50716 research outputs found
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Effects of Fertility on Children Stunting: Quantity or Quality
No full textThis study applies the Q-Q trade-off theory to investigate the effects of fertility on children’s stunting in Nigeria using the 2018 Demographic and Health Survey. We use two-stage least square estimations to control for the endogeneity of fertility and unobserved heterogeneity in children’s nutritional status. The findings show that fertility has negative effects on the height-for-age Z score i.e., children’s height in Nigeria. Further insights into children’s place of residence and geopolitical zone reaveal that the negative effects of fertility on the height-for-age Z score are higher for children aged 6-23 months, female children, children living in rural areas, and children living in the Northern region. Based on the findings, three policies are recommended to reduce the high fertility rate and children stunting in Nigeria
Time-Weighted Nonnegative Adaptive Bridge Regression for Financial Index Tracking
No full textStocks have long been a major focus for study and investment, representing a significant portion of the investment market. The stock index is a crucial concern for investors. With advancements in financial technology and more thorough investment research, investors have become increasingly cautious, often constructing optimal investment portfolios. Recently, portfolio strategy research has frequently incorporated statistical models, with stock indices compiled using various methods playing a vital role. Index tracking methods are employed to create investment portfolios that match the performance of target market indices, aiming to achieve returns similar to those indices. The selection of individual stocks is critical in building an effective investment portfolio. Investors typically select multiple high-quality stocks to form an index-tracking investment portfolio. This article introduces a new exponential tracking method-nonnegative time-weighted adaptive bridge regression-that combines nonnegative variable selection and bridge estimation techniques. The paper details the estimation consistency, variable selection consistency, and asymptotic properties of the model. Meanwhile, the model is solved using the local group coordinate descent method. The tracking error measurement demonstrates that the model’s fit surpasses that of the nonnegative variable selection method.</p
Novel Perspectives on Transformative Service Research
No full textThe field of Transformative Service Research (TSR) has emerged over a decade ago with a range of seminal and call-to-action papers which have subsequently sparked and stimulated scholars’ interest in academic work at the intersection of Transformative Consumer Research and Service Research. This special research paper is a perspective piece that sketches trajectories for Transformative Service Researchers drawing on the combined knowledge and work of established researchers in the field who take a future perspective by highlighting theprospective development of the domain. Introducing the 10-Collaborators (10C) Framework, the article outlines a roadmap by relating to the different actors at the micro, meso, macro, and meta levels of the service ecosystem. These collaborators can be affected by contexts that create perceived vulnerability but are also required to collaborate to ensure the wellbeing of the system itself and its actors. The paper delineates novel TSR approaches for each of the levels and its actors as well as for the conceptual, methodological, practice and policydomains, and outlines novel initiatives. It deducts future research paths and actions points for TSR scholars and practitioners
Automated Assessment of Pain (AAP) and Multimodal Sensing Grand Challenge for Next-Gen Pain Assessment (AI4Pain)
No full textPain communication varies, with some individuals being highly expressive regarding their pain and others exhibiting stoic forbearance and minimal verbal account of discomfort. Considerable progress has been made in defining behavioral indices of pain [1]-[3]. An abundant literature shows that a limited subset of facial movements, in several non-human species, encode pain intensity across the lifespan [2]. To advance reliable pain monitoring, automated assessment of pain is emerging as a powerful mean to realize that goal. Though progress has been made, this field remains in its infancy. The workshop aims to promote current research and support growth of interdisciplinary collaborations to advance this groundbreaking research.</p
Development of wood-geopolymer composites for masonry units:Effect of alkaline solution ratio and wood type
No full textThe construction industry significantly impacts the environment through greenhouse gas emissions and extensive consumption of natural resources. Repurposing waste wood into innovative construction materials, such as masonry units, offers promise in mitigating these effects. Waste wood possesses favorable properties for masonry block production, including good energy absorption, desirable heat and sound insulation, and lightweight nature. Using a sustainable binder, such as a geopolymer, could further enhance the overall sustainability of these materials, allowing for rapid development of strength, improved durability, and heightened protection against fire and weathering effects. Accordingly, this study explored the feasibility of producing wood-geopolymer composites (WGC) suitable to produce masonry units. Through rigorous experimentation, a mix design chart for low workable WGC was developed, facilitating controlled workability in the production process. Additionally, it was observed that the viscosity of the sodium silicate significantly affected the workability of WGC, particularly at low workability. Furthermore, the study found that increasing the relative sodium silicate ratio from 1.56 to 2.00 resulted in an approximately 20% increase in compressive strength. This highlights the importance of binder composition in optimizing the mechanical properties of WGC masonry units. Moreover, it was discovered that both wood chips and wood shavings demonstrated comparable effects on the workability and strength of WGC, indicating potential flexibility in utilizing different forms of waste wood in the production process.</p
The cost of recovering Australia’s threatened species
No full textAccounting for the cost of repairing the degradation of Earth’s biosphere is critical to guide conservation and sustainable development decisions. Yet the costs of repairing nature through the recovery of a continental suite of threatened species across their range have never been calculated. We estimated the cost of in situ recovery of nationally listed terrestrial and freshwater threatened species (n = 1,657) across the megadiverse continent of Australia by combining the spatially explicit costs of all strategies required to address species-specific threats. Individual species recovery required up to 12 strategies (mean 2.3), predominantly habitat retention and restoration, and the management of fire and invasive species. The estimated costs of maximizing threatened species recovery across Australia varied from AU12,626 per ha, depending on the species, threats and context of each location. The total cost of implementing all strategies to recover threatened species in their in situ habitat across Australia summed to an estimated AU$583 billion per year, with management of invasive weeds making up 81% of the total cost. This figure, at 25% of Australia’s GDP, does not represent a realistic biodiversity conservation budget, but needs to be accounted for when weighing up decisions that lead to further costly degradation of Australia’s natural heritage.</p
Oral history as an analytical tool : Eve Mahlab and the Australian Trailblazing Women Law Project
No full textThis article adds to a growing body of literature that aims to correct the traditional lack of attention to the role of women lawyers who have exercised their power as active citizens by participating in legal reform and facilitating access to social justice for all Australians. The paper highlights the unique contribution to gender equality of one such woman, Eve Mahlab AO, through a close examination of her oral history, which was drawn from the pilot stage of a project that now comprises a corpus of over fifty interviews recorded with ‘trailblazing’ Australian women lawyers. The methodology adopted is innovative in combining a legal analysis and a discourse analysis of the interview with Eve Mahlab. This approach offers insights into those aspects of her personal and professional biography that most influenced and enabled her contributions in the public and private spheres, allowing us to publicly acknowledge and record them. The paper demonstrates how such use of oral history broadens and deepens our understanding of the diverse social and professional forces that shape political consciousness and motivate feminist engagement in civic activity
A Survey of Intergenerational Programs in Australian Residential Aged Care Homes During the COVID-19 Pandemic
No full textPeople living in residential aged care homes in Australia often have limited opportunities for meaningful social engagement. The present study aimed to characterize the state of intergenerational programs in residential aged care within a nationwide Australian sample. A total of 572 valid survey responses were received. A large number of aged care homes had existing programs, but only 18.2% had active programs; 44.4% reported their programs as temporarily suspended, predominantly due to COVID-19. The most common activities included singing (67.8%), games (56.8%), reading (51.1%) and craft (41.5%). Mental health and wellbeing, opportunity to socialize, and connection with the community were considered as the main benefits. There is consensus on the benefits of well-placed programming and engagement. Several barriers and challenges to engagement exist, including the COVID-19 pandemic. Aged care homes need adequate information and support to increase their ability to offer intergenerational programs between residents and community members
Cognitive vulnerability, anxiety, and physical well-being in relation to 10-year cardiovascular disease risk:The ATTICA epidemiological study
No full textThis study aimed to evaluate the association between irrational beliefs and the 10-year cardiovascular disease (CVD) incidence among apparently healthy adults. The ATTICA study is a population-based, prospective cohort (2002–2012) consisting of 853 participants without evidence of CVD (453 men and 400 women) who underwent psychological evaluations. Participants completed the Irrational Beliefs Inventory (IBI, range 0–88), a self-reported measure consistent with the Ellis model of psychological disturbance. We conducted a factor analysis to develop irrational beliefs factors to evaluate the association between subcategories of irrational beliefs and CVD incidence. Demographic characteristics, detailed medical history, other psychological factors, and dietary and other lifestyle habits were also evaluated. The incidence of CVD was defined according to the International Coding Diseases (ICD)-10 criteria. The identified dominant irrational beliefs factor, “cognitive vulnerability to anxiety,” consisted of demandingness, perfectionism, emotional irresponsibility, anxious overconcern, dependence on others, and overconcern for the welfare of others, was strongly associated with an increased 10-year CVD risk. Nested multi-adjusted regression analysis revealed that anxiety, as well as negative physical well-being, mediated this relationship, and subset of irrational beliefs predicted CVD risk directly and indirectly through anxiety and negative physical well-being. These findings further map the path through which irrational beliefs can contribute to CVDs and provide insights in favor of preventive healthcare.</p