bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Societal Stereotypes and the Legitimation of Intergroup Behaviour in Germany and New Zealand
Authors: Asbrock Frank , Nieuwoudt Claire , Duckitt John , Sibley Chris G
Published: April 2023

Stereotypes have a legitimizing function. Results from Germany (N = 71) and New Zealand (N = 103) indicated that the perceived permissibility of acting toward groups with active or passive harm versus facilitation depends upon consensually shared stereotypes of the target group. Our findings were generally consistent with predictions derived from the BIAS Map in both nations, as the permissibility of specific behaviours was reliably associated with target group warmth-competence stereotype combinations. However, evaluations of warmth trumped evaluations of the competence of target groups in the extent to which they legitimized perceptions of active and passive harm directed toward them. Finally, the extent to which warmth-competence stereotypes legitimized perceptions of the acceptability of harm and facilitation was unsystematically related to individual differences in Social Dominance Orientation. People high in Social Dominance Orientation, but not Right-Wing Authoritarianism, viewed harmful behaviours as generally more permissible irrespective of specific target group stereotypes, and this pattern held cross-culturally.
Identifying Relapse Predictors in Individual Participant Data with Decision Trees
Authors: Böttcher Lucas , Breedvelt Josefien , Warren Fiona , Segal Zindel V. , Kuyken Willem , Bockting Claudi
Published: April 2023

Background: Depression is a highly common and recurrent condition. Predicting who is at most risk of relapse or recurrence can inform clinical practice. Applying machine learning methods to Individual Participant Data (IPD) can be promising to improve the accuracy of risk predictions. Methods: Individual data of four Randomized Controlled Trials (RCTs) evaluating an- tidepressant treatment compared to psychological interventions with tapering (N = 714) were used to identify predictors of relapse and/or recurrence. Ten baseline predictors were assessed. Decision trees with and without gradient boosting were applied. To study the robust- ness of decision-tree classifications, we also performed a complementary logistic regression analysis. Results: Age, age of onset of depression and depression severity combined significantly improve relapse risk prediction compared to classifiers that are only based on depression severity. The studied decision tree relapse classifiers can (i) identify relapse patients at intake with an accuracy, specificity, and sensitivity of about 58% and (ii) outperform classifiers that are based on logistic regression. Conclusions: Decision tree classifiers based on multiple–rather than single–risk indicators are useful for developing treatment stratification strategies. These classification models can be used to help prioritize treatment to those who need it most.
Significance Quest: A Meta-Analysis on the Association Between the Variables of the 3N Model and Violent Extremism
Authors: Da Silva Caroline , Trottier Dominique , Amadio Nicolas , Domingo Bruno , Sarg Rachel , Benbouriche Massil
Published: April 2023

Given the pervasiveness of violent extremism all over the globe, understanding its psychological underpinnings is key in the fight against it. According to the Significance Quest Theory and its 3N model, violent extremism (i.e., violent and deviant behavior) is a function of three elements: need, narrative, and network. In the present meta-analysis, in order to put into test the theory and its model, we aimed to establish the strength of the association between these three elements, as well as the quest for significance itself, and violent extremism; and investigate if these associations are influenced by methodological decisions (i.e., sampling and measurements/manipulations). A literature search was performed through electronic platforms, a call for unpublished or in-press data, and backward snowballing. Seventeen reports, comprising 42 studies, met full inclusion criteria: quantitative studies based on primary data assessing for the association of at least one of the 3Ns, or quest for significance, and violent extremism, and providing sufficient data for effect size extraction. Findings are reported according to the PRISMA 2020 guidelines. Random-effect meta-analyses rendered statistically significant pooled effect sizes in all the investigated associations. The association is strong for quest for significance, moderate for narrative and network, and low for need for significance. Subgroup analyses demonstrate that the detection of these associations is influenced by methodological decisions concerning the measurements and manipulations, but not by those concerning the sampling. We discuss these findings and suggest future research directions aiming to improve the predictive power of the theory and its model.
Romantic Jealousy, Cortisol, and Dark Chocolate
Authors: Chuang Jie-Yu
Published: April 2023

Romantic jealousy can turn love into hate and tenderness into aggression or even homicide. However, despite its enormous impact, research on romantic jealousy is still in its infancy. In this article, a romantic jealousy-cortisol-dark chocolate hypothesis is presented. Cortisol elevation is hypothesized to play a key role in the neurobiological mechanism of romantic jealousy. Moreover, dark chocolate, rich in flavonoids, is hypothesized to be a potential treatment for romantic jealousy because of its cortisol-lowering effect. To test this hypothesis, a study protocol is provided in this article for future research.
Sexual orientation moderates the effect of gender on body satisfaction: Results from a national probability sample
Authors: Basabas Maria Carmela , Greaves Lara , Barlow Fiona , Sibley Chris G
Published: April 2023

Body image concerns typically affect women more so than men, but there is reason to believe that this pattern may depend on sexual orientation. The present study examined differences in levels of body satisfaction among men and women who identified as heterosexual, plurisexual (bisexual and pansexual), gay, and lesbian, using data from a large-scale national probability sample from New Zealand (N = 17,005). As expected, heterosexual men reported higher body satisfaction than heterosexual women. Gay and plurisexual men reported lower body satisfaction than heterosexual men. Gay men also reported lower body satisfaction than lesbian women, and did not differ significantly from heterosexual and plurisexual women. Ratings of heterosexual, plurisexual, and lesbian women’s body satisfaction did not differ significantly. Results held when adjusting for a range of demographic covariates (including age and BMI), and highlight the importance of examining the psychological and health outcomes associated with poor body image among gay men. These findings emphasize the relevance of sexual orientation in understanding men’s body image-related issues.
Scoping Review: Evidence-Based Assessment of Reactive Aggression in Children
Authors: Langfus Joshua A , Youngstrom Eric Arden , DuBois Chase M. , Findling Robert L. , Stepanova Ekaterina
Published: April 2023

Objective: Severe reactive aggression poses a major mental health challenge for many families. A lack of validated instrumentation for assessing young children may present a barrier to more effective clinical assessment and treatment. This scoping review evaluates tools currently used in clinical research to assess aggressive behavior and identifies gaps in the evidence base for their use in children under the age of 12 years. Measures were evaluated through an evidence-based assessment framework to support clinical decision-making.Method: A comprehensive review of registered clinical trials targeting childhood aggression in the United States identified relevant instruments; tools cited in three recent reviews of related constructs were also coded. Measures included were available in English, contained at least three items measuring aggressive behavior, and had at least one validation study in children under 12 years of age. Validation studies were identified through structured queries, and information was extracted from full text review of these studies as well as published manuals.Results: Of 167 candidate measures, 17 met inclusion criteria: three broadband and 14 narrow-band. Compared to commercially-distributed measures, free instruments that were more targeted to assess aggression nevertheless had poorer norms and fewer validation studies in children under 12.Conclusion: Improving instrumentation for assessing reactive aggression would address an urgent clinical need and a gap in current research. More work is needed to validate measures of reactive aggression in children under 12, especially studies that include non-clinical comparison samples. Here we recommend broad and narrow measures for providers to use in clinical care, emphasizing tools with good psychometric properties and no cost barrier.
Age differences in Effectiveness of Encoding Techniques on Memory
Authors: Tran Sophia , Fernandes Myra
Published: April 2023

We compared the effectiveness of different encoding techniques across the adult age range. Three hundred participants: 100 younger, 100 middle-aged, and 100 older adults, were asked to encode a set of visually presented concrete and abstract words. Participants were shown target words one at a time, along with prompts (randomly and intermixed, within-subject) to either silently read, read aloud, write, or draw a picture of the target, for a duration of 10-seconds each. On a later free recall test, participants were given 2-minutes to type all the words they could remember from the encoding phase. Across age groups, we showed that drawing, writing, and reading aloud as encoding techniques yielded better memory than silently reading words, with drawing leading to the largest boost. While memory performance did decrease as age increased, it interacted with the encoding technique. Of note, there were no differences in memory performance in middle-aged compared to young adults. Importantly, age differences in memory emerged only when drawing was used as the encoding strategy, in line with previously reported age-related deficits in generating imagery, or integrating it with motoric processes. Despite this, concrete relative to abstract words that were drawn or written during encoding were better retained, regardless of age, suggesting these techniques facilitate formation of age-invariant visuo-spatial representations. Our findings suggest that whether age differences in memory emerge depends on the strategy used at encoding, and the type of information being encoded.
Drawing Compared to Writing in a Diary Enhances Recall of Autobiographical Memories
Authors: Tran Sophia , Fernandes Myra
Published: April 2023

Drawing at encoding has been shown to improve later recall of to-be-remembered words, pictures, and academic terms, compared to when one simply writes out the target information. Here we examined whether drawing in a diary, compared to writing in it, differentially improved later memorability of personal autobiographical events, and whether aging influenced the magnitude of this effect. Thirty younger and thirty older adults were given a diary booklet, and instructed to use it to reminisce about a random daily event of their choosing, on 12 days within a two-week period. They recorded the event on each day in one of two ways, counterbalanced within-subject: by writing about or by drawing a picture of the event. Participants also generated a keyword descriptor for each event. After the two-week period, participants were cued using their keyword descriptors to recall each autobiographical memory by writing it down. Self-reported match accuracy, between reminisced and recalled events was tabulated. Across age groups, match accuracy was significantly higher for those drawn than written during the reminiscing phase. In addition, we compared the word count, level of detail, visual imagery, and point of view of the recalled memories. Self-reports of the level of detail in the recalled memory were better maintained for events drawn compared to written during the reminiscing stage, and better maintained in older than younger adults. Our findings suggest the use of drawing, while reminiscing within a diary format, enhances accuracy and quality of later recollections.
Is Universal Early Childhood Education and Care an Equalizer? A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Evidence
Authors: Schmutz Rita
Published: April 2023

Studies have shown that early investments improve outcomes for disadvantaged children. Targeted early childhood interventions aimed at vulnerable children have lasting positive impacts throughout the participants' life course, consequently reducing inequalities. However, results from targeted programs cannot be generalized to universal Early Childhood Education and Care (ECEC). Universal ECEC, available to all children, may increase inequalities given stratification in access to nationwide programs. In order to analyze whether universal ECEC has the same equalizing effects as the targeted programs, this study uses a systematic review and meta-analysis of quasi-experimental evidence to examine the impact of universal ECEC on children's outcomes throughout their lives, focusing on how it affects children from different socioeconomic statuses (SES). The findings indicate that universal ECEC is an effective policy strategy for equalization, as it reduces inequalities by benefiting more children from disadvantaged families. Low SES children benefit more in the non-cognitive domain than high SES children. Starting ECEC before age three improves the chances of better outcomes for disadvantaged children. The results demonstrate significant variability across regions, with European programs standing out in delivering positive outcomes for children from vulnerable backgrounds. The study emphasizes the importance of equitable access to universal ECEC to reduce inequalities and foster long-lasting positive impacts on children's development and life chances.
Gender Attitudes and the New Cultural Divide in Europe
Authors: Schäfer Ines , Khoudja Yassine , Grunow Daniela
Published: April 2023

This paper investigates how gender attitudes relate to the new cultural divide between cosmopolitans and communitarians in Europe, which is largely defined by immigration and EU attitudes. We examine how gender attitudes vary across this divide, how large and diverse the groups are that hold different combinations of these attitudes, and how these patterns differ between Western Europe and Central and Eastern Europe (CEE). Using data from the European Values Study 2017 (EVS), we conduct a latent profile analysis to investigate the most common of nine possible combinations of attitudes regarding gender, immigration, and the EU. We find different patterns of attitudinal variation across Western Europe and CEE. In Western Europe, we find substantial divisions over gender attitudes across profiles, but not over immigration and EU attitudes. In CEE, we find disagreement over immigration attitudes coupled with centrist EU attitudes and ambivalent gender attitudes that differ gradually across profiles. In both regions, gender attitudes appear to cross-cut attitudes relating to the new cultural divide. Our study reveals how gender attitudes interact with other ideologies within individuals and across regions in Europe. These findings have implications for understanding how socio-cultural values shape political behavior and preferences in Europe.
Commoning with Henri Lefebvre
Authors: Juskowiak Piotr
Published: April 2023

In this article, I ask how Henri Lefebvre’s oeuvre can contribute to the foundations for a metromarxist theory of urban commoning. To provide an answer to this question I discuss three main areas in which his thinking about the common emerges – his anthropology, philosophy of the urban, and politics of autogestion. This allows me to emphasize the multidimensionality of the Lefebvre-minded commoning, which manifests itself not only at the level of local activism but also touches the dimensions of the production of subjectivity and the constitution of the urban. Read in this way, Lefebvre’s theory of urban commoning helps us to move beyond some of the limitations of the existing discussion of urban commons, as well as to make room for a more fruitful dialogue between urban scholars and autonomist Marxists. It also equips us with an alternative conceptual framework that potentially enhances post-Lefebvrian projects of direct urban democracy.
Capital Structure and Firm Performance among the listed Agro-Allied Firms in Nigeria
Authors: Olasehinde Noah , Yusuff Olanrewaju
Published: April 2023

The study empirically investigated the effect of capital structure on firm performance among agro-allied firms listed on the Nigerian Stock Exchange from 2003 to 2017. Pooled OLS, random effect and fixed effect regressions were used to analyse the data. Performance was measured by return on investment, return on assets and earnings per share while capital structure was captured by leverage and equity finance. Equity finance was found to have a significant effect on returns on investment and assets while leverage impacted earnings per share. Also, firms’ growth and age were positively related to performance while size had an inverse relationship. Therefore, firms should adopt an efficient equity-debt ratio that significantly improves performance over a specific production period.
Trade Policy and Jobs in Vietnam: The Unintended Consequences of Trump’s Trade War
Authors: Rotunno Lorenzo , Roy Sanchari , Sakakibara Anri , Vezina Pierre-Louis
Published: April 2023

We use the US-China trade war as an exogenous shock to export opportunities in Vietnam and examine its effect on Vietnam’s exports and labor markets. We find that Vietnamese exports to the US were around 40 percent higher in 2020 relative to 2017 in sectors hit by US tariffs on Chinese products. This increase is driven by both new export product varieties and increased exports in existing categories. This expansion in export opportunities led to job creation and increased working hours in affected sectors relative to non-affected ones. It also led to an increase in wages, even more so for women workers.
Human talent in health other than doctors in Colombia: A characterization by geographic distribution and occupational category in the period 2018-2022
Authors: Torres Natalia Cantillo , Chahin Salma Nicole , Buitrago Carlos , Berrio Jacobo , Moya-Moya Luz Marina , Palencia-Sánchez Francisco
Published: April 2023

Introduction: Human resources for health are the foundation of health systems. In Colombia, studies have been conducted to diagnose the employment situation of personnel other than doctors and specialists. However, no studies were found that characterize the geographical distribution and by occupational category of nonmedical health personnel.Methodology: A retrospective analysis was carried out on the distribution of health personnel in Colombia, excluding doctors and specialists, using the database of the Ministry of Health and the statistical analysis tool R to perform the distribution of health personnel by geographic area and the ratio of the number of health personnel available to the population of each department was calculated.Results: It was found that Antioquia is the department with the most considerable number of nonmedical personnel and the highest density of health workers, while departments such as Guainía, Guaviare, Vaupés, and Vichada have insufficient numbers.Discussion: The importance of nursing in the Colombian health system and the need to carry out more studies on the distribution of health personnel in the country are highlighted.Conclusion: The human resource in health in Colombia is insufficient to cover the needs of the different departments, especially in the country's peripheral regions. It is necessary to address the challenges to strengthen access to these remote and difficult-to-access areas.
Proposing an Indicators of Influence Framework for Analyzing China’s State-to-State Investment Relationships
Authors: McDonald Terry , Klasche Benjamin , Tamm Kristo , Ng'ang'ira Kamau Samuel
Published: April 2023

In this idea paper, our team tries to create a framework through which one can begin to apply a comparable measurement to cases of China’s influence in Africa and other states in which it is investing. This Indicators of Influence model we propose could be of use not only in analyzing individual relationship cases, but serve as a comparison method for understanding China’s (or potentially another investing state’s) leverage within a given recipient country. Amid a rise in discourse about new forms of great power competition, suggestions of debt-traps and neo-colonialism contrasted with assertions of South-South cooperation and new models of development, the framework comes along at a useful time.
Maternal mortality in Colombia in the year 2021
Authors: Bacci Sara Maria , Baquero Paula Andrea , Bautista María Alejandra , Bejarano Camila Andrea , Corba Christián , Moya-Moya Luz Marina , Palencia-Sánchez Francisco
Published: April 2023

Introduction: The maternal mortality rate is one of the leading development indicators of a country; it tells us both about access to health and the social conditions of a population and can be modified by them. The maternal mortality rate has been reduced in the last decade in the Latin American region and Colombia; however, it continues above the goal proposed in the millennium objectives.Methodology: An analysis of the maternal mortality ratio in Colombia in 2021 was carried out using data obtained from DANE. Additionally, sociodemographic characteristics were filtered to evaluate their relationship with maternal mortality and graphed through the RStudio program.Results: La Guajira, Guaviare, and Nariño are the departments with the highest maternal mortality ratio. The leading causes of maternal death are viral diseases, severe preeclampsia, and other specific disorders and conditions that complicate pregnancy, childbirth, and the puerperal.Discussion: The impact of sociodemographic variables on the maternal mortality rate and the importance of analyzing the problem from a multifactorial perspective are discussed.Conclusion: Variables such as social security and education represent a condition of vulnerability in pregnant women. It was evidenced that in the regions where social and economic conditions are precarious, the MMR is disproportionately higher despite the population density by the department.
The "Non-Musk Effect" at Twitter
Authors: Zinoviev Dmitry , Sarkar Arkapravo , Bicen Pelin
Published: April 2023

Elon Musk has long been known to significantly impact Wall Street through his controversial statements and actions, particularly through his own use of social media. An innovator and visionary entrepreneur, Musk is often considered a poster boy for all entrepreneurs worldwide. It is, thus, interesting to examine the effect that Musk might have on Main Street, i.e., on the social media activity of other entrepreneurs. In this research, we study and quantify this "Musk Effect," i.e., the impact of Musk's recent and highly publicized acquisition of Twitter on the tweeting activity of entrepreneurs. Using a dataset consisting of 9.94 million actual tweets from 47,190 self-declared entrepreneurs from seven English-speaking countries (US, Australia, New Zealand, UK, Canada, South Africa, and Ireland) spanning 71 weeks and encompassing the entire period from the rumor that Musk may buy Twitter till the completion of the acquisition, we find that only about 2.5% of the entrepreneurs display a significant change in their tweeting behavior over the time.We believe that our study is one of the first works to examine the effect of Musk's acquisition of Twitter on the actual tweeting behavior of Twitter users (entrepreneurs). By quantifying the impact of the Musk Effect on Main Street, we provide a comparison with the effect Musk's actions have on Wall Street. Finally, our systematic identification of the characteristics of entrepreneurs most affected by the Musk Effect has practical implications for academics and practitioners alike.
Argentine Chaotic Term Length Series in an American Historical Context Part 1: Time Domain Analysis
Authors: Felice Carmelo José , Ruiz Gabriel Alfredo
Published: April 2023

The political stability of a government depends on the norms that come from a state of rights. Several metrics have been proposed to measure political stability, but they must be applied carefully to individual countries or to compare countries. In the related literature the cultural factors are not directly considered and are limited to quantifying their practical effects. Concepts such as contempt for authority have not been directly quantified. This study proposes indicators that account for the cultural concept of contempt for authority and permit a rapid quantitative and visual analysis of the political stability of a country or province throughout its history. A specific historical analysis for the Republic of Argentina between the 16th and 21st centuries wasrealized. The results indicate 1) the permanence of socially toxic behavior patterns in Argentina and other Latin American countries, 2) that inherited cultural causes could explain the high political instability in Argentina over the last 500 years and 3) a succession of singles term length by ruler during decades could be used to stabilize a country.
The Effects of Informal Care Provision on Mental Health Across European Countries
Authors: Nolan Andreas
Published: April 2023

Given Europe’s rapid population aging, it is important to consider whether countries on the continent are equipped to provide social services to their older inhabitants. Often, care work for older individuals is provided informally (i.e. unpaid) by family members, rather than through government services. Though engaging in helping behaviors can sometimes lead to positive health benefits, previous research has identified a number of physical and mental health declines that informal caregivers experience while engaging in particularly intensive care work. With data from waves 6, 7, and 8 (spanning the years 2015 to 2020) of the Survey of Health, Ageing, and Retirement in Europe (SHARE), I used panel fixed-effects models to examine within-person variation in depression scores after a respondent starts providing daily or almost daily informal care. I focused specifically on differences between caregivers providing informal care inside their home versus those providing it outside their home. The final sample encompassed 18 countries and contained 23,488 respondents when observing informal care inside the home and 31,481 respondents when observing informal care outside the home. Overall, my results substantiate previous research that has found that the effect of informal caregiving on depressive symptoms is more pronounced for in-home versus out-of-home caregivers. However, my research strengthens this claim through a more precise comparison of these two informal caregiving contexts by isolating the specific type of care work provided and time commitment involved. In addition, my results show that belonging to a larger household minimizes the declines in mental health from providing personal care outside the home, and there is preliminary evidence to suggest that countries with greater government responsibility for long-term care dampen the depressive consequences of providing care inside the home. Further, countries with greater governmental responsibility for long-term care provision appear to be more successful at shrinking the pool of informal caregivers that provide particularly intensive forms of care. Together, these findings underscore that policy interventions designed to assist informal caregivers must take into consideration a wide constellation of potential caregiving relationships and place renewed attention towards out-of-home caregivers. Still, more comprehensive social support metrics are needed to understand how social support can buffer the emotional burden of caregiving work.
Argentine Chaotic Term Length Series in an American Historical Context Part II: Complex System Analysis
Authors: Felice Carmelo José , Ruiz Gabriel Alfredo
Published: April 2023

The political stability of a government system is crucial for achieving social, economic, and cultural growth of a people. Among other things, political stability depends on the norms that come from a state of rights. Several metrics have been proposed to measure political stability, such as the weighted sum of the number of revolutions or the index defined by the World Bank comprising 72 variables, which include subjective concepts, numerical parameters, and other variables. Therefore, it must be applied carefully to individual countries or to compare countries. No definitions in the related literature directly consider cultural factors and are limited to quantifying their practical effects, such as numbers of strikes or manifestations against a government. Concepts such as contempt for authority have not been directly quantified. In this part, we present two more indicators that account for the contempt for authority and permit a rapid quantitative and visual analysis of the political stability of a country or province throughout its history. They are, the social stability index that allows the general quantification of the social stability level at a historical moment, and the phase planes that graphically show the predominant chaotic system. These tools manifest the behavior patterns that affect the political stability of a country or province. Finally, we perform an in-depth analysis of the indicators for the Republic of Argentina between the 16th and 21st centuries, with the historical context of the more important Spanish and British colonization of the American continent.The results indicate 1) the permanence of socially toxic behavior patterns in Argentina and other Latin American countries, 2) inherited cultural causes could explain the high political instability in Argentina over the last 500 years and 3) a succession of singles term length by rulers during decades could be used to stabilize a country.
Evaluation of Image Quality and Radiation Dose according to Use of the Tin Filter during CT Examination
Authors:   KOREA SOCIETY OF COMPUTED TOMOGRAPHIC TECHNOLOGY, Song Tae-Gyu , Lee Hee-Gon , Lee Jang-Seok , Moon Young-Ju
Published: April 2023

The Tin Filter used in CT scans in medical field has the effect of reducing patient exposure without deteriorating the image quality by block in low-energy X-rays (ranging 30-50 keV) generated from CT scanners. In this study, chest low-dose CT scans were performed with the lungman phantom and various low-dose scan protocol. Then, the image quality of acquired images were evaluated by comparing the radiation dose as to the use of tin filter. The performed evaluation showed that when performing CT scans with a Tin filter installed, the exposure dose was considerably reduced by removing low energy X-rays, but SNR and CNR decreased slightly. Therefore, it is significantly considered that the use of a tin filter in CT scans will help reduce the exposure dose as well as the patient dose while maintaining image quality.
Phenomenon of the Cultural Code in the Context of the Media Space
Authors:   Kiev National University of Culture and Arts, Kiev, Ukraine, Krasnenko Oleksiy
Published: April 2023

The article is devoted to the identification of the content essence of the concept of "cultural code" and the outline of promising directions for the study of the cultural code in the media space from the standpoint of modern cultural studies. The definition of the concept of "cultural code" was analyzed from the standpoint of cultural knowledge and in the context of the specifics of the media space; the philosophical and cultural approach to the study of the peculiarities of the media space is considered. It was established that the cultural code is built on the basis of a verbal, iconic and conventional system of signs and their combinations, therefore its meaning is variable and polysemantic. The concept of "cultural code" allows us to consider modern media content presented in the media space at both diachronic and synchronic levels. The specificity of the media space can be considered in terms of manifestations of national cultural codes at the thematic, genre, and stylistic levels, in the structure of media texts, the subjective organization of media works, principles and techniques of image, etc. In the cultural sciences, the analysis of the phenomenon of the cultural code in the context of the media space can be carried out from the level of the sign system to the cultural tradition and, ultimately, to the semantic structures of the text of the media work/media content in a certain culture.
Recognising Physical and Mental Health Issues in Neurodivergent Females: Opinion Piece
Authors: Kelly Clive , Martin Ren , Taylor Rachael
Published: April 2023

The term ’neurodiversity’ acknowledges that there are many different ways in which people experience life and interact with others. The term ‘neurodivergence’ refers to variations in mental or neurological function from what is considered typical or normal and usually incorporates autism, ADHD and Tourette’s syndrome, with increasing evidence of an overlap with dyslexia and dyspraxia. Research and education into neurodivergent conditions in females is essential in shaping clinicians’ approaches to those who present with a wide range of symptoms. Neurodivergence may influence a person’s style of communication, learning, attitudes, and behaviour, and they may experience social isolation and inequity. A formal diagnosis improves access to social and medical support and helps them and their family understand their challenges and differences. Neurodivergent females are especially prone to a wide variety of physical and psychological health issues, and it is important that clinicians learn to recognise and respond to these. This commentary highlights the relative lack of research into clinical aspects of neurodivergent conditions in females and suggests how clinicians might increase their awareness of these to mutual benefit.
Preparation and Characterization of Eudragit Coated Chitosan Microspheres of Anticancer Drug for Colon Cancer
Authors: Chitransh Mayank , M Kewatkar Dr Shailesh
Published: April 2023

Carrier technology provides an interesting as well as an intelligent approach for the delivery of drug. It offers delivery of drug by coupling the drug to a carrier particle such as microspheres, mucoadhesive microspheres, nanoparticles, liposomes, etc. Mucoadhesive microspheres constitute an important part of this particulate drug delivery system because of their small size and other efficient properties. Mucoadhesive microspheres play a vital role in the novel drug delivery system. Some drug delivery problems are overcome by producing controlled drug delivery system which enhances the therapeutic efficacy of a drug. From various approaches one approach is to using mucoadhesive microsphere as a carrier system for drug delivery. Mucoadhesive microspheres exhibit a prolonged residence time at the site of application or absorption and facilitate an intimate contact with the underlying absorption surface and thus contribute to improved and better therapeutic performance of drugs and also mucoadhesive microspheres have advantages like efficient absorption and enhanced bioavailability of the drugs due to a high surface to volume ratio, a much more intimate contact with the mucus layer, controlled and sustained release of drug from dosage form and specific targeting of drugs to the absorption site. Mucoadhesive microspheres have been developed for oral, buccal, nasal, ocular, rectal and vaginal for either systemic or local effects.
Design of Formulation, Optimization and Evaluation of Nanosponges of Selected Drug by Using QBD Technology
Authors: Kumar Popin , M Kewatkar Dr Shailesh
Published: April 2023

When one chemical material (the solute) can dissolve in another chemical substance (the solvent) of the same sort, the resulting is homogeneous solution. Whether or not a chemical is soluble depends on a number of factors, including pressure, temperature, and the nature of the solvent being utilized. How soluble something is in a given solvent may be measured at its saturation concentration, when further addition of the solute no longer increases the concentration of the solute in the solution (Lachman L et al., 1986). The solvent is often a liquid comprising one or more substances. It is more common to vocalize a solid solution than a gaseous one.
The Characteristics of ESG and Effect on Corporate Value of Chinese Firms
Authors:   The Institute of Management and Economy Research, Xue Shao-Wei , Lee Jae-Hyun
Published: April 2023

Purpose - Since the 2020s, the management philosophy of Chinese firms' ESG has been rapidly established under the leadership of the Chinese government. We empirically analyze the ESG characteristics and effects on corporate value of Chinese firms.
Design/methodology/approach - Using OLS and random effect panel regression analysis, we identify ESG determinants. In analyzing the impact on corporate value, likewise a large number of literatures, we adopt a 2SLS methodology using instrumental variables in the reason of endogeneity between ESG and firm value. We analyze using the G2SLS methodology, which is improving the efficiency of the estimation coefficients along with 2SLS.
Findings - We find that ESG ratings are high in state-owned and foreign capital invested companies, ESG ratings are low in companies with a high proportion of non-floating stocks which implies information asymmetry. However, there are no significance in the institutional investor's, the major 10 largest shareholders’ and manager’s ownership. Furthermore, we can support most of the hypotheses that ESG ratings will be high in companies with high management performance. ESG ratings are significantly higher in companies with high ROA, rich in cash asset, low debt ratio, and large size. we strongly support the hypothesis that the higher the ESG rating, the higher the firm value, and ESG has a moderating effect on state-owned companies, non-floating shares, the ownership of institutional investors, manager, and the 10 major shareholder. In particular, state-owned companies, the proportion of non-floating shares, and the ownership of the 10 major shareholders have a negative impact on firm value, however, ESG attenuates this negative effect.
Research implications or Originality - This study looks forward to enhancing our understanding of ESG characteristics in East Asia.
A Study on the Determinants of Organizational Level for the Advancement of Smart Factory
Authors:   The Institute of Management and Economy Research, Ok Chi-Ho
Published: April 2023

Purpose - The purpose of this study is to explore the determinants of the organizational level for the advancement of smart factory. We suggested three determinants of the organizational level such as CEO’s entrepreneurship, high-involvement human resource management, and cooperative industrial relations.
Design/methodology/approach - The population of our survey was manufacturing SMEs, and we took a sample and conducted a survey of 232 companies. Since the level of smart factory advancement, which is a dependent variable, was measured on an ordinal scale, ordinal logistic regression analysis was used to test the hypothesis.
Findings - The higher the level of high-involvement human resource management, the higher the level of smart factory advancement. As the level of high-involvement human resource management increases by one unit, the probability of smart factory advancement increases by 22.8%. On the other hand, the CEO's entrepreneurship did not significantly affect the level of smart factory advancement. Interestingly, the cooperative industrial relations negatively affected to the level of smart factory advancement, contrary to the hypothesis prediction.
Research implications or Originality - This study explored determinants at the organizational level that affect the advancement of smart factories. Through this, various implications are presented for related research and policy fields.
A Study on the Value Relevance of Securities Firm's Net Operating Capital
Authors:   The Institute of Management and Economy Research, Cho Seokhee
Published: April 2023

Purpose - The purpose of this study is to examine the information effect of securities firm’s net operating capital, securities firm’s regulatory purposes capital, by analyzing the value relevance of net operating capital.
Design/methodology/approach - This study was empirically analyzed using samples of domestic listed securities firms in the past 12 years, and multiple regression analysis and Vuong (1989) test were used together as specific research methods.
Findings - First, it was found that the net operating capital of securities firms has an incremental value relevance that is added to basic accounting information (equity book value, profit or loss information). Second, after classifying equity capital on the books into net operating capital and the rest of equity capital, the value relevance of net operating capital was significantly higher than that of other equity capital.
Research implications or Originality - The results of this study indicate that the level of regulatory capital in the securities industry can be used in the process of evaluating firm value in the capital market, and it is significant in that capital market evaluation can be stratified according to regulatory purposes.
An Effect of Volatility of Crude Oil Price on Asymmetry of Domestic Gasoline Price Adjustment
Authors:   The Institute of Management and Economy Research, Kim Nam-Jae , Kim Hyung-Gun
Published: April 2023

Purpose - This study examines the effects of Dubai oil price and the volatility on the asymmetry of domestic gasoline price adjustment. Additionally, the study investigates the effects of “Altteul” gas-station and tax-cut policies on asymmetry.
Design/methodology/approach - Firstly, the study calculates proxies for asymmetry and volatility of each window(every 3-month) by error-correction model and GARCH(1, 1) using daily domestic gas price and Dubai oil price from 2008/04/15 to 2022/12/31. Secondly, the study investigates the effects of the increasing rate of Dubai oil price, volatility, “Altteul” gas-station and tax-cut policies on asymmetry. The autoregressive distributed lag regression model is employed for estimations.
Findings - The study finds that changes in the increasing rate of Dubai oil price and both types of volatility of Dubai oil price increase asymmetry. While “Altteul” gas-station and tax-cut policies decrease asymmetry. Additionally, the study fails to find that asymmetry in the Korean gasoline market in the estimation with total observations.
Research implications or Originality - An increase in Dubai oil price volatility means an increase in cost uncertainty for gas-station owners. Since cost uncertainty is a kind of financial risk, the increase in volatility reinforces the asymmetry. The study provides supporting evidence for the idea.
Xây dựng hàm băm trên các cấp số nhân cyclic
Authors: Bửu Hồ Quang , Thiện Ngô Đức , Sự Trần Đức
Published: April 2023

Hash  functions  have  an  important  role in  modern  cryptography;  they  are  used  in  digital signature; authentication... Hash function schemes are constructed  on  block  ciphers.  In  this  paper  a  new method  to  implement  a  hash  function  with  MatyasMayer-Oseas scheme is proposed, but the cipher block is constructed based on cyclic geometric progressions. Some  estimation  about  a  new  hash  function  is  also presented
An Optimality-Theoretic Analysis of Word-stress Learnability: Evidence from Moroccan-English Interlanguage
Authors: SMIRKOU Mohamed
Published: April 2023

This study adopts a theoretical analysis of the learnability of English word-stress. It intends to provide an Optimality-theoretic analysis of word-stress learnability among Moroccan learners of English. Language acquisition, from an Optimality Theory perspective, is a process of reordering the constraints from an initial state of the grammar to the language-specific ranking of the target grammar. To account for stress development, this paper makes use of the Constraint Demotion Algorithm (Tesar & Smolensky, 1996; 2000), which learners adopt to infer the correct hierarchy of constraints. Starting with a default hierarchy supplied by Universal Grammar, learners proceed with the recursive demotion of higher-ranked constraints until the correct ranking is reached. The algorithm, starting by initializing the hierarchy, assumes that constraints are unranked and thus hosted in the same stratum. Sixty Moroccan learners participated in the study. The informants are third-year students at Ibn Tofail University. They were administered an oral multiple-choice test that elicited their intuition about English stress patterns. The overall findings of the study reveal that learners’ prior (L1) ranking influences their learnability of English stress. That is, Moroccan learners misplace stress in English words due to the initial state of their grammar. From the findings, OT is evidenced to successfully predict learning stages using CDA, wherein each demotion signals a learning stage.
A Semiotic Analysis of the Simpson’s Sitcom
Authors: Al-Mamoory Salih Mahdi , Mohammed Iman Farhan
Published: April 2023

The current study is conducted to focus on the semiotic analysis of the American Simpson's sitcom created by Matt Groening for the Fox Broadcasting Company. It investigates the signs that Sampson's characters convey. It aims to show the messages that the concerned data have. The data is limited to 4 characters that are selected from the concerned series. Barth (1977)'s model is adopted in analyzing the concerned data. It is hypothesized that the concerned characters are full of messages that are used as tools to deal with certain cases in American society. To achieve its aim and verify its hypothesis, the study adopts the following steps: 1. Re-visiting concepts of semiotics and sitcom. 2. Presenting the basic elements of the sign system. 3. Following Barth (1977)'s model in analyzing the concerned data. 4. The main points are concluded.
The Impact of Problem-based Learning and Reading Stories on the Development of Moroccan Middle School Students’ Critical Thinking Skills
Authors: BENDRAOU RACHID , SAKALE SANA
Published: April 2023

This research aims to investigate the effectiveness of problem-based learning and reading stories on students’ critical thinking skills in Moroccan middle high schools. This paper employed a quasi-experimental pre-test post-test study design. The sample of the study was two groups consisting of 50 students aged between 14 and 15 years old at the 9th grade Tazi middle high school in Casablanca, Morocco. The participants were divided into an experimental group (N=25) that received the treatment study using a problem-based strategy and Black Beauty story by Anna Sewell level 3 mm. publications and a control group (N=25) that took normal classes. The researcher used a critical thinking test as an instrument and a T-test for the analysis. The findings, which have been quantitatively analysed, revealed a significant difference between the experimental and the control group (sig <0.05); it showed that the experimental group participants got higher thinking skills grades. Overall, we conclude that problem-based learning and reading stories influenced critical thinking skills positively.