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An overview of the peer review process in biomedical sciences
No full textObjective: This paper aims to provide an introductory resource for beginner peer reviewers in psychiatry and the broader biomedical science field. It will provide a concise overview of the peer review process, alongside some reviewing tips and tricks. Conclusion: The peer review process is a fundamental aspect of biomedical science publishing. The model of peer review offered varies between journals and usually relies on a pool of volunteers with differing levels of expertise and scope. The aim of peer review is to collaboratively leverage reviewers’ collective knowledge with the objective of increasing the quality and merit of published works. The limitations, methodology and need for transparency in the peer review process are often poorly understood. Although imperfect, the peer review process provides some degree of scientific rigour by emphasising the need for an ethical, comprehensive and systematic approach to reviewing articles. Contributions from junior reviewers can add significant value to manuscripts
Screwing the social model of disability
No full textThe social model of disability represents the disability movements ‘big idea’, and since its formulation, it has received sustained appraise and critique. Despite its activist/ scholarly currency, critics suggest the social model has experiential and theoretical limitations, and one fraught area is the split between impairment and disability. This article revisits and problematises the foundational splitting of impairment and disability that was itself informed by the sex/gender distinction in feminist scholarship. The sex/ gender distinction, and the nature/culture binary, is increasingly critiqued by many, and I explore the implications this has for the impairment/disability distinction. Using historical and contemporary feminist/disability scholarship, I argue that impairment and disability are both discursively constituted, and that the impairment/disability distinction is no distinction at all—impairment was always already disability. These findings complicate the logics and goals of the social model, and I explore how the social model may be screwed to better reflect disability politics
House prices and labour productivity growth : evidence from OECD countries
No full textThis study examines the association between real house prices and labour productivity growth in 24 OECD countries over the period 1972–2019. By applying the panel fixed effects and Pooled Mean Group-Autoregressive Distributed Lag (PMG-ARDL) estimators, the results show that labour productivity growth is negatively and significantly associated with real house prices. This finding provides empirical support for the ongoing discussion on the adverse impact of excessive housing market activities on productivity
Finance and sales growth at the firms level in Iran : does type of spending matter?
No full textThis study examines the relationship between access to finance and growth in sales for micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs) in Iran. We use data from 486 firms in 5 provinces, and our findings indicate that external financing positively affects sales growth for MSMEs. The results suggest financing for research and development expenditures, production diversification, new employment, and advertising can significantly increase sales growth. We also find that spending on intellectual property, labor training, and land and building acquisition negatively moderates the relationship between finance and sales growth
How will the new Administrative Review Tribunal work?
No full textThe Administrative Review Tribunal Bill 2024 (Cth) (‘the ART Bill’) was introduced to address the growing need for a more efficient and transparent administrative review system and will commence before the end of 2024. Over the years, the complexity and volume of administrative decisions have increased, necessitating a robust framework to handle appeals and reviews effectively while addressing some of the failures of the current Administrative Appeals Tribunal (‘AAT’). The Bill’s passage through both Houses of Parliament underscores its importance in the contemporary legal landscape
Tranexamic acid versus oxytocin for primary postpartum Haemorrhage in the out-of-hospital setting : a systematic review with implications for rural practice
No full textIntroduction: Primary postpartum haemorrhage causes approximately 25% of global maternal deaths and accounts for significant maternal morbidity. While high certainty evidence demonstrates that tranexamic acid reduces comparative blood loss in postpartum haemorrhage in hospital settings, limited data exist on the specific pharmacological management of this condition in out-of-hospital settings, and the implications for rural communities. Objective: To determine the efficacy of oxytocin compared to tranexamic acid in women suffering postpartum haemorrhage in the out-of-hospital environment. Design: A systematic review comparing evidence containing patients with postpartum haemorrhage in the out-of-hospital and/or rural setting, in which oxytocin/tranexamic acid were used. Outcome measures were comparative blood loss/haemorrhagic shock, the need for further interventions and maternal/neonatal morbidity/mortality. Findings: No randomised control trials have been conducted in an out-of-hospital environment in relation to oxytocin/tranexamic acid. In this setting, there is no difference in outcome measures when using oxytocin compared to no intervention, or oxytocin compared to standard care. Data are lacking on the effect of tranexamic acid on the same outcome measures. Discussion: Rural and out-of-hospital management of postpartum haemorrhage is limited by resource availability and practitioner availability, capacity and experience. In-hospital evidence may lack transferability, therefore direct evidence on the efficacy of pharmacological management in these contexts is scant and requires redress. Conclusion: There is no difference in blood loss, neonatal or maternal mortality or morbidity, or need for further interventions, when using oxytocin or TXA compared to no intervention, or compared to standard care, for PPH. Further studies are needed on the efficacy of these drugs, and alternate or co-drug therapies, for PPH in the out-of-hospital environment and rural clinical practice
[In Press] Voluntary carbon assurance and the cost of equity capital : international evidence
No full textWe examine the impact of voluntary carbon assurance on a firm’s cost of equity capital (COE). Based on 6500 firm-year observations across 44 countries covering a period of 8 years (2010–2017), we find that the adoption of carbon assurance is negatively associated with the COE. Cross-sectional analyses show that the negative relationship is stronger for firms with poor emissions reduction performance and for firms that do not participate in an emissions trading scheme. We also find that a country’s legal institutions and economic development have significant moderating effects on this relationship. Furthermore, the scope and the percentage of carbon emissions assured, the level of carbon assurance, and the auditing standards adopted have varied effects on the COE. These findings should be useful to regulators, managers, and investors looking to improve the credibility of voluntarily reported information
Ubuntu principles : unethically ethical? : decolonising social work values and ethics in social work practice and research
No full textEthics and values are central in social work practice worldwide. Scholars have continually had ethical debates and dilemmas on appropriately adhering to social work values and ethics. This concern is more pronounced in Sub-Saharan African countries like Uganda, which formulate codes of ethics in consultation with Western and international social work bodies. We explore the extent to which the Western ethical views of social work (un)align with the African context of the ubuntu principles. We draw on personal reflections on some ethical dilemmas regarding privacy, consent, confidentiality, receiving gifts and incentives, controlled emotional involvement and the right to self-determination. This chapter presents ethical dilemmas through brief case discussions and includes case resolutions and their implications for ubuntu and social work in research and practice. We argue that Ubuntu offers interpretations and solutions to some ethical dilemmas. And that social work practice ethics in an African or indigenous setting should vary from the Westernised conceptualisation of ethics to accommodate the indigenous contexts of practice
Understanding the uptake and determinants of prevention of mother-to-child transmission of HIV services in East Africa : mixed methods systematic review and meta-analysis
No full textBackground: Prevention of mother-to-child transmission (PMTCT) of HIV service is conceptualized as a series of cascades that begins with all pregnant women and ends with the detection of a final HIV status in HIV-exposed infants (HEIs). A low rate of cascade completion by mothers’ results in an increased risk of HIV transmission to their infants. Therefore, this review aimed to understand the uptake and determinants of key PMTCT services cascades in East Africa. Methods: We searched CINAHL, EMBASE, MEDLINE, Scopus, and AIM databases using a predetermined search strategy to identify studies published from January 2012 through to March 2022 on the uptake and determinants of PMTCT of HIV services. The quality of the included studies was assessed using the Mixed Methods Appraisal Tool. A random-effects model was used to obtain pooled estimates of (i) maternal HIV testing (ii) maternal ART initiation, (iii) infant ARV prophylaxis and (iv) early infant diagnosis (EID). Factors from quantitative studies were reviewed using a coding template based on the domains of the Andersen model (i.e., environmental, predisposing, enabling and need factors) and qualitative studies were reviewed using a thematic synthesis approach. Results: The searches yielded 2231 articles and we systematically reduced to 52 included studies. Forty quantitative, eight qualitative, and four mixed methods papers were located containing evidence on the uptake and determinants of PMTCT services. The pooled proportions of maternal HIV test and ART uptake in East Africa were 82.6% (95% CI: 75.6–88.0%) and 88.3% (95% CI: 78.5–93.9%). Similarly, the pooled estimates of infant ARV prophylaxis and EID uptake were 84.9% (95% CI: 80.7–88.3%) and 68.7% (95% CI: 57.6–78.0) respectively. Key factors identified were the place of residence, stigma, the age of women, the educational status of both parents, marital status, socioeconomic status, Knowledge about HIV/PMTCT, access to healthcare facilities, attitudes/perceived benefits towards PMTCT services, prior use of maternal and child health (MCH) services, and healthcare-related factors like resource scarcity and insufficient follow-up supervision. Conclusion: Most of the identified factors were modifiable and should be considered when formulating policies and planning interventions. Hence, promoting women’s education and economic empowerment, strengthening staff supervision, improving access to and integration with MCH services, and actively involving the community to reduce stigma are suggested. Engaging community health workers and expert mothers can also help to share the workload of healthcare providers because of the human resource shortage
[In Press] Using AR-assisted approach in Chinese character acquisition for adult CFL learners
No full textAugmented Reality (AR) technology, as one of the emerging innovative technologies, is proven to have the potential to facilitate second language acquisition in terms of contextualized visualization and learning interactivity. Nevertheless, no empirical research has been conducted on the use of an AR-assisted approach to help adult Chinese language learners (CFL) acquire Chinese characters, which is a major challenge in CFL education. This study utilized a quasi-experimental research method to examine the effects of the AR-assisted approach on adult CFL learners’ Chinese character recognition, writing, and memorization, as well as their attitudes and perceptions toward this kind of learning approach. Fifty elementary CFL learners, divided into an AR learning group and a traditional learning group, participated in this study. The results indicated that 1) the AR-assisted approach facilitated the recognition of semantic traits of a Chinese character, but not its morphological and phonological features, that 2) the AR-assisted approach enhanced the learners’ command of the stroke order of a Chinese character but did not aid in writing the overall structure of a character, that 3) the AR-assisted approach promoted the memorization of the meaning of a character, however, failed to extend the memory retention of other aspects of the character, and that 4) learners were generally interested in the AR-assisted approach and held positive attitudes toward it, willing to use it more in their future education. In a word, the AR-assisted approach is worth trying in Chinese character acquisition for adult CFL learners though it still needs improvement