High Intensity Levels Research Articles

Launching new products in international markets: waterfall versus sprinkler strategy of Korean SMEs

PurposeThe purpose of this study is to investigate an understudied topic—new product strategy in international markets. Specifically, this study aims to address the crucial role played by organizational characteristics and market characteristics in determining a firm's decision of adopting either a waterfall or a sprinkler product strategy for international markets.Design/methodology/approachThe empirical analysis was conducted using survey data collected from a sample of 171 Korean small and medium enterprises (SMEs). This study uses logistic regression analysis to test the relationships among organizational characteristics, market characteristics and a firm's international product strategy.FindingsThe empirical results suggest that firm characteristics, such as higher degree of internationalization, lead the firms to choose the sprinkler strategy. Moreover, this research finds that a firm's choice between the waterfall and the sprinkler strategy varies depending on market characteristics such as competitive intensity and market turbulence. The findings indicate that the sprinkler strategy is more optimal for use when firms operate under a high level of competitive intensity, whereas a waterfall strategy is more suitable for firms that encounter a high level of market turbulence in targeted foreign markets.Originality/valueThis research contributes to the international marketing literature by exploring the impact of organizational characteristics and market characteristics on a firm's new product strategy in international markets.

Can the Energy-Consumption Permit Trading Scheme Curb SO2 Emissions? Evidence from a Quasi-Natural Experiment in China

Energy and environmental pollution are major global challenges. This paper aims to examine the impact of China’s energy-consumption permit trading scheme (ECPT) on environmental pollution and the influence mechanisms. The study constructs provincial panel data for China from 2006 to 2020 and uses the difference-in-difference (DID) method to investigate the issue. Our results demonstrate that ECPT significantly curbs SO2 emissions, as confirmed by a series of statistical robustness tests. Specifically, the ECPT has significantly reduced SO2 by approximately 30.4%. Furthermore, the ECPT reduces SO2 emissions mainly by optimizing the structure of energy consumption and promoting technological innovation. In addition, the impact of the ECPT on SO2 emissions is more pronounced in the central and western provinces of China, and in provinces with lower levels of industrial structure and high environmental regulation intensity. This study provides a perspective from a developing country and makes an important contribution to the existing research by exploring the curbing effect of energy policy on SO2 emissions.

PSpice modeling of cervical and site-focused vagus nerve ultrasonic stimulation for reduced tumor necrosis factor-α production

Clinical ultrasound is widely used as a diagnostic and therapeutic tool. Recently, it has been used to perform neuromodulation to treat diverse effects, including inflammation reduction through the vagus nerve. Although the mechanism by which ultrasound propagates through tissue for diagnostic purposes has been established, there is not a complete understanding of how it interacts with neurons to elicit excitation and inhibit inflammation. This work presents a novel technique based on a well-established electrical engineering tool, PSpice, to model cervical and site-focused vagus nerve ultrasonic stimulation to understand its capability in reducing tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) production in the spleen. Transmission line theory is utilized as the basis for the different tissue layers. The models supported the hypothesis that site-focused stimulation has the advantage to decrease undesired efferent effects that would otherwise occur with cervical stimulation. Two different acoustic pressures, 0.25 and 0.83 MPa, were simulated for theoretical efficacy and safety based on previous experimental work conducted by others. The 0.25 MPa simulation was ideal for neurostimulation and reduction of TNF-α, while 0.83 MPa resulted in much higher intensity levels that will most likely induce additional inflammation.

Scholarly Networks, Gender Sociology, and Knowledge Production in Aegean Survey and Eastern Mediterranean Archaeology

Scholarly Networks, Gender Sociology, and Knowledge Production in Aegean Survey and Eastern Mediterranean Archaeology

Relationship between Oxygen Uptake Reserve and Heart Rate Reserve in Young Male Tennis Players: Implications for Physical Fitness Monitoring.

The aims of this study were to (i) verify the relationship between reserve oxygen uptake (VOreserve) and reserve heart rate (HRreserve) in young male tennis players, and (ii) understand the relationship between oxygen uptake (VO2) measured at the end of a tennis drill and recovery heart rate (HRrecovery) after the tennis drill. Ten young male tennis players (16.64 ± 1.69 years; 62.36 ± 6.53 kg of body mass; 175.91 ± 5.26 cm of height) were recruited from the National Tennis Association. Players were instructed to perform a tennis drill based on an incremental intensity protocol. Afterward, three levels of intensity were used based on VO2reserve and HRreserve. A significant variance was observed between levels (VO2reserve and HRreserve = p < 0.001). VO2reserve presented a significant and high agreement with HRreserve. The mean data revealed non-significant differences (p > 0.05), a very high relationship of linear regression (R2 = 82.4%, p < 0.001), and high agreement in Bland Altman plots. VO2, at the highest level of intensity (>93%), presented a significant correlation with HRrecovery during the immediate 30 s after the drill (rs = 0.468, p = 0.028). Tennis coaches or instructors must be aware of the differences between monitoring or prescribing training intensities based on HRreserve or HRmax. They can also use HRrecovery for 30 s immediately after exercise to verify and understand the variation in their players' cardiorespiratory capacities.

Temporary sound barrier system from natural fiber polymeric composite

Sound barriers, rather than shutting off the source of noise, are the most effective method for reducing noise pollution and reducing the intensity from diverse sources. In the present study, a natural fiber was employed alongside a polymer material to produce a sound barrier system. The natural fiber composite used was Rice Husk-PU reinforced composite. The harmonic analysis was performed through ANSYS to evaluate the sound absorbing coefficient and transmission loss. More so, the stress–strain analysis with the total deformation of the panel has been analyzed. In order to have better understanding of the sound absorption coefficient and transmission loss, the frequency range on the simulation was set between 0 and 4000 Hz. The result showed better sound absorption coefficient on the lower frequency region when compared with standard and measured results from published paper. It also simulated higher transmission loss at a high frequency region since high frequency means high sound intensity level. For the validation of the simulated results, the data were compared with the tested experimental results for the same material and a very small difference was observed.

The effect of work area on work alienation among China’s grassroots judicial administrators

Work alienation refers to mental self-separation from work, and it is an integral reflection of workers and their work. Few studies have explored the association between work area and work alienation among grassroots judicial administrators. A stratified sampling method was used to collect data from 288 grassroots judicial administrators in Guangzhou to measure the overall status quo and work alienation in this group. This study found that the current grassroots judicial administrative team has a reasonable structure, high professional quality, and rich grassroots work experience, but a high level of work intensity (Mean = .667) and a lack of autonomy (Mean = .757) are prominent. Work area (unstandardized regression coefficient, B = .917) is significantly related to work alienation when controlling for sociodemographic and work characteristic variables: the closer the work area is to the city centre areas, the higher the level of work alienation. In addition, education level also has a significant effect on work alienation: the lower the individual education level is, the stronger the work alienation. The discussion focuses on the knowledge needs in grassroots judicial administrative work and the importance of the external working environment, and further research implications are proposed.

APPLICATION OF FORWARD CHAINING TO IDENTIFY THE NEGATIVE IMPACT OF ONLINE GAME ADDICTION ON MENTAL HEALT AND ADOLESCENT BEHAVIOR

The development of increasingly sophisticated technology provides changes in the form of human activity, one of which is the type of game. With the advent of audio-visual games that can be accessed via the internet. Known by the name of online games. Playing online games with a high level of intensity can have a positive or negative impact. The risk of dependence that can arise from online game addiction can cause mental health problems and behavioral changes that can occur in adolescents. So it is necessary to identify based on the habit of playing online games in adolescents. From solving these problems, an expert system was created to see whether the habits of playing online games by teenagers affected their mental health and behavior. The forward chaining method is used for the inference engine on the expert system to process data from interviews with experts in the field of psychology, there are 17 symptoms in the form of addiction disorders based on aspects of health, psychological, academic, social and financial aspects. Based on the results of the analysis, expert system testing was carried out using verification and validation tests by testing the rules compiled based on the forward chaining method as many as 39 data, the verification test produced results that matched the rules compiled with the results from expert experts and the system validation test resulted in a percentage of 94 %. So based on the research that has been done, the forward chaining method can be used in determining the diagnosis of the negative impact of online game addiction on mental health and adolescent behavior.

Nail surgery: the effect of clinical and psychological characteristics on post-surgical quality of life and pain severity

Nail disease and nail surgery are commonly perceived as painful and distressful experiences that can significantly affect patient health-related quality of life. A comprehensive management of patients undergoing dermatological surgery could improve their emotional experience, influence quality of life and, hopefully, improve their adaptation to the intervention. This study aimed to investigate whether patient psychological characteristics may relate to nail intervention procedures and influence post-surgical quality of life and pain severity. This prospective observational monocentric cohort study was conducted in the Dermatology Nail Unit of Bologna. Patient candidates for nail surgery, meeting the inclusion criteria, were invited to participate in the study which consisted of completion of a self-report questionnaire before (Time 1) and one month after (Time 2) surgery. Nail surgery was performed for 102 patients: 46 underwent highly invasive and 56 mildly invasive nail procedures. In total, 46 nail tumours were excised which were shown to be benign in 36 cases and malignant in 10 cases. Patients with a high level of pain sensitivity and trait of anxiety reported significantly lower levels of quality of life and high levels of pain intensity one month after surgery (p < 0.001). Our findings highlight the need for clinicians to consider the psychological characteristics of patients following dermatological surgery care in order to balance the negative impact of trait anxiety, pain sensitivity and negative treatment expectations regarding post-surgery quality of life and pain severity.

Protocol for scoping review study to map out the existing research in relation to post-traumatic stress symptoms among caregivers of individuals with neurodevelopmental, psychiatric and neurocognitive disorders

IntroductionThe challenges of providing caregiving that impacts the caregiver have been attributed to high levels of intensity and physical strain, burden and distress. This is likely to include emotional and...

Vocal expression of emotions in farmed spotted paca (Cuniculus paca)

Vocal emissions in non-human mammals can be used as non-invasive indicators of animal emotion and welfare. Therefore, we aimed to validate the use of acoustic parameters as indicators of affective states and welfare in farmed spotted paca (Cuniculus paca). We recorded the vocalizations of 36 pacas, living in 12 groups (two females and one male/group), during four distinct experiences that were assumed to generate different affective states (negative, positive, ambiguous, and highly positive). Spotted pacas emitted more snorts, either as single elements or phrases, when experiencing a negative affective state. Four acoustic parameters of snorts, roars, and barks, which were recorded during all experiences, differed according to the affective valence assumed to be experienced by the spotted pacas. During the negative condition – morning cleaning routine spotted pacas emitted many more snort calls, which are characterized by a shift in the mean amplitude towards a higher level of intensity and as well as by a shift in the energy distribution (Q75) towards a higher frequency than those emitted in the positive condition compared to those emitted in the assumed positive valence condition – feeding time with the regular diet. These call-characteristics, along with the increase in the mean amplitude of snort calls from the lowest to the highest arousal levels, may thus reflect negative affective state and arousal in spotted paca. Therefore, the increase in the overall emission of snorts together with changes in their acoustic parameters may be valuable as indicators of negative emotions of C. paca, and thus have potential as an automated and non-invasive tool for welfare assessment in this species.

The impact of clean energy development finance and financial agglomeration on carbon productivity in Africa

The growing threats of climate change are posing severe economic and social development challenges to African economies. As a result, emission reduction path that stabilizes carbon concentrations while minimizing the risk of damage from rising climate threats has become critical. The key is to improve carbon productivity. In this regard, the study shed light on the direction and magnitude of clean energy development finance (CEDF) and financial agglomeration (FA) impact on dynamic total carbon productivity index (DTCPI). Based on panel data of 35 economies in Africa from 2005 to 2017, we employ level of development and fossil fuel intensity as threshold variables to explore the relationship between CEDF and DTCPI using panel threshold technique. Similarly, we examined FA and DTCPI nexus under level of development. The DTCPI was estimated using Parametric Malmquist Index technique. The findings indicate that, on average, DTCPI progressed over the sample period and technical efficiency is the central factor behind the improvement. Besides, a threshold effect exists between FA, CEDF, and DTCPI. Particularly, the negative effect of CEDF on carbon productivity increases at a certain level and subsequently reduces as economic development advances. Also, CEDF exhibits a significant and greater decline on carbon productivity only at high fossil intensity levels. The negative effect of FA on DTCPI contracts as economic growth increases and remains high in low income levels. The study encourages governments to scale up clean investment initiatives, guide the formation of agglomerations, and enhance innovation while pursuing sustainable growth.

Effectiveness and safety of a Crossfit® adapted training on improving functional capacity in a prehabilitation program for oncologic patients undergoing major surgery

Objectives: Prehabilitation programs are now part of the preoperative journey of patients scheduled to major abdominal surgery in some hospitals. High intensity exercises are the ones that have shown the greatest efficacy, but type of training prescribed is very heterogeneous and is necessary to standardized it. Crossfit® (CrossFit Inc.) is a strength and conditioning workout based on functional movement performed at a high intensity level. It is easy to adapt to the level of each patient with standardized training routines, but it could be considered unsafe for oncological patients.The goal of this study was to determine the effectiveness and safety of a Crossfit® training in a prehabilitation program.

The Relationship between Labor Productivity and Salary Return: An Empirical Analysis on Russian Regional Data

The article deals with dynamics and differentiation of labor productivity and salary return in the Russian Federation in the period 2012–2020, as well as the relationship between these indicators. The study is based on Russian regional data published by Rosstat in the Unified Interdepartmental Information and Statistical System (EMISS). The theoretical section of the article discusses the mechanisms responsible for the dynamics of labor productivity and salary return, as well as for the correlation between these indicators, including technological development, the sectoral structure of the regional economy and local labor market characteristics. Calculations have shown that both labor productivity and salary return in the regions of Russia in the period under review have positive dynamics and significant regional variation. However, most of this variation is due to the presence of four regions in which the studied indicators show levels several times higher than the values in the bulk of the regions: Nenets Autonomous Okrug, Yamalo-Nenets Autonomous Okrug, Khanty-Mansi Autonomous Okrug, Sakhalin Oblast. In our opinion, the leadership of these regions is due to the predominance of the extractive industry in their sectoral structure, characterized by a high level of capital intensity and a low level of labor intensity. The analysis of the number of employed and the number of hours worked shows a negative trend and a significant variation by region, which can serve as a factor of high interregional differentiation of labor productivity and salary return. Correlation analysis of the average over the period of labor productivity and salary return indicates the absence of a significant relationship between the studied indicators when excluding atypical observations from the analysis.

Fibroblast Growth Factor-2 (FGF-2) Expression in Pterygia Using Cell Spot Arrays.

Fibroblast growth factor (FGF) is a main regulator of cell differentiation, cell migration and angiogenesis in normal and abnormal conjunctiva epithelia, but specific mechanisms of its aberrant expression are yet to be investigated. In the present study, we investigated FGF-2 protein expression within several pterygia. Using a liquid-based cytology assay, we obtained cell specimens from pterygia and healthy tissues directly from patients. A combination of immunocytochemistry followed by digital image analysis showed significant overexpression of FGF-2 in all the examined pterygia. In 30/60 (50%) cases there were high levels of staining intensity, whereas in the remaining 30/60 (50%) cases there were moderate levels of expression. FGF-2 levels of the control group were significantly lower in comparison with the pterygia group. There was no significant correlation between FGF-2 levels and either sex or location of the pterygium. FGF-2 levels had a significant correlation with morphological characteristics of the pterygia. More specifically, FGF-2 levels were significantly higher in the pterygia with a fleshy morphology. Interestingly, recurrent lesions demonstrated high expression levels. An overexpression of FGF-2 has been observed frequently in pterygia, where it may play a crucial role in determining the lesion’s progression. FGF-2 upregulation correlates with the morphology of pterygia and its tendency to recur. Cell spot analysis based on liquid-based cytology is a simple, yet effective, method for detecting a broad spectrum of protein markers and could be useful in analyzing potential pterygia patient samples.

Urbanization, energy-use intensity and emissions: A sectoral approach

This paper investigates the relationship between urban population and CO2 emissions from various sectors with a view towards understanding energy-use intensity as the link between urbanization and CO2 emissions, considered a key driver of climate change. In contrast to extant literature, we analyse this link from two distinct perspectives, involving disaggregation according to sectors or by level of development. Further, using econometric mediation analysis, we provide a deeper exploration of the mechanisms through which climate change manifests exploring the technological inefficiencies that lead to carbon emissions at the sectoral as well as developmental level. Our results indicate that energy-use intensity, an indicator of technological inefficiency in controlling emissions, is particularly of importance in the manufacturing sector, playing a vital role in the process through which urbanization affects CO2 emissions. We also show that the overall link between urbanization/development and emissions is a conditional one, requiring a deeper analysis that separately explores groups of countries classified by income levels as well as various sub-sectors of those economies. Furthermore, the mechanism through which these effects manifest is robust in residential and manufacturing sectors; technological inefficiencies, leading to high levels of energy use intensity are the key contributors to carbon emissions. The findings suggest a sector-based targeted approach that takes into account levels of development is more appropriate relative to a one-size-fits-all approach to global policy.

Response to Moderate and Vigorous Aerobic/Resistance Exercise in a Woman With Long-COVID

Response to Moderate and Vigorous Aerobic/Resistance Exercise in a Woman With Long-COVID

Elderly Care Provision and the Impact on Caregiver Health in China

AbstractWith the fast pace of population aging, industrialization, and urbanization in China, the main source of elderly care is changing. Using China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Survey data, we investigate the elderly care provision situation and find that spouses are currently the most important elderly care providers in China. We use a model to depict the trade‐off between a caregiver's own health and the care quality obtained by the care recipient. The model predicts that under some conditions, the caregivers will provide care at the cost of their health. Employing a stratified propensity score matching method, we find that spouses' caregivers are more likely to have depression, physical pain, and hypertension than noncaregivers. The negative effects are larger for caregivers with a high level of care intensity or less support from other resources. Female spousal caregivers tend to suffer more from depression and physical pain than male spousal caregivers. Our findings suggest that policies toward “healthy aging” should target not only the disabled elderly but also their spousal caregivers who are also elderly people.

Assessing the expansion of the Cambrian Agronomic Revolution into fan-delta environments

The intensity, extent, and ecosystem-level impact of bioturbation (i.e. Agronomic Revolution) at the dawn of the Phanerozoic is a hotly debated issue. Middle Cambrian fan-delta deposits in southwestern Saskatchewan provide insights into the paleoenvironmental extent of the Agronomic Revolution into marginal-marine environments. The studied deposits reveal that several environmental stressors had direct impact on trace-fossil distribution and bioturbation intensities in Cambrian fan deltas. Basal and proximal subaerial deposits are characterized by very coarse grain size and absence of bioturbation. Mid-fan and fan-toe deposits were formed under subaqueous conditions and are characterized by rapid bioturbation events in between sedimentation episodes when environmental stressors were ameliorated, providing evidence of a significant landward expansion of the Agronomic Revolution. Transgressive marine deposits accumulated after the abandonment of the fan-delta system display high levels of bioturbation intensity, reflecting stable environmental conditions that favored endobenthic colonization. The presence of intense bioturbation in both subaqueous fan delta and transgressive deposits provides further support to the view that Cambrian levels of biogenic mixing were high, provided that stable environmental conditions were reached. Our study underscores the importance of evaluating sedimentary facies changes to assess the impact of environmental factors prior to making evolutionary inferences.

Emotion response disconcordance among trauma-exposed adults: the impact of alexithymia.

Emotion processing deficits have been identified as a critical transdiagnostic factor that facilitates distress after trauma exposure. Limited skills in identifying and labelling emotional states (i.e. alexithymia) may present on the more automated (less conscious) end of the spectrum of emotional awareness and clarity. Individuals with alexithymia tend to exhibit a disconcordance between subjective experience and autonomic activity (e.g. where high levels of subjective emotional intensity are associated with low physiological arousal), which may exacerbate distress. Although there is a robust link between alexithymia and trauma exposure, no work to date has explored whether alexithymia is associated with emotional response disconcordance among trauma-exposed adults. Using a validated trauma script paradigm, the present study explored the impact of alexithymia on emotion response concordance [skin conductance (Galvanic Skin Response, GSR) and Total Mood Disturbance (TMD)] among 74 trauma-exposed adults recruited via a posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) treatment clinic and student research programme. Unlike posttraumatic symptom severity, age, sex, participant type and mood (which showed no effect on emotion response concordance), alexithymia was associated with heightened emotion response disconcordance between GSR and TMD [F(1, 37) = 8.93, p = 0.006], with low GSR being associated with high TMD. Observed effects of the trauma script were entirely accounted for by the interaction with alexithymia, such that those with alexithymia showed a negligible association between subjective and physiological states. This finding is paramount as it shows that a large proportion of trauma-exposed adults have a divergent emotion engagement profile.