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Aggression in a Cohort of Male Methamphetamine (METH) Users With and Without Kratom (Mitragyna speciosa Korth.) Use History in Malaysia

ABSTRACT Methamphetamine (METH) consumption is associated with aggression. Decoction derived from the kratom (Mitragyna speciosa Korth.) leaf has been used as a METH substitute in Southeast Asia. Given its perceived benefit, we investigated the relationship between kratom use and aggression in a treatment sample of METH users with and without kratom use history. Four hundred and three male METH users participated in this cross-sectional study. A semi-structured questionnaire and several objective clinical measures were administered. Results indicate that there were no significant differences in aggression and its dimensions between METH users with and without kratom use history. However, two distinct Clusters (1 and 2) of METH users with kratom use history were studied. Users in Cluster 1 were characterized by a higher quantity and frequency of daily kratom use, longer duration of kratom use, and use of kratom at a younger age. Users in Cluster 2 exhibited the opposite characteristics. Kratom dependence and the first age of kratom use were identified as risk factors for aggression in Cluster 1. The frequency of daily kratom use appeared as a protective factor against aggression in Cluster 2. The results offer partial support to the instrumental kratom use concept; lower frequency (1 to 3 times) of kratom use may potentially minimize aggression in METH users presenting with mild to moderate kratom dependence.

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Implicit cultural policies in Zimbabwe: insights from Stephen Joel Chifunyise’s plays and theatre

Sometimes cultural policies are dismissed and criticized by some artists and cultural practitioners as banal and other times they are deemed pivotal in the democratization of culture, cultural democracy and the advancement of a democratic society. This ambivalent perception of arts and cultural policies results in many missed opportunities in the production and distribution of cultural and creative expressions like plays and theatre. This paper sets out to answer the question about how cultural policies shape the advancement of cultural and creative expressions in post-independence Zimbabwe. Stephen Joel Chifunyise’s plays and theatre as case examples provide insightful snippets of the role and power of cultural policies in the advancement of the cultural and creative sector and the broader society. This is achieved through a review of academic publications, policy documents and cultural policy texts. The theoretical lens partially deployed here is interpretive policy analysis, which reads the meaning of cultural policies through authored and constructed policy texts such as plays, theatre productions, theatre infrastructure, theatre festivals, publishing houses, book fairs, policy documents and public pronouncements. In addition to the interpretive policy analysis, I also deploy the concept of explicit and implicit cultural policies to comprehensively look at the role of direct cultural policies and indirect cultural policies in the theatre sector in Zimbabwe. The second lens is used to analyse the impact of Zimbabwean implicit and explicit cultural policies on the theatre sector through Chifunyise’s plays and theatre. In critically answering the central question, this paper argues that Zimbabwe has several implicit cultural policies whose effect on the theatre is felt more through constructed cultural policy texts than authored cultural policy texts, and thus, all cultural expressions are inevitably shaped by one cultural policy or the other.

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Customizing a mass appraisal model for residential property tax assessment: a hedonic regression approach in Bahir Dar city, Ethiopia

PurposeThe paper aims to estimate the house rental values for the purpose of customizing mass appraisals in Bahir Dar City, Ethiopia. It seeks to identify the critical factors affecting the rental values of residential properties and customize a mass appraisal model for such properties. The study focuses on identifying attributes that significantly affect house rental values.Design/methodology/approachThe paper adopted a survey research design, utilizing a survey questionnaire, expert group discussion and document analysis. The data were analyzed using thematic, descriptive and inferential statistical analysis, including correlation and hedonic regression analysis.FindingsAmong the variables included in the model, the number of rooms, availability of schools, land value grading, type of nearest road, housing typology, built-up area, plot area, walling material, traveling cost and fencing materials were the most significant factors for predicting the annual rental value of residential properties in the city.Research limitations/implicationsThe findings of this study will provide valuable insights to tax assessors, property owners and local government authorities, including municipalities, concerning the key determinants of the rental values of residential properties. Besides, these findings will serve as a useful tool for valuers and researchers in the field of property value modeling.Originality/valueThis study represents the first attempt to develop a framework for mass appraisal of residential properties using annual rental values in the Ethiopian context.

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Climate resiliency of a tailings management facility: case study of Mont-Wright mine

ABSTRACT This study investigates the climate resiliency of the Mont-Wright mine tailings management facility (TMF) in Quebec, Canada, with a focus on tailings erosion and flooding. Ultra-high resolution (1 km) climate simulations of the global environmental multiscale (GEM) model, spanning the current (2001–2020) and future (2041–2060) periods, form the basis of this study. Comparison of GEM model outputs against gridded observation data suggests reasonable performance of the model in simulating TMF-relevant climate variables, giving confidence in the model. The analysis indicates potential increases in tailings erosion rates of up to 6% (0.01 g/m2s) for the future period due to elevated wind-induced shear stress. Floods, represented in terms of probable maximum flood, reveal future increases in magnitudes of up to 20% in summer/fall for durations of 12–72 h. Increases of up to 17% are projected for spring for the 72-h duration, with decreases noted for other durations due to precipitation efficiency reductions. The projected small increases in erosion rates, in absolute terms, are not deemed to be of any major concern. As for projected increases in flooding, Mont-Wright mine’s climate-change adaptation strategy, which is aligned with existing Quebec guidelines, seems reasonable to mitigate flooding impacts.

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Green human resource management and corporate social responsibility as drivers of organizational performance: mediating effects of employee engagement and corporate reputation in Vietnam

Purpose This study aims to investigate the relationship between green human resource management (GHRM), corporate social responsibility (CSR) and organizational performance (OP) of small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) by examining corporate reputation (CR) and employee engagement (EE) as mediators in Vietnam. Design/methodology/approach This study used the quantitative method with 458 valid responses from mid- to senior-level managers and chief executive officers (CEOs) were obtained and used for data analysis. To analyze and explore the relationships between constructs and mediators, SmartPLS version 4.0 structural equation modeling was used to analyze the data of the SMEs of Vietnam in 2023. Findings The results showed strong and positive relationships between GHRM, CSR and OP in SMEs, with CR and EE serving as significant mediators. Originality/value This research provides new insights into how GHRM and CSR enhance OP by using an integrated model that examines how CR and EE mediate this relationship. It demonstrates that businesses implementing GHRM and CSR can promote sustainable development among stakeholders, leading to improved OP in Vietnam’s dynamic economic environment. The findings have practical implications for executives and managers, emphasizing the need to balance stakeholder, environmental and social interests to optimize GHRM and CSR initiatives and foster sustainable growth. This study’s insights could significantly influence SMEs in the Vietnamese economy.

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