State Of Existing Literature Research Articles

Psychological consequences of motor vehicle accidents: A systematic review

People involved in motor vehicle accidents (MVA) are at increased risk for psychological problems. Although the existing literature states that MVAs cause substantial negative mental health effects, summarizing and comparing these effects to understand their consequences could be more explored. This systematic literature review provides an overview of the literature surrounding the psychological consequences of MVAs to summarize and quantify their effects on mental health. The studies published in an English-language journal in the last 20 years (2001–2021) that present psychological consequences of MVAs were included. Web of Science, Scopus, and PubMed databases were used for the literature search. The systematic literature search found 23 eligible studies. After identifying all relevant studies on the topic, we synthesized the applied psychological assessment methods and the psychological consequences of MVAs. Current gaps in the reviewed papers and what future research are needed are also discussed. Results indicated that negative psychological consequences following an MVA are substantial, with all studies pointing to negative consequences in at least one psychopathology. Trauma-related MVA injuries are associated with elevated psychological distress, and MVA-related psychological consequences could have long-term effects if left untreated.

Edibility of Trachyandra ciliata (L.F.) kunth - an underutilized vegetable from South African Western Cape Coast: A review

security and nutrition and promote sustainable crop production by 2050. However, climate change, increasing soil salinization and the inadequate availability of fresh water have negatively affected crop production around the world including South Africa, making it difficult to meet the required target. This necessitates the use of wild edible plants that are adapted to adverse conditions such as drought and salinity in order to mitigate this problem. The genus Trachyandra (Asphodelaceae) consist of three edible species (T. ciliata, T. divaricata and T. falcata) which are native to the dry saline environments of the western Cape coastal sand dunes. The genus is less studied with no record of cultivated species, although the existing literature states that T. ciliata, (wild cabbage) was originally used as a food source by the indigenous Khoi-san people who lived on the South African Cape coast. Colonization and removal of indigenous people from cultural lands led to erosion and detachment from the knowledge of the land and its useful plants. The species is used in selected restaurants where the inflorescence is steamed and eaten as a vegetable or added into a stew. This review explores the importance of Asphodelaceae family, T. ciliata as a vegetable crop and its potential as a pharmaceutical candidate. Furthermore, this review examines potential technological advances such as hydroponics that could be used for sustainable crop production of T. ciliata. The Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) was utilized in the selection of articles in this review. The existing literature provided useful information on the potential of T. ciliata as a vegetable crop and the importance of using halophytes to achieve food security. This appraisal is expected to serve as a template for researchers, food enthusiasts, potential farmers and policy makers who may be keen in exploring further nutritional composition and medicinal potential of this plant.

Rank-Full Arrays for 1-D Mirrored Aperture Synthesis

The antenna array arrangement determines the rank of the transformation matrix in 1-D mirrored aperture synthesis (1-D MAS). Only when the transformation matrix is of full rank can cosine visibilities be precisely solved from the transformation equations. However, the existing literature states that full rank cannot be realized with the default perpendicular polarization of antennas. In this letter, the transformation matrices of arrays with various polarizations of antennas are discussed, and a type of full array with a full-rank transformation matrix is found. Based on these results, the existence conditions for an array with a full-rank transformation matrix are obtained. In addition, a search algorithm with a shorter search time than the existing algorithm is designed to find low-redundancy arrays with a full-rank transformation matrix. The simulations verify that cosine visibilities are precisely solved from the transformation equations for the array with a full-rank transformation matrix.

Perception of smile attractiveness among orthodontists, restorative dentists, and laypersons in Saudi Arabia.

Background:A smile is defined as a universal welcome. The perception of smile attractiveness is affected by the persons' social background and their own experiences. The existing literature states that orthodontists, restorative dentists, and laypersons have different opinions.Aims:The aim of this study is to compare the perception of orthodontists, restorative dentists, and laypersons regarding smile esthetics.Materials and Methods:A survey-based study was conducted. The target population was orthodontists, restorative dentists, and laypersons in Saudi Arabia. An electronic survey that included digitally altered photographs representing different smile parameters was designed by an Adobe Photoshop Certified Expert. Participants were asked to choose the most attractive smile in each question.Results:Unilateral changes in the width or length of the central incisors were the least attractive among the three groups. About 38%, 48%, and 41% of the participating orthodontics, restorative dentists, and laypersons, respectively, found that wider buccal corridors were more attractive. Moreover, 27% of the laypersons found the reversed smile arc to be attractive.Conclusion:The tolerance level in evaluating the asymmetry and the width of the buccal corridors was similar for the three groups. Laypersons were less sensitive to the deviations from the ideal in the smile arc and the amount of lower lip coverage of the incisors.Clinical Significance:Understanding the differences in the perception of smile attractiveness among orthodontists, restorative dentists and laypersons will undoubtedly be beneficial in diagnosis, setting treatment objectives and treatment planning.

Do labour unions mitigate labour conflicts in China’s manufacturing firms?

PurposeThis paper aims to examine whether labour unions influence labour conflicts and this mechanism is different in China compared with other countries.Design/methodology/approachThis paper uses the data from the China Employer–Employee Survey that interviewed 1,208 firms and 10,087 workers in 2016 as the measurement of variables, and it uses Logit regression model to do the empirical research.FindingsUnions cannot significantly influence labour conflicts. More active unions and unions whose leaders are appointed by the firms’ management are associated with a higher incidence of labour conflicts.Originality/valueThis paper finds a new mechanism that explains the relationship between unions and labour conflicts. The existing literature states that unions may increase labour conflicts via “monopoly power” and may also mitigate labour conflicts via “voice mechanisms”. This paper’s findings show that the positive correlation between unions and labour conflicts may be explained by the lack of “voice mechanism” rather than “monopoly power”. The findings imply that labour unions should represent the interest of workers to mitigate the increasing labour conflicts.

Managing natural resources – are family firms different from other firms

The main objective of this paper is to show differences in natural resource management between family-firms and other firms. Existing literature states that many family firms feature a strong rooting in the industrial sector and rely heavily on existing natural resources as basis of their success. As natural resources are limited, it must be suspected that family firms’ economic success has a limited timespan if resources are not managed from a perspective of sustainability. This study shows that family firms view their natural resources both as more important and subjectively scarcer than non-family firms. This, however, is not reflected in resource management activities, as family firms show less such activities than other companies.

Effects of Perceived Stressors and Psychiatric Morbidity on Academic Performance of University Students

The current study aims at examining the effects of perceived stressors and psychiatric morbidity on the students’ academic performance by taking COMSATS Institute of Information Technology, Attock as case study. Using a cross sectional design the data was collected on four stressors, i.e. Workload, Emotional and Interpersonal Demands and three types of psychiatric morbidities, i.e. Depression, Anxiety and Social Dysfunction from 379 students. The Job-Demand-Resource Model (JD-R) model was used as theoretical base for formulating research framework. The existing literature states that level of students’ performance varies with the level of perceived stress and symptoms of mental illness. The findings of current study are in concurrence with findings of previous research. It has been found that perceived stressors and symptoms of mental illness were negatively related with students’ academic performance. The results of this study will be helpful to students, teacher and to administration of University for taking conducive steps to minimize the impacts of perceived stress on the students’ academic performance.

Stress management in the field of banking sector: A review of the literature

Today workplace stress is becoming a major issue and a matter of concern for the employees and the organizations. It has become a part of life for the employees, as life today has become so complex at home as well as outside that it is impossible to avoid stress. Selye [1936] defines stress as “a dynamic activity wherein an individual is confronted with an opportunity, constraint or demand”. Organizational stress arises due to lack of person- environment fit. When organizational stress is mismanaged, it affects the human potential in the organization. It further leads to reduced quality, Productivity, health as well as wellbeing and morale. Thus, Stress is inevitable in our society. Researchers on stress make it clear that, to enter in to the complex area of stress, especially in to the area of occupational stress, is very difficult. Stress is an unavoidable consequence of modern living. With the growth of industries, pressure in the urban areas, quantitative growth in population and various problems in day to day life are some of the reasons for increase in stress. Stress is a condition of strain that has a direct bearing on emotions, thought process and physical conditions of a person. Steers [1981] indicate that, “Occupational stress has become an important topic for study of organizational behavior for several reasons.”1. Stress has harmful psychological and physiological effects on employees, 2. Stress is a major cause of employee turnover and absenteeism, 3. Stress experienced by one employee can affect the safety of other employees, 4. By controlling dysfunctional stress, individual and organization can be managed more effectively. During the past decade, the banking sector had under gone rapid and striking changes like policy changes due to globalization and liberalization, increased competition due to the entrance of more private (corporate) sector banks, downsizing, introduction of new technologies, etc. Due to these changes, the employees in the banking sector are experiencing a high level of stress. The advent of technological revolution in all walks of life coupled with globalization, privatization policies has drastically changed conventional patterns in all sectors. The banking sector is of no exemption. The 1990s saw radical policy changes with regarding to fiscal deficit and structural changes in India so as to prepare her to cope with the new economic world order. Globalization and privatisation led policies compelled the banking sector to reform and adjust to have a competitive edge to cope with multinationals led environment. The implications of the above said transformations have affected the social, economical and psychological domains of the bank employees and their relations. Evidence from existing literature states that more than 60% of the bank employees have one or other problem directly or indirectly related to these drastic changes. All the factors discussed above are prospective attributes to cause occupational stress and related disorders among the employees. Although a lot of studies have been conducted on the psychosocial side of the new policy regime in many sectors, there are only few studies, as far as the banking sector is concerned, while the same sector has been drastically influenced by the new policies. In this juncture, the present study is undertaken to address specific problems of bank employees related to occupational stress. This throw light in to the pathogenesis of various problems related to occupational stress among bank employees.

Selection, Timing and Total Performance of Equity Funds: Wasting Time Measuring Timing

Existing literature states that timing activities bias traditional mutual fund performance measures like Jensen’s alpha. In contrast, we show analytically and via a comprehensive empirical analysis that measures of total performance are virtually identical for Jensen’s alpha and popular unconditional timing models. Furthermore, we find similar relations for conditional timing measures. Finally, we show that all measures result in very similar statistical significance. Since measured selection and timing performance yield no informational benefit with respect to total performance, we conclude that Jensen’s alpha is an accurate total performance measure even in the presence of significant timing ability.