Established Relationship Research Articles

Using Machine Learning Methodology to Model Nutrient Discharges from Ports: A Case Study of a Fertilizer Terminal

Marine eutrophication is a pervasive and growing threat to global sustainability. Thereby, nutrient discharges to the marine environment should be reduced to a minimum. When fertilizers are loaded to the vessels in ports, a significant amount of nutrients are released into the sea, but so far these actions have received little attention. Here, we employed the Boosted Regression Trees modeling (BRT) to define the relationships between fertilizer loading, the loading area, rain intensity, nutrient discharge, and the marine environment, and then used the established relationships to predict the daily nutrient discharge due to fertilizer loading. The studied subject was a port in the Gulf of Finland, where significant amounts of both nitrogen and phosphorus are loaded to vessels. BRT models accounted for a significant proportion of the variability of nutrient discharge. As expected, the nutrient discharge increased with the number of fertilizers loaded and the intensity of rain. On the other hand, with the increasing loading area, the total nitrogen discharge increased, but the total phosphorus discharge decreased. The latter result may be due to the different characteristics of the loading areas of different terminals. The model predicted that at the studied port, the total nitrogen and phosphorus discharge to the marine environment due to fertilizer loading was 272,906 and 196 kg per year, respectively. Importantly, the developed model can be used to predict the nutrient loads for different future scenarios in order to propose the best mitigation methods for nutrient discharges to the sea.

An Imputing Technique for Surface Water Extent Timeseries with Streamflow Discharges

A continuous and multi-decadal surface water extent (SWE) record is vital for water resources management, flood risk assessment, and comprehensive climate change impact studies. The advancements in remote sensing technologies offer a valuable tool for monitoring surface water with high temporal and spatial resolution. However, challenges persist due to image gaps resulting from sensor issues and adverse weather conditions during data collection. To address this issue, one way to fill the gaps is by leveraging in situ measurements such as streamflow discharges (SFDs). We investigate the relationship between SFDs and Landsat-derived SWE in the New England region watersheds (eight-digit hydrological unit code (HUC)) on a monthly scale. While previous studies indicate the relationship exists, it remains elusive for larger domains. Recent research suggests using monthly average SFD data from a single stream gage to fill the gaps in SWE. However, as SWE represents a monthly maximum value, relying on a single gage with average values may not capture the complex dynamics of surface water. Our study introduces a novel approach by replacing the monthly average SFD with the maximum day streamflow discharge anomaly (SFDA) within a month. This adjustment aims to better reflect extreme scenarios, and we explore the relationship using ridge regression, incorporating data from all stream gages in the study domain. The SWE and SFDA are both transformed to stabilize the variance. We found that there is no discernible correlation between the magnitude of the correlation and the size of the basins. The correlations vary based on HUC and display a wide range, indicating the variances of the importance of stream gages to each HUC. The maximum correlation is found when the stream gage is located outside of the target HUC, further verifying the complex relationship between SWE and SFDA. Covering over 30 years of data across 45 HUCs, the imputing technique using ridge regression shows satisfactory performance for most of the HUCs analyzed. The results show that 41 out of 45 HUCs achieve a root-mean-square error (RMSE) of less than 10, and 44 out of 45 HUCs exhibit a normalized root-mean-square error (NRMSE) of less than 0.1. Of 45 HUCs, 42 have an R-squared (R2) score higher than 0.7. The Nash–Sutcliffe efficiency index (Ef) shows consistent results with R2, with the relative bias ranging from –0.02 to 0.03. The established relationship serves as an effective imputing technique, filling gaps in the time series of SWE. Moreover, our approach facilitates the identification and visualization of the most significant gages for each HUC, contributing to a more refined understanding of surface water dynamics.

Yes, No, Maybe So: The Effects of Relationship Status on Perceptions of Inferred Consent.

Despite the notion that sexual consent is either granted or refused, its communication can sometimes be ambiguous. This uncertainty stems from the tendency to rely on implicit, nonverbal cues to indicate consent. Without clear, explicit communication, people might be encouraged to rely upon contextual information when assessing whether a sexual encounter was consensual. Perceived levels of intimacy and familiarity in a relationship might influence these perceptions, such that prior intimacy might lead to ambiguously communicated consent being interpreted as more consensual. Gender roles can dictate the behaviors expected in a sexual encounter, with female-initiated sexual violence against men potentially being perceived as more consensual than the inverse. The current study examined how relationship type (Experiments 1 and 2) and gender pairing (Experiment 2) influenced participants' perceptions of how consensual various sexual encounters were. Participants read a series of vignettes in which sexual consent was verbally granted, verbally rejected, or inferred using nonverbal cues. Additionally, the dyads' relationships were either described as dating, friends, or strangers. Following vignette presentation, participants provided judgments regarding how consensual the interactions were. Experiment 2 expanded upon this by manipulating the gender of the initiators and targets. When consent was not clearly indicated, more established relationships were associated with higher ratings of perceived consent. Male targets were attributed more responsibility for sexual interactions, and they were also believed to want nonconsensual sex more than female targets. These findings highlight the importance of contextual information in instances where sexual consent is unclear.

Curve Trajectory Model for Human Preferred Path Planning of Automated Vehicles

Automated driving systems are often used for lane keeping tasks. By these systems, a local path is planned ahead of the vehicle. However, these paths are often found unnatural by human drivers. In response to this, this paper proposes a linear driver model, which can calculate node points reflective of human driver preferences and based on these node points a human driver preferred motion path can be designed for autonomous driving. The model input is the road curvature, effectively harnessed through a self-developed Euler-curve-based curve fitting algorithm. A comprehensive case study is undertaken to empirically validate the efficacy of the proposed model, demonstrating its capacity to emulate the average behavioral patterns observed in human curve path selection. Statistical analyses further underscore the model's robustness, affirming the authenticity of the established relationships. This paradigm shift in trajectory planning holds promising implications for the seamless integration of autonomous driving systems with human driving preferences.

Relaciones afectivas y calidad de vida en el ámbito de las enfermedades raras: una revisión sistemática

Quality of life in patients and caregivers cannot be conceived without including social needs. The aim of this research is to conduct a systematic review showing empirical evidence of how affective relationships influence the quality of life of patients with rare diseases and their caregivers. A search was conducted in the Web of Science, Scopus and PsycInfo databases. A total of 4923 articles were found, which after the screening process were reduced to 12 studies. The effects of affective relationships were found both in the family nucleus and in its components independently (parents, siblings and patients). It is evident that both the family and the extra-familial environment are essential to improve quality of life. It is recommended that future research should study the interactions between the established relationships to offer a better intervention.

Model for Wastage Allowance and Strength Properties of Pipe Piles Exposed to Marine Corrosion

The study’s objective is to analyze the mechanical properties of steel pipe piles as a part of a trestle bridge subjected to five years of natural marine corrosion degradation. Sixteen tensile specimens are extracted from the steel pipe piles in the splash, tidal, and immersion zones. The experimental tensile test results are used to establish regression equations defining the elastic modulus, yield strength, strain hardening index, and strength coefficient for the true stress–strain curves of the three regions. A non-linear time-dependent mathematical model is exploited to identify the corrosion degradation, using the data from one single corrosion degradation measurement campaign. The analysis indicates that the splash zone is experiencing the most severe corrosion degradation, and there are progressive losses in the mechanical properties of each zone as the corrosion degradation progresses. The established relationships of the mechanical properties, as a function of the ratio of corroded plate thickness to the as-built one, can be used as a fast-engineering approach to identify the mechanical properties of severely corroded piles. The corrosion degradation allowance is also defined using the first-order reliability method, accounting for existing uncertainties covered by the partial safety factors. By examining the impact of marine corrosion on the mechanical properties of marine structures and developing predictive models to assess the corrosion’s effect on material strength and corrosion allowance, the study aims to improve offshore structures’ safety, design, and maintenance.

Effect of a Multidisciplinary Review Panel on Daily Morphine Milligram Equivalents for Patients With Chronic Pain.

Physicians and other health care professionals are challenged regularly to balance managing pain for patients with chronic pain receiving chronic opioid therapy (COT) with following the national guidelines and standards regarding daily morphine milligram equivalents (MME). This quality improvement project aimed to determine the effect of referral to a multidisciplinary review panel on daily MME for patients receiving COT for chronic pain. This quality improvement project included patients who had an established relationship with a primary care or community internal medicine clinician at a large health care organization and were referred to a newly created multidisciplinary review panel for their recommendations regarding treatment of pain. Criteria for patient referral were diagnosis of a chronic, painful condition, and use of chronic opioid medications. These patients were selected and referred at the discretion of their primary care clinician from January 2, 2019, through December 31, 2020. Data for this project were collected at the time of initial referral to the panel and 6 months after recommendations. The daily MME were assessed at the 2 time points. Thirteen patients were referred to the review panel during the project period. The median daily MME at the time of referral was 180. Daily MME decreased by a median of 14 MME after 6 months. The MME did not increase during the project period for any participants. Referral of patients receiving COT to a multidisciplinary review panel may reduce their daily opioid dose.

INFLUENCE OF LATENT TUBERCULOSIS INFECTION ON THE STATE OF THE AUTONOMIC NERVOUS SYSTEM AND SOMATOTROPIC HORMONE PRODUCTION

The influence of latent tuberculosis infection (LTBI) on the state of the autonomic nervous system (ANS) and the level of somatotropic hormone (STH) in adolescents (100 people) aged 11 to 13 years was studied. In patients with LTBI, there was an autonomic imbalance with a predominance of sympathicotonia, which was accompanied by hyperergic reactions to the recombinant tuberculosis allergen, while in vagotonic and eutonic patients the number of hyperergic reactions was significantly less. Insignificant dynamics of the immunological test, low levels of growth hormone, and low activity of phagocytosis in adolescents with vagotonia were established, which may indicate a lack of cellular immune response. A more pronounced inversion of the immunological test with the recombinant tuberculosis allergen was revealed against the background of preventive treatment in eutonics and sympathicotonics, who had a higher level of growth hormone and phagocytosis activity initially. The established relationship between the functional state of the ANS and the growth hormone indicator, which influence the activity of phagocytosis in patients with latent tuberculosis infection, can be used to predict the effectiveness of anti-tuberculosis preventive therapy and can serve as an additional prognostic criterion for assessing the risks of developing active tuberculosis.

Cultural adaptation in the educational environment: The role of pedagogical support

The study’s relevance is underscored by global trends in globalization, where enhancing the quality of higher education now hinges on tapping into educational opportunities in the global market and effectively addressing integration challenges in international education. In the coming years, the Far Eastern region of Russia anticipates a significant influx of individuals from different civilizations and predominantly of Chinese nationality, seeking education abroad. Foreign students form a cohesive community bound by shared national consciousness, cultural heritage, and language, underpinned by established relationships, mutual interests, values, and norms. Their extended exposure to a foreign cultural milieu and their voluntary engagement in intercultural interactions inevitably bring about challenges when interacting with individuals from different cultural backgrounds.

What do we know about how children and adolescents conceptualise violence? A systematic review and meta-synthesis of qualitative studies from sub-Saharan Africa.

Half of the world's children experience violence every year, but the meaning of violence is not universally agreed. We may therefore risk failing to measure, and address, the acts that matter most to children and adolescents. In this paper, we describe and synthesise evidence on how children and adolescents in sub-Saharan Africa conceptualise different behavioural acts which are deemed violence in childhood under WHO and UN CRC definitions. We conducted a systematic review of qualitative studies. We searched PsychINFO, CINAHL, Embase, Global Health, Medline and ERIC for all publications released prior to March 2023. 30 papers met inclusion criteria. We synthesised primary data from children and adolescents and drew upon theoretical and contextual interpretations of authors of included studies. Only 12 of more than 45 sub-Saharan African countries were represented with relevant research. Of the 30 included papers, 25 came from three countries: South Africa, Uganda and Ghana. Only 10 of 30 papers reported data from young children (pre-adolescence), and 18 of 30 papers primarily focused on sexual violence. 14 studies used child friendly and/or participatory methods. From this limited evidence, we identified six overarching themes in how children and adolescents conceptualised their experiences of acts internationally recognised as violence: 1) adults abusing or neglecting responsibility; 2) sexual violence from peers, family and community members; 3) violence in established intimate relationships; 4) emotional violence surrounding sex from peers and community members; 5) fighting and beating between peers; 6) street and community dangers. No studies meeting our inclusion criteria specifically examined children or adolescents' conceptualisations of homophobic or transphobic violence; violence against children with disabilities; boys' experiences of sexual violence from male perpetrators; trafficking, modern slavery or conflict; child labour; or female genital mutilation. We found that three dimensions were important in how children and adolescents constructed conceptualisations of violence: their age, relationship to the perpetrator, and the physical location of acts they had experienced. These dimensions were interrelated and gendered. The current limited evidence base suggests children and adolescents' conceptualisations of violence overlapped with, but were also distinct from, the WHO and UNCRC definitions of violence. Currently international survey tools focus on measuring types and frequencies of particular acts and neglect to focus on children's understandings of those acts. Relationship to perpetrator, age of child, physical location are all important in how children conceptualise their experiences of acts internationally recognised as violence, and therefore might be important for their health and social outcomes. Those developing measures should account for these dimensions when developing items for testing.

Assessing vegetation productivity and environmental impact in: A remote sensing approach

This study explores the dynamic response of vegetation productivity in semi-arid foothill rangelands of Uzbekistan, focusing on the Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) dynamics and its correlation with climatic and environmental variables. In contrast to established relationships reported in previous studies, our findings reveal distinctive seasonal patterns in NDVI values, with higher values observed during spring (0.150-0.300) and lower values in summer (0.100-0.130). The chlorophyll and carotenoid content of A. diffusa exhibited variations in response to seasonal changes, emphasizing the importance of considering seasonal factors in rangeland health assessments. Chlorophyll and green aboveground biomass are identified as key indicators of vegetation productivity, crucial for maintaining ecosystem balance and contributing to climate regulation. Significant relationships are observed between NDVI and water resources, including precipitation and soil moisture (P ≤ 0.0001), highlighting the impact of climatic factors on vegetation cover. Positive correlations between NDVI and total green aboveground biomass underscore the relevance of NDVI as an indicator of vegetation health in foothill rangelands. This research project represents an initial step in investigating vegetation changes due to grazing in Uzbekistan, providing recommendations for sustainable rangeland utilization. Establishing an ecological monitoring system, incorporating GIS and Remote Sensing technologies, is proposed for comprehensive understanding and sustainable management of this complex ecosystem. Ongoing and future research endeavors aim to develop modern methods for rangeland vegetation monitoring, facilitating the identification of critical regions and offering solutions to prevent and mitigate desertification effects.

Perceived feedback and school belonging: the mediating role of subjective well-being.

This study examined the interplay between perceived feedback (PF), subjective wellbeing (SWB), and students' sense of belonging to school (SBS). School belonging is a key factor for decisions regarding academic studies, and is usually impacted by PF. The current study explored whether SWB mediates the established relationship between PF and SBS. This was achieved by applying a mediation model to PISA 2018 data from 12,058 students in four areas of China. Perceived feedback positively affected students' SBS (β = 0.26, p < 0.01); and that SWB partially mediated this relationship between PF and SBS (β = 0.47, p < 0.01). The findings of this study have the potential to contribute to the existing literature on educational psychology and well-being. By shedding light on the mediating role of SWB, the research offers practical implications for educators and policymakers seeking to enhance students' school belonging and other implications for their academic success. Further research can contribute to this promising area, by focusing on subjective wellbeing and its impact on a range of decisions being made by students during a critical phase of their personal and academic development.

Effects of Sales and Distribution Expenses on Organizational Performance in Nigeria’s Consumer Goods Sector

The end goal of any organization is to deliver value to the consumers. This can be achieved by ensuring quality products get to the consumer through efficient sales and distribution channels. There are several costs associated with sales and distribution, including costs relating to the moment production is complete to the point it gets to the consumer and everything in between, including the cost associated with making the products attractive or desirable to consumers. These costs related to sales and distribution have the potential to impact some metrics of organizational performance. This study examines the impact of such costs on revenue, return on assets, and return on equity and gross margin in the Nigeria consumer goods sector from 2013 to 2021 in 14 companies. The results revealed that sales and distribution cost has (a) moderate to high positive association to revenue; (b) very high positive association to gross margin (c) and no established relationship with Return on Asset and Return on Equity. The study also revealed that alcoholic beverage companies spend comparatively more on sales and distribution costs. Ultimately, this results from this study when combined with future studies can help identify points of maximum efficiency in the sales and distribution cost, i.e. the point where maximum returns in terms of revenue and profit is reached before equilibrium or decline happens for every sales and distribution expense.

Formation of quality indicators of products based on fruits and berries

Fruits and berries are an integral part of a healthy diet. The seasonality of production, short-term preservation in fresh form predetermines the need for their processing in order to provide the population with the necessary nutrients year-round. Common sauces are tomato and mayonnaise sauces. The assortment of fruit sauces is limited, and the traditional technologies of their production do not make it possible to preserve the biologically active substances of vegetable raw materials in them as much as possible and do not always differ in high organoleptic indicators. The established relationship between the quality of the fruit product, its color, nutritional value, and digestibility is directly dependent on polyphenols, which are chemically active and extremely unstable. One of the adopted technological solutions aimed at preserving the polyphenols of cherries and black currants during the development of sauce technology is the use of aromatic plant raw materials widely distributed in Ukraine. Previous studies have suggested that the leaves of black currant, walnut, oregano, elderflower, and chamomile flowers are able to preserve polyphenols from oxidation. Studies have confirmed the assumptions. It was established that the adopted concentrations of additives are optimal and make it possible to preserve cherry and blackcurrant bioflavonoids by 34...82 % more compared to traditional products. According to the organoleptic parameters, the products are advantageously distinguished by their intense color and pleasant aroma, characteristic of the raw materials. The radioprotective properties of cherry and blackcurrant sauces were investigated. Their positive influence on the removal of radionuclides from the body has been proven. Sauces reliably have radioprotective, immunomodulating properties and can be used in therapeutic and preventive and baby nutrition

New insights into the correlation between soil thermal conductivity and water retention in unsaturated soils

AbstractThe heat transfer and water retention in soils, governed by soil thermal conductivity (λ) and soil water retention curve (SWRC), are coupled. Soil water content (θ) significantly affects λ. Several models have been developed to describe λ(θ) relationships for unsaturated soils. Ghanbarian and Daigle presented a percolation‐based effective‐medium approximation (P‐EMA) for λ(θ) with two parameters: scaling exponent (ts) and critical water content (θc). In this study, we explored the new insights into the correlation between soil thermal conductivity and water retention using the P‐EMA and van Genuchten models. The θc was strongly correlated to selected soil hydraulic and physical properties, such as water contents at wilting point (θpwp), inflection point (θi), and hydraulic continuity (θhc) determined from measured SWRCs for a 23‐soil calibration dataset. The established relationships were then evaluated on a seven‐soil validation dataset to estimate θc. Results confirmed their robustness with root mean square error ranging from 0.011 to 0.015 cm3 cm−3, MAE ranging from 0.008 to 0.013 cm3 cm−3, and R2 of 0.98. Further discussion investigated the underlying mechanism for the correlation between θc with θhc which dominate both heat transfer and water flow. More importantly, this study revealed the possibility to further investigate the general relationship between λ(θ) and SWRC data in the future.

RACIAL DIFFERENCES IN LONGITUDINAL TRAJECTORIES OF SOCIAL ISOLATION AND LONELINESS

Abstract The purpose of this study was to determine if there are racial differences in the longitudinal trajectories of social isolation and loneliness among older adults. Data come from the Health and Retirement Study Leave Behind Questionnaire, waves 2006-2016. Social isolation was operationalized as a social network index and loneliness was operationalized by the UCLA-3 item loneliness scale. Race was operationalized by White, Black, and Hispanic. I also adjusted for age, gender, education, household income, and employment status. Racial differences in longitudinal trajectories were determined by multilevel models with survey weights included by the HRS. In unadjusted models, I found Hispanic older adults were less likely to be socially isolated compared to White and Black older adults; furthermore, White older adults were less likely to be lonely compared to Black and Hispanic older adults. In fully adjusted models, White older adults had greater social isolation in comparison to Black and Hispanic older adults, and Black older adults had greater isolation compared to Hispanic older adults. For loneliness, Black older adults were found to be lonelier compared to Hispanic older adults, but not White older adults. This study is one of the first to examine racial differences in longitudinal trajectories of social isolation and loneliness. I find race is a salient factor that may influence objective isolation and feelings of loneliness among older adults. Given the established relationship between isolation, loneliness, and health, these findings are useful for identifying potential racial groups at higher risk for these conditions and informing future interventions.

Apple: Global Ethics and Transformational Leadership

Apple Inc. is an American technological company that designs, manufactures, and sells various products such as laptops, phones, accessories, streaming services, licensing services, and so much more. The paper explores the corporate responsibility and unethical business practices that arise from the global sourcing of Apple’s products. The company established many relationships with suppliers in East Asia to meet the rigorous demands of consumers, promising high-quality products at the expense of factory workers. However, global sourcing comes with unethical business practices. There have been various cases against Apple’s suppliers. This research highlights unfair working conditions, overworking employees, and environmental pollution that Apple’s suppliers are guilty of.

Nondestructive testing of local microcracking in laboratory mineral samples using an acoustic technique with a laser source of ultrasound and its verification with x-ray computer tomorgaphy

An acoustic technique of nondestructive testing of a local microcracking degree in laboratory mineral samples is proposed based on laser generation of ultrasound. A spectral power of broadband signals of longitudinal ultrasonic waves is measured, which are generated by absorption of pulsed laser radiation in a special material served as a laser source of ultrasound and further scattered on microcracks in samples (the so called structural noise power). The direct relationship between an increase in microcracking and a growth in the structural noise power in scanning regions of the samples has been obtained for feldspars of two types. For the first time, an independent method of X-ray computer tomography of the complex-shaped samples confirmed the reliability of the results of acoustic measurements. The established relationship between the local microcracking and structural noise power can be used in the monitoring systems for observing the crack formation in rocks and minerals under different external loadings.

Lateral Lumbar Spinal Stenosis: Associations With the Oswestry Disability Index, Visual Analogue Scale, and Magnetic Resonance Imaging.

Introduction Degenerative lumbar spinal stenosis is a communal problem in the sixth decade of life involving L4/L5 and L5/S1 levels. Lateral spinal stenosis is often underestimated because of no established relationship between the clinical symptoms and MRI findings. We conducted a study to establish an association between the degree of anatomical lateral stenosis, posterior disc height, and disc degeneration from MRI with the daily disability and pain severity for lateral lumbar spinal stenosis. Methods This was a cross-sectional study involving 121 patients with distinct clinical symptoms of lateral lumbar spinal stenosis evaluated from February 2018 to December 2019. The clinical data were evaluated using the Oswestry Disability Index (ODI) and Visual Analogue Scale (VAS), while magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) was assessed qualitatively for the anatomical gradation of lateral spinal stenosis, the magnitude of posterior disc height, and the extent of disc degeneration. Statistical analysis for the correlation between posterior disc height and ODI and VAS scores was evaluated using Pearson's correlation test via SPSS version 23.0 (IBM Inc., Armonk, New York), and the association between the extent of lateral stenosis and disc degeneration on MRI with ODI and VAS scores was determined by the Fisher Exact Test via STATA version 14.0 (StataCorp LLC, College Station, Texas). The association was considered statistically significant with a P-value of less than 0.05. Results The analysis of 121 patients showed the mean age of the patients was 58.7 ± 7.1 years old. The number of female patients was higher compared tomale patients, 52.9% and 47.1%, respectively. 97.5% of the patients were married or cohabiting, and 76.0% had an abnormal body mass index. The mean score of ODI and VAS was 62.2 ± 10.7% and 79.3 ± 8.6 respectively. 49.6% of the patient presented with a crippling disability with ODI assessment, while 59.5% presented with high pain intensity with VAS assessment. MRI assessment of anatomical grading lateral stenosis of L4/L5 level revealed that 45.5% of the patients had grade 2 lateral recess stenosis, 63.6% had grade 2 foraminal stenosis, and 44.6% had extraforaminal stenosis. L5/S1 level analysis showed that 43.0% had grade 2 lateral recess stenosis, 62.0% had grade 2 foraminal stenosis, and 29.8% had extraforaminal stenosis. 64.5% of patients had grade 4 disc degeneration of L4/L5 with mean posterior disc height of 7.0mm ±1.7mm while 59.5% had grade 4 disc degeneration of L5/S1 with mean posterior disc height of 6.3mm ±1.8mm. However, no statistically significant association between clinical symptoms and MRI findings was found. Conclusions There was no significant association between the clinical symptoms of pain and disability and the MRI findings for the anatomical gradation of lateral spinal stenosis, the magnitude of posterior disc height, and the extent of disc degeneration. A comprehensive clinical evaluation remains essential for an accurate diagnosis, emphasizing the necessity of appropriately correlating MRI findings with their clinical significance.

Measuring the antecedents of university students’ obsessive–compulsive buying behaviour of apparel: the mediating role of brand attachment

This research provides value to marketing researchers and professionals in regard to what triggers customers to purchase compulsively by studying the impact of materialism and self-congruence on the obsessive–compulsive buying behaviour (OCBB) of apparel by university students and the mediating role of brand attachment on these relationships. A total of 322 online questionnaires were gathered from university students who shop frequently. The PLS-SEM approach was used for data analysis using the SmartPLS V.3.3.3. software. The findings show that there is a relationship between Materialism, Brand attachment, self-congruence, and OCBB and that both self-congruence and materialism influence brand attachment. Finally, Brand attachment mediates both the relationship between Materialism and OCBB, as well as that between Self-congruence and OCBB. This is one of the first researches to study the mediating role of brand attachment on both relationships in one conceptual model and in an emerging market. The suggested implications include the launch of an awareness campaign on the negative consequences of OCBB on young adults, especially with the current economic conditions. In addition to implications for apparel brand managers on how they can utilize the established relationships to enhance their marketing plans which could increase long-term profitability.