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Analytical autoethnography involves direct and detailed observation of a researcher's own perceptions, emotions, thoughts and actions. Approaches include retrospective, experimental, and collaborative. Data sources include records, multimedia, social media, and memories. Analytical autoethnographies can be combined with ethnographies, participant observations, or interviews. In tourism research, analytical autoethnographies have addressed experiences, tourists, attractions, and activities, especially adventure activities. Autoethnographic methods are a specialised tool, most valuable where a researcher's experience provides data or insights at greater depth or detail than available otherwise. Examples include tourism experiences that are ineffable, or those that affect only particular tourists, e.g. because of capabilities or demographics. A comprehensive research toolkit should include specialised as well as unspecialised tools, and analytical autoethnography therefore deserves broader application and greater familiarity amongst tourism researchers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Quantum computing has emerged as a useful resource for winning random games. Monty Hall problem is one such game, where the powers of quantum mechanics can be utilized for winning the prize. Our paper depicts this problem as a two-player game, where the two players, i.e., the host and the participant share an entangled quantum state. The entangled state is closely knit with the position of the prize containing door, and the decision of the player i.e., either switch or stay from his initial choice of door. The two players are part of one team as they share a quantum communication channel among them by sharing the entangled state as a quantum resource. This enables them to share secret information about the position of the price as well as the strategy to opt for winning the game. The article shows a unique way of utilizing three different type of entangled states, three-qubit symmetric W state, three-qubit χ state, and five-qubit highly entangled Brown state. Further, the effectiveness of each quantum state as a source of communication in disguise is also compared. All the entangled states under study assure winning the price by the participant. However, each quantum state has different entanglement degree and offer varied merits as per the game setting. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Relying on a large corpus of natural interactions between visitors and a robot in a museum setting, we study a recurrent practice through which humans 'worked' to maintain the robot as a competent participant: the description by bystanders, in a way that was made accessible to the main speaker, of the social action that the robot was taken to be accomplishing. Doing so, bystanders maintained the robot's (sometimes incongruous) behaviour as relevant to the activity at hand and preserved the robot itself as a competent participant. Relying on these data, we argue that ex ante definitions of a robot as 'social' (i.e. before any interaction occurred) run the risk of naturalizing as self-evident the observable result from micro-sociological processes: namely, the interactional work of co-present humans through which the robot's conduct is reconfigured as contextually relevant. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

It is indicated that the process of modernization of the system of criminal justice bodies is underway in Ukraine, the purpose of which is to improve the system of public administration and improve mechanisms for protecting the rights and freedoms of citizens. In particular, the concept of criminal justice reform of Ukraine, approved by the Decree of the President of Ukraine dated 04/08/2008 No. 311/2008, was implemented in the aspect of updating criminal, criminal procedural and administrative tort legislation. As part of the humanization of criminal legislation, the following steps have been taken: felony crimes have been reclassified as criminal misdemeanors, the procedure for bringing to justice persons who have committed criminal misdemeanors has been simplified, and the work of criminal justice bodies has been optimized in the detection, investigation, and trial of cases. The scientific publication examines topical issues of the place and role of the investigator in criminal proceedings, including through a comparison of the procedural status of the investigator and the investigator. Taking into account the powers of the inquirer, defined by the law that introduces this institute, the burden on the specified subject of criminal proceedings is examined in comparison with the investigator on the example of a specific region, with statistical data on registered, completed and sent to court criminal proceedings. The norms of the current criminal procedural legislation are analyzed, which determine the authority of the inquirer in the process of carrying out a pre-trial investigation of criminal misdemeanors. The legal status of the inquirer as a subject of registration in the Unified Register of Pretrial Investigations is outlined, the imperfection of the introduced norms is noted due to the limitation of the procedural powers of the head of the inquiry in comparison with the head of the investigative unit, and the negative procedural consequences ar e indicated due to some legislative gaps that require amendments to the current Criminal Code of the procedural code of Ukraine. Based on the results of the research, conclusions and proposals regarding the improvement of national legislation were formulated, and the prospect of further research on this t opic was determined. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article systematizes approaches to the definition of meta-universe essence as multi-dimensional spaces, which integrate multitude of virtual words, where digital copies of the real world (including business) are made, where participants can interact with each other and with surrounding objects. It was found out that meta-universes form a key trend in economy development in Russia in general and its certain branches and industries, which could foster productivity improvement and business-process optimization in the digital world. The authors analyzed examples of mixed reality (VR/AR-technologies), blockchain and crypto-currencies in Russia and abroad. Factors affecting the development of meta-universes, such as normative and legal, economic, technological, social were identified. The article enumerates risks and restrictions connected with the development of meta-universe technologies: cyberthreats and risks of big data protection, risks of the absence of common cash unit in meta-universes or rules of converting exchange means in meta-universes in usual exchange means, complexity of financing of developing technological projects due to prolonged market entering, insufficient number of experts in the field of virtual, augmented and mixed reality, blockchain, crypto-currencies, etc. The authors identified specific impact of metauniverses on the development of business in the digital environment (in virtual multi-dimensional spaces of metauniverses the pass-over to new economy of impressions speeds up and new possibilities for distance interaction are formed, the format of training and developing employees is transformed, digital doubles are built by developing accurate virtual copies of business-organizations and others). Final conclusions and recommendations were formulated concerning the necessity of taking into account the impact of normative and legal, economic, technological and social factors on business development in virtual spaces in meta-universes, as well as effective and potential threats and hazards connected with the development of economic activity in virtual spaces in order to realize potential of business in the field of new technological phenomenon of meta-universes.

Given the importance of public engagement in governments' adoption of artificial intelligence systems, artificial intelligence researchers and practitioners spend little time reflecting on who those publics are. Classifying publics affects assumptions and affordances attributed to the publics' ability to contribute to policy or knowledge production. Further complicating definitions are the publics' role in artificial intelligence production and optimization. Our structured analysis of the corpus used a mixed method, where algorithmic generation of search terms allowed us to examine approximately 2500 articles and provided the foundation to conduct an extensive systematic literature review of approximately 100 documents. Results show the multiplicity of ways publics are framed, by examining and revealing the different semantic nuances, affordances, political and expertise lenses, and, finally, a lack of definitions. We conclude that categorizing publics represents an act of power, politics, and truth-seeking in artificial intelligence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Strategic Universe Journal / Univers Strategic is the property of Dimitrie Cantemir Christian University, Institute for Security Studies and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

The relevance of the research topic necessitated constant cooperation and exchange of experience between teachers and students of various educational institutions. At the same time, it is necessary to reduce the costs of organizing conferences, simplify the processes of submitting applications, articles, paying registration fees, distributing materials, etc. In this regard, there is a need to use digital technologies in holding various types of conferences. Purpose – develop a web application for holding a conference. Materials and methods. To achieve this goal, the article defines the technology stack for project implementation. Modeling, analysis, and synthesis methods were used. Results. The paper describes the process of implementing the technical and client parts of a web application for organizing a conference. The routes for interaction between the client and the database and sending requests to the application server are highlighted. The creation of a web application database is presented, as well as the interaction of the web application with the server. Filling of the main page has been implemented. The form for submitting applications for participation in the conference has been determined. The capabilities of participants and administrators are differentiated. Scope of application of the results. The web application was included in the All-Russian Scientific and Practical Conference “Pedagogical Potential” with international participation, held on November 27, 2023 at the Bryansk State Engineering and Technology University. The results obtained can be used to conduct conferences at various levels.

Based on the analysis of Ukrainian legislation and legal doctrine, the article examines the legal regime of a share in the authorised capital of a limited liability company. The necessity of considering a share in the authorized capital in two senses is substantiated: economic and legal. According to the first meaning, such a share expresses a part of the value of the company’s property and gives a person the opportunity to dispose of the company's capital (assets). However, from a legal point of view, there is an insurmountable obstacle to this understanding – the status of a limited liability company as an independent participant in civil relations, which owns such property, and property separation is one of the features that characterises it. The opinion that a share in the authorised capital of a limited liability company does not coincide with the concepts of “corporate rights” or “property rights” is supported, it is an independent tradable object, but with a specific legal regime, in particular, it cannot be the object of other limited property rights, but it is such a share (and not corporate rights) that can be the object of property rights. It has been proved that: 1) the legal nature of a share should be characterised through the legal nature of the powers of a limited liability company participant; 2) such powers constitute a single and indivisible set of corporate rights which are recognised as a separate category of rights, along with obligatory and property rights; 3) the legal nature of corporate rights is of a comprehensive nature, which primarily consists of a combination of the principles of absoluteness and relativity; 4) the definition of a share only through the shareholder's rights is not justified, since the shareholder's rights are inextricably linked to his/her obligations; 5) a share as an object of civil rights is “other property”, not “property rights”.

Background: Theories propose that brief, mobile, self-guided mindfulness ecological momentary interventions (MEMIs) could enhance emotion regulation (ER) and self-compassion. Such changes are posited to be mechanisms of change. However, rigorous tests of these theories have not been conducted. Objective: In this assessor-blinded, parallel-group randomized controlled trial, we aimed to test these theories in social anxiety disorder (SAD). Methods: Participants with SAD (defined as having a prerandomization cut-off score ≥20 on the Social Phobia Inventory self-report) were randomized to a 14-day fully self-guided MEMI (96/191, 50.3%) or self-monitoring app (95/191, 49.7%) arm. They completed web-based self-reports of 6 clinical outcome measures at prerandomization, 15-day postintervention (administered the day after the intervention ended), and 1-month follow-up time points. ER and self-compassion were assessed at preintervention and 7-day midintervention time points. Multilevel modeling determined the efficacy of MEMI on ER and self-compassion domains from pretrial to midintervention time points. Bootstrapped parallel multilevel mediation analysis examined the mediating role of pretrial to midintervention ER and self-compassion domains on the efficacy of MEMI on 6 clinical outcomes. Results: Participants demonstrated strong compliance, with 78% (149/191) engaging in at least 80% of the MEMI and self-monitoring prompts. MEMI was more efficacious than the self-monitoring app in decreasing ER goal--directed behavior difficulties (between-group Cohen d=-0.24) and lack of emotional clarity (Cohen d=0.16) and increasing self-compassion social connectedness (Cohen d=0.19), nonidentification with emotions (Cohen d=0.16), and self-kindness (Cohen d=0.19) from pretrial to midintervention time points. The within-group effect sizes from pretrial to midintervention were larger in the MEMI arm than in the self-monitoring app arm (ER goal--directed behavior difficulties: Cohen d=-0.73 vs -0.29, lack of emotional clarity: Cohen d=-0.39 vs -0.21, self-compassion domains of social connectedness: Cohen d=0.45 vs 0.19, nonidentification with emotions: Cohen d=0.63 vs 0.48, and self-kindness: Cohen d=0.36 vs 0.10). Self-monitoring, but not MEMI, alleviated ER emotional awareness issues (between-group Cohen d=0.11 and within-group: Cohen d=-0.29 vs -0.13) and reduced self-compassion acknowledging shared human struggles (between-group Cohen d=0.26 and within-group: Cohen d=-0.23 vs 0.13). No ER and self-compassion domains were mediators of the effect of MEMI on SAD symptoms (P=.07-<.99), generalized anxiety symptoms (P=.16-.98), depression severity (P=.20-.94), repetitive negative thinking (P=.12-.96), and trait mindfulness (P=.18-.99) from pretrial to postintervention time points. Similar nonsignificant mediation effects emerged for all of these clinical outcomes from pretrial to 1-month follow-up time points (P=.11-.98). Conclusions: Brief, fully self-guided, mobile MEMIs efficaciously increased specific self-compassion domains and decreased ER difficulties associated with goal pursuit and clarity of emotions from pretrial to midintervention time points. Higher-intensity MEMIs may be required to pinpoint the specific change mechanisms in ER and self-compassion domains of SAD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Istanbul Law Review / İstanbul Hukuk Mecmuası is the property of Istanbul Law Review / Istanbul Hukuk Mecmuasi and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

ABSTRACTThis study is aimed at understanding the Human–Nature Relationships (HNRs) in the Lower Mngeta and Upper Zigi catchments, as parts of Eastern Arc water catchment areas, in the United Republic of Tanzania. This study employed the Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB) and Norm-Activation Model (NAM) to understand the position of humans in the two catchments’ ecosystems. The study design involved Focus Group Discussions, Key Informant Interview, and Household Questionnaire Surveys. A total of 310 (185 males and 125 females) villagers were involved in this study. Furthermore, four HRN typologies, master over nature, partner with nature, a participant in nature, and steward of nature, were adopted. The study findings indicated that there was no significant difference (X2 test, p > 0.05) in HNRs between the two catchments. Moreover, master over nature typology was dominant in both catchments, with values of 59.4% (n = 200) and 59.5% (n = 85) in Lower Mngeta and Upper Zigi, respectively. The main reason is that HNR is dependent on the nature of the livelihood activities and the mode of subsistence of a particular community. It was also found that the communities in Lower Mngeta and Upper Zigi catchments are mostly dependent on agricultural and hunting activities that highly depended on the two catchment resources. This study, therefore, recommends an increase in the level of community participation in all decision-making activities, as well as an increase in environmental education for sustainable utilization and management of the two catchment resources.

Abstract Background Patient-Reported Outcomes or Experience Measures (PROMS / PREMS) are routinely used in clinical studies to assess participants’ views and experiences of trial interventions and related quality of life. Purely quantitative approaches lack the necessary detail and flexibility to understand the real-world impact of study interventions on participants, according to their own priorities. Conversely, purely qualitative assessments are time consuming and usually restricted to a small, possibly unrepresentative, sub-sample. This paper, which reports a pilot study within a randomised controlled trial of induction of labour, reports the feasibility, and acceptability of the Participant-Generated Experience and Satisfaction (PaGES) Index, a new mixed qualitative / quantitative PREM tool. Methods The single-sheet PaGES Index was completed by hypertensive pregnant women in two hospitals in Nagpur, India before and after taking part in the ‘Misoprostol or Oxytocin for Labour Induction’ (MOLI) randomised controlled trial. Participants recorded aspects of the impending birth they considered most important, and then ranked them. After the birth, participants completed the PaGES Index again, this time also scoring their satisfaction with each item. Forms were completed on paper in the local language or in English, supported by Research Assistants. Following translation (when needed), responses were uploaded to a REDCap database, coded in Excel and analysed thematically. A formal qualitative evaluation (qMOLI) was also conducted to obtain stakeholder perspectives of the PaGES Index and the wider trial. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with participants, and focus groups with researchers and clinicians. Data were managed using NVivo 12 software and analysed using the framework approach. Results Participants and researchers found the PaGES Index easy to complete and administer; mothers valued the opportunity to speak about their experience. Qualitative analysis of the initial 68 PaGES Index responses identified areas of commonality and difference among participants and also when comparing antenatal and postnatal responses. Theme citations and associated comments scores were fairly stable before and after the birth. The qMOLI phase, comprising 53 one-to-one interviews with participants and eight focus groups involving 83 researchers and clinicians, provided support that the PaGES Index was an acceptable and even helpful means of capturing participant perspectives. Conclusions Subjective participant experiences are an important aspect of clinical trials. The PaGES Index was found to be a feasible and acceptable measure that unites qualitative research’s explanatory power with the comparative power of quantitative designs. It also offers the opportunity to conduct a before-and-after evaluation, allowing researchers to examine the expectations and actual experiences of all clinical trial participants, not just a small sub-sample. This study also shows that, with appropriate research assistant input, the PaGES Index can be used in different languages by participants with varying literacy levels. Trial registration Clinical Trials.gov (21/11/2018) (NCT03749902).

INTRODUCTION: Alzheimer's‐focused participant recruitment registries are tools for accelerating enrollment into studies, however, registry members are primarily White women. METHODS: We conducted a national online survey of 1501 adults ages 50–80, oversampling for Black and Hispanic/Latino respondents, assessing intention to join a generic "brain health" registry and to join a registry that required specific tasks. RESULTS: Intention to join a registry was low (M 3.48, SD 1.77), and lower than intention to join a registry requiring specific tasks. Intention was greatest for registries requiring completing surveys (M 4.70, SD 1.77). Differences in intention were primarily between White women and Black women; differences between other groups were limited to specific tasks required. DISCUSSION: The results indicate uncertainty about what a registry is, its purpose, and/or the concept of "brain health." Using the Reasoned Action Approach (RAA) to develop evidence‐based outreach messages describing a registry and required tasks may increase diversity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In Australia, Indigenous children have rates of overweight and obesity 1.5 times those of non-Indigenous children. Culturally safe and effective nutrition interventions are needed for this group. This paper aims to describe a Community-based Participatory Action Research (CPAR) approach to designing formative nutrition intervention research with First Australian children and their families and to reflect on the challenges arising from this process. After obtaining ethical approvals, a Steering Committee (SC), including nine Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people experienced in delivering or receiving health care, was established as a project governance body to develop culturally safe project materials and methods. The Indigenous research method of yarning circles was chosen by the SC for the community consultation, and the First Australian SC members were trained to collect the data. They liaised with community organizations to recruit yarning circle participants. Individual interviews conducted by an Aboriginal research assistant replaced yarning circles due to the COVID-19 pandemic lockdowns. While the CPAR approach to formative research was successful, the pandemic and other factors tripled the study duration. To authentically, ethically and safely engage First Australians in research, researchers need to decolonize their methodological approach, and funding bodies need to allow adequate time and resources for the process. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Many patients who exhibit symptoms of paranoid schizophrenia, when asked to describe the content of an image shown to them, spontaneously transform themselves from observers describing the content into former or current participants in the events depicted in the image. Typically, these transformations--from observer to participant, from participant to observer--occur multiple times. In this essay, I aim to interpret the aforementioned symptom of the disease by using selected concepts from Roman Ingarden's aesthetics, which, in my opinion, yields cognitively interesting effects for the mentioned aesthetics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Patient-Reported Outcomes or Experience Measures (PROMS / PREMS) are routinely used in clinical studies to assess participants' views and experiences of trial interventions and related quality of life. Purely quantitative approaches lack the necessary detail and flexibility to understand the real-world impact of study interventions on participants, according to their own priorities. Conversely, purely qualitative assessments are time consuming and usually restricted to a small, possibly unrepresentative, sub-sample. This paper, which reports a pilot study within a randomised controlled trial of induction of labour, reports the feasibility, and acceptability of the Participant-Generated Experience and Satisfaction (PaGES) Index, a new mixed qualitative / quantitative PREM tool. Methods: The single-sheet PaGES Index was completed by hypertensive pregnant women in two hospitals in Nagpur, India before and after taking part in the 'Misoprostol or Oxytocin for Labour Induction' (MOLI) randomised controlled trial. Participants recorded aspects of the impending birth they considered most important, and then ranked them. After the birth, participants completed the PaGES Index again, this time also scoring their satisfaction with each item. Forms were completed on paper in the local language or in English, supported by Research Assistants. Following translation (when needed), responses were uploaded to a REDCap database, coded in Excel and analysed thematically. A formal qualitative evaluation (qMOLI) was also conducted to obtain stakeholder perspectives of the PaGES Index and the wider trial. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with participants, and focus groups with researchers and clinicians. Data were managed using NVivo 12 software and analysed using the framework approach. Results: Participants and researchers found the PaGES Index easy to complete and administer; mothers valued the opportunity to speak about their experience. Qualitative analysis of the initial 68 PaGES Index responses identified areas of commonality and difference among participants and also when comparing antenatal and postnatal responses. Theme citations and associated comments scores were fairly stable before and after the birth. The qMOLI phase, comprising 53 one-to-one interviews with participants and eight focus groups involving 83 researchers and clinicians, provided support that the PaGES Index was an acceptable and even helpful means of capturing participant perspectives. Conclusions: Subjective participant experiences are an important aspect of clinical trials. The PaGES Index was found to be a feasible and acceptable measure that unites qualitative research's explanatory power with the comparative power of quantitative designs. It also offers the opportunity to conduct a before-and-after evaluation, allowing researchers to examine the expectations and actual experiences of all clinical trial participants, not just a small sub-sample. This study also shows that, with appropriate research assistant input, the PaGES Index can be used in different languages by participants with varying literacy levels. Trial registration: Clinical Trials.gov (21/11/2018) (NCT03749902). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Revista de Derecho UNED is the property of Editorial UNED and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

At the level of the European Union, pensions from redistributive public systems are the main source of income for the elderly. A quarter of the European Union’s population is made up of retirees, and their numbers have been steadily rising in recent years. In the last decade, in Romania, the issue of sustainability of the public pension system has become more and more acute and solutions have been sought for the transfer of responsibility for the payment of pensions from the state to the individual through privately administered pensions. In the field of social policy, the constant concern has been to ensure a decent income for the elderly. The paper aims to identify the financial sustainability of private pension systems, the investment strategies used by these funds, the structure of investment portfolios, the profitability achieved by fund managers. The research method used will be statistical-mathematical. The research data are processed based on the reports and data of the Financial Supervisory Authority (ASF), the Private Pension System Supervisory Commission (CSSPP), the Romanian Association of Private Administrative Pensions (APAPR), the National Institute of Statistics (INS) and those from EUROSTAT. The results of this research consist in highlighting the problems of the current private pension management system and the economic developments of the Romanian economy in the coming decades.

The article focuses on the role of observation as a method of data collection in both qualitative and quantitative research, exploring its applications, benefits, and downsides. Topics include the choice of methodology based on research questions, the nature of observation in qualitative and quantitative paradigms, and the benefits and challenges associated with observational research methods.

Copyright of Journal of Shanghai Physical Education Institute / Shanghai Tiyu Xueyuan Xuebao is the property of Shanghai Physical Education Institute and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

An analysis of the Ukrainian legislation, as well as doctrinal approaches to understanding the guilt of a legal entity as a participant in civil relations, was carried out. It was concluded that the issue of the possibility of guilt in a legal entity within the limits of civil liability is determined by several factors of both an objective and subjective nature, namely: a) various mechanisms of forming the will of participants in civil legal relations; b) lack of understanding of the manifestation of the legal entity's own guilt as an independent participant in civil relations, or the guilt of members of its bodies, participants or employees; c) the absence of a direct indication in the current Civil Code of Ukraine on the existence of guilt in a legal entity, since the code (Article 96) contains a norm only about its responsibility. Some questions remain unresolved: 1) does the category “guilt of a legal entity” exist at all; 2) if there is a legal entity's guilt, so which of the recognized doctrines should be applied - the doctrine of mental conditioning of the offender's behavior or the doctrine of objectively possible care and prudence in the behavior of a participant in a civil legal relationship. Guilt as a basis for civil liability is taken into account in civil legal relations only between natural persons. There is no separate type of guilt of a legal entity, and any failure by it to fulfill its obligations is caused by the actions of its bodies, participants, and team. This subjective factor is not and cannot be taken into account when imposing civil liability on a legal entity.

This study sought to diagnose the factors leading to the mass uptake of unregulated pyramid schemes in South Africa. The study adopted an exploratory and qualitative research design. Face-to-face interviews were conducted with 20 respondents using a non-probability sampling technique known as purposive sampling. The respondents were drawn from the target population of individuals who have previously used unregulated pyramid schemes. Data were analyzed using the Nvivo framework matrix. The findings of this study show that individuals are motivated to join pyramid schemes because of the expected benefit or return, accounting for 40%, followed by current economic conditions (30%), friends and family recommendation (15%), desire to get rich quickly (10%), and past performance of the scheme (5%). This study has contributed to the literature on multi-level marketing and pyramid schemes in South Africa and the developing world in general. It will further act as a launchpad for designing policies in the financial services sector.

Introduction. The author addresses the choice of corporate general contractors participating in bidding for the construction of capital construction projects (CCP). The criteria evaluation pattern, employed by the customer pursuant to the effective legislation of the Russian Federation, is presented. The author has studied the criteria evaluation mechanism, applied to corporate general contractors in the course of implementation by the customer of the procurement procedure for the construction of facilities.Materials and methods. Legislative and subordinate acts, results of scientific research have been analyzed. The author has analyzed the process of tendering for public procurement contracts on the performance of work on the construction of capital construction facilities. Criteria evaluation problems, arising in the process of selecting general contractors, were identified. The benchmarking method was proposed to assess corporate general contractors.Results. Factors, influencing the quality of construction work, were presented. The author suggests consolidating them into a system of evaluation criteria and integrated into the “quality of construction work” criterion in the effective legislation. In addition, it is necessary to evaluate any procurement procedure for construction work using such parameters as “the qualification of the bidder”, “financial resources, equipment and other material resources of the organization”.Conclusions. Thanks to the proposed system of evaluation criteria, the mechanism of selecting general contractors will be more distinct, comprehensible and transparent. The system of criteria selection and evaluation, applicable to construction companies, should be simple and comprehensible not only by the customer, but also by the contractor. It is advisable to avoid using numerous mathematical formulas to calculate the rating of general contractors. Further relevant areas of research have been formulated, including the evaluation of qualitative components of assessment criteria applied to construction organizations and the issuance of their quantitative characteristic (weight significance) using the method of the full factorial experiment.

Background: Noma is a quickly progressing and neglected opportunistic infection which if left untreated can result in a sequelae of severe facial destruction and death. Early detection and prompt treatment is paramount to the prevention of its sequelae. The aim of this study, was therefore, to evaluate the knowledge, attitude and practices of primary healthcare workers towards Noma in Sokoto state, Nigeria. Methodology: This was a cross-sectional study approved by the Sokoto State ministry of health. Participants consented were recruited using self-administered questionnaire between July, 2022 and August, 2022.The questionnaire consisted of 10 and 16 questions covering the domains of knowledge and, attitude/practices respectively. The total score for each domain was obtained and then categorized as low (less than or equals to 50%), fair (51 to 69%) and good (70% and above). Data was analyzed using SPSS version 25. Results: A total of 251 participants filled and returned the questionnaires. There were 151(60.2%) males and 100(39.8%) females in the age range of 22-57years with a mean±SD of 34.9±8.5 years. Out of 251 participants, 210(83.7%) were aware of Noma. The total score recorded in both the knowledge and attitude/practice domains were 75% and 78% respectively. Conclusion: The basic knowledge and attitude/practices of NOMA among primary healthcare workers in our clime was good. Therefore, there is need for continuing medical education among this groups of healthcare workers considering their role as the first contact health personnel in the community.

Management of innovative activity is a complex, multifunctional process that includes a diverse set of actions, including: setting strategic and tactical goals, analyzing the external environment taking into account uncertainty and risk, analyzing the infrastructure and capabilities of the educational institution, diagnosing the real situation, forecasting the future state institutions, search for sources of creative ideas and their financing, formation of an innovative portfolio, strategic and operational planning, management of scientific and methodical developments, improvement of organizational structures, analysis and evaluation of the effectiveness of innovations, development of strategy and tactics of innovative marketing, diversification and risk management, etc. The article, based on theoretical research, provides an overview of the concept of innovative project management within various approaches to defining the concept. The main functions are systematized and the interests of the participants in the management of innovative projects are defined. The need to take into account the peculiarities of the management of an innovative project depending on its life cycle is substantiated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

ObjectiveTo analyze the drop-out rate of participants in antidepressant clinical trials and to explore the related influencing factors.MethodsA retrospective analysis was carried out on the participants of 9 antidepressant clinical trials conducted at the Affiliated Brain Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University from 2013 to 2020. A self-compiled questionnaire was used to collect the subjects' demographic data， disease characteristics and the final completion of the trial， thereafter， the participant drop-out rate and related influencing factors were discussed.ResultsA total of 157 cases were enrolled， including 120 cases completed and 37 cases dropped out the trail. The causes of drop-out were poor efficacy in 13 cases （35.14%）， presence of adverse reactions in 12 cases （32.43%）， withdrawal of informed consent in 8 cases （21.62%） and loss of follow-up in 4 cases （10.81%）. Correlation analysis showed that participant drop-out was positively correlated with the level of anxiety （r=0.224， P

Given the relevance of the bonds established between intervention agent and participant during the implementation of programmes with a psychosocial component, we studied an emblematic Chilean programme to overcome poverty based on psychosocial and community support: the Families Program. The participants were 21 people: 10 dyads composed of the program participants and their respective intervention agents, plus the head of the intervention team. We employed a qualitative methodology, conducted semi‐structured interviews, and performed descriptive and relational analysis following grounded theory guidelines. This process resulted in a comprehensive model of the strengthening of the bond established between intervention agent and participant. This model delimits three relevant dimensions of the agent–participant bond—technical, affective, and interactional—and we describe how they are articulated during the transition from an administrative relationship to a technical‐affective bond. Lastly, we discuss the processual and temporal construction of the bond as well as the relevance of considering its three dimensions. Likewise, we reflect on bonds as a way of humanizing psychosocial interventions and ponder the challenge of generating a progressive de‐bonding that fosters participants' autonomy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: With the increased popularity of mobile menstrual tracking apps and boosted Facebook posts, there is a unique opportunity to recruit research study participants from across the globe via these modalities to evaluate women’s health. However, no studies to date have assessed the feasibility of using these recruitment sources for epidemiological research on ovulation and menstruation. Objective: The objective of this study was to assess the feasibility of recruiting a diverse sample of women to an epidemiological study of ovulation and menstruation (OM) health (OM Global Health Study) using digital recruitment sources. The feasibility and diversity were assessed via click and participation rates, geographic location, BMI, smoking status, and other demographic information. Methods: Participants were actively recruited via in-app messages using the menstrual tracking app Clue (BioWink GmbH) and a boosted Facebook post by DivaCup (Diva International Inc.). Other passive recruitment methods also took place throughout the recruitment period (eg, email communications, blogs, other social media). The proportion of participants who visited the study website after viewing and clicking the hypertext link (click rates) in the in-app messages and boosted Facebook post and the proportion of participants who completed the surveys per the number of completed consent and eligibility screeners (participation rates) were used to quantify the success of recruiting participants to the study website and study survey completion, respectively. Survey completion was defined as finishing the pregnancy and birth history section of the OM Global Health Study questionnaire. Results: The recruitment period was from February 27, 2018, through January 24, 2020. In-app messages and the boosted Facebook post were seen by 104,000 and 21,400 people, respectively. Overall, 215 participants started the OM Global Health Study survey, of which 140 (65.1%), 39 (18.1%), and 36 (16.8%) participants were recruited via the app, the boosted Facebook post, and other passive recruitment methods, respectively. The click rate via the app was 18.9% (19,700 clicks/104,000 ad views) and 1.6% via the boosted Facebook post (340 clicks/21,400 ad views.) The overall participation rate was 44.6% (198/444), and the average participant age was 21.8 (SD 6.1) years. In terms of geographic and racial/ethnic diversity, 91 (44.2%) of the participants resided outside the United States and 147 (70.7%) identified as non-Hispanic White. In-app recruitment produced the most geographically diverse stream, with 44 (32.8%) of the 134 participants in Europe, 77 (57.5%) in North America, and 13 (9.8%) in other parts of the world. Both human error and nonhuman procedural breakdowns occurred during the recruitment process, including a computer programming error related to age eligibility and a hacking attempt by an internet bot. Conclusions: In-app messages using the menstrual tracking app Clue were the most successful method for recruiting participants from many geographic regions and producing the greatest numbers of started and completed surveys. This study demonstrates the utility of digital recruitment to enroll participants from diverse geographic locations and provides some lessons to avoid technical recruitment errors in future digital recruitment strategies for epidemiological research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Sexual minority men are disproportionately affected by HIV. Medical advances in HIV treatment have extended life expectancy, and as this group ages, medical and psychological challenges become more prominent. Older people with HIV experience a higher incidence of cancer and other comorbidities; these burdens along with sexual minority stress can strain coping resources and diminish health-related quality of life. Interventions such as cognitive behavioral stress and self-management (CBSM) can mitigate some of this burden; however, no manualized, eHealth-based interventions have focused on the unique needs of sexual minority men living with HIV and cancer. Objective: This study aims to refine and finalize a web-based, CBSM-based intervention to meet the unique needs of this population, including sexual health, comanagement of 2 chronic conditions, and coping with sexual minority stress. Methods: This mixed methods study used a previously completed qualitative phase (n=6) to inform the development of a web-based platform and intervention called SmartManage. The pilot phase study (n=50) involved randomization (1:1) into either 10 sessions of adapted CBSM or an attention control health promotion. Both conditions used the SmartManage platform, a web-based eHealth program designed to deliver CBSM and health promotion content and host live groups. Feasibility and acceptability (eg, rates of participant engagement and retention) were the primary outcomes. Results: Participant-related activities are expected to be completed by November 2022, and results are expected to be submitted for publication by February 2023. Conclusions: We hypothesize that participants would find the intervention acceptable (compared with engagement and retention rates observed in similar CBSM studies). We also hypothesize that participants receiving the SmartManage intervention would have reduced symptom burden and improved health-related quality of life before and after treatment compared with those who do not. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

John Dewey argued that for education to be democratic, it is important for students to be not merely spectators but also participants in learning. Teachers sometimes find personal computing devices to be distracting or to contribute to passivity rather than activity in the classroom. In this essay we examine the question of whether a student's Google search on a subject matter discussed in class is participatory or passive. We argue that with proper guidance students' use of online searches and related tools can empower students democratically as sources of ideas, conceptualizations, information, and insight while emphasizing participation in deliberation and judgment in the classroom. We begin with a look at the criticisms and then defenses of using online tools in the classroom. Finally, we examine Dewey's distinction between the spectator versus the participant models of learning to apply his insights to the use of online tools in the classroom. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article characterizes the current state of organizational and legal support for the functioning of the public procurement system, taking into account the novelties of legislation; both the inter-sectoral and the protective principles of bidding, which are closely interrelated and form a single system, are analyzed; the role of the principle of «prevention of corruption actions and abuse», which has a comprehensive influence on the entire mechanism of implementation of the norm-setting innovations, is defined; a number of factors that cause corruption risks and distort the effect of basic principles in the sphere of procurement are distinguished (in particular: dishonest behavior of officials; discretion in making legally significant decisions; insufficient professionalization of bidding; imperfect system of internal control over conduct of tenders and execution of contracts); the concept of discrimination is singled out and its role as an instrument for the implementation of corruption schemes in public procurement is defined. Based on the analysis of the effective practice of appealing by the AMCU, a number of ways of using discriminatory elements by customers at the initial and final stages of bidding are systematized, namely: establishing obvious and hidden excessive requirements in the tender documentation; manipulation of technical and qualitative conditions to the subject of procurement; unjustified disparate approach to participants with the similar errors in the preparation of tender offers. Practical measures to counteract discriminatory violations in the sphere of procurement activities are generalized, which involve the use of the capabilities of the digitized systems «ProZorro» and «DoZorro» with active participation in this process by direct procurement participants, non-governmental organizations, and government authorities.

The study aimed to describe and analyze everyday aspects of childbirth care in a university hospital in southern Brazil. The expression “taking off the coat” serves as a metaphor to illuminate the process of converting the obstetrician nurse into a researcher in a hospital environment. This is a qualitative research work that made use of the perspective socio-anthropology as a theoretical and methodological framework. The results showed a recurrent lack of information about medical conduct and decisions given to women, disregarding them as subjects of rights, despite what the policy of humanization of childbirth, revealing nuances of childbirth and birth based on the model assistance technocracy. This current care model in teaching hospitals requires important changes through the incorporation of practices with scientific foundations, the inclusion of obstetric nurses and respect for women as the protagonists of this event. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this study was to investigate the components of consumer' social capital which are social participation, social networking, and reciprocity and also analyzed how the social capitals possessed by consumers affect ethical consumption behaviors, and examine how ethical consumption behaviors affect consumer happiness. The samples were randomly extracted from a list of consumer panels registered with a multinational survey institute. Within the budget limit of this study, 2,000 persons were extracted considering the sample size. The main page of the questionnaire requested the subjects to answer to the question asking whether they had any experience in using ethical products or brands. Those who answered no were requested to quit answering the questionnaire. The total number of valid samples was 1,509. Social trust, social participation, and reciprocity, which are the components of social capitals, were found to have positive effects on eco-friendly ethical consumption behaviors, and social-economic-oriented ethical consumption behaviors. Eco-friendly and social-economic-oriented ethical consumption behaviors were found to affect consumer happiness. In additional analyses too, social capitals were found to affect the determination of consumer happiness to some extent. The findings of this study provide valuable information for the investigation of the causal relationships between the system of organization of the ethical consumption behaviors of consumers and the predisposing factors or outcomes of consumer happiness. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The private pension system, along with the public one, is an integral part of the pension system in Romania and aims to ensure a private, distinct pension, which supplements the pension granted by the public system. The social role of the private pension system in Romania derives from the budgetary relief of state social insurance, taking into account the demographic forecasts regarding the aging of the country's population, the continuous decrease of the birth rate, the decrease of the active labor force, the massive increase of pensioners and the increase of life expectancy. At the same time, another important role of the private pension system is the formation of domestic capital and its investment in the national economy. The massive increase in the number of pensioners, at the same time as the reduction in the number of employees means that the amounts that will be transferred from active employees to the state social insurance budget in the future will not be able to fully cover the amounts to be paid to current and future pensioners. At the same time, based on the progress made in the field of medicine and technological development, it is estimated that life expectancy will increase. Under these conditions, the authorities need to identify sustainable solutions to ensure a decent standard of living for the population after retirement. This fact is also highlighted at the level of the European Union, by paying additional attention to the elderly population.

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This study was conducted on 130 nursing college students who had experience taking simulation learning to confirm the relationship between simulation learning and nursing competency. Participant’s satisfaction and confidence were positively associated with overall nursing competency and patient safety. The teaching method and design of the facilitator were also positively correlated with overall nursing competency, and participants' age and simulation design was a predictive factor explaining 21.5% of the nursing competency. In applying simulation to develop nursing competency, it is necessary to consider the satisfaction and confidence of participants and to systematically diversify the teaching method and design. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Noma is a quickly progressing and neglected opportunistic infection which if left untreated can result in a sequelae of severe facial destruction and death. Early detection and prompt treatment is paramount to the prevention of its sequelae. The aim of this study, was therefore, to evaluate the knowledge, attitude and practices of primary healthcare workers towards Noma in Sokoto state, Nigeria. Methodology: This was a cross-sectional study approved by the Sokoto State ministry of health. Participants consented were recruited using self-administered questionnaire between July, 2022 and August, 2022.The questionnaire consisted of 10 and 16 questions covering the domains of knowledge and, attitude/practices respectively. The total score for each domain was obtained and then categorized as low (less than or equals to 50%), fair (51 to 69%) and good (70% and above). Data was analyzed using SPSS version 25. Results: A total of 251 participants filled and returned the questionnaires. There were 151(60.2%) males and 100(39.8%) females in the age range of 22-57years with a mean±SD of 34.9±8.5 years. Out of 251 participants, 210(83.7%) were aware of Noma. The total score recorded in both the knowledge and attitude/practice domains were 75% and 78% respectively. Conclusion: The basic knowledge and attitude/practices of NOMA among primary healthcare workers in our clime was good. Therefore, there is need for continuing medical education among this groups of healthcare workers considering their role as the first contact health personnel in the community. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Introduction: In order to tackle the challenge of efficiently meeting clinical research accrual goals, many Clinical and Translational Science Award (CTSA) recipients have developed recruitment support mechanisms and resources to help investigators successfully recruit study participants. Disseminating recruitment best practices and developing collaborations between institutions can help strengthen recruitment capabilities and methodologies currently utilized by researchers. Methods: To discover what recruitment resources and mechanisms CTSAs are using, the CTSA Recruitment and Retention working group developed an electronic survey, which was distributed to CTSAs between May and July 2019. The survey contained over 50 multiple choice and short answer questions, with 40 of the 64 CTSA institutions completing the survey. Institutions reported on registries, feasibility assessment tools, clinical trial listings, experience recruiting special populations, program operations and evaluation, workforce education, social media use, and other recruitment resources. Results: All respondents currently utilize some form of a volunteer registry; over 80% of the CTSAs provide investigators with recruitment consultations, feasibility assessments, study listings, and electronic health record (EHR) utilization; 73% assist with study materials; 47% offer social media assistance. Many institutions reported success in recruiting patients and healthy volunteers, but difficulty in recruiting special populations such as non-English-speaking persons and rural populations. Additional recruitment tools included use of the EHR to facilitate recruitment, use of registries, and use of social media to engage participants. Conclusions: Areas of opportunity or growth include the development of innovative solutions in the areas of social media advertising, identification of participants from special populations, and research volunteer engagement.

The voluntary pensions, known as Pillar III, are a part of the pension system in Romania and aim to ensure a separate private pension, which supplements the pension provided by the public system and, where available, the privately managed pension. In fact, the voluntary pension is a longterm savings product, the participant and/or employer for its employees may choose to contribute to the individual account with an amount between a minimum amount, established by each voluntary pension fund prospectus and a maximum of 15% of the gross monthly salary income or of the income assimilated to it. At any time, the participant has the possibility to stop paying the contributions, keeping all his rights, according to the rules of the voluntary pension scheme. When he wants, he will be able to resume paying the contributions to the same fund or he can opt for another one. The participant also has the right to change the level of contributions at any time, provided that this level is included in the specified range.