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Inspired by the positive impact of serious games on science understanding and motivated by personal interests in scientific outreach, we developed "Bacttle," an easy-to-play microbiology board game with adaptive difficulty, targeting any player from 7 years old onward. Bacttle addresses both the lay public and teachers for use in classrooms as a way of introducing microbiology concepts. The layout of the game and its mechanism are the result of multiple rounds of trial, feedback, and re-design. The final version consists of a deck of cards, a 3D-printed board, and tokens (with a paper-based alternative), with all digital content open source. Players in Bacttle take on the character of a bacterial species. The aim for each species is to proliferate under the environmental conditions of the board and the interactions with the board and with other players, which vary as the play evolves. Players start with a given number of lives that will increase or decrease based on the traits they play for different environmental scenarios. Such bacterial traits come in the form of cards that can be deployed strategically. To assess the impact of the game on microbiological knowledge, we scored differences in the understanding of general concepts before and after playing the game. We assessed a total of 169 visitors at two different university open-day science fairs. Players were asked to fill out a brief survey before and after the game with questions targeting conceptual advances. Results show that Bacttle increases general microbiology knowledge on players as young as 5 years old and with the highest impact on those who have no "a priori" microbiology comprehension.

To investigate the geometric morphological differences of the lacrimal punctum by analyzing its shape in relation to age and sex in a normal population. 960 high-magnification slit-lamp images were obtained from 320 puncta of normal asymptomatic Indian individuals across eight decades of life. Using advanced geometric morphometric techniques, including Elliptic Fourier Analysis and Principal Component Analysis, the intricate details of the lacrimal punctum's shape in a diverse population sample were categorized by age and sex. High-resolution images of the lacrimal punctum underwent standardization for scale and orientation, followed by precise landmark identification and coordinate data extraction. The geometric morphometry of the lacrimal punctum shows significant changes as one ages. However, the gender differences, in isolation, without consideration of age, remain subtle and are not pronounced. Interestingly, detailed Principal Component scores analysis revealed potential sex- and age-related variations specifically for the left and right lower puncta, which warrant further investigation. These changes could reflect unique aging changes in the proximal lacrimal drainage system. The study is a starting point for geometric morphometric analysis of the lacrimal punctum and provides valuable insights into the punctal changes in size, orientation, and overall morphology across different age groups and between sexes. These findings highlight the significance of considering individual age-wise anatomical variations to better understand the lacrimal punctum. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The paper aims to explore the intergenerational maps project that set out to map the Brimbank and Moonee Valley residents' awareness of their favourite aspects of their local community. In reflecting on the way this project enabled local knowledge exchanges between different age groups, the paper examines the way intergenerational interactions become pedagogical and make public and public pedagogy visible. Design/methodology/approach: This research paper employs the theoretical and methodological framework of performance (Charman and Dixon, 2021) to read the author's experience with the intergenerational maps project. Insights gained from performance framework are shared to illuminate the complexity of public pedagogy and its entanglement with place, public and knowledge. Findings: The critical reflection on the author's encounter with a pedagogical event points to the importance of using a new theorisation of public pedagogy (Charman and Dixon, 2021) as a useful generative method to guide the reading, learning and research within the fields of public pedagogy and intergenerational relations. Practical implications: The practical implications of this paper centres on its deployment of a new theorisation of public pedagogy as a useful framework for studying intergenerational interactions. This places these intergenerational interactional dynamics in the field of public pedagogy and can be practically applied to further develop desirable public pedagogical practices within the arena of public pedagogy. Originality/value: The paper offers a subjective interpretation of the author's experience with an intergenerational interaction project and presents an application of a theoretical framework to read events as pedagogical performances that brings insights into the pedagogical potential of these public performances.

Children frequently respond differently to therapies compared to adults. Differences also exist between paediatric age groups for pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics in both efficacy and safety. Paediatric pharmacovigilance requires an understanding of the unique aspects of children with regard to, for example, drug response, growth and development, clinical presentation of adverse drug reactions (ADRs), how they can be detected and population‐specific factors (e.g., more frequent use of off‐label/unlicensed drugs). In recognition of these challenges, a group of experts has been formed in the context of the conect4children (c4c) project to support paediatric drug development. This expert group collaborated to develop methodological considerations for paediatric drug safety and pharmacovigilance throughout the life‐cycle of medicinal products which are described in this article. These considerations include practical points to consider for the development of the paediatric section of the risk management plan (RMP), safety in paediatric protocol development, safety data collection and analysis. Furthermore, they describe the specific details of post‐marketing pharmacovigilance in children using, for example, spontaneous reports, electronic health care records, registries and record‐linkage, as well as the use of paediatric pharmacoepidemiology studies for risk characterisation. Next the details of the assessment of benefit–risk and challenges related to medicinal product formulation in the context of a Paediatric Investigation Plan (PIP) are presented. Finally, practical issues in paediatric signal detection and evaluation are included. This paper provides practical points to consider for paediatric pharmacovigilance throughout the life‐cycle of medicinal products for RMPs, protocol development, safety data collection and analysis and PIPs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Improved global access to novel age‐appropriate formulations for paediatric subsets, either of new chemical entities or existing drugs, is a priority to ensure that medicines meet the needs of these patients. However, despite regulatory incentives, the introduction to the market of paediatric formulations still lags behind adult products. This is mainly caused by additional complexities associated with the development of acceptable age‐appropriate paediatric medicines. This position paper recommends the use of a paediatric Quality Target Product Profile as an efficient tool to facilitate early planning and decision making across all teams involved in paediatric formulation development during the children‐centric formulation design for new chemical entities, or to repurpose/reformulate off‐patent drugs. Essential key attributes of a paediatric formulation are suggested and described. Moreover, greater collaboration between formulation experts and clinical colleagues, including healthcare professionals, is advocated to lead to safe and effective, age‐appropriate medicinal products. Acceptability testing should be a secondary endpoint in paediatric clinical trials to ensure postmarketing adherence is not compromised by a lack of acceptability. Not knowing the indications and the related age groups and potential dosing regimens early enough is still a major hurdle for efficient paediatric formulation development; however, the proposed paediatric Quality Target Product Profile could be a valuable collaborative tool for planning and decision making to expedite paediatric product development, particularly for those with limited experience in developing a paediatric product. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Web development is a domain with rapid growth along with speed evolution in recent years, driven by the ever-expanding digital landscape. In today's age, there are web applications for almost all purposes, from having education and knowledge to booking flight tickets, web technologies have been part of all markets now. Websites, to talk in terms of a consumer, make many things easier and faster with lower efforts. We use them daily for various purposes. Irrespective of our differences, age groups, genders, interests, and goals, websites have something to offer for all categories. This made web technologies favorable, adaptable, and still evolving. It has evolved continuously and taken over many other domains defining its position as a key aspect of digital platforms. Web technology has helped enhance features available digitally as well as has led to being the source of various advanced web-based applications. This survey paper goes over the evolution of web development over the years and discusses its life cycle. It aims to analyze different domains of web development and goes over the differences in some of the most widely used languages and frameworks in each giving a slight idea of them with the help of comparison tables and graphs. Then it focuses on the main issues faced in respective domains considering the technological challenges and available options for them. Then the issues of merging web technologies with other technologies are discussed too. The paper’s main initiative is to identify and categorize key challenges of their vivid domains. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Research excellence is one of the key missions of universities and an important engine for socio-economic development. However, the outbreak of COVID-19 has affected academic research in many ways. This study examines the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the research performance of science and engineering faculty members in China's top research universities. It is found that the pandemic caused a decline in the numbers and quality of published articles, and the effects persisted over time. The negative effect of the pandemic on research excellence was more pronounced in the older faculty groups and departments of science. In addition, the pandemic has harmed international research collaborations among academics, which is likely to obstruct research excellence in the long run. In the end, this paper proposes several policy recommendations to reinvigorate universities' capacity for research innovation in the post-pandemic era.

The condition and health of large oil-immersed power transformers' insulation have a direct impact on the safety and stability of the power grid. Therefore, it is crucial to investigate the aging characteristics of oil–paper insulation in power transformers. In this study, we developed a computational model for reclosing current calculation and multiphysics coupling models for magnetic-circuit-force, electrostatic field, and temperature field simulations. The calculated aging resulted in a mechanical stress of 8.71 MPa, an electric field strength of 2.26 × 106 V/m, and a temperature of 113.7 °C. We conducted combined electrical–thermal–mechanical aging tests on the oil–paper insulation and measured various insulating paper performance parameters at different aging stages. Our study revealed that both the mechanical and electrical properties of the insulating paper deteriorated in both aging groups. However, the changes were more pronounced in the electrical–thermal–mechanical aging group compared to the electrical–thermal aging group, indicating that mechanical stress accelerated the aging process of the insulating paper. In the early stages of aging, the rate of performance changes in the electrical–thermal aging group was similar to that in the electrical–thermal–mechanical aging group. However, as the aging time increased, the degradation of performance induced by mechanical aging became more significant. This suggests that the insulating paper's resistance to mechanical damage, specifically short-circuit resistance, noticeably decreased after prolonged aging. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs) can be considered an important tool for professionals to reskill and upskill as well as a cost-efficient way to stay relevant. However, evidence-based research is still needed to identify why specific categories of people, especially professionals, take paid MOOCs. The paper aims to analyze the factors that influence IT working Professionals to adopt paid MOOCs using the UTAUT 2 model. Based on a survey conducted on 250 respondents, the study uses multiple regression to understand the significance of factors affecting the intention to adopt paid MOOCs. A multigroup analysis was also done to understand the differences among different age groups and genders. The results establish that social influence, facilitating conditions, brand credibility and price value are significant in the adoption of MOOCs. Performance expectancy, effort expectancy, and curiosity were found to be insignificant. Based on the research findings, the implication of the study and future scope for research have been suggested.

This paper shares the results of a meta-analysis on the parental-relational component of parental-involvement and its association with the academic and behavioral outcomes of urban students. This meta-analysis includes 76 quantitative studies. The results indicated that statistically significant effects emerged across students of different backgrounds, including differences by age groups, race, gender, and nationality. The results were also substantial in the highest quality studies. The significance of these results is discussed.

Vergence‐Accommodation Conflicts (VAC) occur in neareye displays when the binocular disparity of the 3D rendered content (vergence) does not match the display focal distance (accommodation). VAC has been shown to reduce perceptual image quality, cognitive performance, and oculomotor coordination. In this study, we aimed to investigate the impact of VAC on visual performance in augmented reality (AR). Specifically, we quantified the impact of AR VAC on the 'Time to Focus' (TTF); when the user switches focus between real world content and worldlocked AR rendered content. Our results show that TTF increases exponentially with VAC. The increase is more pronounced at closer vergence distances in displays with focal distance of 1 D or longer. Finally, we showed that VAC may have a differential effect across age groups; specifically, older users may be affected more in closer focal and longer vergence distances 186‐189. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper reports an experiment that investigates interpretive distinctions between two different expressions of generalization in Spanish. In particular, our aim was to find out when the distinction between generic statements (GS) such as "Tigers have stripes" and universally quantified statements (UQS) such as "All tigers have stripes" was acquired in Spanish-speaking children of two different age groups (4/5-year-olds and 8/9-year-olds), and then compare these results with those of adults. The starting point of this research was the semantic distinction between GS and UQS in that the former admit exceptions, unlike the latter. On the other hand, several authors have observed a Generic overgeneralization effect (GOG) consisting in allowing for UQS to be felicitous in the face of exceptions, thus proposing that this "error" stems from GS being defaults (simpler, more easily learned and processed). In the current paper we aimed to test the "Generics as Default" (GaD) hypothesis by comparing GS and UQS in three different age ranges. Our data show that, overall, the accuracy of GS is greater than the accuracy of UQS. Moreover, we also confirm a hypothesized interaction between age and NP type (GS vs UQS). Further, we present several data points that are not predicted by the GaD, including an observed decline in the accuracy of GS in the older group of children as well as in adults, and that children fail at rejecting statements that are not considered to be true generalizations.

This paper analyzed Scratch projects developed by undergraduate students. The sample consisted of 22 child development students (18 women and four men) in the 2018-2019 academic year. The study adopted an action research design within the scope of a course titled "Teaching Science and Mathematics in Preschool Education." The research was conducted within 14 weeks. In the first four weeks, we provided participants with training on why and how to use Scratch in science and mathematics teaching. In the following ten weeks, participants designed Scratch projects every week based on age groups, topics, and learning outcomes of their choice. Participants evaluated their projects themselves and also received feedback from peers and academics. Each participant designed ten Scratch projects (five for math and five for science). The data consisted of 220 Scratch projects and design logs. The study included a thematic content analysis. In the first weeks, participants knew little about the content of Scratch and used one or two characters and mostly control and look blocks. In the following weeks, they learned more about Scratch and used different blocks.

This paper presents an innovative narrative data analysis approach, used in a narrative research project exploring student values. The work of three different authors was drawn upon to create a novel, rigorous and synergistic analysis tool. A novel approach to data analysis, using the stories told by one Generation Z (Gen Z) student and the personal values elicited, which are drawn from Schwartz's theory of universals in basic human values is presented. This leads to a restorying of the data, from which the reader finds meaning. The participant was interviewed at the beginning of their first year as undergraduate and is presented as an example from the larger study of seven Gen Z students. How this approach is effective is examined, demonstrating that combining theory and the narrative analysis approach enabled the values of self-direction, security, benevolence and power to be exposed within the resulting restorying. This is a new and innovative approach to narrative analysis that can be applied in a wide range of contexts internationally and utilised in future studies.

• At steady-state excitation, the transient electric field distribution in typical multi layer oil-paper insulation at different aging stages was obtained. • The equivalent model of polarization conductivity was proposed, which characterized the nonlinear phenomena at different polarization voltages. • Based on the charge escape trap model, the mechanism of the nonlinear phenomenon of response current in the process of dielectric polarization was revealed. The oil-immersed transformer plays a pivotal role in the power network. Its insulation stability is essential. At present, the application of time-domain dielectric response technology in insulation detection of oil-immersed equipment is relatively mature. However, there is a contradiction between increasing the test excitation amplitude to improve the test accuracy and the nonlinear response characteristics of the test dielectric at high-voltage excitation. The assessment theories all depend on the laboratory test results, and inaccurate test results will affect the assessment results. Therefore, this paper prepared several groups of insulation-scaled aging models in the laboratory and studied the effects of temperature and test excitation amplitude on the polarization and depolarization characteristics of the models. During the polarization process, the electric intensity variation was calculated. Meanwhile, at the time-varying electric field, the influence mechanism of electric intensity on the response current caused by the charge escaping from the trap during the polarization process was obtained. This paper quantified the relationship between the aging state and the height of the interfacial polarization barrier. The study of nonlinear dielectric response in the time domain will help to improve the accuracy of test results when diagnosing the insulation performance of oil-immersed transformers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Critics like to call students in Generation Z (those born in 1995 onward) "coddled" and resistant to ideas that they disagree with. A series of high profile protests at universities have led to the impression that Generation Z is political intolerant of those who they disagree with. At the same time, Generation Z is a more diverse, more educated, and more active political generation. Given political polarization, teaching Generation Z students about political tolerance presents challenges. This paper presents an approach to teach political tolerance in an Introduction to Politics course. Grounded conceptually in the cognitive and neurosciences, the course helps students understand the limitations of rational decision-making in politics and the centrality of emotion and identity. The paper presents a day-by-day recount of an approach to teaching political tolerance including an original survey that measures student political tolerance. The survey indicates that only 30% to 34% of the 69 Generation Z students completing the survey were politically intolerant using a variation of the "least preferred" approach. Additionally, the students were more tolerant of progressive speech, books, and teachers. The paper draws conclusions about teaching political tolerance to Generation Z students and includes suggestions for future research.

Purpose: This paper aims to explore the career aspirations of individuals belonging to the Gen Z cohort, i.e. born between 1995 and 2012. Design/methodology/approach: This paper is a systematic review of the literature. The authors accessed four databases to collect literature for review. The databases included were Academic Search Ultimate, Business Source Ultimate, ERIC and Google Scholar. Keywords used to conduct the search process were as follows: career development, career aspiration, generation Z, Gen Z and iGen. The authors imported all articles to RefWorks, read article abstracts and decided on whether to include or exclude the article in the review. Findings: Based on this systematic review, the authors found that intrinsic and extrinsic factors determine Gen Z's career aspirations. Further, based on past studies' predictions, the authors concluded that Gen Z has well-defined career expectations and career development plans. Research limitations/implications: Gen Z is the newest generation to enter the workforce. With limited research on this cohort, this study synthesized the existing knowledge of Gen Z students' career aspirations and their future employers' expectations. All research around Gen Z is currently focused on students, and hence, it is challenging to predict their workplace behavior. In this work, the authors provided organizations and practitioners guidelines to be prepared with Gen Z's expectations as they enter the workplace. Originality/value: This systematic literature review synthesizes empirical research from around the world on career aspirations related to Gen Z.

Language education evolves and is shaped by the needs of the generations as well as the contemporary realities of the world. Today, humanity faces with rapid developments and innovations in technology and science. These realities shape the society and each community in the world. In this regard, the term Generation Z (Gen Z) has emerged. Gen Z has its own dynamics and realities which, in turn, entails new issues in learning and teaching. It is not possible to implement classical and obsolete techniques and ways while teaching English to Gen Z. Current paper is an attempt to investigate the theoretical and practical issues of teaching English to Gen Z.

Civil engineering, specifically transport engineering, is a continually evolving profession. Recent developments in technology have resulted in more automated and visual problem-solving techniques, involving the use of computer programs and simulation, as practitioners and researchers move away from traditional pen and paper approaches. Accordingly, teaching undergraduate university students the basic principles of transport planning, traffic engineering, and highway design effectively is fundamental to the sustainability of the profession. It also is a challenging and dynamic task for educators because enhanced accessibility to technology has changed the way students understand and learn the material being delivered at tertiary education institutions. This paper presents the development of, and feedback from, the implementation of a series of blended learning initiatives (interactive polling exercises, online quizzes, supplementary learning videos, and authentic real-world design project) within an introductory large class-size transport planning and geometric design subject. The process of developing the blended learning initiatives was documented to clearly highlight the benefits and challenges in the transformation process. In addition, qualitative student feedback and student performance between 2016 and 2018 were reviewed to understand the impacts of the transformation. The initiatives were well received; students valued self-paced learning and the exposure to real-world design exercises. From an educator's perspective, blending made it feasible to deliver complex content whilst offering tailored learning opportunities across the cohort. Although further comprehensive experiments and statistically oriented research are necessary, this case study adds to a growing body of literature that indicates the potential value of blended learning initiatives, especially in the context of large class-size university subjects.

The paper's primary goal was to analyze and find interactive piano learning systems using the Suzuki method. The sample of respondents engaged in the investigation was made up of 200 students from the [Zhejiang Conservatory of Music]. The estimated Cohen's kappa coefficient determined the level playing field of control and experimental groups at the start of training, as the coefficient was equal to 0.08. The survey measured the control and experimental group members' awareness of the Suzuki method. 29% of students in the control group and 18% of students in the experimental group were somewhat aware of the Suzuki method and relevant theoretical background. The training program was based on: learning sheet music by listening with Modartt Pianote app; developing fine motor skills using Garritan; teamwork based on YOUSICIAN (for the experimental group) and Ding Talk (for the group of children); regular homework using Native Instruments GarageBand (for the experimental group) and WeChat (for children) mobile apps. After a year of study, 54% of students learned to comprehend melodies of varying complexity by ear with further playing on the piano. 58% of control group members learned to play sophisticated tunes using musical notation. During the second phase, which involved 5-7-year-old children, most of group 3 members acquired strong knowledge. Involvement of 5-7-year-olds was done to compare the effectiveness of the developed program for different age categories.

The Bekker-Nielsen Dunbar and Held paper shows the importance of incorporating changes in population contacts into the description and prediction of disease spread. Formally, the two papers cannot be compared, since the Bekker-Nielsen Dunbar and Held paper aims at counterfactual inference about school closures (although estimation of Rt would be possible) while the Pellis et al. paper is a review and discussion of modelling/statistical COVID-related work, mainly in GB. Each paper contains many interesting points, for instance the Pellis et al. paper discusses the concept of Rc, the reproduction number of an infection in the presence of interventions but not accounting for the level of immunity of the population. [Extracted from the article]

The rising costs of recruiting and hiring workers and the seismic shift of age demographics in the United States workforce has created much stir around the concept of generational cohorts. Although much has been done by researchers and practitioners alike to attempt a better understanding of each generational group's leadership preferences, confusing and contradictory results has attracted much criticism. This critique has inspired efforts to look at the concept of leadership and followership preference through an alternative lifespan developmental lens. Because leadership influences are inherently social influences, a person's overall lifespan development level may potentially provide a deeper perspicacity of the phenomenon than examining it from the more conventional generational cohort perspective. However, specific research into this area is lacking. This paper adds to the literature by uncovering what we are missing in research and practice when we look at age-related leadership phenomena solely from a generational cohort perspective. A review of the contradicting literature on generational cohorts and leadership is offered. Next, specific lifespan developmental theories are examined, and propositions and implications of such research are extended.

Employers increasingly seek employees with more sophisticated technical skills to meet the changing global marketplace. A significant portion of political science graduates do not pursue advanced degrees, instead entering the job market and holding an array of occupations in organizations using social media, websites, and digital political marketing. While political science instructors are adept at fostering oral and written communication, emphasis on cultivating digital skills appears somewhat less common. This shortcoming may be a disservice to our graduates. Based on reflections from instructors teaching political science at two public universities, this paper describes pedagogical approaches to building digital fluency skills among Generation Z learners using platforms beyond learning management systems to align with learning outcomes that emphasize new and emerging technologies. This pedagogical approach facilitates content retention through higher order learning while building practical skills. Through innovative course assignments students learn new platforms thereby improving their digital fluency. To mitigate potential obstacles to implementation, we offer reflections on these assignments along with advice to facilitate student success.

Teamwork skills are an important part of business school curriculum typically taught using project-based experiential methods. This paper presents best practices for teaching teamwork skills to Gen Z students using a project-based learning, peer mentoring approach. With experiential learning theory as a guide, an interdisciplinary process was developed between an introductory programming course and a capstone business project management course to improve experiential learning and overcome issues like the free-rider problem. The opinions and sentiments of peer mentors were examined using text analysis and sentiment analysis. Peer mentoring between two interdisciplinary courses was found to reduce the free-rider problem and was beneficial for both classes.

The study assessed the significance of difference of consumers' perception towards various factors (Risk, Delivery time, Convenience, Charges, Offer, and Privacy) of online shopping on the basis of consumer attributes such as age group, educational qualification, and monthly income. The primary data collected with the help of questionnaires. Researchers circulate 500 questionnaires in the selected area during stipulated time. In these 500 questionnaires researcher did not reject any Questionnaires on the basis of the incompleteness of data. Finally researcher gets 500 questionnaires for completing his research part. Data from Books, Websites, Reports, Journals, Conference papers, Audit reports, Magazines and other published and unpublished data from government and nongovernment sector was utilized for the research. The study indicates that there is no significant difference in consumers' perception towards various factors of online shopping on the basis of age group of consumers and educational qualification of the consumers. It stated that the respondents whether they belong within the age group or between the age group his perception towards online shopping is same. It stated that the respondents whether they belong within the educational qualification or between the educational qualification his perception towards online shopping is same. The study further indicates that there is a significant difference in consumers' perception towards various factors of online shopping on the basis of monthly income of consumers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: To compare and evaluate the occlusal variability/discrepancy recorded using qualitative (articulating paper) and quantitative (T-scan) techniques in partially edentulous implant-supported restorations. Materials and Methods: A total of 20 patients in the age group of 25-61 yrs participated in this study. All the patients had more than one tooth replaced with implant-supported prosthesis. After three months of restoration, occlusion reevaluated was carried out using qualitative (articulating paper) and quantitative (T-scan). T-scan data were used to measure implant occlusion time, occlusion time, and the relative occlusal force (ROFs) on implant prosthesis. And the data were statistically evaluated. Results: The T-scan values showed high points on the implants in most of the patients, which could not be evaluated by that of articulating paper outcomes. Conclusion: The occlusal harmony achieved from using qualitative analysis of articulating paper was not supported by the finding of the quantitative analysis (T-scan). Also the T-scan provided the time interval of occlusion of the implant-supported restorations, which would help in better defining the implant-protected occlusal. Clinical Relevance: The T-scan occlusal analysis system provides ROF and time intervals of occlusal contact. This allows accurate occlusal equilibration of implant-supported restoration according to implant protected occlusal concept. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: This viewpoint paper aims to provide recommendations in two key leadership areas to improve belonging and connectedness in remote teams. Design/methodology/approach: This paper synthesises recent academic and contextual literature regarding virtual teams, organisational belonging and generations coupled with the authors' practical experience as a leader within a multi-national organisation. Findings: Two focus areas related to leaders as critical actors in organisations and the improvement of leaders' social skills to drive improved socialisation, connection and belonging in the workplace. Originality/value: In the changing working landscape of continued remote working, wider workforce demographics and declining organisational engagement this paper contributes to literature by presenting two key areas coupled with practical recommendations for HR professionals, leaders, and organisations to focus on to improve belonging. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS) has been applied in educational studies during the past decade, arousing tremendous attention, but lack of a systematic review, which prompted this paper to fill the gap. A systematic search with snowball approach identified 99 peer-reviewed journal papers for in-depth content analysis. The findings revealed that considerable attention was devoted to cognitive domain, while a discernible void was observed in the affective domain, accounting for a mere 10.1% of articles. Most participants were aged between 7 and 11 years old, while the adolescents were not sufficiently investigated. Most studies on infants investigated the temporal region, which showed the great potential of fNIRS exploring language function in the younger age group. More wearable or wireless fNIRS devices applied in education suggested its practicability of cognitive evaluation in physical education and skilled training. Finally, this paper proposed potential prospects for future trends adopting fNIRS in education research (e.g., learning science in real educational context, facilitating brain science in early education, learning analytics based on multi-modal data fusion). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Indoor air quality (IAQ) has attracted a lot of attention due to its complexity and direct effect on human health. Indoor settings in libraries entail various volatile organic compounds (VOCs) linked to the aging and degradation of print material. The effect of the storage environment on paper life expectancy was investigated by targeting the VOC emissions of old and new books using headspace solid phase micro extraction-gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (HS-SPME-GC/MS) analysis. "Sniffing" of book degradation markers showed both ubiquitously and infrequently occurring VOCs. Old book "degradomics" revealed mostly alcohols (57%) and ethers (12%), whereas new books resulted mainly to ketones (40%) and aldehydes (21%). Chemometric processing of the results with principal component analysis (PCA) corroborated our initial observations and was able to discriminate the books by age into three groups: very old books (from the 1600 s to mid-1700), old books (from the 1800s to the early 1900s), and modern books (from the mid-twentieth century onwards) based on their gaseous markers. The measured mean concentrations of selected VOCs (acetic acid, furfural, benzene, and toluene) were below the respective guidelines set for similar places (i.e. museums). The applied non-invasive, green analytical methodology (HS-SPME-GC/MS) can assist librarians, stakeholders, and researchers to evaluate the IAQ, as well as the degree of degradation, and take the appropriate measures for book restoration and monitoring protocols. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Concerns over the supply of highly-skilled (HS) science, technology, engineering and maths (STEM) workers are well established and have been a feature of policy discourse in the UK for more than 50 years. Since the 2016 referendum on leaving the European Union, these concerns have been exacerbated by uncertainty about the movement of labour between UK and Europe. More recently, the COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted the importance of STEM skills in a wide range of areas. However, despite continued government investment in initiatives to address these concerns, the evidence base for shortages is neither well-established nor compatible with economic theories of labour supply. In order to fill a gap in the current evidence, we report on a unique analysis following the career destinations of STEM graduates from the 1970 British Cohort Study. While only a minority of STEM graduates ever work in highly-skilled STEM jobs, we identified three particular characteristics of the STEM labour market that may present challenges for employers: STEM employment appears to be predicated on early entry to the sector; a large proportion of STEM graduates are likely to never work in the sector; and there may be more movement out of HS STEM positions by older workers than in other sectors.

How do archives start and who are they for? The Caribbean Social Forum, based in Woolwich in the Royal Borough of Greenwich, London, are currently considering these questions as they look to preserve the stories of over 600 Caribbean members who the media have framed as 'the Windrush Generation'. The paper argues that co-created projects, where the lead is de-centered away from the university institution itself, might begin to decolonise knowledge paradigms and allow for new forms of knowledge exchange.

Snowsports education is crucial to the sustainability of the snowsports industry as it connects the participants to the sport through formal instruction. Investing in the development of snowsports education professionals who have the skills and knowledge can contribute to creating lifelong participants. The purpose of this study is to understand what is known about snowsports education in an effort to guide future research toward a more thorough theoretical, practical, and interdisciplinary understanding. Through a scoping review, this paper summarizes the current body of knowledge and identifies gaps in extant literature. Primary findings suggest snowsports education programs and instructors have significant impacts on a participant's attitude toward snowsports and toward their skill acquisition. A notable gap is that while researchers have suggested instructor-participant interactions are valuable to the snowsports education experience, few studies have explicitly explored such interaction. Guided by the current knowledge and existing gaps, potential research opportunities are discussed.

Research Findings: Many policy efforts designed to improve the quality of early care and education (ECE) settings in the United States have focused on increasing teachers' education levels, despite the weak evidence linking education to quality. Much of this evidence comes from studies with single-sector samples (e.g., only child care, Head Start, or state pre-k) and typically does not include programs serving toddlers. This paper addresses these limitations using statewide data from Louisiana to estimate whether teacher education and the quality of teacher-child interactions differ by sector and age, and whether differences in education level may explain differences in quality. We find that both education level and the quality of teacher-child interactions is greater in more highly regulated sectors, and that differences in education explain part of the by-sector differences in interaction quality across age groups. Policy or Practice: Findings support recent calls to increase ECE teacher education at all ends of the education spectrum (e.g., including AA and CDA), and suggest future research on the causal link between education and quality is warranted. Researchers should continue to find ways to leverage data from Quality Rating and Improvement Systems to ask key first-order questions about quality in ECE.

Purpose: Employee engagement literature pertaining to professional salespeople has revealed several antecedents and consequences that lead to greater performance and turnover reduction. However, engagement literature in the field of human resource development (HRD) does not account for Generation Z (Gen Z), the latest in the workforce who has been noted to be vastly different from previous generations. This study aims to explore how to engage Gen Z in the context of professional selling by identifying the antecedents and consequences of employee engagement based on individual characteristics and organizational needs of this group. Design/methodology/approach: A systematic literature review was conducted. In total, 21 papers relevant to employee engagement, professional selling and Gen Z were critically analyzed. Findings: Findings indicate that Gen Z's organizational need for mentoring and their individual characteristic of wanting job control and ownership are vital antecedents that could increase employee engagement. In addition, competitive rewards are important consequences that could improve individual sales performance. Practical implications: HRD practitioners and organizational leaders must understand the unique characteristics of Gen Z to effectively engage them in the workplace. For sales organizations, there is a critical need to offer mentoring opportunities and competitive rewards from the start of Gen Z salespeople's employment. Originality/value: This research expands current engagement literature by addressing an emerging, under-explored issue -- how to engage the newest workforce, Gen Z, in the context of professional selling.

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to estimate the effect the five different generations and the key financial inclusion indicators of gender, education and location (rural–urban) in exacerbating disparities in financial inclusion in Kenya. This paper considers whether the five generational cohort groups in Kenya differ on the financial inclusion determinants and behaviour as predicted by common generational stereotypes. Design/methodology/approach: The authors applied a multinomial logistic regression approach to nationally representative household survey data from Kenya to estimate the effect that key financial inclusion indicators have on belonging to one of the five generations: Z, Y, X, baby boomers and traditionalists. Findings: The authors found significant links between all tested variables and financial inclusion. The authors found an access gap between Generations X and Y, with the latter being more prone to access and use financial services and products. These differences are compounded by gender and rurality. People in rural locations and women generally were found to have less access to financial services and products, thus causing significant exclusion of a large proportion of the population. Practical implications: The research has important implications for governments, financial institutions and educational providers, notably on targeted policies and programmes that strategically aim to eliminate disparities and promote greater financial inclusion, denoting the value of such variables as generational differences and gender inclusivity. Originality/value: This paper deepens the understanding of differences that can divide generations on financial inclusion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper examines Egypt's labor market transition dynamics post-Arab Spring based on the two most recent rounds of the Egypt Labor Market Panel Survey conducted in 2012 and 2018. In addition to providing disaggregated level analysis by examining labor market transitions by gender, education, and age groups, our paper provides a cross-country perspective by comparing Egypt's labor market transitions with Jordan's. Regression analyses focusing on transitions to and from the dominant absorbing labor market states in Egypt – public sector employment for both genders, non-participation for women, and the informal sector for men – show that having a post-secondary education is associated with a lower probability of remaining out of the labor force (OLF) for women who were already OLF at baseline, while being married at baseline is found to be a significant predictor for women to stay out of the labor force if they were already so. As for men, the better educated are found to be more likely to secure formal employment, be it in the public or in the private sector, and also more likely to keep their public formal jobs once they secure them. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mental rotation is the ability to rotate objects in one's mind. Large age-related decreases in accuracy and processing time are often found in studies using paper-and-pencil or computerized mental rotation tests. For older participants, these tests are often too difficult. In the present study, real models consisting of cube figures were used to assess the mental rotation performance of middle and older aged adults. It should be investigated whether these tests were comparable to paper-and-pencil or chronometric tests and if very old participants were able to solve them. Eighty-four participants (49 females) between 40 and 90 years took part and were divided into middle (40–68 years) and older aged (69–90 years) and groups with higher (with college degree) and lower education (without college degree). For accuracy, main effects of gender and age group as well as interactions of age group and education were found. Younger participants outperformed older ones only in the group with lower education. For processing time, a main effect of age group as well as an interaction of age group and education was found. The age-related cognitive decline in the higher educated group was moderate, while a large effect appeared for the group without college degree. Age and gender effects of our new test with real objects were comparable to paper–pencil and computerized tests. Furthermore, a protective effect of education on the cognitive decline in mental rotation performance is discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The adoption of mobile health technology can assist in enhancing the quality of life of elderly people. Over the last few years, though mHealth research has expanded, the usage of mHealth applications among elderly is still minimal. This study aims to evaluate mobile user interfaces in mHealth applications and elicit the key ageing barriers that limit the use of such apps among the elderly. The Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) technique was used whereby 28 papers were identified and examined out of 742. In addition to the systematic review, an experiment of using 5 existing mHealth apps was conducted with 10 individuals within the age group of 60–79 to determine additional ageing barriers and usage challenges. The Questionnaire for User Interface Satisfaction approach was used to prepare a questionnaire to assess the overall system satisfaction and was provided to participants after one week of usage. In this work, issues with the user interface that impact the elderly have been highlighted. Three important ageing barriers hindering the use of mHealth among the elderly have been identified via PRISMA, namely physical, cognitive and perspective. Empirical findings from the experiment carried out further consolidate the findings obtained from the PRISMA approach. This study's investigation emphasised the performance of older persons with mHealth apps, their needs and the challenges they confront when adopting mHealth technologies. As a result, technology designers will benefit from this information when developing and designing mHealth apps and services that are suitable for older adults. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In recent years, the issue of social impact and its associated measurement methodologies has attracted considerable scholarly attention. This paper makes a contribution to the ongoing debate surrounding the dissonance between the theoretical conceptualization of social impact and the practical understanding of it held by business managers and consumers. To elucidate the discrepancies between theory and practice, as well as among the knowledge, attitudes and behaviors of stakeholders targeted by social impact initiatives, a qualitative research approach was employed. This paper has two main objectives. The first is to elucidate the concept of social impact within the framework of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR). The second is to examine the understanding of social impact as depicted in CSR reports of retailers and its reception by consumers, particularly in the context of social activities undertaken by retail chains. The findings highlight significant discrepancies in the perception of social impact. Among enterprises, social impact is often associated with engagement in various activities. However, the resulting outcomes of these endeavors are frequently not quantified. Despite this absence of empirical data, managers often draw inferences regarding the presence of such impact. Conversely, consumers predominantly interpret social impact through changes in their purchasing behavior, prioritizing this aspect over heightened product knowledge, brand perception or corporate image enhancement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The market power of monopolies can severely restrict citizens' freedom of choice. In the case of utilities, often portrayed as natural monopolies, such power may result in high prices and unreliable or absent services, especially in marginalized communities such as low-income neighborhoods or remote rural villages. While government regulation has been the traditional remedy to curb natural monopolies' power, in this paper, we address a different solution: monopoly bypassing through collective action. We present two types of monopoly bypassing—partial and complete—through the lens of civic wealth creation (CWC): the generation of social, economic, and communal endowments that benefit communities. Through our analysis of three water and sanitation utility services cases, we demonstrate how CWC is used to catalyze the collective action of engaged citizens to effectively bypass monopoly power. The cases highlight the three stakeholder categories involved in CWC initiatives—communities, enterprises, and regimes of support—and illustrate how they act collectively to provide credible market-based solutions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The global impact of drug shortages on healthcare systems is a concerning issue that needs urgent attention. These shortages not only jeopardize patient care, public health, and healthcare delivery but also pose distinct challenges for pediatric populations due to their specific medication requirements and vulnerabilities. It is imperative to address this issue to safeguard the health and wellbeing of this specific age group. This review Gaimed to conduct a systematic analysis of strategies for addressing drug shortages in pediatric care from 2014 to 2024. The search included five databases: PubMed, Reaxys, Embase, Scopus, and Science Direct, using the keywords "drug shortage" and "pediatric". The final protocol was developed following the guidelines outlined in the " The PRISMA 2020 statement: An updated guideline for reporting systematic reviews". In total, 234 publications were identified. After screening the search results and applying inclusion and exclusion measures, a total of 27 original research papers were included. The primary finding indicates that a comprehensive approach rooted in risk management can significantly mitigate drug shortages in pediatric settings. This approach should address underlying causes such as manufacturer and delivery challenges and focus on prevention through enhanced forecasting and vigilant shortage monitoring. The most prevalent response involved seeking alternative treatment options. It is imperative to implement institutional and national guidelines, foster communication, and provider education, and minimize waste to effectively mitigate drug shortages in pediatric settings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The subject of this paper is marriages and divorces according to age in the Republic of North Macedonia. The main goal is to analyze these components throughout the years 2010, 2015, 2020, and 2022, to see mainly the age of marriage of couples and also the age which marks a higher number of divorces. Marriage is the legal union of a woman and a man, in spouses, family, and society, and as such it represents a very important demographic process for society, which, in case of dysfunction leads to divorce as another social process. A divorce is a civil act that separates spouses from their marriage, usually involving the annulment or reorganization of the legal duties and responsibilities of marriage. The methods used in this paper are: descriptive, analytical, statistical, graphic, and cartographic, where the data obtained from the state statistics agency of North Macedonia are analyzed. Based on these parameters, we note that the age of entry into marriage is mainly from 25 to 29 years, while the age most affected by divorces is from 40 to 49 years according to age groups. The number of marriages in the age group up to 20 years is higher in the female gender compared to the male one, while the opposite happens in the age group over 55 years. This result is also presented to us in divorces. From the analysis we can conclude that young people enter into marriage at a later age, mainly 25-29 years old, we also see a high number of divorces, therefore we recommend that young people be provided with the basic conditions for life, work and safety and to be stimulated to continue their growth in the family. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]