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Characterization of unsaturated coarse-grained railway embankment fill: Water retention and dilatancy
No full textThis study investigated the hydraulic and mechanical behaviors of unsaturated coarse-grained railway embankment fill materials (CREFMs) using a novel unsaturated large-scale triaxial apparatus equipped with the axis translation technique (ATT). Comprehensive soil-water retention and constant-suction triaxial compression tests were conducted to evaluate the effects of initial void ratio, matric suction, and confining pressure on the properties of CREFMs. Key findings reveal a primary suction range of 0–100 kPa characterized by hysteresis, which intensifies with decreasing density. Notably, the air entry value and residual suction are influenced by void ratio, with higher void ratios leading to decreased air entry values and residual suctions, underscoring the critical role of void ratio in hydraulic behavior. Additionally, the critical state line (CSL) in the bi-logarithmic space of void ratio and mean effective stress shifts towards higher void ratios with increasing matric suction, significantly affecting dilatancy and critical states. Furthermore, the study demonstrated that the mobilized friction angle and modulus properties depend on confining pressure and matric suction. A novel modified dilatancy equation was proposed, which enhances the predictability of CREFMs' responses under variable loading, particularly at high stress ratios defined by the deviatoric stress over the mean effective stress. This research advances the understanding of CREFMs' performance, especially under fluctuating environmental conditions that alter suction levels
Special issue editorial: Advanced partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) applications in business research
No full textThis special issue comprises a series of advanced applications of and methodological developments concerning PLS-SEM in business research. PLS-SEM,1 introduced by Wold, 1975, Wold, 1982 and Lohmöller (1989), models the structural relationships between constructs (i.e., the latent variables) as empirical approximations of theoretical concepts. Each construct is operationalized by a measurement model with a set of indicators (i.e., observed variables). The PLS-SEM method estimates the entire model with the aim of maximizing the explained variance of the dependent constructs in the structural model and of the indicators in the constructs’ measurement models (Lohmöller, 1989, Wold, 1982).
Allied Health student led clinics: An opportunity for Workforce development
No full textObjective: The project aimed to evaluate multidisciplinary allied health student placements co-located within a rural general practice clinic.
Methods: Occupational therapy, social work and speech pathology placement students under discipline-specific supervision led an allied health clinic model servicing MMM 4–6 regions in Queensland, servicing clients with diverse health needs.
Design: A cross-sectional survey design recording interventions, student and stakeholder experiences and client satisfaction was applied.
Setting and Participants: Between February and July 2024, ten students completed placements within the student-led clinic, working with clients at a rural General Practice Clinic
Main outcomes Measure: Descriptive statistics was used to summarise clients’ demographics, satisfaction and the services provided using SPSS version 29.0. Qualitative survey responses were analysed using Nvivo.
Results: Student-led allied health services co-located within a General Practice clinic benefited rural communities by providing increased access to allied health services and a holistic approach to health care. Student-led allied health services alleviated the work burden for General Practitioners [GPs] in a rural health care setting.
Conclusion: Multidisciplinary allied health student placements within a rural GP clinic benefited rural and remote communities through increased access to allied health services. Further research is needed to investigate interdisciplinary models of care and sustainable funding streams
The anti-DEI agenda: navigating the impact of Trump’s second term on diversity, equity and inclusion
No full textPurpose: This article aims to critically analyse and critique the impact of President Donald Trump’s second term on Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) initiatives in the United States of America and beyond. It aims to document the policy changes enacted under Trump, explore the resulting consequences for various sectors (government, higher education and private sectors) and assess the broader implications for social justice and global conversations around equity. The article also serves as a call to action, urging continued advocacy and resistance against the rollback of DEI progress.
Design/methodology/approach:This viewpoint article offers a range of perspectives on the impact of the anti-DEI agenda from several DEI scholars who edit the journal. This critical approach draws from multiple sources of information to enrich and provide a more nuanced understanding on the impact of Trump’s policies on DEI.
Findings: President Trump’s anti-DEI agenda had a profound and far-reaching impact on DEI efforts, creating a climate of fear, exacerbating existing inequalities, intensifying political polarization and having ramifications beyond the borders of the United States of America. The paper also highlights the indirect and unintended consequences, such as the chilling effect on private sector DEI initiatives and the rise of “shadow” DEI programs.
Research limitations/implications: The article draws from secondary sources (news articles, policy documents and existing research). The authors’ scholarships on DEI and the Trump administration’s negative stance towards DEI might influence their perspectives and conclusions.
Practical implications: The authors close with a strong call to action, encouraging continued advocacy and resistance to the erosion of DEI progress. This pragmatic approach moves beyond simple criticism and offers concrete steps for future action. They suggest that the current anti-DEI sentiment represents a temporary setback in the long-term progress towards equity and inclusion.
Social implications: President Trump’s anti-DEI policies have global implications, influencing policy and practice in other countries and impacting international conversations around fairness and equity.
Originality/value: The article provides a valuable record of the significant shift in DEI policy and practice under the second Trump administration. This account will be a crucial resource for future researchers studying this period and its impact. This critical analysis also provides valuable insights for both scholars and activists working to advance DEI
Low flow: Selecting a limited flow cytometry panel where resources are constrained
No full textDiagnosis and treatment of patients with haematological malignancies (HM) is hampered by access to pathology services in resource-limited settings (RLS). Internationally accepted guidelines and diagnostic criteria for HM require access to sophisticated analysis including comprehensive flow cytometry (FCM) for minimum essential diagnosis and treatment, which is technically challenging in RLS. This review will define these shortcomings and examine the use of limited FCM panels in RLS.
While a consensus guideline exists for a limited chronic lymphocytic leukaemia (CLL) FCM panel, this has yet to be validated in a large cohort. Currently, there are no consensus-based and resource-stratified diagnostic protocols defining limited FCM panels for the diagnosis of acute leukaemia where resources are limited.
There is an unmet need for such guidelines, supported by evidence, for the diagnosis of the most common HM. This systematic review defines consensus-based limited FCM panels from the literature that may be used in the interim
Honouring the Legitimacy and Power of Shared Lived Experience in Social Work
No full text[Extract] Lived experience is an invaluable source of knowledge in social work. Service users, mental health lived experience experts, Indigenous, feminist, and disability practitioners, researchers, and scholars and Mad scholarship all have emphasised the importance of listening to lived experience (see Cantley, Citation2025; Prehn, Citation2025; Woodlock et al. Citation2025; this Issue; Sinclair & Mahboub, Citation2024). Similarly, patient-centred, trauma-informed, and culturally responsive practice approaches have helped us to invert notions of expert knowledge and to recognise and uphold the richness, power, legitimacy, and validity of lived experience expertise (Loughhead et al., Citation2023; Sinclair & Mahboub, Citation2024)
Crafting an organizational strategy for the new era: a qualitative study of artificial intelligence transformation in a homegrown Singaporean hotel chain
No full textPurpose
This study discusses the strategic integration of artificial intelligence (AI) within the hospitality industry by examining the experience of a locally owned Singaporean hotel chain. It will address a central gap in the prior research’s lack of attention to employees’ perspective of AI adoption in domestic hotel chains.
Design/methodology/approach
Using the grounded theory approach, this study used a thematic analysis of in-depth interviews with ten managers of a locally owned hotel chain who plan to implement AI in their chain.
Findings
The results show that while AI offers many advantages, including lower costs, more effectiveness, and better customer experience, human intervention is still necessary to provide individualized and personalized attention and service. The study emphasizes the necessity of a well-rounded strategy that uses AI’s potential without sacrificing the crucial human element that characterizes the best hospitality experience.
Research limitations/implications
Future research should address this study’s limitations using larger, diverse samples and mixed methods to explore AI adoption’s impact on hospitality.
Practical implications
Leaders in the hospitality industry should foster an organizational culture emphasizing empowerment and continuous learning to integrate AI technologies successfully. The insights from a Singaporean hotel chain suggest that AI adoption can enhance employee and customer experiences. However, effective AI strategies require considering cultural and organizational differences and communicating their benefits. Aligning AI implementation with customer preferences, such as offering tech-driven solutions for younger, tech-savvy guests while maintaining personal interaction for less IT-savvy customers, is key to maintaining branding. This strategic, differentiated approach ensures AI enhances operational efficiency and maximizes guest satisfaction through tailored, personalized services.
Originality/value
This study is unique in its focus on the employees’ perspective of AI adoption within a domestic hotel chain in Singapore, a viewpoint that has been largely overlooked in previous research. By employing a grounded theory approach and conducting in-depth interviews with managers, the study provides rich, qualitative insights into the practical challenges and benefits of integrating AI in the hospitality sector. This approach highlights the operational advantages of AI and underscores the indispensable role of human interaction in delivering personalized and high-quality service, thus offering a balanced view of AI’s impact on the industry
Evolution of WIfI: Expansion of WIfI Notation After Intervention
No full textNearly a decade ago, the Society for Vascular Surgery (SVS)'s wound, ischemia, and foot Infection (WIfI) classification was first developed to help assess overall limb threat. However, managing conditions such as diabetic foot ulcer and chronic limb-threatening ischemia can be complex. For instance, certain investigative findings might initially be pending such as the level of ischemia or extent of infection before the final classification is established. In addition, wounds evolve rapidly, and the current classification does not allow for tracking their progression over time during treatment. Therefore, we propose a supplemental consistent notation for scoring WifI re-assessment during treatment of a threatened limb inspired by the cancer staging before and after neoadjuvant treatment classification system. Thus, we describe the re-scoring system and how to use it. Our suggestion supports a coherent method to longitudinally communicate characteristics of a threatened limb. This has potential to support high quality interdisciplinary, patient-centered care and enhance the use of this classification in research. Further work is required to validate this modification of a common language of risk
Does Reality Television-Style Singing Influence Singing Self-Concept?
No full textHypothesis: Due to upward social comparison, we hypothesized that exposure to reality television singing (a technically demanding style of contemporary commercial music singing) would negatively influence singing self-concept compared to hearing amateur singers or plain, unembellished singing by professionals.
Study Design and Methods: A between-subjects, online experiment was used. A sample of 212 individuals (Mage = 33.14; 69.30% female) participated in the study. After completing a background section, participants were randomly allocated into one of the experimental conditions (hearing one of four versions of a well-known song: a control version with piano and no singing, amateur singing, professional plain singing, and professional singing in the style of reality television singing). Participants were then asked to judge the performance they heard and to respond to items concerning their singing self-concept (including singing ability).
Results and Conclusions: A series of ANCOVAs was used to examine the impact of the experimental condition on the participants’ performance judgments and singing self-concept. The amateur singing was judged as the lowest quality. While there was no significant difference by experimental condition regarding possessing good singing ability, the experimental condition did affect people's singing aspirations and perceived ability to sing along with the performers. The pattern of results suggests that exposure to reality television-style singing may have negative impacts on people's singing self-concept via upward social comparison. Self-concept has been identified as an important predictor of musical engagement and participation and plays a role in motivating action. These results encourage music educators, singing voice pedagogues, and community musicians seeking to promote musical and singing participation to be aware of cultural influences on an individual's singing self-concept
Chief financial officer overconfidence and earnings management
No full textThis study explores the relationship between overconfident Chief Financial Officers (CFOs) and earnings management. Through the lens of upper echelons and overconfidence theories, and using a large sample of 14,156 observations of US firms from 1999 to 2021 inclusive, our study finds that overconfident CFOs are positively associated with earnings management. We show that overconfident CFOs use earnings management to reduce earnings volatility, given that a smooth performance can release their financing pressure. In doing this, we rule out another possible explanation of overconfident CFOs engaging in earnings management to pursue high compensation. Our findings pass a series of robustness tests, including entropy balancing, the Difference-in-Differences test based on the propensity score matching sample (PSM-DID), and alternative measures of main variables. Our study provides a new determinant of earnings management that has more explanatory power than CFO demographic traits – i.e. CFO cognitive biases. Our findings nonetheless show the “bright” side of CFO overconfidence, helping investors, regulators, and policymakers understand overconfident CFOs’ financial reporting decisions