Important Dimension Research Articles

"The kids get haggled over": how institutional practices contribute to segregation in elementary schools.

School segregation is a key topic in urban, educational and inequality research. While previous studies have mainly focused on the effects of both parental school choice and residential segregation patterns on the composition of schools, we draw attention to institutional players steering access to elementary schools as one important dimension of institutional discrimination. Combining expert interviews with school principals and the local schools department with a quantitative survey among parents, we scrutinize the interplay between institutional structures and practices and parental school choice strategies. We identify three dimensions of institutional discrimination as being particularly relevant for school access, and thus for school segregation and inequality: a school's guidelines and strategic objectives in dealing with segregation, the enrollment process, and a school's profiling and information policies. These factors prove to be rather subtle, yet crucial facets of institutional discrimination, co-producing and perpetuating spatial inequalities.

Developing a set of patient-centered outcomes for routine use in endometriosis: An international Delphi study.

There is large variation in individual patient care for endometriosis. A uniform approach to measure outcomes could be incorporated into routine clinical practice to personalize and monitor treatments and potentially improve the quality of care. The aim of this study is to identify a group of patient-centered outcomes for use in routine endometriosis care which are relevant to all patient profiles. By means of a modified two-round Delphi study with international representation including healthcare professionals, researchers and patient representatives (51 participants, 16 countries) we developed a set of patient-centered measurements. The participants evaluated 47 Patient Reported Outcome Measures (PROMs) and 30 Clinician Reported Outcome Measures (CROMs) regarding their feasibility and relevance for their use in routine endometriosis care. After the two rounds of quotation, meetings of the experts were convened to participate in a final discussion to finalize the consensus of the final set of included measures. The final set of patient-centered outcomes includes six PROMs (measuring symptomatic impact, pain, work productivity and quality of life) and 10 CROMs (measuring clinical, imaging and surgical indicators). A supplementary list of outcomes was added to include important dimensions that were considered essential by the expert panel but are not relevant to all patients. In addition the need for development of specific tools (PROMs) measuring the psychological impact and the impact in sexual activity of endometriosis was highlighted. We have developed a set of patient-centered outcomes measures in endometriosis care. The selected outcomes comprise the common features for all patients suffering from endometriosis. adapted for use in routine practice. The list of outcomes has been adapted for use in routine practice from which clinicians can chose, depending on their needs.

Growth and characterization of Bi(110)/CrTe2 heterostructures: Exploring interplay between magnetism and topology

The interplay between topology and magnetism is vital for realizing exotic quantum phenomena, significant examples including quantum anomalous Hall effect, axion insulators, and high-order topological states. These states host great potential for future applications in high-speed and low-consumption electronic devices. Despite being extensively investigated, practical platforms are still scarce. In this work, with molecular beam epitaxy (MBE), we provide the first experimental report on high-quality Bi(110)/CrTe2 magnetic heterostructure. By employing in-situ high-resolution scanning tunneling microscopy, we are able to examine the interaction between magnetism and topology. There is a potential edge state at an energy level above the Fermi level, but no edge states observed near the Fermi level The absence of high-order topological corner states near E F highlights the importance of lattice matching and interface engineering in designing high-order topological states. Our study provides key insights into the interplay between two-dimensional magnetic and topological materials and offers an important dimension for engineering magnetic topological states.

Kernel Estimation of the Quintile Share Ratio index of Inequality for Heavy-tailed Income distributions

Evidence from micro-data shows that capital incomes are exceedingly volatile, which makes up a disproportionately high contribution to the overall inequality in populations with the heavy-tailed nature on the income distributions for many countries. The quintile share ratio (QSR) is a recently introduced measure of income inequality, also forming part of the European Laeken indicators and which cover four important dimensions of social inclusion (health, education, employment and financial poverty). In 2001, the European Council decided that income inequality in the European Union member states should be described using a number of indicators including the QSR. Non-parametric estimation has been developed on the QSR index for heavy-tailed capital incomes distributions. However, this method of estimation does not give satisfactory statistical performances, since it suffers badly from under coverage, and so we cannot rely on the non-parametric estimator. Hence, we need another estimator in the case of heavy tailed populations. This is the reason why we introduce, in this paper, a class of semi-parametric estimators of theQSR index of economic inequality for heavy-tailed income distributions. Our methodology is basedon the extreme value theory, which offers adequate statistical results for such distributions. Weestablish their asymptotic distribution, and through a simulation study, we illustrate their behaviorin terms of the absolute bias and the median squared error. The simulation results clearly showthat our estimators work well.

Barnes maze test for spatial memory: A new, sensitive scoring system for mouse search strategies

The Barnes maze is a task used to assess spatial learning and memory in rodents. It requires animals to learn the position of a hole that can be used as an escape from a bright and open arena. The often-used parameters of latency and path length to measure learning and memory do not reflect the different navigation strategies chosen by the animals. Here, we propose an 11-point scoring scheme to classify the search strategies developed by the animals during the initial training as well as after the change of the escape target to a new position. Strategy scores add an important dimension to time and path length to assess the behavior in this popular maze.

A comparative analysis of the curriculum implemented in the village institutes

Village Institutes were educational institutions in Türkiye that were structured in line with the educational, economic, social and political needs of the period. They constituted an important dimension of the works carried out to develop the country economically propagate the newly founded republic and its basic principles to the public. These institutions aimed to train well-equipped village teachers to develop the villages and the villagers in every aspect. The teachers who graduated from these institutions also shouldered the task of strengthening the bond between the village and the villagers and the state and the republic. The curriculum that determined the education process of the Village Institutes was first put into practice in 1943. Educational activities were carried out in line with the "education in work, education for work, education with work" principle. The students were active and educational activities were done holistically in these institutions. Furthermore, the students had the opportunity to apply the knowledge they had learned in the culture courses for themselves and in the agriculture courses through technical courses. However, in these educational institutions, the curriculum diverged partially from this aforementioned main principle after 1947. In the 1947 curriculum, which was revised in line with the criticisms made for the 1943 program, the agriculture and technical courses were reduced, and the culture courses were increased. With the 1953 Teacher Training Schools and Village Institutes curriculum, the five-year education increased to six years and the technical and agricultural courses were greatly reduced. Since the Village Institutes were closed in 1954, this curriculum could not be implemented for a long time. For this reason, it would not be wrong to state that the 1943 curriculum was the curriculum which that was developed and implemented in such a way as to fully meet the basic aims and principles of the Village Institutes.

Strategic Integration of Artificial Intelligence for Sustainable Businesses: Implications for Data Management and Human User Engagement in the Digital Era

This research paper delves into the pivotal role of strategic integration of artificial intelligence (AI) concepts across sustainability efforts in for-profit businesses. As organizations are increasingly starting to rely on AI-driven solutions, this study examines the profound implications of AI integration for two critical facets: impact on data management in companies and diversification of human engagement during interactions in the digital ecosystem. The main goal of this research is to analyze the AI adoption index within a sample of 240 medium and large-sized companies (therefore excluding new companies, small startups, and low-scale AI applications). Firstly, the paper scrutinizes how AI technologies enhance data management by enabling efficient data collection, analysis, and utilization. It emphasizes the importance of AI-driven data analytics in improving decision-making processes, resource optimization, and overall operational efficiency for sustainable practices. Secondly, this research explores how AI-driven personalization, omnichannel interactions, and recommendation systems significantly impact user experiences, satisfaction, and loyalty, ultimately contributing to sustainable business growth. Findings show that there are three separate profiles of companies (low, moderate, and high), distinguished by AI adoption index and other important dimensions. Future research should focus on determining preconditions for successful planning of AI adoption index improvement, using a data-driven approach.

The role of time in healthy living environment networks: current research and future directions

Abstract Background Societal challenges in the context of healthy living environments are complex, requiring networked collaboration from heterogenous actors. As it takes time before environmental investments accrue health effects, long-term networks emerge with dynamics that are unpredictable. Recent literature gives reason to believe that time plays an important role in managing networks, and can potentially help understand the dynamics in healthy living environment contexts. This study aims to identify gaps in how the literature reports on the role of time in healthy living environment networks. We identify avenues for future research. Methods A scoping review of the literature yielded 27 papers published between 2012 and 2022 about collaborative practices for a healthy living environment. We collected data on general characteristics, and references to time in relation to the context, collaborative process, and outcomes of networks described in each paper. Results The majority of the literature does not report on temporal dimensions in networks for a healthy living environment. In the literature that does include references to time, temporal dimensions remain an implicit and passive variable. For example, studies describe the evolution of environmental or health problems and their time horizon. If temporal dimensions are manifest in descriptions of the collaboration itself it mostly concerns the evolution of processes, their time horizon, and references to tempo. Strategic use of timing and adaption, as well as realizing long-term impact are the most important dimensions in terms of network actions. Conclusions No studies systematically analyze the role of time. Future research should fill this gap to enrich our understanding of how, when, and why time shapes networked governance and outcomes for a healthy living environment. Applying these concepts further can help to develop new steering tools for practitioners involved in collaboration. Key messages • The role of time in governance of healthy living environment networks remains limitedly studied. • Future research should study the (strategic) role of temporal dimensions in healthy living environment governance.

Examining Students' Formative Test-Taking Behaviors Using Learning Analytics

In online learning environments, assessment is an important dimension and also one of the most challenging parts of the process. So to provide an effective learning process analyzing students’ behaviors are important for designing formative and summative assessment environments. In this study, students’ profiles have been analyzed in a formative assessment environment and compared with the summative assessment environment based on attempt count, overall time spent, first attempt score, and the last attempt score metrics. The within-subjects design has been used. Cluster analysis and the Kruskal Wallis-H Test were used to analyze behaviors. The data show that there are three main clusters. Cluster 1 showed a high number of interactions, and an increasing trend was observed in grades over attempts. Cluster 2 consists of the students who received the best grades in all of the other clusters, and lastly, cluster 3 consists of students that interact little and score lower on formative assessments.

Job quality and precarious employment among lesbian, gay, and bisexual workers: A national study

BackgroundEmployment outcomes among sexual minority (i.e., lesbian, gay, bisexual) workers are poorly understood, and previous research on this topic has focused almost exclusively on inequities in earnings, neglecting other important dimensions of job quality. We address this gap by describing and comparing the job quality of straight and sexual minority workers in Canada. MethodsData are from the 2016 General Social Survey: Canadians at Work and Home, the only national survey providing both a measure of sexual orientation and a multidimensional view of job quality in Canada. We identified 25 unique job quality indicators (e.g., temporary employment; job insecurity; health benefits; low income; job satisfaction; job control; discrimination). Latent class cluster analysis was used to establish a typology of job quality describing standard, flexible, and precarious employment types. We used multivariable regression methods to examine the association between sexual orientation and job quality. ResultsSexual minorities reported lower job quality than their straight counterparts along many dimensions, with bisexual people reporting the lowest job quality. While inequities were generally observed among both sexual minority men and women, they sometimes differed in magnitude by gender. The prevalence of precarious employment was nearly three times higher among lesbian, gay, and bisexual workers (PR: 2.94, CI: 1.89–4.58 among all sexual minorities; PR: 3.04, CI: 1.71–5.43 among gay/lesbian workers; and PR: 2.81, CI: 1.45–5.47 among bisexual workers) compared to their straight counterparts. ConclusionInequities in job quality among sexual minorities persist despite comprehensive human rights protections in Canada. These inequities are pervasive, extending well beyond conventional indicators such as dollars earned and hours worked. Multi-pronged interventions are needed that move beyond simply ensuring that sexual minority workers are employed. Sexual minority workers deserve access to secure, well-paid work with benefits where they can foster connection and be free from discrimination.

AI-enabled human capital management (HCM) software adoption using full consistency method (FUCOM): evidence from banking industry

PurposeArtificial intelligence (AI)-based human capital management (HCM) software solutions represent a potentially effective way to leverage and streamline a bank’s human resources. However, despite the attractiveness of AI-based HCM solutions to improve banks’ effectiveness, to the best of the authors’ knowledge, there are no current studies that identify critical success factors (CSFs) for adopting AI-based HCM in the banking sector. This study aims to fill this gap by investigating CSFs for adopting AI-based HCM software solutions in the banking sector.Design/methodology/approachFull consistency method methodology and technology–organization–environment, economic and human framework are used for categorizing and ranking CSFs.FindingsThe study identifies the technological and environmental dimensions as the most and least important dimensions for AI-based HCM adoption in banks. Among specific CSFs, compatible technology facilities, sufficient privacy and security and relative advantages of technology over competing technologies were identified as the most important. Implementation of AI-based HCM solutions requires significant outlays of resources, both human and financial, for banks.Originality/valueThe study provides bank administrators a set of objective parameters and criterion to evaluate the feasibility of adopting a particular AI-based HCM solution in banks.

Measuring impact of the dynamic leadership on efficiency of circular economy planning in the crisis management for sustainable productive development

The dimensions and practices of the dynamic leadership are related to the circular economy planning CEP and contributing to addressing economic problems, especially in managing crises and serious thorny conditions in Sudan. The dynamic leadership DL emerged as an expression related to the circular economy CE and the method of using and managing resources efficient effectively through dynamic leadership. The circular economy was linked to efficiency of the dynamic leader in economy planning, especially in crisis management, which indicates a significant contribution to achieving sustainable productive development SPD. The study relied on the findings of an analysis of SBM-DEA, CCR and OLS model through indicators of economic development in Sudan during the period (1999–2022). Which Demonstrated differences in efficiency scores of CEP in crisis management CM. The study concluded that there are shortcomings in the efficiency of circular economy planning in Sudan. The findings also identified the most important input dimensions of the dynamic leadership and crisis management affecting the efficiency of CEP and achieving SPD. It also identified the most important obstacles that prevent sustainable productive economic development in Sudan. in addition, improving HRM processes through the use of dynamic leadership in managing the crises management, resource re-exploitation, distribution, and activation of decision-making and decision-taking units DMUs and DTUs in Sudan.

The Role of the Virtue of Religiosity in the Experience of Engagement

For believers, a decision to enter sacramental marriage is one of the most important steps in their lives. They prepare for it over the engagement period. This is a time of personal formation open to further improvement, in which religion plays an important role. Religiosity is the moral virtue by which man honours God. The bride and groom-to-be bring the experience of their own religiosity to the relationship, which allows for mutual enrichment and positive confrontation. The aim of this research is to show the influence of religiosity on the building of the engagement bond and its subsequent impact on the nuptial community. The paper is of a theoretical and empirical nature and belongs to the area of moral theology. This research includes the conclusions of empirical studies conducted in Poland. The method of source material analysis applied in this paper allows for a synthesis that shows the complexity of the phenomenon, with special attention paid to the aretology of the analysed issue. The synthesis offers concrete solutions for future brides and grooms, as well as those responsible for preparing for the sacrament of marriage. It reaffirms the need to form a mature religiosity during the engagement period. It encourages certain religious forms that serve to build a relationship with God and enable the bride and groom to better relate to each other. An important dimension of properly experienced religiosity is its formative character that enables one to make appropriate moral choices.

Pressure-Driven Polymorphic Transition, Emergent Insulator-To-Metal Transition, and Photoconductivity Switching in Violet Phosphorus.

Polymorphic phase transition is an essential phenomenon in condensed matter that the physical properties of materials may undergo significant changes due to the structural transformation. Phase transition has thus become an important means and dimension for regulating material properties. Herein, this study demonstrates the pressure-induced multi-transition of both structure and physical properties in violet phosphorus, a novel phosphorus allotrope. Under compression, violet phosphorus undergoes sequential polymorphic phase transitions. Concomitant with the first phase transition, violet phosphorus exhibits emergent insulator-metal transition, superconductivity, and dramatic switching from positive to negative photoconductivity. Remarkably, the resistance of violet phosphorus shows a sudden drop of around 107 along with the phase transition. In addition, piezochromism from translucent red to opaque black and suppression of photoluminescence are observed upon compression. Of particular interest is that the sample irreversibly transforms into black phosphorus with a pronounced discrepancy in physical properties from the pristine violet phosphorus after decompression. The abundant polymorphic transitions and property changes in violet phosphorus have significant implications for designing novel pressure-responsive electronic/optoelectronic devices and exploring concealed polymorphic transition materials.

How does sensitivity influence early executive function? A critical review on hot and cool processes

There is compelling evidence that the quality of caregiver-child interactions during toddlerhood and the preschool years supports the development of executive function (EF) (Bernier et al., 2010; 2015; 2016; Fay-Stammbach et al., 2014; Geeraerts et al., 2021). Based on such findings, we make the case herein that sensitivity may be one of the most important dimensions of parenting contributing to early EF. In the present article, we will review empirical evidence, integrating findings from a wide range of scientific disciplines – cognitive psychology, neuroscience, and developmental psychopathology – and present theoretical ideas about how two contexts of sensitive caregiving – i.e. sensitivity to distress and non-distress cues - may be contributing differently to hot and cool EF development. Implications for future investigations on the environmental contributors of early EF, and its mechanisms, are discussed.

University–Business Collaboration for the Design, Development, and Delivery of Critical Thinking Blended Apprenticeships Curricula: Lessons Learned from a Three-Year Project

University–Business partnership for collaborative curriculum design, development, and delivery is an important dimension of University–Business Collaboration (UBC), but scarce information exists on how to enhance partnership for the design, development, and implementation of new curricula. With these questions in focus, this article intends to present and discuss the perceived experience during a three-year European funded project, namely, Think4Jobs. This project exemplifies the significance and benefits of UBC in the design, development, and delivery of curricula that meet the evolving demands of the labour market while promoting Critical Thinking (CT) as a foundational 21st century skill to contribute to graduates’ employability. Think4Jobs project brought together a multidisciplinary team of researchers and business organisations from five European countries (Germany, Greece, Lithuania, Portugal, and Romania) with interests in promoting and developing CT and mitigating eventual competence gaps. The project’s success was attributed to key practices, including defining a common conceptualization of CT, employing Participatory Co-Design, and providing common training for university and business partners. Clear objectives, explicit roles, effective communication, and ongoing evaluation further enhanced the collaboration. Experiential learning, real-work problems, and case studies reinforced the curricula, bridging the gap between academia and the labour market. By embracing these insights, future UBC initiatives can empower graduates with the necessary skills to stand out in an ever-changing labour market, contributing to enhanced education and successful careers.

Bare Projectibilism and Natural Kinds

Projectibility has traditionally been given a prominent role in natural kind theories. However, where most of these theories take projectibility to be a necessary but insufficient feature of natural kinds, this paper defends an account of natural kinds according to which the naturalness of kinds is to be identified with their degree of projectibility only. This view follows thus the path opened by Häggqvist (2005), although it goes significantly further on two main respects. First, I develop and discuss two important dimensions of projectibility that are overlooked in Häggqvist’s work. Second, I address two recent important objections (Magnus 2012 and Spencer 2015) against projectibility-based accounts.

Government-public relationships in the context of mega sport events: conceptualisation and scale development

PurposeEnthusiasm for hosting mega sport events has been dampened mainly due to the opposition of local communities. Although the use of public relations that aims for two-way communication to build mutual understanding and the long-term relationship could be an effective tool in diminishing the opposition, little research exists that interprets the social concern with public relations theoretical lens. In this light, the primary purpose of the present study was to conceptualise government-public relationships in the context of mega sport events and to develop a valid and psychometrically sound scale to measure the relationship quality between two entities.Design/methodology/approachAn initial pool of 23 potential government-public relationship items was drawn through item generation processes, including research synthesis and content validity. Then, this study collected 254 respondents via online surveys and split the total sample into two sets for exploratory factor analysis and (n = 127) and confirmatory factor analysis (n = 127).FindingsAs a result, the scale of the government-public relationships consists of 17 items representing three dimensions: control mutuality, trust and satisfaction.Originality/valueThe developed government-public relationship scale furnishes event marketers and researchers with a solid framework and a measurement tool for empirical examinations. The current research reveals that the dimensionality, reliability and validity of the three latent government-public relationships dimensions are satisfactory while failing to meet the general consensus that commitment is an important dimension of the existing organisation-public relationships scale.

What is going on with studies on financial speculation? Evidence from a bibliometric analysis

In the context of increasing concerns about financial stability, the different forms of speculation and their study are gaining importance. In the last decade, concern has grown in analysing the impact of speculation forms in the extreme events that can occur in financial markets. The most important recent line of study is the development of the speculation scenarios and the possible incorporation of new ones, the strategy of traders and investors is one of the most important dimensions in the spontaneous generation of high risk in speculation that can suffer markets. Therefore, it becomes a necessary task to measure the amount and level of academic work that has been carried out on speculations and the different forms and trends that may have been throughout the years. Therefore, the main objective is to clarify the current state of speculation, carrying out a bibliometric analysis of the diverse topics. 2642 research papers published between 1971 and 2021 have been analyzed based on the Web of Science Core Collection (WoS) results, identifying publications and co-authorship among the most recognized authors, the countries with the highest percentage of scientific production, the most prominent citations, the most influential journals, and the co-occurrence of keywords. In summary, this study explores new lines of investigation through the measurement and observation of the academic articles until date, which objective is highlighting the new relevant speculation situations, such as the short squeeze in ‘meme stocks’, detection of short selling strategies using the High-Frequency trading, extreme volatility in cryptocurrencies and commodity price shocks.

The emerging roles of nitric oxide and its associated scavengers-phytoglobins-in plant symbiotic interactions.

A key feature in the establishment of symbiosis between plants and microbes is the maintenance of the balance between the production of the small redox-related molecule, nitric oxide (NO), and its cognate scavenging pathways. During the establishment of symbiosis, a transition from a normoxic to a microoxic environment often takes place, triggering the production of NO from nitrite via a reductive production pathway. Plant hemoglobins [phytoglobins (Phytogbs)] are a central tenant of NO scavenging, with NO homeostasis maintained via the Phytogb-NO cycle. While the first plant hemoglobin (leghemoglobin), associated with the symbiotic relationship between leguminous plants and bacterial Rhizobium species, was discovered in 1939, most other plant hemoglobins, identified only in the 1990s, were considered as non-symbiotic. From recent studies, it is becoming evident that the role of Phytogbs1 in the establishment and maintenance of plant-bacterial and plant-fungal symbiosis is also essential in roots. Consequently, the division of plant hemoglobins into symbiotic and non-symbiotic groups becomes less justified. While the main function of Phytogbs1 is related to the regulation of NO levels, participation of these proteins in the establishment of symbiotic relationships between plants and microorganisms represents another important dimension among the other processes in which these key redox-regulatory proteins play a central role.