability in multicenter studies with larger sample sizes and combined with genomic mutation analyses of the tumors.
In-Service Educators’ Changes in Reasoning About Technology Integration
Authors: Jackson Haidee A. , Rosenblatt Kara
Published: January 2025

We aimed to capture reflections of in-service educators’ understanding of the use of technology in teaching, after receiving instruction on the Universal Design for Learning (UDL) and Triple-E technology integration frameworks. Our objectives were to investigate in-service educators’ reflections for the presence of any changes in their reasoning process when thinking about technology use and teaching. We provided a writing prompt to online graduate students pursuing master’s degrees in special education and asked participants to describe any changes in their “knowledge, attitudes, and beliefs about technology/technology use.” Qualitative summative content analysis was performed to identify themes in the participants’ reflections. An understanding of the relationship between how instruction on technology integration frameworks, like Triple E, and UDL impacts in-service educators’ reasoning process in using technology can better inform special education preparation programs in designing impactful and effective instruction to support the development of educators’ digital literacy, and effective instruction for students with disabilities.
Nurturing subjective wellbeing through ethical climate: The mediating role of psychological empowerment
Authors: Barik Satyajit , Nayak Tanaya
Published: January 2025

Background

In the past couple of years, the concept of “ethical climate” has evolved into an increasingly popular keyword dominating news headlines, producing a worldwide interest. The existence of unethical work environments and ethically dubious business practices has sparked a surge in curiosity about the ethical climate.

Objective

The main purpose of this study is to examine the potential impact of ethical climate on employee subjective wellbeing, directly as well as indirectly, through a mediator psychological empowerment.

Methods

A theoretical framework is created by utilizing the situational strength theory. The postulated hypotheses were examined through the analysis of cross-sectional survey data obtained from 435 employees from the Indian IT industry via an online questionnaire. The model was evaluated using SmartPLS 4.0 software.

Results

The current study established a positive nexus between ethical climate and subjective wellbeing. Additionally, psychological empowerment partially mediates the nexus between ethical climate and subjective wellbeing.

Conclusions

The present study advanced the ethical climate literature by demonstrating that the ethical climate affects employees’ psychological empowerment and subjective wellbeing. Furthermore, the proposed theoretical model can be applied to different industries inside the country and other countries with similar features.
Moving in parallel? Economic inequality and public demand for redistribution in unequal societies
Authors: Márquez Romo Cristian
Published: January 2025

Although extensive research indicates that economic inequality drives public demand for redistribution, longitudinal evidence of this association in unequal contexts remains scarce. Using pooled cross-sections of surveys from over 140,000 individuals consistently observed between 2008 and 2019, this study tests the inequality-redistribution nexus in Latin America. I examine both the general association between inequality and public demand for redistribution as well as the conditional effect of individual-level income. Main results suggest that public preferences over redistribution systematically react to rising inequality. Findings further indicate that this effect is consistent across income groups. In line with a growing body of work, public demand for state-led redistribution increases as inequality grows, holding household income constant, suggesting that individuals tend to update their redistributive preferences in parallel and the gap in support for redistribution among income groups is small given the region’s sharp levels of economic inequality.
Evaluating the Impact of Private and Public Sentiments on the Linkage Between Gold and Stock Markets: Evidence from China
Authors: Ren Lin , Sun Yingyue , Xiong Deping , Wei Yu
Published: January 2025

Gold and stocks, which are conventionally regarded as a safe haven and risk assets, respectively, exhibit complex interrelationships, with significant implications for financial risk management. This paper builds on the sentiment categorization proposed by Liang et al. (2020) to distinguish between private and public sector sentiment. The construction of sentiment indices for both sectors aims to allow the exploration of the heterogeneous effects of these sector-specific sentiments on the gold–stock market linkages in China under different market conditions. The empirical results demonstrate a notable asymmetry in the impact of market sentiment between the public and private sectors, with distinct manifestations in stable versus highly volatile market environments. Specifically, positive sentiment in the public sector tends to diminish the safe-haven function of gold, whereas positive sentiment in the private sector tends to reinforce it. This disparity becomes particularly evident during periods of extreme market volatility. Our findings not only underscore the diverse impacts of market sentiment but also provide novel insights into the importance of incorporating sector-specific sentiment when devising hedging strategies for specific industries.
A Cross-sectional Study of the Length of Stay of Persons with Mental Illnesses and Revenue to a Government Tertiary Neuropsychiatric Hospital Under Ayushman Bharat
Authors: Deepa PS  , Angothu Hareesh , Thanapal Sivakumar , Krishna Prasad M
Published: January 2025

Background:

Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (AB-PMJAY) is a health insurance scheme launched by the Government of India (GOI) in 2018 to cover the in-patient (IP) treatment expenditures, including mental illness treatment expenditures, for 500 million Indians. AB-PMJAY pays 100% of treatment expenditures for persons below the poverty line (BPL) and 30% for people above the poverty line (APL). Ayushman Bharat Arogya Karnataka (ABAK) trust implements this scheme in Karnataka, a southern Indian state.

Methods:

Data of persons with mental illness (PMI) admitted under AB-PMJAY at a tertiary care neuropsychiatric hospital between 2018 and 2021 was analyzed to understand the socio-demographic and clinical variables, the average length of stay (LOS), and the amount claimed by the hospital.

Results:

Median LOS for PMI with any clinical diagnoses was 18 days (range 2–145),14 for those with substance use or mood disorders, and 24 days for those with schizophrenia and other psychotic disorders. The hospital claimed an amount of Indian Rupees (INR) 15,291,349 for treating 868 PMI under AB-PMJAY.

Conclusions:

The minimum and maximum LOS varied 70-fold, and there was a significant difference between different PMIs based on their clinical diagnosis. ABAK paid ₹3,488–12,750 per PMI for their treatment. Further research is needed to determine the variables influencing the LOS and the cost to the implementing agency.
Physiological, Psychological, and Functional Health Determinants of Depressive Symptoms Among the Elderly in India: Evaluation of Classification Performance of XGBoost Models
Authors: Aswathy PV  , Verma Abhishek , Balasankar JM  , Roy Aratrika , Junaid KP
Published: January 2025

Background:

Depression among the elderly is a growing public health concern, especially in India. This study aimed to investigate the predictive validity of physiological, psychological, and functional health factors in classifying the level of depressive symptoms among the elderly using the extreme gradient boosting (XGBoost) technique. Additionally, we compared the performance of models trained on original and resampled data.

Methods:

This study is entirely based on secondary data analysis of the Longitudinal Aging Study in India wave 1 data. We classified the observations into “high depressive symptom” and “low/no depressive symptom” groups based on the predictors, including physiological, psychological, and functional health factors, along with socio-demographic factors. We developed three models (Models 1, 2, and 3) trained on original, over-sampled, and under-sampled data, respectively. Model performance was evaluated using the metrics of balanced accuracy, sensitivity, specificity, and area under the receiver operating characteristics curve (AUC).

Results:

The study included 26,065 individuals aged 60 and above. Model 3, trained on under-sampled data, demonstrated the best overall performance. It achieved a balanced accuracy of 64%, with a sensitivity of 62.8% and specificity of 65.2%. The AUC for Model 3 was 0.692. Feature importance analysis revealed that life satisfaction, instrumental activities of daily living, mobility, caste, and monthly per capita expenditure quintiles were among the most influential factors in predicting the level of depressive symptoms.

Conclusion:

The XGBoost models demonstrate promise in predicting depressive symptoms among the elderly. These findings suggest that machine learning models can be envisaged for early detection and management of depression, especially in primary care.
Merit and the Recruitment Process in Nigeria’s Youth Empowerment Schemes
Authors: Adeleke Gbadebo Fatai , Lawal Musediq Olufemi , Ayantunji Oyelekan Isola , Adeleke Elizabeth Habibat
Published: January 2025

This study, grounded in the meritocracy theory, examined the role of merit in the recruitment process of volunteers for Nigeria’s Youth Empowerment Schemes. We adopted mixed methods of data collection and triangulated sampling techniques. It was discovered that very few volunteers were recruited based on merit. Our findings revealed that applicants with personal connections to recruiters, such as shared state or origin, religion, or political affiliation, were favoured over others. Also, some applicants secured their appointments through monetary transactions. Bivariate analyses revealed that this lack of meritocracy significantly contributed to the scheme’s ineffectiveness and hindered the productivity and development of labour. This absence of merit in recruitment led to various negative job-related attitudes that prevented professionalism and rendered volunteers even less employable. Participants were further disadvantaged because of the scheme’s policies, which strongly correlated with alienation, financial instability and unprofessionalism. The study recommended that the scheme should employ merit in its selection process and pay more attention to human capital development.
Anthropometry, body composition, somatotype and asymmetry of canoe sprint world champion: A case study
Authors: Yáñez-Sepúlveda Rodrigo , Herrera-Amante Carlos A , Clemente-Suárez Vicente J , Vasquez-Bonilla Aldo , Alacid Fernando , Tuesta Marcelo , Báez-San Martín Eduardo , Giakoni-Ramírez Frano , Cristi-Montero Carlos
Published: January 2025

Background: Body composition is a determinant of physical fitness and sports performance. Aim: To describe the anthropometric characteristics, body composition, somatotype, and asymmetries of the 2023 world champion in the C1-1000 canoeing event. Methods: Dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA), bioelectrical impedance analysis (BIA), and anthropometry were used to describe the athlete's body composition. Results: The results showed a fat tissue distribution of 16.3% by DXA, 15.9% by BIA, and 19.0% by anthropometry. Muscle tissue was reported at 32.0 kg (47.5%) by BIA and 34.1 kg (50.6%) by anthropometry. Conclusions: The athlete exhibits low levels of fat mass with high lean mass, factors that enable optimal development in world-class sports.
How Gossip Rules the World: Three Hypotheses
Authors: Emler Nicholas
Published: January 2025

The recent surge in research interest about gossip can be attributed, at least in part, to the possibility that this activity underlies two of the unique features of human society, when compared to those of all other social vertebrates, their scale and their complexity. Two hypotheses have emerged which touch on these features, respectively that gossip supports exceptional levels of sociability, and that it operates as a form of social control ensuring exceptional levels of cooperation. Each of these hypotheses is critically examined before considering a third and relatively neglected possibility, namely that the principle significance of gossip in social life is that it supports prediction about the future behavior of others.
Parental and partner attachment working models in romantic relationships of nonbinary adults
Authors: Junkins Eleanor J. , Kadel Brooke E. , Derringer Jaime
Published: January 2025

Attachment working models are mental and emotional representations of the self and others. A central question within attachment theory is how best to conceptualize the relationship between different attachment working models, such as how one’s attachment to parents may influence partner-specific working models and impact romantic relationship satisfaction. Despite the robust evidence that attachment theory can be appropriately applied across developmental and cultural contexts and the functional similarity of attachment in women and men, little research has examined attachment working models among nonbinary people. The current study tested competing hypotheses replicating the work by Dugan and Fraley (2022), extended to a large sample of nonbinary adults ( N = 2,811). Similar to previous findings, our results supported the mediation hypothesis, which suggests that parental (defined as mother and father) attachment working models indirectly relate to romantic relationship satisfaction through romantic partner attachment working models. We also report comparisons of attachment overall between nonbinary people, men, and women, which showed that there were smaller mean differences between nonbinary people and women, yet more similar correlations between nonbinary people and men. These findings highlight the generalizability of attachment theory to diverse, nonbinary gender identities.
Adapting to new technologies: A systematic literature review of blockchain implementation in academic libraries
Authors: Elihaki Kanyika Martin , Sadykova Raikhan , Tuenbaeva Kalima , Chuwa Lucilla
Published: January 2025

Blockchain technology (BT), despite being relatively new, is gaining significant attention in academic libraries owing to its unique features. This study aims to justify why academic libraries should adopt BT for certain sensitive functions over existing technologies or systems. The study utilized the SALSA framework and adhered to PRISMA criteria to systematically review literature on the implementation of BT in academic libraries. Six authoritative databases namely Scopus, Web of Science, ResearchGate, Refseek, Google Scholar, and Crossref were employed. Initially, 71 articles were retrieved from these databases. After removing duplicates and unrelated articles, 27 were included for synthesis. The findings indicate that most articles were authored by scholars in Asia and Africa, highlighting a significant interest in adopting new technologies in libraries among researchers in developing countries despite facing challenges such as limited skilled staff, financial constraints, and inadequate technological infrastructure compared to developed countries. The findings reveal a steady increase in the number of published articles on BT each year, with a significant contribution from authoritative publishers. The study also highlights the many benefits BT can bring to academic libraries, such as enhancing data security, increasing transparency, fostering collaboration both within and between libraries, and facilitating technological innovation and access control. The study concludes that BT holds great potential for academic libraries, offering benefits that surpass existing systems and significantly improving service delivery. As a result, the study strongly recommends adopting BT in academic libraries to enhance efficiency and effectiveness. For successful implementation, it is essential to provide comprehensive training to library staff on how to apply BT within the library context, as this is a relatively new concept in the education sector, particularly for libraries. Furthermore, library management should ensure a supportive infrastructure, including sufficient budget allocation, to cover the costs associated with the adoption and utilization of BT.