bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Aftercare for Survivors of Human Trafficking: A Case Study on Optimal Approach to Recovery and Integration
Authors: Abayle Cherrelyn L. , Candilas Kurt
Published: May 2024

Human trafficking is a modern-day slavery that mostly disproportionate women in the society. This study aimed to fill the knowledge gaps regarding the aftercare experiences of human trafficking survivors as they navigated their recovery and reintegration into society, with a specific focus on the Philippines. The research investigated the effectiveness of aftercare interventions provided by agency, highlighting the importance of comprehensive and customized support systems. It drew on Empowerment Theory and Ecological Systems Theory to inform its analysis. The study utilized a qualitative intrinsic case study design, employing purposeful sampling to gather insights from social worker, psychologist, house parents, survivors and other professional involved in aftercare. Collecting data using typically involved conducting in-depth interviews, engaging with key informants, and facilitating focus group discussions. Emerging themes were analyzed using Braun and Clarke’s method of thematic analysis. The study uncovered two main themes: "Grappling with Adversities" and "Socio-emotional Transformation." It provided insight into the challenges and situations experienced by survivors, as well as the influence of support systems, healing processes, and personal development initiatives on their recovery. The research highlighted the significance of education, development of independent living skills, and provision of emotional support in empowering survivors. Suggested measures involved the establishment of thorough post-treatment support initiatives, public initiatives to raise awareness within the community, and ongoing professional training for workers. This study added to our knowledge of survivor empowerment within the realm of human trafficking and emphasized the importance of continued research and evaluation of aftercare programs.
Examining the Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Student Employability Skills - an Employer’s Perspective
Authors: Gibson van Mil Lorraine , De-Pascale Egizia , Burns Emma , Scott Fraser J. , Walker Sarah E.
Published: May 2024

Like most university learners, students in the Department of Pure and Applied Chemistry at the University of Strathclyde, experienced hybrid learning environments from March 2020 transitioning into hybrid approaches for the full academic year 21/22. As students who were in the early years of their programme at this time, and experienced a shift from traditional education practices are soon to graduate, a short research project was undertaken to better understand the perception of employers on the impact of remote and hybrid learning on current, and future, graduate skills, and competencies. Several employers in the chemical industries were surveyed to rate changes in their perception of, and importance of, key graduate skills and competencies after the pandemic.  In general, it was shown that the employers responding to this survey did not show concern about the level of personal, professional, and higher-level cognitive skills developed by students working in remote/hybrid environments during the pandemic. A gap in practical skills was acknowledged as indicated by employers’ viewing students as being less skilled in this area, however the skills gap was not thought to be important with regards to employability. Additionally, employers indicated an increased importance on a student’s ability to develop and demonstrate basic personal and professional skills including communication, collaboration, interpersonal/networking, autonomy, self-management, and resilience. The research suggests programme leaders creating or modifying curricula should place attention on the development of these skills and competencies to ensure students are self-led to successfully transition into the workplace.
Utilization of Teacher-Made Learning Activity Sheets as a Tool in Improving Learners’ Numeracy Skills: An Action Research
Authors: Padernos Jessy Lou F
Published: May 2024

Developing learners’ numeracy skills has been a pressing issue in the field of education, as it is one of the battlecries of the agency along with literacy. Studies revealed that addressing these learning gaps varies widely across schools, classrooms, and learners. Moreover, students learn better through the activities that their teachers provide to them. Thus, under the Mathematics Foundation Fluency Program, a numeracy intervention program of Langkaan II National High School, teacher-made learning activity sheets were used as learning materials of the learners under numeracy intervention. The objective of this study is to determine the effectiveness of utilizing teacher-made learning activity sheets in improving the numeracy skills of the learners particularly in Langkaan II National High School. The findings of the study will serve as a help in improving the numeracy intervention program of the school.
The results revealed that there was a marked improvement in the numeracy skills of the learners as manifested in the improved scores of the learners during the post-test. Moreover, no non-numerates were reported during the end-of-the-school year numeracy assessment. Thus, using the teacher-made learning activity sheets were found to be an effective tool in improving the numeracy skills of the learners including number sense, number operations, measurement, geometry, patterns and algebra, and statistics and probability. It helped the students to cope up certain topic/lessons in basic mathematics that develops their numeracy skills. These materials can contribute to a more comprehensive program to improve the numeracy skills of the learners. Further studies may also be conducted as to other aspects relevant to the implementation of the whole program. Validation or modification of these learning materials may also be conducted for further enhancement.
Evaluation of Mean Square Errors in Simple Moving Average versus Exponential Smoothing Method and Assessment of Time as Predictor in Forecasting Myocardial Infarction Cases in the Philippines
Authors: Silguera Junelle P.
Published: May 2024

This study aimed to identify the best forecasting model and evaluate if time (in months and years) is a predictor for Myocardial Infarction cases in the Philippines. The research design was quantitative research, specifically descriptive study design. Secondary data on monthly reported cases of myocardial infarction for the past five years (November 2018-November 2023) from Google Trends was utilized. Microsoft Excel and SPSS were the software used to obtain results. Simple Moving Average (SMA) and Exponential Smoothing Method (ESM) were the forecasting techniques used in this study. At the same time, Mean, Standard Deviation, Analysis of Variance, and Independent sample t-test were the statistical tools utilized for both descriptive and inferential analyses. Results revealed that the mean level of cases reported for the past five years was 54. Also, according to SMA and ESM, the forecasted cases for the next succeeding month (December 2023) were 66 and 61, respectively. Results also showed that the Mean Squared Error (MSE) value of SMA is lower than ESM, making SMA a better forecasting method. Moreover, there was a significant difference between the reported cases when grouped according to year, with Year 5 having the highest number of cases and Year 1 having the lowest. Further, there was no significant difference between the SMA and ESM forecasted cases. Furthermore, time (year and month) significantly predicted the number of myocardial infarction cases reported in the Philippines.
Utilizing the Aquatic Exercises Approach Intervention (AEAI) Program for a Filipino Adolescent with Autism
Authors: Dimarucut Alberto L. , Lozada Keona Marie V. , Castro Camille B. , Papa Emmanuel Liberato V.
Published: May 2024

Acquiring swimming skills is critical for individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) since drowning is one of the leading causes of death for the ASD community (National Autism Association, 2011). A qualitative content analysis research design was used to investigate the effect of aquatic exercises approach on the development of swimming skills needed by a student with ASD to swim independently. The study used a 10-day Aquatic Exercises Approach Intervention (AEAI) program. Also, the Swimming and Water Independence Measure (SWIM) test consists of eleven swimming skills, developed by the Halliwick's Association of Swimming Therapy, was used for the pre-test and post-test. A detailed description of progress was created for each of the swimming skills. The study showed that the AEAI program showed significant improvements in ten of the aquatic skills. The only exception was the Breath Control skill wherein the student maintained his score in both assessments. The findings showed that the AEAI program can help a student with ASD acquiring the swimming skills needed to swim independently. However, future lessons may include more than one student or make changes to the program adaptable to diverse groups.
Exploring The Culinary Harmony of Squash and Pineapple Fusion in Cake Making
Authors: Conlu Melinda O.
Published: May 2024

This experimental research aimed to formulate a cake made from the mixture of squash and pineapple. It utilized a Completely Randomized Design (CRD) with three (3) treatments and evaluated as to its sensory qualities and acceptability in terms of appearance, aroma, taste and texture by 40 evaluators composed of experts and consumers. Score cards with Nine (9) Point Hedonic Scale was used to evaluate the product. The mean and Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) were used to analyze the data with alpha set at 0.01 level of significance. Findings on the evaluation of sensory qualities and acceptability of the three (3) treatments showed that Treatment C with the proportion of 100grams combination of squash and pineapple showed the most preferred among the treatments with verbal interpretation of “Liked Extremely” in terms of appearance, aroma, taste and texture based on the evaluation of experts and consumers. The finding led to the conclusion that the squash-pineapple cake was acceptable in terms of its appearance, aroma, taste and texture.
The Effectiveness of Local Culture-Based Human Values in Efforts to Strengthen Pancasila Student Profiles in Elementary Schools
Authors: Astawaa Dewa Nyoman Wija , Handayani Ni Nyoman Lisna , Meylani Vita
Published: May 2024

Introduction: Human values, including Truth, Virtue, Peace, Compassion, and Non-Violence, should be ingrained and educated in pupils from a young age to enhance their character in accordance with a nation's standards. The degradation of human values can be attributed to the growing prevalence of individualist views that are in line with contemporary societal norms. It is imperative to enhance and cultivate human values that are rooted in indigenous knowledge and are congruent with the characteristics of Pancasila students. The objective of this study is to conduct a detailed analysis of various methodologies employed in the integration of human values into the development of Pancasila student profiles. Method: A qualitative research design and descriptive approach are employed in this study. The study was carried out in a State Elementary School located in the West Selemadeg District of Tabanan Regency. The data was acquired by extensive observations of kids' learning activities and learning environments, as well as through focus group discussions (FGD) involving school principals, instructors, and parents.  Results: The qualitative analysis of the data revealed that the inclusion of human values derived from the local culture is a pertinent pedagogical approach within the independent learning curriculum. Conclusions: The efficacy of this strategy in enhancing the holistic development of Pancasila pupils has been well-documented.
Pertanian Organik: Penerapan Pupuk Organik Menuju Pertanian Berkelanjutan
Authors: Tyasmoro Setyono Yudo
Published: May 2024

Revolusi hijau yang ditandai dengan hadirnya pupuk sintetis, pestisida sintetis dan benih unggul, telah mengakibatkan petani memilih menggunakan pupuk sintetis karena dapat secara cepat meningkatkan produksi tanaman. Penerapan revolusi hijau sebagai kebijakan pemerintah dalam meningkatkan produksi tanaman di Indonesia telah mengakibatkan terjadinya degradasi lahan akibat dari kegiatan budi daya yang intensif dengan penggunaan pupuk sintetis dengan dosis yang tinggi. Dampak negatif yang diakibatkan dari input kimia yang tinggi pada tanah ialah penurunan tingkat kesuburan tanah yang berpengaruh menurunkan produksi tanaman. Selain itu penggunaan pupuk sintetis dalam jangka lama dan dosis tinggi menyebabkan pencemaran pada lingkungan baik di air, dan tanah berupa NO,- serta ke udara berupa N,O sebagai gas rumah kaca. Penggunaan pupuk sintetis dalam jangka lama mengakibatkan turunnya kesuburan tanah karena bahan organik tanah semakin menipis yang mengganggu proses-proses fisik, biologi dan kimia tanah yang berakibat rendahnya efisiensi pemupukan dan berdampak pada pertumbuhan dan hasil tanaman. Mengantisipasi kerusakan lingkungan lebih lanjut akibat dari revolusi hijau maka lahirlah konsep Pertanian Organik yang bertujuan mencegah kerusakan lingkungan akibat praktek-praktek pertanian dengan kembali ke penggunaan bahan-bahan alami dalam praktek budidaya pertanian. Konsep Pertanian Organik ditandai dengan penggunaan pupuk organik, biopestisida, penggunaan benih non GMO serta pengairan yang tidak tercemar. Petani mulai menyadari akan pentingnya menjaga kualitas tanah untuk dapat meningkatkan produksi tanaman, hal ini berdampak pada sikap petani dengan mengurangi pengaplikasian pupuk sintetis digantikan dengan pupuk organik. Pengetahuan tentang pupuk organik yang ramah lingkungan dan bagaimana penerapan dalam budidaya pertanian organik perlu diketahui oleh semua pihak, karena terkait kandungan hara dan sifat pupuk organik sangat berbeda dengan pupuk anorganik. Macam-macam pupuk organik yang ada, manfaat dan cara pembuatannya disajikan dalam buku ini. Selain itu sumberdaya (bahan-bahan) apa saja yang dapat digunakan untuk pupuk organik dan bagaimana membuat serta penerapannya juga ditulis dalam buku ini. Buku referensi Pertanian Organik ini merupakan kumpulan hasil-hasil penelitian penulis tentang penerapan pertanian organik dengan menggunakan bermacam pupuk pupuk organik bersama dengan mahasiswa baik S1, S2 maupun S3. Penelitian pertanian organik dengan penerapan pupuk organik dilakukan pada tanaman pangan seperti padi, jagung kedelai, dan ubi kayu; pada tanaman sayuran seperti pakcoy, cabai, tomat dan bawang merah serta berbagai tanaman perkebunan. Buku ini dilengkapi pula dengan beberapa teori tentang pupuk organik dari berbagai jurnal dan pustaka yang relevan.
Psikologi Pajak: Perspektif Mikro Perilaku Perpajakan
Authors: Susilawati Ika Rahma
Published: May 2024

Buku ini dirancang untuk memberikan pengetahuan umum mengenai kajian perilaku perpajakan melalui sudut pandang psikologi yang dikemas dengan bahasa yang mudah dipahami disertai dengan ilustrasi dan fenomena terkait yang ditemukan dalam kehidupan sehari-hari. Materi yang dibahas dalam buku ini meliputi pembahasan perilaku perpajakan dimulai dari pembahasan mengenai sejarah dan perkembangan psikologi fiskal, pemaknaan konsep “pajak”, model teoritik dan isu-isu kontemporer dalam riset perilaku perpajakan, metode dan pengukuran dalam riset psikologi perpajakan, hingga strategi peningkatan kesadaran dan kepatuhan pajak. Buku ini layak dibaca oleh otoritas pajak, dosen, ataupun akademisi, peneliti, mahasiswa, praktisi, hingga masyarakat umum yang berminat dengan topik psikologi perpajakan.
Dasar Budi Daya Tanaman
Authors: Suryanto Agus , Aini Nurul , Sitawati S , Sumarni Titin , Nurlaelih Euis Elih , Azizah Nur , Setiawan Adi
Published: May 2024

Keberadaan Buku Dasar Budi Daya Tanaman dimaksudkan agar mahasiswa Strata Satu (S1) Program Studi Agroekoteknologi dan Program Studi Agribisnis, Fakultas Pertanian, Universitas Brawijaya, lebih mudah dalam mempelajari dan memahami mata kuliah Dasar Budi Daya Tanaman. Bagi mahasiswa program Pascasarjana S2 dan S3 bidang Ilmu Pertanian, buku ajar Dasar Budi Daya Tanaman dapat pula digunakan sebagai pustaka tambahan. Selain itu, buku ini juga dapat digunakan sebagai acuan atau informasi tambahan bagi para pelaku dan praktisi pertanian dalam melakukan usaha budi daya tanaman. Buku Dasar Budi Daya Tanaman berisi tentang dasar budi daya dalam pengelolaan suatu komoditas pertanian yang dirangkai secara berurut sejak pemilihan komoditas yang akan dibudidayakan hingga panen. Budi daya tanaman dimulai dengan pengenalan dan pemahaman tentang berbagai komoditas tanaman pertanian, yang secara prinsip terbagi tiga yaitu tanaman pangan, hortikultura, dan industri atau perkebunan, kemudian dilanjutkan dengan dasar pemilihan dalam budi daya tanaman yang sangat dipengaruhi oleh iklim, lahan, dan pasar. Media tanam dan sumber daya lahan, pemilihan bahan tanam, dan strategi tanam merupakan bagian awal dari proses budi daya tanaman. Penggunaan mulsa, shading net, dan green house merupakan pilihan agar budi daya tanaman lebih efisien. Agar budi daya tanaman berhasil, harus dipahami pola pertumbuhan tanaman, dilengkapi dengan cara pemupukan, pengairan, pengendalian hama dan penyakit, pengendalian gulma serta pemangkasan dan defoliasi. Melengkapi proses budi daya tanaman, dijelaskan tentang panen dan pascapanen agar hasil panen suatu komoditas mempunyai kualitas yang prima dan tidak cepat rusak serta kemungkinan ditampilkan dalam bentuk lain yang bernilai jual lebih tinggi.
Language Policy and Its Implementation: From Campus to Multinational Company
Authors: Rohmah Zuliati , Hamamah H
Published: May 2024

This book delves into the complex world of language policy (LP) and its implementation, examining it from various angles and contexts. The concept of LP is explored in detail, with different experts offering diverse definitions, from a body of rules and practices to a social construct. LP is shown to encompass everything from government laws to family practices, reflecting both ideologies and beliefs about language use in daily life. The book highlights the distinction between language policy and language planning, emphasizing LP's presence at various levels of society, from governmental laws to family dynamics. It is noted that not all language ideologies and practices necessarily translate into formal language policies. Each chapter in the book examines LP in different contexts, from university campuses to multinational companies, and family settings. The linguistic landscape is explored, encompassing a wide range of language practices and behaviors in public spaces. Various methodologies and analysis models, including the classification of text divisions based on Top-Down and Bottom-Up, are employed to study linguistic landscapes. Chapters delve into specific case studies, such as the influence of English on the Indonesian linguistic landscape and language contestation in a college students' culinary zone. The book also explores the role of the Indonesian language in international corporations in the United Arab Emirates, highlighting the importance of cross-cultural communication. The book aims to provide readers with valuable insights into language policy, linguistic landscape analysis, and sociolinguistic research. It serves as a resource for future researchers in social, linguistic, and cultural studies and offers society members a deeper understanding of specific areas, their language choices, and social conditions. Ultimately, the book serves as an in-depth analysis of language policy and its implications in various contexts, contributing to the field of language studies and sociolinguistics.
Una campaña “para los trabajadores, las mujeres y la juventud”: el Partido Comunista frente las elecciones de 1983 en Argentina
Authors: Bona Victoria
Published: May 2024

Em 30 de outubro de 1983, a sociedade argentina foi às urnas em massa. A campanha eleitoral havia sido apresentada como um momento de ruptura com a ditadura instalada em 1976. O Partido Comunista da Argentina (PCA), assim como o restante do espectro político, apresentou suas próprias candidaturas, constituindo-se como uma alternativa para as categorias legislativas e para os executivos provinciais, municipais e comunais. Dentro do espectro de esquerda, foi o partido mais votado em todas as jurisdições, embora os resultados tenham sido insignificantes e só tenha conquistado assentos no conselho em algumas pequenas localidades. O artigo explora o processo de busca da legalidade e a subsequente campanha de afiliação realizada pelo PCA e reconstrói a promoção de uma alternativa eleitoral que buscava atrair os trabalhadores, os jovens e as mulheres, de modo particular.
IL-1β Inhibition Partially Negates the Beneficial Effects of Diet-Induced Atherosclerosis Regression in Mice
Authors: Karnewar Santosh , Karnewar Vaishnavi , Deaton Rebecca A. , Shankman Laura S. , Benavente Ernest D. , Williams Corey M. , Bradley Xenia , Alencar Gabriel F. , Bulut Gamze B. , Kirmani Sara , Baylis Richard A. , Zunder Eli R. , den Ruijter Hester M. , Pasterkamp Gerard , Owens Gary K.
Published: May 2024

BACKGROUND:

Thromboembolic events secondary to rupture or erosion of advanced atherosclerotic lesions is the global leading cause of death. The most common and effective means to reduce these major adverse cardiovascular events, including myocardial infarction and stroke, is aggressive lipid lowering via a combination of drugs and dietary modifications. However, we know little regarding the effects of reducing dietary lipids on the composition and stability of advanced atherosclerotic lesions, the mechanisms that regulate these processes, and what therapeutic approaches might augment the benefits of lipid lowering.

METHODS:

Smooth muscle cell lineage-tracing

Apoe
−/−

mice were fed a high-cholesterol Western diet for 18 weeks and then a zero-cholesterol standard laboratory diet for 12 weeks before treating them with an IL (interleukin)-1β or control antibody for 8 weeks. We assessed lesion size and remodeling indices, as well as the cellular composition of aortic and brachiocephalic artery lesions, indices of plaque stability, overall plaque burden, and phenotypic transitions of smooth muscle cell and other lesion cells by smooth muscle cell lineage tracing combined with single-cell RNA sequencing, cytometry by time-of-flight, and immunostaining plus high-resolution confocal microscopic z-stack analysis.

RESULTS:

Lipid lowering by switching

Apoe
−/−

mice from a Western diet to a standard laboratory diet reduced LDL cholesterol levels by 70% and resulted in multiple beneficial effects including reduced overall aortic plaque burden, as well as reduced intraplaque hemorrhage and necrotic core area. However, contrary to expectations, IL-1β antibody treatment after diet-induced reductions in lipids resulted in multiple detrimental changes including increased plaque burden and brachiocephalic artery lesion size, as well as increasedintraplaque hemorrhage, necrotic core area, and senescence as compared with IgG control antibody–treated mice. Furthermore, IL-1β antibody treatment upregulated neutrophil degranulation pathways but downregulated smooth muscle cell extracellular matrix pathways likely important for the protective fibrous cap.

CONCLUSIONS:

Taken together, IL-1β appears to be required for the maintenance of standard laboratory diet–induced reductions in plaque burden and increases in multiple indices of plaque stability.
The Thai Discourse Treebank: Annotating and Classifying Thai Discourse Connectives
Authors: Prasertsom Ponrawee , Jaroonpol Apiwat , Rutherford Attapol T.
Published: May 2024

Discourse analysis is a highly applicable area of natural language processing. In English and other languages, resources for discourse-based tasks are widely available. Thai, however, has hitherto lacked such resources. We present the Thai Discourse Treebank, the first, large Thai corpus annotated in the style of the Penn Discourse Treebank. The resulting corpus has over 10,000 sentences and 18,000 instances of connectives in 33 different relations. We release the corpus alongside our list of 148 potentially polysemous discourse connectives with a total of 340 form-sense pairs and their classification criteria to facilitate future research. We also develop models for connective identification and classification tasks. Our best models achieve an F1 of 0.96 in the identification task and 0.46 on the sense classification task. Our results serve as benchmarks for future models for Thai discourse tasks.
To the knowledge of the subgenus Phrator Semenov, 1922 of the genus Omophron Latreille, 1802 (Coleoptera: Carabidae)
Authors: ANICHTCHENKO ALEXANDER , VALAINIS ULDIS
Published: May 2024

The species of the subgenus Phrator Semenov, 1922 are reviewed, with six species now recognized. One species is downgraded to subspecies: O. multiguttatum depressum Klug, 1853 stat. nov. Some new synonymies are proposed Omophron variegatum boiteli Alluaud, 1935 syn. n. = Omophron variegatum sardoum Reitter, 1907 syn. n. = Omophron variegatum seurati Alluaud, 1935 syn. n. = Omophron (Phrator) variegatum Olivier, 1812; Omophron (Phrator) ethiopiensis Valainis, 2016 syn. nov. = O. multiguttatum (s.str) Chaudoir, 1850; and Omophron (Phrator) alluaudi Dupuis, 1913 syn. n. = O. vittulatum Fairmaire, 1894. The variability of all the treated species is discussed. A key to the species, together with new distributional data, maps of distribution, illustrations of the habitus and of the most important features are provided.
New species and records of Anthelephila praetor species-group (Coleoptera: Anthicidae) from China
Authors: ZHAO YUCHEN , WANG XINPU
Published: May 2024

Three new species of the genus Anthelephila Hope, 1833 are described: A. androgyna n. sp. (Hainan), A. junpolis n. sp. (Hainan) and A. tricolorata n. sp. (Yunnan). New distributional records of A. celer (Kejval, 1999) from Yunnan are added, known records distribution map of A. praetor informal species-group is provided.
A new species and a new record of Urytalpa Edwards, 1929 (Diptera: Keroplatidae) from China
Authors: ZHU YI , HUANG JUNHAO , LIU LIWEI , QI LEI , WANG YANG , WU HONG , WANG QINGYUN
Published: May 2024

One new species and a new record of Urytalpa (Diptera: Keroplatidae: Keroplatinae), U. leigongshana sp. n. and U. yoshidai Uesugi, are described in this paper, which were collected from Guizhou and Sichuan, China. The molecular identification and morphological description of U. leigongshana are provided, together with the adult images of these two species. Furthermore, this paper also offers a worldwide distribution map and a checklist of this genus.
Clarification of taxonomic status of Pseudochorthippus geminus (Mistshenko, 1951) (Orthoptera: Acrididae: Gomphocerinae) based on male calling song analysis
Authors: TISHECHKIN DMITRI YU.
Published: May 2024

Pseudochorthippus geminus is redescribed and illustrated based on specimens from southern Kazakhstan and northern Kyrgyzstan. Oscillograms of the male calling songs of P. geminus from these localities and of P. parallelus from southern Kazakhstan are given. Comparative analysis of the song temporal patterns of P. geminus and P. parallelus clearly indicates that they represent separate biological species, but the morphological differences between them are indistinct and do not always provide reliable characters for species diagnostics.
Experiences of Help-Seeking for Severe Mental Health Problems in Young Pakistani Women: A Preliminary Qualitative Study
Authors: Causier Chiara , Johns Louise , Radez Jerica , Hassan Hibah , Maughan Daniel , Waite Felicity
Published: May 2024

Almost three quarters of mental illnesses start by the age of 25, yet youth (18–25-year-olds) are often underrepresented in U.K. services. This is particularly true for those of ethnic minorities. In this study, we aimed to understand how young Pakistani women and their parents make decisions to seek help for severe mental health problems, and the barriers and facilitators to accessing professional help. Young Pakistani women with experience of severe mental health problems and their parents were recruited from a community sample. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with six young people and two parents. Data were analyzed using reflexive thematic analysis. Pakistani culture and its interplay with British culture strongly influenced the decisions and ability of young Pakistani women and their parents to help-seek, largely through the role of stigma. Low mental health literacy, stigma, and a lack of culturally informed services were identified as the most common barriers to accessing care. These barriers fed into the internalized stigma these young women experienced which, through fear of damaged reputation and personal prejudices, posed further barriers to seeking help. Participants highlighted recommendations for both individual-level (e.g., increased education and awareness) and service-level (e.g., greater choice over care) change to facilitate accessibility of professional help. Young Pakistani women face multiple culturally related challenges to accessing care for severe mental health problems at both the individual- and service-level. Novel suggestions to address these challenges, such as including youth peer support workers in services, may facilitate more inclusive and accessible services.
Cultural Variations in Memory Disruption: The Part-List Cuing Impairment in Taiwan, Singapore, and the United States
Authors: Pepe Nicholas W. , Tan Lishi , Huang Tsung-Ren , Savani Krishna , Rajaram Suparna
Published: May 2024

This research examines the cultural generalizability of a well-established memory phenomenon, the part-list cuing impairment, in which people who receive a subset of a studied list as hints recall fewer items than those who do not. Extensive research conducted in North America and Europe has documented this impairment. Our investigation focused on competing hypotheses about possible cultural differences in this impairment. The first hypothesis was that the part-list cue impairment in recall is a culturally universal memory phenomenon (i.e., it is not modulated by culture). The second hypothesis focused on possible differences in part-list cuing impairment rooted in cultural differences in analytic versus holistic processing styles. Contrary to both hypotheses, our results indicated that the part-list cuing impairment was similarly strong in the United States and Taiwan, cultures that can both be considered relatively less multicultural. In contrast, the part-list cuing impairment was weaker among ethnic Chinese participants in Singapore, a culture that can be considered relatively more multicultural. The highly influential analytic-holistic cognition distinction, which would predict that ethnic Chinese in Singapore and Taiwan would be similar to each other but different from Americans, cannot account for these findings. Instead, we consider possible alternative explanations, such as the idea that multiculturalism might shape basic memory processes that are assumed to be culturally universal. Overall, this research highlights the importance of exploring psychological phenomena in cross-cultural psychology beyond two-culture comparisons and beyond the dominant paradigms for explaining East-West differences in cognition.
The Mental Game of Golf: Understanding Relationships Between Self-Efficacy, Fear of Failure, Competitive State Anxiety, and Flow
Authors: Lee Doheung , Kang Sangwook
Published: May 2024

Our purpose in this study was to investigate the relationship between self-efficacy, fear of failure, competitive state anxiety, and flow among elite golfers. We surveyed 375 elite golfers ( N = 375; male = 187, female = 188) who were registered with the Korean Sports and Olympic Committee, and we analyzed their survey responses using descriptive statistics, confirmatory factor analysis, correlation analysis, and structural equation modelling. As expected, we found golf self-efficacy (GSE) to be significantly related to fear of failure (FOF). We also found FOF and competitive state anxiety (CSA) significantly related to flow. Finally, we verified a suspected hierarchical or mediating effect in these relationships such that we verified predictive relationships of flow as follows: GSE→FOF→CSA→Flow. These golfers’ self-efficacy had a buffering effect of lowering their FOF and CSA in the pathway toward flow. A suggested implication of these findings is that to enhance a golfer’s performance by minimizing interfering psychological factors, it is essential to boost their self-efficacy.
C-reactive protein and procalcitonin: As predictor biomarkers of severity and outcome in children with community-acquired pneumonia
Authors: Yadav Rajesh Kumar , Kumar Durgesh , Gupta Ayushi , Sharma Pradeep
Published: May 2024

Our cohort study aimed to compare serum C-reactive protein (CRP) and procalcitonin (PCT) levels in children with community-acquired pneumonia defined by WHO. The former differentiated between pneumonia and severe pneumonia while the latter was better for the outcome of pneumonia.
Conjunctural urban geographies: Modes, methods, and meso-level concepts
Authors: Davidson Mark , Ward Kevin
Published: May 2024

Urban geographers have recently been developing “conjunctural analysis.” This paper contributes to this emerging project in two ways. First, it argues that the existing literature has overlooked a critically important theoretical distinction—between normative and rationalist analysis. Second, we develop three meso-level concepts—plasticity, composites, temporalities—to provide concrete guidance on doing conjunctural analysis. We use the example of U.S. municipal finance to illustrate the intellectual returns of this schema, arguing that this example also demonstrates the approach’s wider applicability. Through pairing these concepts with prospective methodologies, we move the conjunctural analytic beyond its currently nascent state.
Role of Social Media in Investment Decision-making: A Comprehensive Review and Future Roadmap
Authors: Singh Shruti , Chakraborty Anindita
Published: May 2024

In recent years, the importance of social media has grown analytically, emphasizing the importance of an appropriate framework that can clarify its role in financial investment decision-making. This essay aims to establish a link between social media use and stock market participation. We used the SPAR-4-SLR technique with theory, context, characteristics and methodology framework analysis to conduct a systematic literature review of essential journal articles published between 2013 and 2023. This review summarizes theoretical and empirical research on social media use and stock market participation. By revealing a significant association between social media use and stock market participation and explaining the impact of other elements that remain unresearched, this study has added a new perspective to the literature. This study will help financial specialists, economic institutions and policymakers design better stock market strategies, make financial decisions and add to the body of knowledge concerning the relationship between social impact and SMP.
Structural Family Therapy with Chinese Families in After-Violence Context
Authors: Liang Yiu Xin , Noordin Nur Adilah , Sim Timothy
Published: May 2024

This article aims to apply structural family therapy to working with family and intimate partner violence in after-violence context, where risks and safety issues have been addressed. This practice research study uses case analyses based on the work done with a Chinese couple and a Chinese family in Singapore, respectively. It identifies the salient therapeutic focus and healing processes in after-violence context with Chinese families. Reflections and feedback of social workers and clients during and after the conjoint sessions were included systematically. Practice implications to apply Structural family therapy in working with Chinese couples and families in after-violence are highlighted.
Protecting the Public Interest: Issues in Contracting Managed Behavioral Health Care
Authors: Robinson Julia , Clay Thomas
Published: May 2024

In recent years, state governments have begun contracting out behavioral health care to large managed for-profit organizations. This approach to mental health service delivery has resulted in realignment in roles for both state agencies and the managed care organizations. Overnight, state agencies have been transformed into contract managers of multi-million dollar capitated health plans. Managed care companies, in turn, moving into the public -sector market must adjust their service delivery to include key concepts of public interest involvement such as consumer input, public comment, and outreach. This article analyzes three public -sector transitions. Common issues in these transformations are used as a springboard for identifying key concerns which states need to monitor when developing managed care contracts.
The Role of a County Health Department as a Linktng-Pin Organization in a Network
Authors: Zanetich John
Published: May 2024

This is a case study of a local health department's role in the formation and operation of a network of health care providers The local health department served as a linking-pin organization in the network and engaged in actions to legitimize itself and the network it formed. Legitimacy management requires the development of pragmatic, moral, and cognitive strategics that can be used for gaining, maintaining or repairing legitimacy. The results of this study indicate a unique government legitimacy management profile in which there is a predominant use of cognitive and pragmatic actions intended to gain legitimacy. The implications of this profile are discussed.
Gaps Between HIV/AIDS Policies and Treatment in Correctional Facilities
Authors: Amankwaa Adansi A. , Bavon Al , Amankwaa Linda C.
Published: May 2024

In this article the authors examined correctional policy and its impact ou the incidence of HIV/AIDS in prison population. Using data from the Florida Correctional System, they find that HIV/AIDS is still the leading cause of death. Improved treatment and care may have led to declines in AIDS-related mortality but the prison population continues to experience a much higher risk of mortality than he general population in spite of changes in the treatment and provision of care to infected patients. The dominance of HIV-related deaths indicates that treat-ment and voluntary testing policy have been ineffective. The author7, argue that the persistence of HIVinfection and AIDS-related deaths is largely attributable to continuing unequal distribution of health care resources between identified and unidentified HIV-infected inmates. Their analysis suggests that future changes in HIV/AIDS policy ib testing and treatment can contribute to improvement in health conditions of infected inmates.
Correlates of HIV/AIDS-Related Knowledge and Preventive Behavior of Men in Africa
Authors: Takyi Baffour K.
Published: May 2024

Using the 1998/99 Ghana Demographic and Health Survey dataset, this article examines the behavior of men who think they are at risk for HIV/AIDS and those who indicate they have no AIDS risks. Using a theoretical framework that borrows from rationale choice theory and individual-level characteristics, the article explores the links between AIDS risks status and changes in preventive behavior. The results show high levels of AIDS-related knowledge among men in Ghana. In addition, the majority of the men indicated that they had changed their behavior in response to AIDS although they were more likely to cite the avoidance of multiple partners rather than the use of condoms in their sexual encounters. In the logistic regression models, education, marital status, and religion emerged as important predictors of changes in behavior. The fact that few men used condoms as an HIV/AIDS pre-ventive method raises a number of policy issues, the implications of which are discussed in this article.
From torches to trees: Political party logo changes and voter perception
Authors: Avina Matthias , Spoon Jae-Jae
Published: May 2024

Logos are a prominent visual signal used by virtually every European political party. Most of these parties have also changed their logo at some point in their history. Despite the ubiquitousness of both logos and logo changes, little is known about voter attitudes towards this element of the party brand. To examine these questions, we first provide a theoretical framework that can be used to understand party logos and logo changes. We then implement a survey experiment in the United Kingdom to determine if voters notice these logo changes, how these may affect the issues that voters associate with the party, and how competent they perceive the party to be on these issues. Our findings provide suggestive evidence that voters notice and consider changes to the party logo, and that these changes can alter the issues that voters associate with the party. These findings provide the groundwork for future studies on party logos.
Government Financial Management Reforms: Slouching towards the Sublime
Authors: Moore Adrian T.
Published: May 2024

Efforts to reform government financial management have been a hallmark of the 1990s. Most efforts are piecemeal, the chief exception being New Zealand. From a review of some examples of financial management reforms efforts, especially New Zealand's, we can extract a number of valuable lessons learned for future reform efforts. (1)
The Changing Determinants of State Expenditure in the United States: 1965–1992
Authors: Painter Gary , Bae Kwi-Hee
Published: May 2024

This study builds upon the literature on state government expenditure in the United States. the innovation in this study is twofold. First, we highlight the importance of demographic factors in driving state budgets. Second, we control for the presence of state specific effects that may be important in determining the preferences of the citizenry. We find that a number of economic and institutional factors are important determinants of expenditure, and that higher spending is associated with governments that are dominated by a single party. the largest changes over the period concern education and corrections spending, with the number of children of either primary or secondary school age becoming a less important determinant of expenditure, and the number of prisoners and college age students becoming an important positive determinant of expenditure.
Gender Audit: Whim or Voice
Authors: Krug Barbara , van Staveren Irene
Published: May 2024

“Ethical auditing” is regarded as a new device for monitoring the behaviour of firms and governments. the best known example is the EU-guideline for eco-auditing which aims a monitoring compliance with “voluntary” environmental protection standards. Unlike eco-auditing which covers firms, “women's auditing” focuses on national budgets and the behaviour of governments. It is assumed that checking revenue and expenditure item-by-item gives a clearer picture about discrimination than merely looking at tax legislation or sectoral budgets. the first country where women's auditing became institutionalised was South Africa, quickly followed by Australia, Canada, and the labour government in the UK.

The paper will give a descriptive analysis of women's budgets. It attempts to clarify in how far item-by-item monitoring does indeed help to overcome the specific asymmetric information problem at stake: Asymmetric information here, takes on the form of governments claiming that budgets are gender-neutral. the high individual search costs for getting access to budget proposals before they pass parliament in combination with the generally low representation of women in parliaments defines a formidable threshold for women. A further question to be addressed is whether or not an institution such as women's auditing can be an effective device in situations in which consumer/voters’ interest are hard to organise.
Editor's Introduction
Authors: Weck-Hannemann Hannelore
Published: May 2024

Gender is an issue that is increasingly discussed not only in the media and in politics, but also in academics and particularly in economics and public finance. the Symposium on “Public Finance and Gender” selects two aspects to be addressed in more detail: Firstly, gender audits are questioned to be an effective institutional device for strengthening the monitoring and enforcement of gender–neutral policies and budgets. Secondly, women's choices to postpone maternity and how long to stay at home after first birth is analyzed comparatively under the institutional setting in four countries.
The Strategy of Budget System Reform in Emerging Countries
Authors: Diamond Jack
Published: May 2024

This paper examines the process of budget system reform implied by moving from traditional centralized input-oriented systems to more modern devolved performance-based systems. Based on the experience of recent attempts at this reform in emerging countries, the required sequencing of steps in this process is stressed. the strategy outlined involves a three-prong approach, requiring measures to increase the flexibility in the agency operating environment, provide more certain resourcing for spending agencies, and exert pressure on agencies to improve their performance. the paper stresses firstly, the need to progress on all three fronts simultaneously, and secondly, to base these reforms on a firm platform of agency management skills. the need to attain some basic public expenditure management thresholds in the area of restructuring the budget and its classification, improving the accounting system, developing a financial management information system, and strengthening internal financial management skills, is highlighted.
Managing Marine Capture Fisheries with Incentive Based Price Instruments
Authors: Sanchirico James N.
Published: May 2024

Marine capture fisheries provide important, high-quality sources of protein, income and trade throughout the world. the future availability of these resources, however, is not assured, as economic and biological overfishing plagues many of the world's fisheries. in this paper, we review the use of incentive-based price instruments, such as landings and vessel taxes, to address the current crisis. We also investigate the use of price instruments as indirect means to ensure sustainability of marine mammal populations, and to optimally manage spatially distinct but connected populations.
The ‘Art City’ as A Local Public Good: The Strategic Interplay between Private Donors and Arts Organizations
Authors: Antoci Angelo , Sacco Pier Luigi , Zarri Luca
Published: May 2024

In this paper we set up a simple evolutionary game-theoretic model aimed at addressing the issue of ‘art cities’ promotion and preservation over time via simultaneous commitment of nonprofit actors such as private donors and arts organizations. Two classes of agents are assumed to interact strategically in a ‘double critical mass’ model where the provision and maintenance, on voluntary bases, of a public-type good such as an art city is concerned. Uncertainty as to equilibrium outcomes emerges in that, within both categories, a positive proportion of agents face the temptation to opportunistically free ride on others’ efforts. Further, private donors’ and arts organizations’ payoff functions are interdependent, in the sense that (a) potential donors decide to be actual donors only insofar as a ‘large enough’ proportion of arts organizations provide a high effort level – otherwise they act as free riders; (b) arts organizations prefer to exert a high productive effort only insofar as a ‘large enough’ proportion of potential donors act as actual donors – otherwise they exert a low effort level. Through this analytical framework, we are able to focus on the critical factors affecting the dynamic outcome of the local interaction under study. Under certain conditions, in a medium-long run perspective, even art cities where, initially, either a large proportion of agents behave as free riders or a large proportion of arts organizations exert a low effort level may manage to survive and flourish.