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Aims: To assess the feasibility of implementing data standards in Australian primary care dietetics practices. Methods: A mixed‐methods pragmatic study of dietitians working in primary care. Using a four‐point Likert scale, participants were surveyed on their baseline use of the 45 business and 33 clinical evidenced‐based data standards. The content validity index and kappa statistic for each standard were calculated with a kappa statistic of 0.60–0.74 considered 'Good' and > 0.74 'Excellent'. After 4 weeks of assessment, dietitians were surveyed on the feasibility of implementing each standard and standards in total. Qualitative feedback on enablers and barriers to implementing standards was gathered and triangulated with interviews with select participants. Results: Forty‐five dietitians from every Australian state and territory completed both surveys (response rate: 100%). At baseline, 24% of business and 79% of clinical standards were rated 'Good' or 'Excellent' for current usage. The feasibility of implementing standards was rated 'Good' or 'Excellent for 86% of the business and 97% of the clinical standards. Software, training and time limitations are enablers and barriers to implementing standards. Conclusion: Embedding data standards within dietetics practices are feasible and have broad applicability for assessing outcomes of care. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Bushmeat is a resource exploited by thousands of people around the world, especially in tropical and neotropical regions, constituting an important source of protein and income. But what is known, so far, about the consumption and trade of wild vertebrate meat (hereinafter "bushmeat") in a megadiverse country like Brazil? This question was answered through a systematic survey of publications on the consumption and trade of wild vertebrate meat made in Brazil between 2011 and 2021. Methods: We selected 63 scientific articles available on "Google Scholar," "Science Direct," "Scopus," " Web of Science" and "Portal de Periódico da CAPES." The articles were categorized as: exclusive to (1) consumption or (2) bushmeat trade, totals of 54 and three articles, respectively; both (3) consumption and trade bushmeat, totaling six articles. We applied a nonparametric Spearman's correlation analysis to verify the association between the number of papers and the species richness of wild vertebrates cited for consumption by Brazilian state. Results: The results revealed that the publications were concentrated in the Northeast (36), North (26) and Southeast (1) regions, distributed across 16 states of the federation. These data reinforce the need for more researches in states and other regions of the country. Our research hypothesis was confirmed, since the richness of species cited for meat consumption was positively associated with the amount of work carried out by the states of the federation. We identified a total of 321 species of wild vertebrates mentioned in the categories involving the consumption of bushmeat. We had a greater bird species richness mentioned for consumption (170) to the detriment of mammals (107), reptiles (40) and amphibians (4). Furthermore, in the articles involving the bushmeat trade categories we had 57 species of vertebrates mentioned, with mammals being the most representative in terms of species richness (29), to the detriment of birds (20) and reptiles (8). These data reinforce that birds and mammals have been the groups most used both for consumption and trade in bushmeat in the country's regions, and it is necessary to mitigate the hunting exploitation of these groups. We recorded that socioeconomic, biological, environmental and sociocultural factors were the most cited predictors of the consumption and trade of bushmeat in the articles. We identified that the bushmeat trade chain is dynamic and ramified, made up of several actors, including specialized and diversified hunters, intermediaries, market sellers, market vendors, restaurant owners and final customers. Public markets and open-air fairs were the most cited places for buying and selling wild meat in commerce. Conclusions: In general, our results indicate that we have made significant advances in publications on the consumption and trade of bushmeat in Brazil over the last few years. However, we highlight the need to better understand the patterns of consumption and trade of bushmeat in different regions of the country, as well as the factors associated with the dynamics of the trade chain and uses of wildlife by local communities. We emphasized that a multidimensional understanding of hunting activities is important to face socio-ecological problems and improve the conservation of target species which have continually been explored for uses by populations in different regions of the world. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives While >50% of medical students and residents are women, their proportion drastically diminishes within higher ranks and leadership roles; this is known as the 'leaky pipeline'. We aimed to evaluate the leaky pipeline among rheumatologists across Europe and to assess determinants inducing rheumatologists to leave hospitals. Methods Experts in the field of economics developed a questionnaire with scientific focus on the leaky pipeline among rheumatologists, which was distributed electronically by national scientific societies of EULAR countries and by individual contacts. We performed common factor analysis, univariate t -tests and multivariate regression analyses to appraise our dataset. Results A total of 311 hospital-based rheumatologists from 23/45 EULAR countries (52.7% females, 47.3% males) answered the questionnaire. The presence of the leaky pipeline was evident for the entire sample. Of 64% female rheumatologists only 34.2% of departments' directors were female, with noteworthy regional differences. Female doctors reported higher intentions to leave their hospital (β = 0.28, P  < 0.05) and lower commitment towards their current organization (β = –0.34, P  < 0.05) when compared with males. Women reported lower levels of job satisfaction (β = –0.26, P  < 0.10), promotion justice (β = –0.55, P  < 0.01) and career perspectives (β = –0.26, P  < 0.10, one-tailed) than men, explaining their lower organizational commitment. Conclusion Female rheumatologists perceive worse job opportunities and satisfaction than males. Many reasons for the leaky pipeline are beyond the control of organizations. Based on our results, organizations should be encouraged to reconsider and adjust their performance management practices to enable an equitable work environment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Stark, widening health and income inequalities in the United Kingdom underpin the need for increased support for low‐income families to access affordable and nutritious foods. Using anonymised supermarket loyalty card transaction records, this study aimed to assess how an additional Healthy Start voucher (HSV) top‐up of £2, redeemable only against fruit and vegetables (FVs), was associated with FV purchases among at‐risk households. Transaction and redemption records from 150 loyalty card‐holding households, living in northern England, who had engaged with the top‐up scheme, were analysed to assess the potential overall population impact. Using a pre‐post study design, 133 of these households' records from 2021 were compared with equivalent time periods in 2019 and 2020. Records were linked to product, customer and store data, permitting comparisons using Wilcoxon matched‐pairs sign‐ranked tests and relationships assessed with Spearman's Rho. These analyses demonstrated that 0.9 more portions of FV per day per household were purchased during the scheme compared to the 2019 baseline (p = 0.0017). The percentage of FV weight within total baskets also increased by 1.6 percentage points (p = 0.0242), although the proportional spend on FV did not change. During the scheme period, FV purchased was higher by 0.4 percentage points (p = 0.0012) and 1.6 percentage points (p = 0.0062) according to spend and weight, respectively, in top‐up redeeming baskets compared to non‐top‐up redeeming baskets with at least one FV item and was associated with 5.5 more HSV 'Suggested' FV portions (p < 0.0001). The median weight of FV purchased increased from 41.83 kg in 2019 to 54.14 kg in 2021 (p = 0.0017). However, top‐up vouchers were only redeemed on 9.1% of occasions where FV were purchased. In summary, this study provides novel data showing that safeguarding funds exclusively for FV can help to increase access to FV in low‐income households. These results yield important insights to inform public policy aimed at levelling up health inequalities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The benefits that mathematical sciences from statistics can generate for companies are still unknown. However, thanks to the technological advances that have taken place in recent decades, we can observe a rapprochement of business environments to this type of instrument. To analyze the most outstanding aspects that statistics offers for the management oof information at the enterprise level, the data collected after consulting research in Spanish and English are presented below. The results presented are a guide for entrepreneurs, students, and those who are considering the option of starting a business idea, to choose one of the above options as a support to achieve better results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

E-commerce consists of the purchase, sale, distribution, marketing, and supply of information about products or services through the internet so that any client can access the products or services from anywhere and at any time. It constitutes a negotiation model that acquires more and more followers, generating great economic benefits for those who use it. To make ecommerce successful, it is necessary to be present in large marketplaces, by increasing visibility. A marketplace has a very large flow of users who already trust the brand. Therefore every detail of the consumer's shopping experience must be taken care of, the customer service system perfected, and business promoted with the practice of marketing. In this paper, the main effects that influence the pillars and the success of e-commerce were determined and it is identified that customer service constitutes the factor with the greatest incidence in the growth of e-commerce, based on the analysis of the neutrosophic statistics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to reduce the turnover of new RNs (NRNs) completing a 1-year nurse residency program. BACKGROUND: Businesses use touchpoints to retain both internal and external customers, yet no evidence was found in retaining NRNs. Touchpoints, distinct points in the company-customer experience, play a vital role in the customer's experience with the company. Employees are one of a company's many customer types. METHODS: This quality-improvement project implemented touchpoints to improve NRN retention rates. RESULTS: Retention rates and job-satisfaction scores were significantly higher among the touchpoint- intervention cohort compared with the nonintervention cohort. Implementation costs were far less than those associated with NRN turnover. CONCLUSIONS: Touchpoints are a practical management approach for NRN retention. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rapid urbanization, high city population growth rates, technological development, environmental impacts, and human wellbeing in urban areas have over the years become increasingly challenging concerns. These trends are related to the complex, multiple factors to be considered when evaluating “smart” cities, that is, municipalities that seek to improve residents’ quality of life by combining new technologies and environmentally sustainable practices. The above tendencies thus add to the myriad of indicators that need to be included in smart city assessments, whose intricacy hinders related decision-making processes. Based on the principles of multiple-criteria decision analysis, this paper seeks to integrate cognitive mapping and the Choquet integral to develop an assessment system that facilitates the evaluation of smart cities, which was named “SMART-C.” The research includes a panel of experts on smart cities who identifies the evaluation criteria and their respective interactions. The results of a real-life application of the assessment system developed in this paper are validated both by the panel members and a representative of the Lisboa E-Nova nonprofit association of the Lisbon City Council's Environment and Energy Department. These experts confirm that the proposed evaluation system facilitates making distinctions between cities according to how fully they develop “smartness.” The advantages and limitations of this assessment framework are also discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Video gaming and gambling have increasingly converged with one another (e.g., social casino games). For emerging adults (18–25 years old), who are already at an elevated risk for addictive disorders, this overlap in these activities may increase the likelihood of problematic involvement. At the moment, Internet gaming disorder (IGD) is being considered as a future medical diagnosis by the American Psychiatric Association. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to examine the potential comorbidity between IGD and gambling disorder (GD) in emerging adults, as well as explore if problematic engagement in gaming and gambling may be explained by recent trends in video game microtransactions (e.g., loot boxes) and risk-taking behaviors. An online survey was completed by 300 emerging adult non-students (Mage = 22.79, 49% male) from across the United States. The results revealed that compared to non-gamers, problematic gamers were 6.45 times more likely to problem gamble and compared to non-gamblers, problem gamblers were 5.62 times more likely to problem game. Microtransactions were the major mechanism for the relationship between IGD and GD. Participants with higher severity levels of either disorder demonstrated a greater likelihood of purchasing microtransactions, in addition to displaying significantly less aversion towards several domains of risk-taking. These findings suggest that emerging adults with probable IGD or GD may share common risk factors and patterns of behavior that transdiagnostic treatment approaches may better serve than syndrome-specific models. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To determine if job stress, health, and presenteeism differ between healthcare workers at Chinese public and private hospitals. This cross-sectional study analyzed the records of 1080 healthcare workers in eastern, central, and western China for the period from January2015 through November2015. Data on challenge stress, hindrance stress, health, and presenteeism were collected. Using univariate and multivariate regression and SPSS, we investigated differences between Chinese public and private hospitals in China. Challenge stress, hindrance stress, and presenteeism, but not health status, significantly differed between healthcare workers at public and private hospitals in China. Challenge stress and hindrance stress were significantly higher in public hospitals, while presenteeism was significantly lower in private hospitals. The significant differences between public and private hospitals are attributable to differences in the business practices and management of public and private hospitals. To achieve successful long-term medical reform in China, the adverse effects of psychosocial factors should be considered in future research plans and policies. Chinese hospitals urgently require improvements in management and leadership. Reform efforts should encompass fields such as management science, psychology, and the behavioral sciences. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Health data and statistics are important to advance our knowledge of Covid-19, but also to recognize the effects of a pandemic on businesses, the economy, and government policies. Hence, the following article will review free sources for U.S. health data and statistics that will be helpful to understand the U.S. health industry, the health of the U.S. population and other indicators at the intersection between health and the social sciences. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To record parents' awareness of the UK soft drinks industry levy (SDIL) and explore associations between negative psychological reactance to the levy and motivation and intentions to change consumption and purchasing. A cross-sectional online survey with UK-based parents of children aged 5–11 years (n = 237). Regression analyses were used to test associations between psychosocial responses to the levy and behavioral intentions to change family consumption and purchasing. A total of 92% of responding parents were aware of the SDIL. Of the responding parents, 57% supported its aims, but 29% felt it threatened their freedom of choice. A total of 41% expressed intention to change shopping habits or restrict their child's intake as a result. Reactance and motivation were poorer in low-income families, and intentions to change were positively predicted by motivation. This snapshot suggests that the UK SDIL is largely supported by parents and associated with intentions to change their children's intake. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Flooding is an increasingly prevalent natural hazard worldwide and can have a profound impact on the mental health of those directly and indirectly affected. Little is known about the impact on business owners, who may be particularly vulnerable to the mental health complications of flooding given the additional economic stressors. Methods: A large cross-sectional survey was conducted six months after severe flooding in the rural Northern Rivers region of New South Wales, Australia in 2017. The survey assessed demographics, probable depression (using the Patient Health Questionnaire-2), flood exposure, flood-related financial factors, prior flood exposure and support from various organisations. Logistic regression was used to identify predictors of probable depression in 653 of the 745 participants who identified as business owners. Results: The prevalence of probable depression in our sample was 17.0%. A quarter (25.1%) of business owners whose business was flooded suffered from probable depression, compared to 12.4% of non-flooded business owners. The multivariable model for probable depression demonstrated elevated adjusted odds ratios (AOR) for business owners who had to evacuate their business (AOR = 2.11, 95% Confidence Interval (CI) 1.25–3.57) compared to those who did not evacuate. Insurance disputes/rejections were a strong predictor for probable depression (AOR = 3.76, CI 1.86–7.60). Those whose income was reduced due to the flood and had not returned to normal six months post-flood demonstrated an increased AOR for probable depression (AOR 2.53, CI 1.26–5.07) compared to those whose income had returned to normal. The univariable analysis found elevated crude odds ratios (OR) for the cumulative effect of multiple flood exposures and unmet support needs by the state government (OR = 2.74, CI 1.12–6.68). The majority of business owners felt their needs were not met by most organisations providing flood-related support. Conclusion: The impact of flood exposure and flood-related financial factors on probable depression was highly significant for the business owner population. Furthermore, business owners felt under-supported by flood-related services. These findings highlight the vulnerability of exposed business owners and the need for increased support. Disaster planning programs in conjunction with system level changes such as infrastructure and education are vital for disaster preparedness. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Live chat, which is embedded in some shopping websites, allows a retailer to communicate with its shoppers directly and respond to their inquiries promptly. We extended the Speech Act Theory (SAT) to this context by developing the Dialog Conversion Model (DCM) that elucidates the characteristics of online dialog between shoppers and retailers. We validated the DCM using quantitative and qualitative data. The quantitative analyses of 1,185 communication sessions and related purchase records reflect that shoppers' cognitive, rather than affective, expressions tend to indicate their purchase intentions, and retailers should emphasize cognitive expressions to the extent possible while being strategic in their choice of expressions. Furthermore, the affective expressions (in positive and negative forms) articulated by retailers have a considerable influence on purchase conversion. However, the same is not true for shoppers. Post‐hoc interviews were conducted with shoppers to gain additional insights. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The research descriptively analyzed 21 responses from companies of the great Concepción - Chile selected randomly. Positive / negative perceptions of the Administration regarding the accounting function were analyzed. The scope of the work was exploratory since it is a situation little studied in Chile. The methodology considered a mixed qualitative / quantitative approach based on a numerical measurement and statistical analysis. One of the results of the work indicates that the perception of the accounting function depends on the professional training. Another result indicates a positive perception; executives respond that the area will be more successful if staff includes aspects such as; the management analysis and the improvement process (s) in the Organization. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Evaluation on urban commercial centers' attractiveness not only benefits business strategy making and location choice, but also helps traffic management and urban planning. Traditionally, it is studied using questionnaires and field research, which are labor-intensive and time-consuming. To overcome these problems when evaluating the urban commercial centers' attractiveness, massive data analytics with datasets from taxi traffic, population, area, and road networks are adopted in this paper. Taking fifteen commercial centers at Shenzhen as a case study, a Cyber-Physical-Social System is built up to deal with these massive data for statistical analysis. An "Attractiveness Degree Model" is proposed to describe the degree to which customers desire to visit a commercial center. Then attractiveness thematic maps are drawn. Results show that YiTianJiaRiGuangChang has the highest attractiveness degree even though it has a small size and low commercial value. The attractiveness degree rankings are corroborated by annual customer satisfaction survey from Shenzhen Retail Business Association. Attractiveness thematic maps show that about 50–65% visits by taxis are within 5 km range. These results can be applied to support market analysis, urban planning, traffic management, and related areas. • Commercial center is precisely defined geographically and sociologically. • Attractiveness degree is the proposed metric to evaluate the attractiveness. • A Cyber-Physical-Social System is implemented for massive data processing. • Statistical analysis and thematic maps shed new insights into attractiveness. • Commercial centers are classified into four representative types in China. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: Because of the increasing use of business analytics to improve business processes, it is not difficult to argue the importance that undergraduate business students gain the ability to understand, interpret, and communicate statistics. However, a task that may be difficult for statistics instructors is to quickly demonstrate and convince business students the importance of statistics. This paper presents an assignment that utilizes the Occupational Information Network (O*NET) to demonstrate the importance of understanding basic statistical concepts such as population parameters, sampling methods, descriptive measures, and displaying data. This can be administered to an introductory business statistics course in order to drum up students' initial interest and views of applicability of statistics. Because of the increasing use of business analytics to improve business processes, it is not difficult to argue the importance that undergraduate business students gain the ability to understand, interpret, and communicate statistics. This paper presents an assignment that utilizes the Occupational Information Network (O*NET) to demonstrate the importance of understanding basic statistical concepts. This can be administered to an introductory business statistics course in order to drum up students' initial interest and views of applicability of statistics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Background Local food environments include food stores (eg, supermarkets, grocery stores, bakeries) and restaurants. However, the extent to which other storefront businesses offer food/drink is not well described, nor is the extent to which food/drink availability through a full range of storefront businesses might change over time. Objectives This study aimed to assess food/drink availability from a full range of storefront businesses and the change over time and to consider implications for food-environment research. Design Investigators compared direct observations from 2010 and 2015. Participants/setting Included were all storefront businesses offering foods/drinks on 153 street segments in the Bronx, NY. Main outcome measures The main outcome was change between 2010 and 2015 as determined by matches between businesses. Matches could be strict (businesses with the same name on the same street segment in both years) or lenient (similar businesses on the same street segment in both years). Investigators categorized businesses as general grocers, specialty food stores, restaurants, or other storefront businesses (eg, barber shops/beauty salons, clothing outlets, hardware stores, laundromats, and newsstands). Statistical analyses performed Investigators quantified change, specifically calculating how often businesses in 2015 were present in 2010 and vice versa. Results Strict matches for businesses in 2015 present in 2010 ranged from 29% to 52%, depending on business category; lenient matches ranged from 43% to 72%. Strict matches for businesses in 2010 present in 2015 ranged from 34% to 63%; lenient matches ranged from 72% to 83%. In 2015 compared with 2010, on 22% more of the sampled street segments, 30% more businesses were offering food/drink: 66 vs 46 general grocers, 22 vs 19 specialty food stores, 99 vs 99 restaurants, 98 vs 56 other storefront businesses. Conclusions Over 5 years, an urban food environment changed substantially, even by lenient standards, particularly among "other storefront businesses" and in the direction of markedly greater food availability (more businesses offering food on more streets). Failure to consider a full range of food/drink sources and change in food/drink sources could result in erroneous food-environment conclusions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Business Management Education in India has shown an upward growth trend in the last couple of decades. Due to the diverse nature of the course, students from diverse academic backgrounds are being admitted to the course. Therefore, differences in students’ abilities and their learning styles have a significant effect on their learning outcomes. Meanwhile, with the development of learning technologies, learners can be provided a more effective learning environment to optimise their learning. The purpose of this study was to develop a model to automatically detect the students’ learning styles from their personal, academic and social media data and make recommendations for students, teachers, educators and administrators for overall improvement of learning outcomes. Data analysis in this research was represented using data collected from post-graduate business management students in India. A 10-fold cross-validation was used to create and test the models. The data were analysed by R and R-Studio. Classification accuracy, Precision, Recall, Kappa, ROC curve and F measure were observed. The results showed that the accuracy of classification by the C4.5 technique had the highest value at 95.7%, and it could be applied to develop Felder-Silverman’s learning style while taking into consideration students’ academic, personal information and social media preferences. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper reports new evidence on students’ evaluation of a first-year induction experience programme and examines the relationship between gender and perceptions. The programme was provided to 610 business studies students at the University of Granada (Spain). The programme includes individual and group sessions providing psychosocial and instrumental support. Gender differences were investigated using nonparametric techniques. Structural equation models were used to test relationships between variables of overall satisfaction with the programme and its activities and the moderating effects of gender. The results obtained show that gender significantly influences enrolment and satisfaction with the programme and with the individual sessions. Satisfaction with group and individual activities is directly related to overall satisfaction with the programme. Gender has a moderating effect on the relation of overall satisfaction with individual sessions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Internet of things (IoT) - the new paradigm has a great impact on different areas like industry, health, education, agriculture, farming and many others and its main functions are to make our life easier and more comfortable. Implementing this new technology in any business model has advantages but also all the players (companies, governments and consumers) in this field should be aware of some challenges and threats like privacy, security and standardization. The article aims to explore how IoT changes the way we live and work and to present some of its best business practices, statistics and trends. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: In-store availability of healthy and unhealthy foods may influence consumer purchases. Methods used to measure food availability, however, vary widely. A simple, valid, and reliable indicator to collect comparable data on in-store food availability is needed. Methods: Cumulative linear shelf length of and variety within 22 healthy and 28 unhealthy food groups, determined based on a comparison of three nutrient profiling systems, were measured in 15 New Zealand supermarkets. Inter-rater reliability was tested in one supermarket by a second researcher. The construct validity of five simple indicators of relative availability of healthy versus unhealthy foods was assessed against this 'gold standard'. Results: Cumulative linear shelf length was a more sensitive and feasible measure of food availability than variety. Four out of five shelf length ratio indicators were significantly associated with the gold standard (p = 0.70-0.75). Based on a non-significant difference from the 'gold standard' (d = 0.053 ± 0.040) and feasibility, the ratio of cumulative linear shelf length of fresh and frozen fruits and vegetables versus soft and energy drinks, crisps and snacks, sweet biscuits and confectionery performed best for use in New Zealand supermarkets. Conclusions: Four out of the five shelf length ratio indicators of the relative availability of healthy versus unhealthy foods in-store tested could be used for future research and monitoring, but additional validation studies in other settings and countries are recommended. Consistent use of those shelf length ratio indicators could enhance comparability of supermarket food availability between studies, and help inform policies to create healthy consumer food retail environments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Online drug markets operating on the 'darknet' ('cryptomarkets') facilitate the trade of illicit substances at an international level. The present study assessed the longitudinal impact on cryptomarket trading of two major disruptions: a large international law enforcement operation, 'Operation Onymous'; and the closure of the largest cryptomarket, Evolution.Methods: Almost 1150 weekly snapshots of a total of 39 cryptomarkets were collected between October 2013 and November 2015. Data were collapsed by month and the number of unique vendor aliases operating across markets was assessed using interrupted time series regression.Results: Following both Operation Onymous and the closure of Evolution, significant drops of 627 (p=0.014) and 910 vendors (p<0.001) were observed, respectively. However, neither disruption significantly affected the rate at which vendor numbers increased overall.Conclusions: Operation Onymous and the closure of Evolution were associated with considerable, though temporary, reductions in the number of vendors operating across cryptomarkets. Vendor numbers, however, recovered at a constant rate. While these disruptions likely impacted cryptomarket trading at the time, these markets appear resilient to disruption long-term. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Photocopiers emit large amounts of nanoparticles (NP) and are a significant source of indoor air pollution. These emissions induce airway inflammation, irritation, and systemic oxidative stress in humans, lung injury and inflammation in animals, and cytotoxicity and epigenetic modifications in vitro. However, little is known regarding NP exposures at the workstation in the photocopy work environment, or the extent and use of emission controls. Objective: To survey the photocopy work environment with regards to emissions controls and to evaluate IAQ with emphasis on NP exposure at the operator's workstation. Methods: Work process, physical characteristics of the centers, and use of controls were recorded. Particle total number concentration (TNC), temperature, carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide, and percent relative humidity were measured during a random workday. Results: Geometric mean (GM) TNC at workstations ranged between 1900 and 23 000 particles cm-3, GSD 1.2-2.8, and maximum of 217 000 particles cm-3. Fresh air ventilation was found to be less than American Society of Heating, Refrigerating, and Air-Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE) guidelines in 7 of 15 centers. Only one center used any type of emissions control. Elevated TNC at workstations was significantly correlated with number of copies (r = 0.72). While indoor/outdoor TNC ratios might be expected to be ≤1.0, the ratio here was >1.0 in 40% of centers visited, supporting the finding that copier emissions are a significant source of indoor air pollution. Number of copies per day was the most significant contributor to TNC. Conclusion: High NP concentrations at workstations were common and specific emission controls almost nonexistent. While 46% of copy centers had insufficient ventilation, high exposures were documented even for cases when ASHRAE ventilation guidelines per person were met or exceeded. We present various options to address IAQ in photocopy environment, including new clean photocopy technologies, engineering controls, and a comprehensive awareness campaign to improve the environmental health and safety, design, and operational conditions of these workplaces. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article investigates the propensity for academic dishonesty by university students using the partitioning method of decision tree analysis. A set of prediction rules are presented, and conclusions are drawn. To provide context for the decision tree approach, the partition process is compared with results of more traditional probit regression models. Results of the decision tree analysis complement the probit models in terms of predictive accuracy and confirm results previously found in the literature. In particular, students' moral character--whether they believe cheating is acceptable--is found to be the most important factor in determining the propensity for academic dishonesty. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The significant role of retail poultry meat as an important exposure pathway for the acquisition and transmission of extended spectrum β-lactamase-producing Escherichia coli (ESBL-EC) into the human population warrants understanding concerning those operational practices associated with dissemination of ESBL-EC in poultry meat retailing. Hence, the objective of this study was to determine the prevalence, spatial distribution and potential risk factors associated with the dissemination of ESBL-EC in poultry meat retail at wet-markets in Selangor, Malaysia.Methods: Poultry meat (breast, wing, thigh, and keel) as well as the contact surfaces of weighing scales and cutting boards were sampled to detect ESBL-EC by using culture and disk combination methods and polymerase chain reaction assays. Besides, questionnaire was used to obtain data and information pertaining to those operational practices that may possibly explain the occurrence of ESBL-EC. The data were analysed using logistic regression analysis at 95 % CI.Results: The overall prevalence of ESBL-EC was 48.8 % (95 % CI, 42 - 55 %). Among the risk factors that were explored, type of countertop, sanitation of the stall environment, source of cleaning water, and type of cutting board were found to be significantly associated with the presence of ESBL-EC.Conclusions: Thus, in order to prevent or reduce the presence of ESBL-EC and other contaminants at the retail-outlet, there is a need to design a process control system based on the current prevailing practices in order to reduce cross contamination, as well as to improve food safety and consumer health. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: On 4th February 2015, a group of Senior High School students from Fanteakwa district presented to the emergency unit of the district hospital with complaints of abdominal pain, vomiting and diarrhoea. All the students had eaten from a specific food vendor and had neither eaten any other common meal that day nor the previous day. A foodborne disease outbreak was suspected. We investigated to verify the outbreak, determine its magnitude, identify the source and implement control measures.Methods: A retrospective cohort study was conducted. We reviewed medical records and interviewed patrons of the food vendor. We collected data on age, sex, signs and symptoms, date of illness onset, date of admission, date of discharge, treatments given and outcome. A case of foodborne disease was any person in the school with abdominal pain, vomiting and or diarrhoea from 4th to 11th February 2015 and had eaten from the food vendor. We conducted active case search to identify more cases. We conducted environmental assessment and collected clinical and food samples for laboratory testing. Descriptive and inferential statistical analyses were performed using Stata 12.0.Results: A total of 68 cases were recorded giving overall attack rate of 35.79 % (68/190) with no death. Of these, 51.47 % (35/68) were males. Mean age of case-patients was 17.8 (standard deviation +/-1.62). The index case, a 17-year-old female student ate from the food vendor on 4th February at 9:00 am and fell ill at 3:40 pm later that day. Compared to those who ate other food items, students who drank water from container at the canteen were more likely to develop foodborne disease at statistically significant levels [RR = 2.6, 95 % CI = (2.11-3.15)]. Clostridium perfringens (C. perfringens) and Salmonella species (Salmonella spp) were isolated from water and stew respectively. Clinical features of case-patients were compatible with both organisms.Conclusion: A foodborne gastroenteritis outbreak occurred in a Senior High School in Fanteakwa District from 4th to 7th February 2015. The most probable aetiologic agent was C. perfringens with contaminated water at canteen as the vehicle of transmission. Concurrent Salmonella spp infection could not be ruled out. Rapid outbreak response helped in controlling the outbreak. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The question why some entrepreneurs self‐select out of entrepreneurial careers following exits from successful and failed businesses is of growing interest to entrepreneurship scholars. Using two studies and Regulatory Fit Theory as the theoretical lens, we address this question. Study 1 uses the experimental vignette methodology to test whether business exits under harvest and distress conditions diminished or intensified the serial entrepreneurship intentions of 74 experienced entrepreneurs. Study 2 examines the relationship between the serial entrepreneurship intentions of 196 entrepreneurs who exited businesses and their recall of prior experiences with business success or failure. In both studies, we find evidence of a negative relationship between prevention‐focused cognition and serial entrepreneurship intentions that intensifies from the regulatory fit of distress business exits. The results of both studies suggest that the cognitive lenses used by entrepreneurs to process their business exits play important roles in their intentions to pursue serial entrepreneurship. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Founding and owning an independent business does not automatically provide the owner/founder with autonomy. Autonomy‐motivated entrepreneurs must often make an effort to achieve and maintain autonomy. The aim of this research is to investigate the experience of autonomy, its variations over time, and how it is affected by a range of internal and external conditions as well as the actions of the entrepreneur. The research design utilises a qualitative methodology, asking 61 business owner/founders to respond to a range of vignettes that depict autonomy‐related tensions. The results indicate that whether a business owner actively experiences autonomy is best assessed by not only asking for the degree of decisional freedom he or she currently enjoys, but also whether that degree of freedom is chosen voluntarily. Other main findings are that customers regularly represent challenges to autonomy, whereas business partners are often seen to enhance it. The results reveal various autonomy dynamics, showing movements between currently exercised, temporarily sacrificed, and involuntarily lost decisional freedoms. These movements are influenced by a range of factors, including the importance of particular customers or assignments, the phase in the business life cycle, and the financial performance of the business. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The COVID-19 pandemic has affected the US economy and workforce, including marked effects on small businesses. Researchers have evaluated workers' views of financial confidence and advancement, but there has been limited focus on the dental industry. To extend investigations to dentistry, the authors used published scales and pretested questions to determine workforce confidence and workflow changes among dentists. Data were evaluated using descriptive and bivariate statistics. In the wake of the pandemic, surveys were distributed to the memberships of the American Dental Association and American Association of Orthodontists (n = 656). Dentists' top concern was increased cost of providing treatment (57.4%; 95% CI, 53.5% to 61.3%), associated with widely adopted workflow changes including reduced patient volumes (66.0%; 95% CI, 62.4% to 69.6%) and increased safety protocols and equipment (health screening: 75.5%; 95% CI, 72.2% to 78.8%; KN/N95 respirators: 76.7%; 95% CI, 73.5% to 80.0%). However, most respondents did not expect their personal or practice finances to be negatively affected after the pandemic, as only 18.5% (95% CI, 15.4% to 21.7%) predicted their practice's gross revenue would decrease. Dentists were optimistic in the wake of vaccinations and lifting restrictions. Most expected their finances and practice performance to remain the same or grow in the short term and expected long-term improvements postpandemic. Results suggest that despite shutdowns and workflow changes, dentists have rebounded financially and anticipate future growth. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aims This study investigated the hypotheses that (i) intentional and unintentional injuries occur more frequently in areas with greater density of off-premises alcohol outlets; and (ii) larger and chain outlets selling cheaper alcohol contribute more substantially to injury risk than smaller and independent outlets. Design Ecological cross-sectional. Setting From the 256 Statistical Area level 2 (SA2) census units in Melbourne, Australia, we selected a random sample of 62 units. There were 2119 Statistical Area level 1 (SA1) units nested within the selected SA2 units. Participants The selected units contained 295 off-premises outlets. Measurements Two independent observers conducted premises assessments in all off-premises outlets, assessing the volume of alcohol available for sale (paces of shelf space), price (least wine price) and other operating characteristics (chain versus independent, drive-through). Outlet counts, assessed outlet characteristics and other area characteristics (population density, median age, median income, retail zoning) were aggregated within SA1 units. Dependent variables were counts of ambulance attended intentional injuries (assaults, stabbings, shootings) and unintentional injuries (falls, crush injuries and object strikes). Findings In univariable analyses, chain outlets were larger ( r = 0.383; P < 0.001) and sold cheaper alcohol ( r = −0.484; P < 0.001) compared with independent outlets. In Bayesian spatial Poisson models, off-premises outlet density was positively related to both intentional [incidence rate ratio (IRR) = 1.38; 95% credible interval (CI) = 1.19, 1.60] and unintentional injuries (IRR = 1.18; 95% CI = 1.06, 1.30). After disaggregation by outlet characteristics, chain outlet density was also related to both intentional (IRR = 1.35; 95% CI = 1.11, 1.64) and unintentional injuries (IRR = 1.20; 95% CI = 1.08, 1.38). Conclusions Greater off-premises outlet density is related to greater incidence of traumatic injury, and chain outlets appear to contribute most substantially to traumatic injury risk. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Theories within organizational and economic sociology that center on market categories often equate taken-for-grantedness with increased constraint on category members’ features. In contrast, we develop a novel perspective that considers how market participants’ changing category-related attributions decrease the scrutiny of category offerings, opening up strategic opportunities for firms. We further argue that whether producers should be expected to take advantage of these opportunities depends on the extent to which they are incentivized to do so. We use the case of the light cigarette category to test this thesis. We argue and find evidence that increasing taken-for-grantedness of the light cigarette category created greater opportunity for tobacco firms to strategically manipulate category features. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Short-term statistics (STS) are important early indicators of economic activity. The statistics are obligatory for all EU countries and also serve as input to national accounts. In most countries, short-term Statistics are based on business surveys. However, in recent years a number of countries have gradually replaced their business surveys with business VAT registry data. An important question is whether these surveys and registries are representative of the populations and whether representativity is stable in time. We apply R-indicators and partial R-indicators to measure the representativity of both kinds of data sources. We find large differences between different months of the year and between the two data sources. We discuss dual frame approaches that optimize the accuracy of STS statistics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Enterprise 2.0 is identified as one of the most promising technological innovations in the business domain, with immense potential for enriching communication, enabling collaboration and facilitating learning. Although organisations are increasingly implementing Enterprise 2.0 as a useful means of knowledge sharing and collaboration, no empirical research has been performed to identify individuals’ motivations to participate in Enterprise 2.0 activities. The high practical relevance and dearth of research indicate the importance of the present study. This study aims to apply the Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology to propose a research model that incorporates context-specific variables as enhancing constructs to predict individuals’ adoption intentions towards Enterprise 2.0 applications. We also categorise Enterprise 2.0 users into silent and social users and conduct a comparative analysis to examine whether differences exist in factors predicting users’ adoption intentions towards Enterprise 2.0 applications. To test the model, structural equation modelling is employed to analyse data collected from respondents working in seven Chinese companies conducting trial operations of an Enterprise 2.0 platform. The findings of this research provide managers with effective methods to promote individuals’ participation in Enterprise 2.0 activities. This research also provides a theoretical foundation for academics and practical implications for the development of Enterprise 2.0. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives. We examined the density and proximity of tobacco retailers and associations with smoking behavior and mental health in a diverse sample of 1061 smokers with serious mental illness (SMI) residing in the San Francisco Bay Area of California. Methods Participants' addresses were geocoded and linked with retailer licensing data to determine the distance between participants' residence and the nearest retailer (proximity) and the number of retailers within 500-meter and 1-kilometer service areas (density). Results More than half of the sample lived within 250 meters of a tobacco retailer A median of 3 retailers were within 500 meters of participants' residences and a median of 12 were within 1 kilometer. Among smokers with SMI tobacco retailer densities were 2-fold greater than for the general population,and were associated with poorer mental health, greater nicotine dependence, and lower self-efficacy for quitting. Conclusions Our findings provide further evidence of the tobacco retail environment as a potential vector contributing to tobacco-related disparities among individuals with SMI and suggest that this group may benefit from progressive environmental protections that restrict tobacco retail licenses and reduce aggressive point-of-sale marketing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective We sought to determine the relative frequency and nature of personal display of cigarette packs by smokers in two Australian cities where 30% front-of-pack and 90% back-of-pack health warnings have been used since 2006 and comprehensive tobacco marketing restrictions apply. Methods An observational study counted patrons, active smokers and tobacco packs at cafés, restaurants and bars with outdoor seating. Pack orientation and use of cigarette cases were also noted. Results Overall, 18 954 patrons, 1576 active smokers and 2153 packs were observed, meaning that one out of every 12.0 patrons was actively smoking, and one of every 8.8 patrons displayed a pack. Packs were more frequently observed in lower socio-economic neighbourhoods, reflecting the higher prevalence of smoking in those regions. Packs were displayed less often in venues where children were present, suggesting a greater tendency not to smoke around children. Most packs (81.4%) were oriented face-up, permitting prominent brand display. Only 1.5% of observed packs were cigarette cases, and 4.2% of packs were concealed by another item, such as a phone or wallet. Conclusions Tobacco packs are frequently seen on table-tops in café strips, providing many opportunities for other patrons and passers-by to be incidentally exposed to cigarette brand names and imagery. Use of cigarette cases is rare, suggesting that smokers eventually habituate to pictorial warnings on branded packs and/or find repeated decanting of each newly purchased branded pack into a case to be inconvenient. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The financing decisions and capital structure of Internet companies are analyzed, and observed findings are related to the common capital structure theories. Large Internet companies usually have low debt, and small Internet companies have high debt. It was found that the trade-off theory of capital structure, pecking order theory, market timing theory, and other theories cannot individually explain a firm's capital structure. However, they can complement each other in describing some patterns of observed behavior. A number of recommendations for capital structure theory and practice are suggested. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article seeks to develop a framework which can be used by marketing practitioners for effective use of blogs to connect and communicate with customers. Through exploratory research using the netnography and the content analysis method, blogging practices and social media presence of Indian companies are studied to examine use of blogs as an online customer engagement tool and the issues they are facing in implementing this practice. Comparative analysis revealed indicators of effective blogging practice and the link between the outreach of blogs with other forms of social media. Data analysis showed the interaction between subject and object with underlying dimensions like emotions, cognition, and behavior to produce an overall customer engagement. Interplay between various dimensions manifests the outcome of an online and offline engagement with customers. For wider acceptability of the proposed framework, future research directions are provided. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article describes the results of a pre-intervention safety assessment conducted in 49 auto collision repair businesses and owners’ commitments to specific improvements. A 92-item standardized audit tool employed interviews, record reviews, and observations to assess safety and health programs, training, and workplace conditions. Owners were asked to improve at least one-third of incorrect, deficient, or missing (not in compliance with regulations or not meeting best practice) items, of which a majority were critical or highly important for ensuring workplace safety. Two-thirds of all items were present, with the highest fraction related to electrical safety, machine safety, and lockout/tagout. One-half of shops did not have written safety programs and had not conducted recent training. Many had deficiencies in respiratory protection programs and practices. Thirteen businesses with a current or past relationship with a safety consultant had a significantly higher fraction of correct items, in particular related to safety programs, up-to-date training, paint booth and mixing room conditions, electrical safety, and respiratory protection. Owners selected an average of 58% of recommended improvements; they were most likely to select items related to employee Right-to-Know training, emergency exits, fire extinguishers, and respiratory protection. They were least likely to say they would improve written safety programs, stop routine spraying outside the booth, or provide adequate fire protection for spray areas outside the booth. These baseline results suggest that it may be possible to bring about workplace improvements using targeted assistance from occupational health and safety professionals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Building on conceptual frameworks of entrepreneurial discovery, we argue that active information search compensates for a lack of entrepreneurial experience and enhances the effects of divergent thinking and general mental ability ( GMA) on opportunity identification. We sampled 100 business owners in South Africa. Results confirmed the hypothesised moderating effects of active information search on the relationships of entrepreneurial experience and divergent thinking on opportunity identification. Furthermore, we found direct effects of opportunity identification and conditional indirect effects of divergent thinking on innovativeness of product/service innovations. Our findings suggest that a joint examination of entrepreneurial experience and divergent thinking with active information search helps to better understand opportunity identification. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The study objective was to estimate the proportion of excessive fast-food consumption by youth that is attributable to living and attending school in a neighbourhood with a moderate or high density of fast-food restaurants. This was a cross-sectional study of 6099 Canadian youths (aged 11-15 years) from 255 school neighbourhoods. All participants lived within 1 km of their school. The density of chain fast-food restaurants within a 1-km circular buffer surrounding each school was determined using geographic information systems. Excessive fast-food consumption (≥2 times per week) was assessed by questionnaire. Multilevel logistic regression analysis was used to examine associations. The population attributable risk estimates of excessive fast-food consumption due to neighbourhood exposure to fast-food restaurants were determined based on the prevalence of exposure and the results from the logistic regression. Eight percent of participants were excessive fast-food consumers. After adjusting for sociodemographic factors (i.e., gender, race, and socioeconomic status), it was found that youths from neighbourhoods with a moderate (odds ratio (OR), 1.68; 95% confidence interval (CI), 1.11-2.54) or high (OR 1.70; 95% CI 1.12-2.56) density of chain fast-food restaurants were more likely to be excessive fast-food consumers than were youths from neighbourhoods with no chain fast-food restaurants. Approximately 31% of excessive consumption was attributable to living in neighbourhoods with a moderate or high density of fast-food restaurants. Thus, the fast-food retail environment within which youth live and go to school is an important contributor to their eating behaviours. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: This study sought to describe the food retail environment and its use in a deprived urban area in Scotland by mapping all food outlets and determining where residents do their main food shopping as well as investigating the availability of fresh fruit and vegetables (F&V) (as an indicator of healthy eating) and takeaway food. Study design: Cross-sectional study. Methods: The food retail environment, the number, size and food availability of all food outlets, was mapped in View park, a small community located to the east of Glasgow. Subsequently a validated questionnaire was used to determined food shopping usage and habits. Results: There was high availability of common fresh fruit and vegetables (F&V) and very high availability of fast food outlets. Only 9% of the sample shopped solely at local food outlets within View park whilst 91% shopped at a large supermarket outside View park (n = 106). Walking was significantly negatively associated (B = -3.555, P = 0.008) with shopping outside the community. The majority of respondents (80%) reported buying F&V weekly and 57% purchased takeaways at least once a week - these individuals were employed, over 45 years old and had at least one child. Conclusions: The use of the local retail environment in a deprived community is influenced by car accessibility. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Information technology ( IT) outsourcing has become a widely accepted management strategy. As a consequence, a great deal of research on the IT outsourcing domain, covering a wide range of issues, has been conducted. This study investigates the IT outsourcing knowledge infrastructure from a network point of view. Triple helix indicators and social network analysis techniques are employed on 288 scholarly papers obtained from the Web of Science database using keywords related to IT outsourcing. The results reveal the key players in IT outsourcing research collaborations; their network characteristics, such as degree centrality; and the relationship of academia, industry, and government in terms of IT outsourcing knowledge production. This article also provides results-based implications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]