Participant Gender Research Articles

Influence Of Gender On Land Tenure Rights And Participation Among Rice Farmers In Cross River State, Nigeria

This study was carried out to analyse influence of gender on land tenure rights and participation among rice farmers in Cross River State, Nigeria. The specific objectives were to identify various forms of land tenure rights existing among respondents, ascertain gender participation in rice production decision making process, determine influence of land tenure rights on level of participation, and assess strategies for enhancing access to and control over land tenure rights. Data for the study were collected through structured questionnaire from the three agricultural zones in the state using a multi-stage sampling procedure. A total of 383 respondents were selected for the study. Frequencies, percentages and regression analysis were used to analyse the data. The results indicated that most (60.6%) of the males had land through inheritance while majority (77.1%) of the females acquired through renting. The results also revealed that a sizeable proportion of the males (62%, 47.7% and 39%) were involved in decisions regarding: where to grow the crop, techniques to adopt and quantity to consume and sell respectively, while a smaller proportion of the females (38.4%, 30.2% and 15.6 %) were involved in decisions concerning: where to grow the crop, techniques to adopt and quantity of rice to consume and sell respectively. The results also showed that land tenure rights through inheritance and communal ownership had positive influence on the level of participation among rice farmers at 1% level of significance. The results also revealed that major strategies for enhancing land tenure rights were: abolition of certain cultures, equal participation, and promotion of adult education with percentage representation of 94.4%, 63.2% and 51.7% respectively. The study therefore recommended that women should be given equal opportunity as men to acquire land through inheritance so as to enhance their participation in rice production.

What’s the Evidence Say? The Relation Between Evidential-Trust and Theory of Mind

ABSTRACT Previous research has shown that linguistic cues such as mental and modal verbs can influence young children’s judgments about the reliability of informants. Further, certain languages include grammatical morphemes (i.e. evidential markers), which clarify the source of information coming from testimony (e.g., Bulgarian, Japanese, Turkish). Accordingly, the first aim of the current study is to examine whether Turkish-speaking children’s reliability judgments change based on evidential markers (i.e. the past-tense direct evidential marker, –DI, and the past-tense indirect evidential marker, –mIş). The literature has also investigated whether selective trust abilities are related to understanding the epistemic states of others (i.e., Theory of Mind). Therefore, the second aim is to examine the relation between selective trust based on evidential markers and ToM abilities by including a comprehensive ToM battery. Eighty-six Turkish-speaking preschool and elementary school children between the ages of 4 and 7, residing in a metropolitan city in Turkey, participated in a selective trust task based on evidential markers, a general language task, and a ToM battery. The results of the current study showed that after the age of 6, Turkish-speaking children start to selectively trust the informant using the past-tense direct evidential marker, –DI, over the past-tense indirect evidential marker, –mIş. Selective trust performance was related to receptive vocabulary but not to ToM abilities after controlling for participant gender and age. Overall, the results contribute to current discussions about children’s selective trust ability based on linguistic cues and its relation with ToM.

Automation-augmentation paradox in organizational artificial intelligence technology deployment capabilities; an empirical investigation for achieving simultaneous economic and social benefits

PurposeThe purpose of this research study was to understand the simultaneous competitive and social gains of machine learning (ML) and artificial intelligence (AI) usage in organizations. There was a knowledge hiatus regarding the contribution of the deployment of ML and AI technologies and their effects on organizations and society.Design/methodology/approachThis study was grounded on the dynamic capabilities (DC) and ML and AI automation-augmentation paradox literature. This research study examined these theoretical perspectives using the response of 239 Indian organizational chief technology officers (CTOs). Partial least square-structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) path modeling was applied for data analysis.FindingsThe results indicated that ML and AI technologies organizational usage positively influenced DC initiatives. The findings depicted that DC fully mediated ML and AI-based technologies' effects on firm performance and social performance.Research limitations/implicationsThis study contributed to theoretical discourse regarding the tension between organizational and social outcomes of ML and AI technologies. The study extended the role of DC as a vital strategy in achieving social benefits from ML and AI use. Furthermore, the theoretical tension of the automation-augmentation paradox was explored.Practical implicationsOrganizations deploying ML and AI technologies could apply this study's insights to comprehend the organizational routines to pursue simultaneous competitive benefits and social gains. Furthermore, chief technology executives of organizations could devise how ML and AI technologies usage from a DC perspective could help settle the tension of the automation-augmentation paradox.Social implicationsIncreased ML and AI technologies usage in organizations enhanced DC. They could lead to positive social benefits such as new job creation, increased compensation to skilled employees and greater gender participation in employment. These insights could be derived based on this research study.Originality/valueThis study was among the first few empirical investigations to provide theoretical and practical insights regarding the organizational and societal benefits of ML and AI usage in organizations because of their DC. This study was also one of the first empirical investigations that addressed the automation-augmentation paradox at the enterprise level.

Prevalence of Risk Factors of Chronic Rhinosinusitis With Nasal Polyps Among the Saudi Population.

Background The burden of chronic rhinosinusitis symptoms experienced by Saudi citizens is considered an important factor in getting an overall insight of the problem in the region, therefore our study aimed to determine the prevalence of risk factors of chronic rhinosinusitis with nasal polyps and correlate the risk factors with various sociodemographic parameters among Saudi population. Methods This study analyzed five-year cross-sectional data from 2017-2021. A total of 386 participantswere enrolled and subsequently divided into four groups: aged 18-25 years, 26-35 years, 36-45 years, and > 45 years. A study was conducted utilizing non-probability sampling targeting a population of Saudi nationality living in selected regions of Saudi Arabia. Data was collected through an online questionnaire which had been distributed through social media and had been analyzed accordingly using a statistical package for social sciences. Results In this study, 272 (70.5%) participants were female and 114 (29.5%) were male. A total of 374 (96.9%) participants were Saudis while 12 (3.1%) were non-Saudis. Risk factors were compared by age and gender of study participants. Having polyps in the nose (p-value 0.016) and a family history of polyps (p-value 0.049) showed a significant association with the gender of study participants. The frequency of having nasal polyps was significantly higher among male participants, however, having a family history of nasal polyps was significantly higher among female participants. The educational status of study participants showed a significant association with the use of cortisone (p-value 0.032) and having a broken nose (p-value 0.032). Having a family history of nasal polyps showed a significant (p-value 0.017) association with the socioeconomic status of study participants. Conclusion Nasal polyps are more common in males than females, however, having a family history of nasal polyps was significantly higher among female participants.

Factors influencing public perceptions of child neglect: A mixed methods study

BackgroundMore than 1 in 5 children experience neglect, exposing them to several adverse consequences. Children with intellectual disability experience additional neglect related challenges. Public perceptions significantly influence the identification, intervention, and prevention of child neglect. ObjectiveThis study applied a mixed methods approach exploring public perceptions of four subtypes of child neglect (lack of supervision, failure to provide, emotional, and educational neglect), associations with key demographic factors (age, gender, parental status, and contact with people with intellectual disability), and victim-survivor intellectual disability. Participants and SettingThe final sample of 399 Australian participants (48.87% female, M = 38.93 years, SD = 12.72 years) completed an online questionnaire and were recruited via Prolific. MethodsParticipants rated 10 potential neglect scenarios on the degree of neglect severity, perpetrator and victim-survivor responsibility, likelihood of victim-survivor mental and physical health outcomes, and perpetrator intention. Five-short answer questions allowed for elaboration of participant perspectives. ResultsMultiple Factorial Analysis of Variance found that the child’s intellectual disability had no bearing on perceptions of neglect, but participant gender was influential with women rating neglect as more severe than men. Lack of supervision was rated the most severe subtype of neglect and lack of providing as the least. Qualitative responses described the context of neglect as important. ConclusionsThe public may understand neglect as abhorrent irrespective of whether the child has intellectual disability and may be less recognizable to men than women. The public tends to consider the families financial situation when evaluating neglectful situations.

Potential bias when using social media for selection: Differential effects of candidate demographic characteristics, race match, perceived similarity, and profile detail

AbstractOrganizations are using social media as part of their selection processes. However, little is known about whether bias or discrimination is problematic when using these sources. Therefore, we examined whether manipulating the name and photograph of two otherwise equivalent LinkedIn‐like profiles would influence evaluations of candidate qualifications and hireability as well as perceived similarity using an experimental design. To test our hypotheses based on bias/discrimination research and the similarity‐attraction paradigm, a total of 401 working adults were recruited through Mechanical Turk. No evidence was found for bias or discrimination against women or people of color. However, female candidates were viewed as more hireable than male candidates, and Black men were viewed as less qualified than Black women and White men. Furthermore, we found that perceived similarity increased when the participant's gender or race matched the candidate's gender or race, respectively, and also that perceived similarity was related to candidate ratings; however, neither gender nor race match was directly related to candidate ratings. When profiles were more detailed, participants rated candidates of the same race higher than candidates of other races, and perceived similarity fully indirectly mediated this relationship. Conversely, when less detail was provided, participants rated candidates of the same race lower. Thus, while bias/discrimination toward women and people of color is not inherent when using LinkedIn for selection, having a racially diverse set of selectors is important to ensure fairness. This reveals a nuanced view of diversity issues when using social media for selection.

Cataract referral pattern among Indian optometrists: A cross-sectional study

According to WHO (World Health Organization), cataract is the second leading cause for visual impairment or blindness globally. In the Indian context, Optometrist’s role in identification and appropriate referral of cataracts requiring surgery is of utmost important. The aim of the current study was to investigate the knowledge and cataract referral pattern among Indian optometrists. A cross-sectional study was carried out on 262 optometrists by distribution of a validated, well-structured questionnaire with data on participant demographics and optometric assessment practises, including participant age group and gender, primary clinical practise location, objective patient visual assessment methods, referral criteria for cataract surgery, and factors to be taken into account when deciding where and when to refer patients for cataract surgery was made. The analysis of survey questions with Likert scales was done using ordinal logistic regression. Categorical variables between groups were evaluated using Chi-square test. Statistical Significance was considered if P was less than 0.05. Visual acuity less than 6/18 and glare sensitivity were common benchmarks for cataract referral. A significant proportion of optometrists indicated driving dependent (55%), current employment (33%), high visual demand (31%) and post-operative vision less than 6/18 in other eye (34%) as important factors for urgent referral for cataract surgery to Ophthalmologists. Majority of the participants indicated surgical costs (53.8%), surgeon skills (56.9%) and caring environment/caring staff (49.2%) as extremely important factors in deciding where to refer for cataract surgery. While optometrists were able to refer patients for cataract surgery based on changes in visual acuity, Indian optometrists should also assess contrast sensitivity and take that into consideration when making this decision.

Inequality persists in a large citizen science programme despite increased participation through ICT innovations

Biological recording is a prominent and widely practised form of citizen science, but few studies explore long-term demographic trends in participation and knowledge production. We studied long-term demographic trends of age and gender of participants reporting to a large online citizen science multi-taxon biodiversity platform (www.artportalen.se). Adoption by user communities and continually developing Information and Communications Technologies (ICTs) greatly increased the number of participants reporting data, but profound long-term imbalances in gender contribution across species groups persisted over time. Reporters identifying as male dominated in numbers, spent more days in the field reporting and reported more species on each field day. Moreover, an age imbalance towards older participants amplified over time. As the first long-term study of citizen participation by age and gender, our results show that it is important for citizen science project developers to account for cultural and social developments that might exclude participants, and to engage with underrepresented and younger participants. This could facilitate the breadth of engagement and learning across a larger societal landscape, ensure project longevity and biodiversity data representation (e.g. mitigate gender bias influence on the number of reports of different species groups).

The Potential for Social Protection in Promoting Sustainable Agriculture and Empowering Women Farmers in Namibia

Agriculture is the highest employment sector in Namibia, yet evidence of social protection measures specifically for those involved in farming in Namibia is lacking despite recurring drought events that affect more women than men. Existing studies with a focus on gender participation and social protection in agriculture do not focus on Namibia. Further, extant research also underlines the importance of collecting data beyond time-use surveys with heads of household and rather asking women farmers specific questions about their needs to help tailor policy measures accordingly, hence a qualitative methodology is employed. The article focuses on the role and challenges of obtaining social assistance or agriculture insurance for women to encourage agricultural production. Twenty-one (21) women farmers interviewed assert that the role of social protection as insurance protection is to cover for any losses in farming. However, many participants perceive social farming protection to be unaffordable due to poor access to markets and subsequently low income from farming or were unaware of its availability. Furthermore, many participants do not own the land they farm as it is either leased or inherited from elders by men and therefore they are not encouraged to take out social protection for farming. The article recommends providing accessible information on the availability of agricultural insurance and how women could access it, but also ensuring that issues such as access to land and markets are dealt with. Lastly, the involvement in high value agricultural value chains is encouraged for better income prospects and to possibly make insurance more affordable.

Impact of hand osteoarthritis in women on maximal forces in six different grasp types

This work aims to: (1) Provide maximal hand force data on six different grasp types for healthy subjects; (2) detect grasp types with maximal force significantly affected by hand osteoarthritis (HOA) in women; (3) look for predictors to detect HOA from the maximal forces using discriminant analyses. Thirty-three healthy subjects (37 ± 17 years, 17 women, 16 men) and 30 HOA patients (72 ± 9 years, all women) participated in the experiment. Participants were asked to exert their maximal force while performing six different grasp types 3 times. Two MANOVAs were conducted to detect if force depended on gender in healthy participants and if force significantly diminished in women with HOA. Finally, a linear discriminant analysis for detecting HOA was performed using forces of the grasp types that were significantly affected by HOA. Gender-disaggregated statistics are provided for healthy participants. Significant differences are obtained for all grasp types per gender. The women with HOA exerted significantly lower force values (p < 0.001) for all the grasp types than healthy ones. The discriminant analysis revealed that oblique grasp was the most significant one for detecting HOA. A discrimination equation was obtained with a specificity of 88.2% and a sensitivity of 83.3%. This work provides grip force data on six grasp types for healthy participants and for women with HOA. HOA women present reduced strength in all grasps due to pathology. Three of these grasps are a novelty. Oblique grasp strength may suffice to discriminate a patient with HOA, which might help non-invasive HOA detection.

Modulation of emotion-enhanced recollection by gender and task instructions.

Previous work has shown recognition of emotional facial expressions may differentially relate to task demands, such as whether one indirectly or directly encodes the emotional information. Given gender differences in emotion processing and memory, we assessed whether participant gender might moderate these encoding task effects. Using a between-subjects design with a sample of 100 undergraduates, participants made judgments about the gender (indirect) or emotion (direct) of facial stimuli displaying fearful, angry, happy, and neutral expressions. Different task-related effects were observed by gender for faces accompanied by recollection, as measured with the Remember-Know paradigm. Namely, women demonstrated better memory discrimination for emotional facial expressions only for remember responses following indirect encoding, whereas this effect was not significant for men. These results highlight the importance of considering participant gender, type of encoding task, and level of recollection on emotional memory for faces. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2022 APA, all rights reserved).

Gender Participation and Agricultural Development Projects in Nigeria

Gender Participation and Agricultural Development Projects in Nigeria

The Availability Level of Management and ‎Leadership Skills as a Requirement of the ‎Labor Market among Master Students at the ‎College of Education at Qassim University

The aim of this study was to determine the level to which ‎master's students at the College of Education at Qassim ‎University possessed the management and leadership skills ‎required by the labor market. The study also sought to ‎determine whether there are distinctions in the availability of ‎these skills based on the age, gender and employment status of ‎the sample participants. The descriptive survey method to ‎achieve the goal of the study and to answer its questions ‎centered on identifying the level of availability of management ‎and leadership skills among male and female graduate students ‎at the master's level while revealing whether there are ‎statistically significant differences due to the variable gender, ‎functional status and age. The population of the study included ‎‎327 male and female students from Qassim University's ‎College of Education across all fields. The basic research ‎sample included 102 master's students from Qassim ‎University's College of Education who were chosen at random ‎using the cluster approach. The study's findings revealed that ‎while graduate students had a high level of availability of ‎leadership and management skills, male employees aged 35 and ‎up had a slightly higher level of availability of management and ‎leadership skills than other groups. This distinction is not ‎statistically significant and it could be attributed to the level of ‎statistical effect for each variable (statistical power) and to the ‎small sample size necessary to achieve that statistical effect. The ‎study recommends conducting a comparable study, but on a ‎larger scale, for graduate students across the Kingdom of Saudi ‎Arabia. The study also recommends that during the university ‎stage, students' leadership and management skills be developed ‎and that they be encouraged to volunteer so that they can apply ‎what they have learned in the theoretical aspect of leadership ‎and management skills.‎ ‎(Keywords: Management Skills, Ladership Skills, Student ‎Leadership, Labor Market Skills, Professional Development)‎

“It’s a lot more like family Sunday dinner than people think”: Community, pleasure, and other motivations for group sex

Group sex (i.e., sex involving four or more simultaneous partners) is a prevalent but stigmatized sexual behaviour. People assume that group sex centers around self-focused pleasure/physical gratification and that accordingly, this must be the primary motivation people have for engaging in group sex. Yet emerging research on group sex, as well as broader sexuality research and theory, suggests that group sex motivations are multifaceted and, for many, tied to community and belonging. In the present study, we focus on people’s reasons for engaging in group sex. We recruited twenty participants of diverse genders, sexual identities/orientations, ages (≥18 years), abilities, and group sex communities for individual interviews in southwestern British Columbia. We found that participants had engaged in group sex for a plurality of reasons, including their desire for novelty, sexual exploration, spirituality, and their upbringing. Importantly, many were motivated to have group sex by their belonging and acceptance in communities of like-minded individuals that embraced sex-positive principles and values. Pleasure was also an important motivator and was described in multifaceted ways and was intertwined with sexual empowerment, emotional vulnerability, and feelings of connection and intimacy. These findings shed light on an understudied aspect of group sex – that is, why people have it – and challenge the assumption that group sex is entirely motivated by self-focused desire for physical pleasure/gratification. Instead, they highlight how group sex motivation can be multifaceted and community focused.

The Impact of Talent Management Practices on Employee Engagement in Federal Authority For Identity And Citizenship In Dubai

The research aims to measure the impact of talent management practices on employee participation in the Federal Authority for Identity and Citizenship in the Emirate of Dubai. The research plan included a review of the research problem, research questions, and objectives. The study evaluated a theoretical refutation of the nature of the work of the Federal Authority for Identity and Citizenship in Dubai. The research provided a comprehensive analysis of the personal profile of the participants (gender, age, educational level, job role, experience). The study also carried out a descriptive statistical analysis of the relationships, and then the results of the hypotheses and their compatibility with the supporting theory and previous studies were reviewed. At the end of the research, the results were presented, as the research objectives were achieved, most importantly the general objective, which is to study the impact of talent management practices and employee engagement and find out which of them have the most influence on the quality of service among employees of the Federal Authority for Identity and Citizenship in the Emirate of Dubai. Keywords: Employee Engagement – Federal Authority of Identity and Citizenship – Talent Management – Quality of Services.

Underrepresentation of women in exercise science and physiology research is associated with authorship gender.

Historically, low representation of women participants in exercise science and physiology studies has led to a lack of understanding in the response of women to exercise and therapeutic interventions. We hypothesized that 1) the number of women authors, participants, and editorial board members increased over 30 years (1991-2021) and 2) larger representation of women as editors and authors is associated with more women participants. Gender (man/woman) of editorial board members (n = 394), authors (n = 5,735), and participants (n = 2,984,883) of 972 original research articles with human participants published in 1991 and 2021 was analyzed from three journals: Journal of Applied Physiology, Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise, and British Journal of Sports Medicine. Between 1991 to 2021, the average percent women per article as participants (21.9 ± 31.7% vs. 36.3 ± 30.3%, respectively, P < 0.001), authors (16.4 ± 22.4% vs. 30.9 ± 24.0%, P < 0.001), and editorial board members (13.3 ± 5.4% vs. 41.5 ± 7.3%, P = 0.006) increased. In 2021, the gender proportion of participants in large datasets was similar (50.2 ± 20.2% women). However, studies with smaller datasets (i.e., <∼3,000 participants) included less women (35.6 ± 30.6%). Women participants (%) were less when the last author was a man rather than a woman in 1991 (19.9 ± 29.5% vs. 34.3 ± 42.2%) and 2021 (31.6 ± 27.7% vs. 51.7 ± 33.4%). In 2021, there was a positive correlation between author and participant gender (% women) (r = 0.42, P < 0.001). Our data suggest that the low representation of women in exercise science and physiology research could be resolved with equitable numbers of women authors and editors and by encouraging men authors to study both women and men participants.NEW & NOTEWORTHY Analysis of human applied physiology studies revealed that the representation of women authors, participants, and editorial board members increased over 30 years but remained lower than men in 2021. Larger representation of women editors and authors was associated with more women participants. Women authors assessed similar numbers of women and men participants, whereas men authors included less women. Equitable representation of women participants may be achieved by closing the gender gap in authorship and editorial board membership.

Effects of Moringa oleifera Tea Supplement on the Biochemical Indices of Diabetes and Hypertension Co-Morbidity Patients

Type 2 diabetes (T2D) and Hypertension are the most common co-morbidities which has received attention worldwide. This research investigates the effect of Moringa oleifera tea supplements (MOTs) on the biochemical parameters of diabetic and hypertensive co-morbidity patients. Twenty-five participants of both genders were randomly distributed into five groups containing five patients each; group 1 (positive control), group 2 (negative control), group 3 (positive control+MOT), group 4 (standard drug) and group 5 (standard drug+MOT). All treatments were carried out for 14 days after which blood samples were collected for biochemical analyses. The lipid biochemical profile, liver function parameters and renal function parameters of the patients were analysed using standard procedures. The study revealed that the consumption of MOTs significantly (p&lt;0.01) increased the serum high-density lipoproteins and reduced low-density lipoproteins, triglycerides, and cholesterol concentrations of the patients that were given MOT supplements in comparison to the control patients. Conversely, there was significant (p&lt;0.01) reduction in the activities of serum alanine aminotransferase, alkaline phosphatase, aspartate aminotransferase, and the concentration of albumin, total protein, direct bilirubin and total bilirubin in comparison to the negative control group. Hence, this study outcome revealed that supplementing the diet of diabetes and hypertensive patients’ diet with MOTs is beneficial to the health of the patients and is equally safe for consumption.

Gender Differences in Mental Rotational Training Based on Computer Adaptive Tests.

Mental rotation tasks have been widely used to assess individuals' spatial cognition and the ability to mentally manipulate objects. This study employed a computerized adaptive training method to investigate the behavioral performance of participants of different genders in mental rotation tasks with different rotation angles before and after training. A total of 44 Chinese university students participated in the experiment, with the experimental group undergoing a five-day mental rotation training program. During the training phase, a three-down/one-up staircase procedure was used to adjust the stimulus levels (response time) based on participants' responses. The results showed that the training had a facilitative effect on the mental rotation ability of both male and female participants, and it was able to eliminate the gender differences in mental rotation performance. Regarding the angles, we observed that the improvement in the angles involved in the training was significantly higher compared to untrained angles. However, no significant differences in improvement were found among the three trained angles. In summary, these findings demonstrate the effectiveness of computerized adaptive training methods in improving mental rotation ability and highlight the influence of gender and angles on learning outcomes.

Prevalence of Hepatitis D Virus among Hepatitis B Positive Blood Donors in Port Harcourt, Nigeria

Introduction: The Prevalence of Hepatitis D Virus among Blood Donors in Port Harcourt, Nigeria is a maiden epidemiological study of Hepatitis D or delta hepatitis among the donors’ population in Port Harcourt, Rivers State. Hepatitis D (Hepatitis Delta) is a disease caused by the hepatitis D virus (HDV). It is considered to be a sub viral satellite because it can propagate only in the presence of the hepatitis B virus. The prevalence of HDV in Port Harcourt has not been reported; hence this study, bridge that knowledge gap.&#x0D; Methods: Using a qualitative cross sectional study design, a general serological screening test was performed on a total of 300 blood donors recruited; 222(74.00%) males and 78 (26.00%) females, all within 20-59years. Of this number, 86(28.70%) were positive for HBV while 214(71.30%) Hepatitis B negative served as control. Samples collected were analysed at blood bank unit of the Haematology Department of the Rivers State University Teaching Hospital, Port Harcourt (RSUTH). Hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg), and anti-hepatitis D antibodies (anti-HDV) for the presence of HBV and HDV infections were detected by one step Hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) in serum, and enzyme linked immunosorbent assay for the detection of HDV as described by the www.elabScience.com (16).&#x0D; Results: Of the 300 subjects, 86(28.6%) were positive for Hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg). Of these HBV positive subject, 9(10.4%) were positive for Hepatitis D virus (HDV). Age and gender of the study participants were not found to be risk factors for its prevalence (p &gt; 0.05). There was no statistically significant difference in the PCV of those infected when compared with the non infected group. Using Pearson correlation analysis, HDV was not found to associate significantly with PCV (r = 0.2849, p &gt; 0.05). This study recorded HDV prevalence rate of 10.4% among the HBsAg positive blood donors.&#x0D; Conclusion and Implications for Translation: There is a 10.4% prevalence of HDV among the HBsAg positive blood donors. To increase the safety level of blood products, the screening process should therefore be extended to the HDV.

Interaction effects of indoor environmental quality factors on cognitive performance and perceived comfort of young adults in open plan offices in North American Mediterranean climate

While Indoor Environmental Quality (IEQ) factors in an environment co-exist, the interaction effects of these factors and their impacts on cognitive functioning and perceived comfort have not been comprehensively examined. In this study, the interaction effects between temperature, lighting Correlated Color Temperature (CCT), and noise levels on selective attention, sustained attention, creativity, acoustics, thermal, visual, and overall IEQ comfort of young adults in open-plan offices in North American Mediterranean climate were presented. In a mixed-design controlled experimental setting, 52 young adults were recruited, and their objective cognitive performance and subjective comfort were assessed through statistical analysis. The experimental set points included [20 °C, 25 °C], [2700 K, 6500 K], and [50 dB, 65 dB] for temperature, lighting color, and noise, respectively. Additionally, the work took into consideration the gender and Body Mass Index (BMI) of participants. The results show that temperature moderated the effect of noise level and lighting CCT on selective attention, while no effect of IEQ factors on sustained attention was found. Creativity was influenced by gender and its interaction with the noise level. Concerning perceived comfort, acoustic comfort varied significantly with temperature. Thermal comfort was influenced by the combined moderating effect of lighting CCT and BMI on temperature, while visual comfort was driven by the moderation effect of gender on lighting CCT. Overall comfort was affected by the noise level and temperature. Finally, cognitive performance indicators were correlated with perceived IEQ comfort votes. Based on the findings of this study, considerations of interactions between noise, lighting CCT, temperature, gender, and BMI can shape occupant-centric priorities for enhanced cognitive functioning and comfort.