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Artificial intelligence impact on banks clients and employees in an Asian developing country
No full textInternational audiencePurpose The purpose of this paper is to discuss the application of artificial intelligence (AI) in banking sector, its impact on banks employees and consumer behavior alike when buying financial services and the importance of (AI) for delivering social services in a western Asian developing country: Lebanon. The author tried to respond to the following problematics: Would AI be able to replace man power in customer service? and would AI change the job of the banker and render the bank more profitable? Design/methodology/approach The data collected and analyzed was used in a quantitative research-based models with the application of hypothesis regression models. The results obtained has helped despite the fact of its innovative framework, AI cannot replace the role of humans when it comes to client’s interactions with banks employees. Findings AI elevates the quality of banking transactions to an upper edge. Some of the technical banking jobs might be in jeopardy with AI, as the technology can be easily replaced with human resources, but when emotional intelligence is required for banks clients/employee’s relationship management, AI has been found with no ability to supersede. Research limitations/implications Researchers in the future can also compare large banks called alpha banks to smaller banks in the same developing country to further test the possibility of adopting innovation and change through AI in different sizes of banks with larger number of employees, financial resources and corporate clients. Practical implications Fears regarding impact on employment were detected, AI could render many banks’ jobs obsolete in the coming years, asserting that AI and robotics “reduce the need for staff in roles such as back office functions. Data suggests that the proliferation of AI could be accompanied by a rise in banking jobs. It may also be the case that only the most mundane jobs such as data entry will be sacrificed for machine superiority. While a rise in job numbers associated with higher AI-adoption rates seems ideal, some evidence suggests that most financial institutions are not yet fully confident in how to effectively apply the technology for the best results but at the same time seemed to be receptive to using AI and machine learning in their organization. Social implications This study was conducted and limited to one developing Asian country, it would be useful to stretch this study covering other countries in the region to dive into more diversified results that could trigger researchers to compare more the adoption of AI in Asian countries and evaluating its impact with respect to different countries size and/or level of development in addition to other demographics and criteria. Originality/value Financial institutions are increasingly using artificial neural network systems to detect fraud and charges that do not meet the standard. The AI is used to: organize transactions; keep accounts; invest in stocks; optimize portfolios, etc. Reducing the number of frauds and financial crimes in Lebanon by monitoring user behavior to detect abnormal changes or anomalies in addition to the possible rectification of human economic behavior in the Asian region, this could add a great value and high originality to the research
Food consumption knowledge and habits in a developing country: a case of Lebanon
No full textInternational audienceThis research work investigated the Lebanese consumers' knowledge about food fibre and their food habits according to age groups and gender. The study was conducted from January 2021 till end of March 2021. Due to the pandemic of Covid-19 and the lockdown, the questionnaire was administered randomly through social media. The survey consisted of a longitudinal study carried out on a non-probabilistic convenience sample of 258 Lebanese participants. The responses were used to undertake a quantitative, descriptive and analytical study. The questionnaires received and considered valid, were mostly from women (59.7%) and essentially living in an urban environment (78.3%). To analyse the data, basic descriptive statistics were considered on a first level. Additionally, statistical tests were also carried out (Student t test for comparisons between two groups). Finally, results and analysis were done to evaluate the importance of food knowledge among these people in addition to their eating habits and the possible gender differences. The results revealed that there are some gender inequalities (F=6.238, α= 0.0013) in terms of knowledge about food fibre, but no living environment differences were found (F=0.36, α=0.85). Additionally, consumption habits showed major differences between female and male food behaviour, especially when it comes to eating: the frequency of eating outside from home, eating fast food and consuming fruits. The value of this study focuses on the food knowledge and habits in Lebanon, specifically in a country defined by a multi-ethnical diversity and religiosity and where food habits were mainly related to social behaviour. Therefore, this study adds more knowledge about these people's food behaviour and valuable information about specific food attitudes
Gait kinematic alterations in subjects with adult spinal deformity and their radiological determinants
No full textInternational audienceBackground: Adults with spinal deformity (ASD) are known to have postural malalignment affecting their quality of life. Classical evaluation and follow-up are usually based on full-body static radiographs and health related quality of life questionnaires. Despite being an essential daily life activity, formal gait assessment lacks in clinical practice.Research Question:What are the main alterations in gait kinematics of ASD and their radiological determinants?Methods:52 ASD and 63 control subjects underwent full-body 3D gait analysis with calculation of joint kinematics and full-body biplanar X-rays with calculation of 3D postural parameters. Kinematics and postural parameters were compared between groups. Determinants of gait alterations among postural radiographic parameters were explored.Results:ASD had increased sagittal vertical axis (SVA:34 ± 59 vs −5 ± 20 mm), pelvic tilt (PT:19 ± 13 vs 11 ± 6°) and frontal Cobb (25 ± 21 vs 4 ± 6°) compared to controls (all p < 0.001). ASD displayed decrease walking speed (0.9 ± 0.3 vs 1.2 ± 0.2 m/s), step length (0.58 ± 0.11 vs 0.64 ± 0.07 m) and increased single support (0.45 ± 0.05 vs 0.42 ± 0.04 s). ASD walked with decreased hip extension in stance (−3 ± 10 vs −7 ± 8°), increased knee flexion at initial contact and in stance (10 ± 11 vs 5 ± 10° and 19 ± 7 vs 16 ± 8° respectively), and decreased knee flexion/extension ROM (55 ± 9 vs 59 ± 7°). ASD had increased trunk flexion (12 ± 12 vs 6 ± 11°) and reduced dynamic lumbar lordosis (−11 ± 12 vs −15 ± 7°, all p < 0.001). Sagittal knee ROM, walking speed and step length were negatively determined by SVA; lack of lumbar lordosis during gait was negatively determined by radiological lumbar lordosis.Significance:Static compensations in ASD persist during gait, where they exhibit a flexed attitude at the trunk, hips and knees, reduced hip and knee mobility and loss of dynamic lordosis. ASD walked at a slower pace with increased single and double support times that might contribute to their gait stability. These dynamic discrepancies were strongly related to static sagittal malalignment
Parental Burnout Around the Globe: A 42-Country Study
No full textInternational audienceHigh levels of stress in the parenting domain can lead to parental burnout, a condition that has severe consequences for both parents and children. It is not yet clear, however, whether parental burnout varies by culture, and if so, why it might do so. In this study, we examined the prevalence of parental burnout in 42 countries (17,409 parents; 71% mothers; Mage = 39.20) and showed that the prevalence of parental burnout varies dramatically across countries. Analyses of cultural values revealed that individualistic cultures, in particular, displayed a noticeably higher prevalence and mean level of parental burnout. Indeed, individualism plays a larger role in parental burnout than either economic inequalities across countries, or any other individual and family characteristic examined so far, including the number and age of children and the number of hours spent with them. These results suggest that cultural values in Western countries may put parents under heightened levels of stress
Altitude Aerosol Measurements in Central France: Seasonality, Sources and Free‐Troposphere/Boundary Layer Segregation
No full textInternational audienceLong-term and continuous measurements of aerosol chemical composition is essential to improve our understanding of the formation and transformation of aerosol particles in the atmosphere. Thanks to the recent developments of aerosol mass spectrometry, notably with the Aerosol Chemical Speciation Monitor (ACSM, Aerodyne; Fröhlich et al., 2013; Ng et al., 2011), this information can be acquired over long periods of time with minimal intervention from the user. The ACSM is a robust tool that measures aerosol chemical properties of the aerosol with time resolutions ranging from 10 to 30 min. Global long-term ACSM data sets have recently been presented in the literature, including a 6-year study near Paris (France; Petit et al., 2015; Zhang et al., 2019), a 2-year study in the megacity of Beijing (China; Sun et al., 2018), and a 5-year study from Leipzig (Germany; Poulain et al., 2020). The measurements within Europe are mostly being performed within the framework of the ACTRIS infrastructure (Aerosols, Clouds, and Trace gases Research InfraStructure), and a growing database of these measurements is available via the EBAS database (http://ebas.nilu. no/). Pluri-annuel and multi seasonal studies provide an opportunity to study how aerosol particles concentrations and chemical signature evolves over time in response to different airmass sources and atmospheric changes. This information is useful for understanding transport and aging patterns and can also be used for the validation of atmospheric models. Similar to worldwide measurements at low altitudes (Jimenez et al., 2009; Zhang et al., 2007), organic species also dominate the PM1 mass concentrations at high altitudes (Zhou et al., 2019). Fröhlich et al. (2015) at the Jungfraujoch station (JFJ, 3,580 m a.s.l), showed that organics were the dominant species, makin
The Relationships Between Skeletal Muscle Index and Bone Variables in a Group of Young Adults
No full textInternational audienceThe purpose of this study was to investigate the relationships between skeletal muscle index (SMI) and bone variables in a group of young adults. Three hundred and thirty-five young adults (129 men and 206 women) whose ages ranged from 18 to 35 yr voluntarily participated in this study. Weight and height were measured, and body mass index (BMI) was calculated. Body composition, bone mineral content (BMC), bone mineral density (BMD), geometric indices of hip bone strength and trabecular bone score (TBS) were determined for each individual by Dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA). Appendicular skeletal mass (ASM, in kg) was calculated by summing the muscle masses of the 4 limbs, assuming that all nonfat and nonebone mass is skeletal muscle. Skeletal muscle index (SMI) was defined as ASM/height². In young men, SMI was positively correlated to WB BMC (r = 0.63; p < 0.001), WB BMD (r = 0.53; p < 0.001), L1-L4 BMC (r = 0.33; p < 0.001), L1-L4 BMD (r = 0.30; p < 0.001), L1-L4 TBS (r = 0.26; p < 0.01), TH BMC (r = 0.61; p < 0.001), TH BMD (r = 0.46; p < 0.001), FN BMC (r = 0.51; p < 0.001), FN BMD (r = 0.46; p < 0.001), FN cross-sectional area (CSA) (r = 0.56; p < 0.001), FN cross-sectional moment of inertia (CSMI) (r = 0.52; p < 0.001) and FN section modulus (Z) (r = 0.54; p < 0.001) but negatively correlated to FN strength index (SI) (r = -0.24; p < 0.01). In young women, SMI was positively correlated to WB BMC (r = 0.61; p < 0.001), WB BMD (r = 0.60; p < 0.001), L1-L4 BMC (r = 0.35; p < 0.001), L1-L4 BMD (r = 0.33; p < 0.001), L1-L4 TBS (r = 0.29; p < 0.001), TH BMC (r = 0.61; p < 0.001), TH BMD (r = 0.53; p < 0.001), FN BMC (r = 0.45; p < 0.001), FN BMD (r = 0.49; p < 0.001), FN CSA (r = 0.60; p < 0.001), FN CSMI (r = 0.52; p < 0.001), and FN Z (r = 0.40; p < 0.001) but negatively correlated to FN SI (r = -0.20; p < 0.01). The current study suggests that SMI is a positive determinant of bone mineral density and geometric indices of hip bone strength in young adults
Human health risk assessment for PAHs, phthalates, metals, PCDD/F, and DL-PCBs in PM2.5 and for VOCs in two East-Mediterranean urban sites under industrial influence
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PM2.5 in two urban industrial sites in the East Mediterranean : chemical characterization and health risk assessment for metals
No full textInternational audienceParticulate matter (PM) pollution originates from different human-made activities as well as from natural sources and studies showed a major impact on human health depending on the size and the chemical composition. Lebanon, a Middle Eastern Mediterranean country, with a population of more than 6 million in the last few years, faces some important pollution events with episodical long range transport of desert dust, and important sources like road traffic, diesel generators, power generation, and industrial sources, etc..PM2.5 samples were collected for a year in two urban sites under industrial influence in Lebanon: Zouk Mikael region (ZK) and Fiaa region (FA). ZK is characterized by the biggest power plant in the country which runs on heavy fuel oil, a high density of population along with a high number of diesel private generators and dense traffic. FA is surrounded by chemical industries of which cement plants along with their corresponding quarries and power plants, and a sulfuric acid and phosphate fertilizer industry.Average PM2.5 concentrations at ZK (33.6 μg/m3) and FA (26.1 μg/m3) exceeded approximately three times the WHO standard of 10 μg/m3. The PM2.5 samples were analysed for the carbonaceous fraction including organics speciation, metals, and water-soluble ions. OC and EC average mass concentrations in PM2.5 were 4.6 and 1.3 μg/m3 at ZK, and 1.3 and 0.5 μg/m3 at FA, respectively. Water soluble ions (Cl- , NO3-, SO42-, Na+, NH4+, K+, Mg2+, and Ca2+) contributed to PM2.5 by 39% at ZK and 49% FA. Furthermore, the concentration ratios of different metals were used as fingerprints for emissions from different sources. The crustal enrichment factors (EF) were calculated using Ti as a reference to identify sources of metals. A mass closure was performed and allowed the quantitative analysis of the different components observed at ZK and FA, respectively: secondary inorganic aerosols (34%-43%), dust (27%-27%), organic matter (22%,20%), marine aerosols (6%-3%), and elemental carbon (4%-2%). Finally, a health risk assessment study was done for metals in order to evaluate the impact of exposure to these compounds on human health. Arsenic and chromium (VI) were significant contributors to the cancer risk at both sites for children and adults while vanadium recorded values higher than the threshold limit for children, adolescents, and adults
Economic Burden of Urinary Tract Infections From Antibiotic-Resistant Escherichia coli Among Hospitalized Adult Patients in Lebanon: A Prospective Cohort Study
No full textInternational audienceObjectives: The rising incidence of urinary tract infections (UTIs) attributable to Escherichia coli resistant isolates is becoming a serious public health concern. Although global rates of infection vary considerably by region, the growing prevalence of this uropathogen has been associated with a high economic burden and health strain. This study aims: (1) to estimate the differences in clinical and economic outcomes between 2 groups of adult hospitalized patients with UTIs from E. coli resistant and susceptible bacteria and (2) to investigate drivers of this cost from a payer's perspective.Methods: A prospective multicenter cohort study was conducted in 10 hospitals in Lebanon. The cost analysis followed a bottom-up microcosting approach; a linear regression was constructed to evaluate the predictors of hospitalization costs and a Cox proportional hazards model was used to estimate the impact of resistance on length of stay (LOS) and in-hospital mortality.Results: Out of 467 inpatients, 250 cases were because of resistant E. coli isolates. Results showed that patients with resistant uropathogens had 29% higher mean total hospitalization costs (2651; P = .004), and an extended median LOS (6 days vs 5 days; P = .020) compared with susceptible cohorts. The selection of resistant bacteria and the Charlson comorbidity index predicted higher total hospitalization costs and in-hospital mortality.Conclusion: In an era of increased pressure for cost containment, this study showed the burden of treating UTIs resulting from resistant bacteria. The results can inform cost-effectiveness analyses that intend to evaluate the benefit of a national action plan aimed at decreasing the impact of antibiotic resistance
E-learning: Factors Affecting Students Online Learning During COVID-19 Quarantine in a Developing Country
No full textInternational audienceIn response to the impending spread of COVID-19, universities worldwide switched to digital learning. They switched to online platforms using technology in their learning processes. In this context, an online survey study was conducted in Saint Joseph University, Faculty of Business in which the authors collected 458 responses from students during the spring-summer 2020 semester. The quantitative study focused on (1) the students’ access to technology, (2) the facilitating conditions offered by the university during the semester (3) the learning value acquired from the online teaching and (4) the demographics characteristics as gender and level of education. The researchers tested the relationship between those variables and the intention to use e-learning and to continue using it after the pandemic crisis. In this paper, the authors present and discuss their study’s results, where no gender differences were noted but a disparity in the level of education led to acceptance or rejection of future use of e-learning; moreover, the access to technology raised a major problem specially in the case of a developing country