Gender Diversity Research Articles

Exploring electrocardiographic alterations and the prolongation of QT interval in patients with diabetes mellitus

ABSTRACT Background: Diabetes mellitus (DM) affects a substantial proportion of the world’s population and is associated with an increased risk of sudden cardiac death (SCD) due to cardiac arrhythmias, specifically prolonged QT intervals. This study investigates the correlation between glycemic control and cardiac health in 77 diabetic patients. Methods: Patients with both type 1 and type 2 DM aged 14 to 82 years were included. Various clinical and metabolic parameters were evaluated, including glycated hemoglobin (HbA1C). QT intervals were measured using electrocardiograms (ECGs), and patients were categorized based on their QTc intervals. SPSS was used for statistical analysis, including one-way ANOVA tests. Results: The study revealed diverse age and gender representation among diabetic patients. Most patients had type 2 diabetes (87%) with varying illness durations. Patients ranged in age from 14 to 82 years, with a mean of 48.14 16.58 years. The gender distribution was even (49% male and 51% female). Most participants had diabetes for less than five years (57%) and varied treatment histories (71% managed with oral hypoglycemic agents, 17% with insulin, and 12% with a combination). The ECG revealed ST-T alterations (4%) as well as sinus tachycardia (13%) and left ventricular hypertrophy (19%). Conclusion: This study sheds light on the intricate relationship between diabetes, glycemic control, and cardiac health. QTc interval variations were observed even though the clinical and metabolic profiles of the patients varied. The influence of glycemic control on QT intervals and cardiovascular outcomes in diabetic patients requires additional study.

Office soundscape assessment: A model of acoustic environment perception in open-plan officesa).

The soundscape approach has been utilised in recent research for residential environments, but applications to indoor working environments remain limited. This study investigated the suitability of affective quality evaluations of open-plan office acoustics. Perceptual assessments were completed by occupants of eight open-plan office floorplates, using affective dimensions outlined in PD ISO/TS 12913-3:2019 and indoor soundscape studies. Participant demographic, contextual, work-related quality, and psychological well-being data were collected. Workstation noise levels were measured following BS ISO 22955:2021. Principal component analysis identified Pleasantness, Eventfulness, and Emptiness as the main perceptual dimensions, cumulatively explaining 56% of the total variance. Results indicate the suitability of the PD ISO/TS 12913-3:2019 two-dimensional model for open-plan offices. The perceived presence of human sounds negatively correlated with ISO Pleasantness yet positively correlated with ISO Eventfulness. Participant gender and aural diversity mediated ISO Pleasantness. Psychological well-being and work-related quality correlated positively with soundscape pleasantness. No correlations were found between level-based acoustical indicators-equivalent continuous sound level (LAeq), level exceeded 10% (LA10) and 90% (LA90) of the time, level variability (LA10-LA90) and Liveliness-and perceptual scores. A conceptual representation of open-plan office soundscape perception is presented, offering a framework for evaluating and designing workspaces to enhance well-being.

Barriers and Facilitators in Lactation Support for the Preterm Mother-Infant Dyad: An Integrated Approach.

Breastfeeding offers significant health benefits for both mothers and infants, particularly preterm infants, where it serves as a therapeutic strategy to reduce mortality and morbidities. However, breastfeeding practices are threatened globally by societal norms and systemic barriers at both micro and macro levels. This paper explores the complex interplay of these barriers and facilitators, focusing on the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) setting. Preterm infants face specific feeding challenges due to immature physiological functions, yet evidence supports that strategies like cue-based feeding and individualized care can enhance feeding success and health outcomes. For mothers, initiating and maintaining lactation after preterm birth is critical but challenging, with early lactation support and achieving sufficient milk volume being key predictors of success. Partner support significantly influences lactation outcomes, although more inclusive research is needed for diverse family structures. In the NICU, a multidisciplinary approach to lactation care is vital, emphasizing the need for experienced staff and family-centered practices. NICU design, policies promoting parental presence, and adherence to Baby-friendly Hospital Initiative guidelines further support breastfeeding. This paper aims to provide directives for local breastfeeding policies through an integrated approach, considering societal attitudes and healthcare practices. The findings advocate for improved lactation support in NICUs, inclusive language and policies, and further research into diverse familial and gender roles in breastfeeding.

Disparities in sleep among diverse adolescents in two large statewide samples: A need for intersectional interventions

ObjectivesExamine very short sleep among adolescents across multiple intersecting social positions and experiences of sexual orientation-based bullying and cyberbullying in two statewide samples. MethodsA harmonization of two large statewide school-based datasets from grades 9-12 (2019 Minnesota Student Survey, and 2018-2019 California Healthy Kids Survey) was utilized for the analysis (N = 379,710). Exhaustive chi-square automatic interaction detection (an approach for quantitative intersectionality research) explored variability in very short sleep (≤5 hours/night) among adolescents from multiple intersecting social positions (race/ethnicity, gender identity, sexual orientation, and sex assigned at birth), grade, state, and two types of bullying experiences (sexual orientation-based bullying and cyberbullying). Intersectional groups reporting the highest prevalence of very short sleep were identified. We compared very short sleep rates among adolescents from the same social positions who experienced bullying with those who did not experience bullying. ResultsVery short sleep was common among this sample of adolescents (19.2%), especially among those holding multiple marginalized social positions (36.9%-51.4%). Adolescents who were transgender or gender diverse or questioning gender identity, and with minoritized sexual and racial/ethnic identities were overrepresented among high prevalence groups of very short sleep. Bullying experiences were reported by all highest prevalence groups. Adolescents who were bullied had 24.9%-51.3% higher rates of very short sleep than adolescents from the same intersecting social positions who were not bullied. ConclusionsVery short sleep is pervasive among marginalized adolescents. Findings suggest that victimization contributes to adolescents’ very short sleep rates. Individual-level interventions may fall short of promoting better sleep among adolescents; systemic interventions addressing bullying are needed. Clinical trial registrationN/A.

Trans and nonbinary students’ accounts of schooling: on epistemic witnessing, trans livability and the failure of the school cistem

ABSTRACT In this paper, we draw on accounts of trans and nonbinary youth we interviewed as part of a larger study on supporting gender diversity in schools. Our study is informed by an approach to epistemic witnessing which we conceive of as a praxis that is informed by a commitment to trans de-subjugation, testimonial justice and a transfeminist methodology with its critical focus on cissexist analytic pitfalls in research and refusal of objectification and overgeneralization of trans people. Our approach to analyzing interview data which refused the methodological constraints of forcing meaning into overdetermined and prescriptive thematic categories was also facilitative of this praxis. Overall, we provide testimonial accounts of trans youth navigating cisnormative school spaces and the tensions that arise around desires for trans (in)visibility which expose the cistemic forces at play in the education system in its failure to provide supportive conditions of trans livability and racial justice.

Show me your hand: An examination of voting methods at annual general meetings

Until 2022 Australian companies' legislation required that resolutions at annual general meetings be decided using a show of hands of those present at the meeting unless the meeting chair called a poll vote. The use of show of hands voting has been criticised as it ignores a shareholder's ownership stake and does not count the votes of shareholders that vote prior to the meeting. Additionally, there is anecdotal evidence that resolutions have been passed by a show of hands when votes cast prior to the meeting suggested that the resolution may have failed. This study investigates the extent of inappropriate passing of meeting resolutions, along with the determinants and consequences of the voting method employed. Consistent with the anecdotal evidence we report that some firms appear to have inappropriately passed resolutions using a show of hands vote. We document firms are more likely to vote by poll when they are larger, have lower stock returns, have greater board gender diversity and lower shareholder concentration. Importantly we find that the method of voting matters to shareholders and that a move away from voting by a show of hands encourages greater shareholder voting participation and dissent at the annual general meeting. Interestingly, firms are more likely to withdraw resolutions with higher dissent prior to the AGM when show of hands voting is discouraged.

Changes in spinal curve during dentistry studies measured with a Spinal Mouse device: A five-year prospective study.

Musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) often arise and develop during dentistry studies. The most affected regions are related to the spine. Possible associations between spinal curve parameters and MSDs have not yet been investigated amongst dentistry students. This longitudinal observational study aimed to determine whether spinal curve changes during dentistry studies, analyse the relationship between objective findings and subjectively declared MSDs and compare spinal curve parameters with those published in the literature. Seventy-three dentistry students answered a questionnaire on MSDs, and were examined using the Spinal Mouse® device at the beginning, in the middle, and at the end of their 5-year study. The spinal curve exhibited a gender diversity in the lumbar lordosis angle, sacrum inclination, and thoracolumbar ratio. From the first to fifth study year, we observed an increase in the range of motions in the sagittal and frontal planes, an increase in the maximal extent of right lateral inclination, and a decrease in maximal left lateral inclination. Whole-spine backward inclination increased only in women, and forward sacral inclination decreased. No statistically significant relationships were found between the objective findings and subjectively declared MSDs. The spinal curve shape differed between men and women and changed during dentistry studies. No objective markers or predictors of MSDs were found amongst the dentistry students. These findings can serve as a benchmark for further studies on the association between MSDs and objective findings.

The Effect of Women’s Role on Board, ESG Performance, and Tax Avoidance

This research examines the impact of board gender diversity on tax avoidance, with ESG performance as an intervening variable. Using 87 non-financial companies listed on the Indonesia Stock Exchange (IDX) with ESG scores from Thomson-Reuters ASSET4 during the 2017-2019 period, the study reveals that board gender diversity significantly influences tax avoidance, indicating that diversity does not improve tax compliance. The male-dominated boards in Indonesia limit the effectiveness of monitoring corporate activities, including tax avoidance. Additionally, gender diversity negatively affects ESG performance, suggesting that the small number of women on boards diminishes efforts to enhance sustainability. ESG performance does not mediate the relationship between gender diversity and tax avoidance, though it can reduce tax avoidance when transparency in ESG reporting is increased. Limitations include a small sample size and data restricted to the 2017-2019. Future studies could explore alternative tax avoidance measures and other corporate governance factors.

Regional gender bias and year predict gender representation on civil trial teams.

There are documented gender disparities in the legal field. We examined whether gender representation on civil trial teams varied on the basis of (a) the degree of regional gender bias "in the air" and (b) time. We hypothesized that women were underrepresented both on trial teams and in leadership roles within those teams. We predicted that these gender disparities were exacerbated in regions with stronger regional gender bias and that these gender disparities attenuated over time. We coded attorney gender and case outcomes in real civil trials (N = 655). We created regional implicit and explicit gender bias scores based on the year and region of the case using Project Implicit data. Finally, we used order-constrained inference and Bayesian modeling to identify the best-performing models. Overall, women represented only 17% of attorneys at trial and 13% in leadership roles-indicating vast gender disparities. Gender disparities on teams and in leadership roles were more extreme in regions with high (vs. low) regional gender bias (teams: Bayes factor [BF] = 9,182; leadership: BF = 91,667) and improved over time (teams: BF = 6,420; leadership: BF = 3,495). Gender alone best predicted the likelihood of serving in a leadership role (BF = 1,197,397). Female attorneys were grossly underrepresented on civil trial teams. Gender representation on teams, but not leadership roles, has improved slightly over time. Culture may also contribute; women were less represented on trial teams in regions with greater gender bias in the air-particularly in leadership roles. Despite these slight improvements in representation on trial teams over time and in low-bias regions, gender disparities in leadership roles persist over time and levels of regional bias. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2024 APA, all rights reserved).

A Comparative Analysis of Board Qualities and Performance of Listed Deposit Money Banks in Nigeria and Ghana

Disclosure of board information is crucial for good governance, risk management, and stakeholder relations in the banking sector. The board of directors’ quality is crucial in setting strategic direction and ensuring effective governance. This study comparatively examined the qualities of the board of directors of listed deposit banks in Nigeria and Ghana and assessed the effects of the board qualities on the financial performance of banks in the two countries. The study used an ex post facto research design, involving 19 deposit money banks listed on the Nigerian Exchange Limited and Ghanaian Stock Exchange. Data was collected from audited annual reports and analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics. The descriptive analysis includes mean, median mode, minimum, and maximum among others while the inferential analysis includes independent t-tests and panel regression. The study reveals that the board of listed deposit money banks in the Nigerian exchange group meets more frequently and is more independent than those in the Ghanaian stock exchange, and their board size is larger than in Ghana. Board female gender diversity of listed deposit money banks on the Nigerian exchange group is not significantly lower than the board female gender diversity of firms listed on the Ghanaian stock exchange. The study reveals that board gender diversity doesn’t significantly impact the financial performance of listed deposit money banks in Nigeria and Ghana. However, board independence has a negative effect in Nigeria, while board meetings negatively affect performance in Nigeria. Board size also has a positive effect in Nigeria. The study recommends that directors of listed banks in Nigeria should reduce the number of their meetings or expenses of the meeting because it is reducing the profitability of the companies. The study also recommends that the banks in Ghana should provide regular training for independent directors to enhance their understanding of the industry.

Indonesian Teachers’ Perspectives on Gender Representation in EFL Textbook Visual Images for Elementary Schools

Background: The use of gendered visual imagery in English as a Foreign Language (EFL) textbooks has raised concerns about perpetuating gender stereotypes and the potential effect on students' conceptions of gender roles. Despite the widespread use of mandated textbooks in primary classrooms in Indonesia, less is known about instructors' perceptions of gendered visual imagery. Methodology: This qualitative research employed a mixed-methods approach, incorporating quantitative and qualitative data collection and analytic methodologies. An investigation was conducted in Samarinda East Kalimantan to collect the perspectives of 41 teachers who teach English in elementary school regarding the gendered visual representations present in the mandatory EFL textbooks. Furthermore, 12 teachers were chosen to partake in exhaustive interviews to present more informed and profound perspectives. Findings: They merely focused on how to teach the materials rather than scrutinizing the gender bias represented through texts and visual images. The study revealed that a significant proportion of teachers (80%) believed that gendered visual imagery in textbooks was not impartial and could influence the gender roles of pupils. Furthermore, a significant majority (75%) said they often adjusted or avoided using these pictures in their teaching methods. The interviews highlighted the teachers' concern about the possible negative impact of these pictures on students' social relationships and self-image. However, they merely focused on how to teach the materials rather than scrutinizing the gender bias represented through texts and visual images Conclusion: The findings suggest that elementary school teachers in Indonesia know the potential negative repercussions of gendered visual images in EFL textbooks and have implemented measures to mitigate these effects. The study underscores the importance of incorporating diverse and inclusive visual materials into educational resources to promote gender equality and positive gender representations. This concept is new to them. They agree that gender equality needs to be addressed and discussed as part of the content in classroom practices to raise students’ awareness of gender bias. Originality: Previous studies have investigated the frequency and occurrence of gender bias in textbooks, found in images and texts. However, there is a lack of investigation into teachers' awareness of gender stereotypes in textbooks. This study enhances the existing corpus of literature by examining the perspectives of teachers on the use of gendered visual images in EFL textbooks in elementary schools in Indonesia. It emphasizes the importance of teachers and policymakers advocating for more inclusive educational resources and considering the impact of visual materials on students' gender perceptions

Gender Representation In The English Textbook: “My Next Words” For Fourth-Grade Students

This study was aimed to investigate gender representation in an English Textbook entitled Student’s Book My Next Words for Elementary School which published by The Republic of Indonesia’s Ministry of Education and Culture in 2021 and students opinion related gender equality. This study used a qualitative research with content analysis design. Porecca’ (1984) framework was adopted for analyzing the female and male representation in the English textbook: omission (the ratio of females to males) in texts and illustrations, firstness, occupational visibility, noun, masculine generic construction, and adjective. The result of gender omission is not too high with the average ratio of females to male 1:1.03. For social dominance was not found in the textbook. The result of this study from the variants of firstness, occupation, noun, and masculine generic for males are varier than for females. Some stereotypes were found such as cooking for females’ activity and the breadwinner role for males. A limitation of the study is this research focuses on one textbook only. Thus, this study can’t be generalized. For this purpose, another study with a larger sample would be required a deeper analysis of the picture of the EFL textbook.

Gender and race in neurotrauma: part 1-identifying inequalities in leadership, academics, and clinical trial management.

Gender and racial equality, or the lack thereof, is a constantly recurring theme in neurosurgery and under-reported in neurotrauma literature. This perspective piece addresses the underrepresentation and challenges faced by women and racial minorities in neurosurgery, and within the workforce of neurotrauma, specifically. The literature demonstrates that there is still a scarcity of females and racial minorities in neurosurgery leadership positions and that females are less likely to receive invited papers. The persistent challenges in navigating gender and racial dynamics in neurosurgery/neurotrauma underscore the need for progress in advancing intersectionality within the field, emphasizing the importance of addressing inequalities. Several strategies to improve gender and racial diversity in neurotrauma workforce, leadership and academics are presented.

Radiating for Two: Quantifying Radiation Exposure to Pregnant Urologists During Percutaneous Nephrolithotomy.

Current occupational recommendations limit fetal radiation dose to 1 mSv. With increased gender diversity in urology, understanding radiation exposure during pregnancy is crucial. The purpose of this study was to determine surgeon uterine radiation dose during percutaneous nephrolithotomy (PCNL) and compare effectiveness of several radiation reduction strategies in a cadaver model. Two cadavers were used to simulate the surgeon and patient in a PCNL model. An ion chamber was placed behind the surgeon's anterior uterine wall to measure radiation dose. Three radiation reduction methods were compared: pulsed fluoroscopy (1, 4, 8, 15, 30 pps), low-dose (LD) fluoroscopy, and surgeon shielding (none, 0.35, 0.50, 0.70 mm lead equivalents). The average radiation dose/second was recorded for 20 trials per combination. Assuming 5 minutes of fluoroscopy per PCNL, the number of cases required to exceed the fetal occupational limit was determined. Decreasing pulse frequency from 30 to 1 pps reduced dose by 96% (p<0.001). The LD setting decreased dose by 56% (p<0.001). A 0.35 mm lead apron resulted in a 94% dose reduction (p<0.001), and the 0.50 and 0.70 mm lead aprons further reduced dose by 12% and 47%, respectively. At conventional fluoroscopy settings of automatic exposure control and 30 pps, a surgeon could perform 12 PCNLs using no lead or 189 PCNLs using a 0.35 mm lead apron before reaching the 1 mSv limit. In addition to shielding, employing 1 pps with LD further decreased radiation exposure, allowing over 6000 cases to be performed with <1 mSv uterine radiation exposure. Within the limitations of this cadaver study, these data support that high volume pregnant surgeons employing active radiation reduction techniques such as pulsed, LD fluoroscopy and appropriate shielding can maintain surgical volume with relatively low risk. Fetal dosimeter use with monthly monitoring is still encouraged to confirm safety throughout pregnancy.

A viewpoint on stress generation methodology.

This article provides an overview of Stress Generation Methodology. Stress generation is a phenomenon in which individuals with depression or vulnerability to depression experience greater dependent stressful life events (SLEs), defined as stressors in which individuals at least partially contributed to occurrence. The stress generation process demonstrates how depressed individuals shape their environments, contributing to depression maintenance and exacerbation. Subsequent extensions have shown that other forms of psychopathology and a variety of cognitive and personality risk factors also predict stress generation. The focus on stress generation in women is accompanied by an emphasis on interpersonal stress. In addition to emphasizing communal SLEs, stress generation studies have also focused on communal vulnerability factors. However, men do not typically exhibit communal vulnerabilities to the degree that women do. Thus, it is also important to broaden the scope of vulnerability factors examined to include vulnerabilities associated with stress generation in men. These could include impulsivity, anger and aggression, and the need for autonomy and self-definition, all of which tend to be more common in males. Lastly, studies often employ self-report measures of SLEs which could artificially accentuate gender differences in stress generation findings. As existing studies may be more sensitive to detecting stress generation in women, future research should examine this phenomenon with the following methodological refinements: (a) use male-only or adequately sized samples with equal gender representation to test gender moderation effects, (b) expand the range of SLEs to include agentic and achievement-oriented stressors and use wider assessment windows, and (c) examine vulnerability factors that may be relevant to men such as impulsivity, anger, aggression, and the need for autonomy and self-definition. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2024 APA, all rights reserved).

Exploring the synergy of corporate gender diversity, sustainability committee, and reporting ESG practices: An international evidence

This study delves into how gender diversity on the corporate board shapes the reporting of Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) practices. Besides, it examines the moderating role of a sustainability committee in the nexus between gender diversity and reporting of ESG practices. It analyzes an international sample of the S&P Global 1200 index from 2011 to 2022. The ESG reporting is based on the Refinitiv disclosure index of the firm ESG scores. The study utilizes various statistical models to provide precise empirical evidence, including fixed effects, a two-stage least squares (2SLS), and a generalized method of moments (GMM). The results demonstrate that disclosing ESG practices is a positive function of the percentages of corporate female board members and executive female directors. This suggests that companies with greater gender diversity disseminate more information about their ESG practices. Besides, a corporate sustainability committee strengthens the positive nexus between reporting ESG performance and corporate female board members and executive female directors. This underscores the moderating role of the sustainability committee in simplifying the nexus between gender diversity and reporting ESG practices. The results offer substantial implications for the leverage of gender diversity on ESG reporting. Policy-setters should actively support and promote greater corporate gender diversity, recognizing its pivotal role in fostering transparency. Additionally, a dedicated sustainability committee is crucial in enhancing the reporting of ESG performance and aligning business practices with sustainable development goals.

Long-term trends of publications in journal of neuro-oncology: a bibliographic study of a core journal in the field of neuro-oncology.

The Journal of Neuro-Oncology (JNO), established in 1983, plays a key role in publishing research on brain and spinal cord tumors. This study examines JNO's publication trends, focusing on country and gender representation to highlight its global impact. Statistical analyses were conducted using R. Gender of the first authors was predicted using a gender-guesser, and author affiliations were used to determine publication countries. We introduced a novel Country-Related Diversity (CRD) index to assess the JNO's representativeness, comparing a country's JNO publications to its overall neurosurgical output. An index value of 1 indicates proportional representation. The JNO corpus, spanning from 1983 to 2024, comprises 8,154 documents with an average document age of 14.4 years. The average citation count per document is 28.71, with a rate of 2.16 citations per document per year. JNO's scientific output has grown significantly, peaking at 397 articles in 2011, with a long-term annual growth rate of 3.7%. The keyword analysis highlights "glioblastoma" as the most frequent term, reflecting the journal's neuro-oncological focus. Geographically, the U.S. led with 2,535 articles (40.1%), followed by China and Germany. International collaboration rose steadily, with multi-country publications increasing from 4.76% in 1983 to 20.98% in 2024. Analyzing contributions from different countries showed a converging CRD index toward 1 (P < 0.01), with U.S. and non-U.S. countries trending similarly. Upper-middle-income countries displayed fluctuating CRD patterns, whereas lower-middle-income countries lagged behind. Authorship analysis showed an increasing trend in co-authorship (P < 0.01), with the average number of authors per paper reaching 10.4 by 2024. Gender representation revealed a growing number of female first and senior authors, although males still dominate. By 2024, 32.9% of first authors and 21.6% of senior authors were female, signaling a gradual trend toward gender parity (P < 0.01). The CRD index offers a standardized measure of country-specific research representation in the JNO. The convergence towards 1 reflects balanced international representation. JNO publication also reflects a trend toward gender equity, with a notable rise in female first authors, enhancing global research inclusivity.

"All the horrible emotions have passed, I still remained, and I was safe": A qualitative study of Lesbian and Gay people's lived experience of completing a full Dialectical Behaviour Therapy programme.

Lesbian and Gay people (LGP) experience higher rates of mental health difficulties, including self-harm, suicidal behaviours, as well as inequalities in health care, than their heterosexual peers. Dialectical Behaviour Therapy (DBT) is an evidence-based treatment for self-harm and suicidal behaviours, though there is little research on LGP's experiences of DBT. This research aims to explore LGP's experiences of completing a full DBT programme. A qualitative design with semi-structured individual interviews was utilised. The results were analysed using Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis. Six lesbian and two gay adults, aged between 22 and 47 years, living in the United Kingdom took part. All participants had completed a full programme of DBT within the 2 years prior to the interview. Four superordinate themes emerged from the data: (1) The DBT journey; (2) Connections and Sense of Community during DBT; (3) Sexuality both visible and invisible in DBT and (4) A Gender, Sexuality and Relationship Diverse (GSRD) affirmative future for DBT. Several clinical implications are suggested to improve DBT for LGP, for example to consider having other LGP within DBT groups, to create a more GSRD-affirming DBT (changes to the DBT manual, DBT therapists, DBT programme and physical DBT space), to adapt DBT techniques to manage sexuality-related difficulties and to adopt a GSRD-centric framework. Overall, DBT appears to be beneficial for LGP.

Innovating for sustainability in food and beverage companies: the role of governance and environmental factors in climate change mitigation

PurposeFocusing on the food and beverage (F&amp;B) sectors, this study aims to identify combinations of external environmental factors (natural disasters and water stress) and internal corporate governance factors (corporate social responsibility [CSR] sustainability committee, board gender diversity and stakeholder engagement) that lead to the integration of climate change mitigation innovation and technologies.Design/methodology/approachA fuzzy set qualitative comparative analysis (fsQCA) was conducted on a global sample of 262 listed companies in the F&amp;B sectors. Two additional analyses were performed for European and Asian companies.FindingsIn the three models, the presence of CSR sustainability committees and stakeholder engagement was crucial for achieving the integration of climate change mitigation innovation and technologies. The relevance of board gender diversity differs between the European and Asian models, highlighting potential regional influences on corporate climate innovation decisions. The combination of external and internal factors is the key to justifying different approaches to achieving climate innovation.Originality/valueThis study offers insights into the factors driving the integration of climate change mitigation innovation and technologies into company strategies. Related strategies must combine external and internal factors to enhance the climate resilience and competitiveness of F&amp;B companies while reducing their environmental impact.

Global gender representation among presidents of cardiothoracic surgery societies

ObjectiveFemales continue to be underrepresented in academia. An analysis of gender representation among presidents of cardiothoracic surgery societies worldwide was performed. MethodsA comprehensive search was performed to identify cardiothoracic surgical societies present worldwide and divided by regions. Respective Society's official webpage was searched to extract data on past and present presidents. Gender was determined and verified via publicly available online profiles. Proportions and respective 95 ​% confidence interval(CI) were calculated using Binomial exact calculation. ResultsA total of 34 cardiothoracic surgery societies were identified globally, of which only 16 provided information on past presidents in the public domain. A total of 563 past and current society presidents were identified. Women constituted only 16 [2.84 ​%; 95 ​% confidence interval: 1.63 ​%; 4.57 ​%] presidents. The first-ever women president was appointed in the year 2007 by the STSA during the 54th Annual meeting. ConclusionStark lag persists in gender representation of presidential roles among the cardiothoracic societies globally.