Negative Link Research Articles

Relationship Between Dental Anxiety, Dental Utilization, and Oral Health-Related Quality of Life: A Systematic Review

Abstract Aim: No comprehensive synthesis of dental anxiety (DA), dental utilization (DU), oral health-related quality of life (OHRQoL), and their relationships have been examined despite various systematic investigations being done on their prevalence and interventions individually. Therefore, this review aims to systematically review the status and relationship between DA, DU, and OHRQoL among adult groups. Materials and Methods: Data collection spanned 6 months, from 1 July to 31 December 2023, involving eight databases. Only cross-sectional (CS) studies with adult participants aged 15–64 years, conducted globally, published in English, and available as full-text articles by December 31, 2023, were included. Two reviewers screened the titles and abstracts and assessed the full-text articles. All studies were CS. The risk of bias was evaluated using the Joanna Briggs Institute’s Critical Appraisal Checklist for Analytical CS studies. The quality of evidence for each measured factor was assessed using the Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development, and Evaluation methodology. Results: The initial search yielded 3333 studies. The 22 final studies included 13 high-quality studies with over 80% and nine fair studies with 50% and 79% scored. None of the studies scored below 50%. A negative link between DA and DU was identified in 15 of 16 studies with 35,846 participants aged 22.19–50.21 years. Six studies on DA, DU, and OHRQoL included 22,845 participants aged 15–55 years, mostly in their late and mid-fifties. Four of six verified Berggren and Meynert’s (1984) vicious cycle theory’s high association between DA, DU, and OHRQoL. Conclusions: A 22-study review reveals a strong association between DA, DU, and OHRQoL. Most moderate to high-quality studies emphasized a negative correlation between DA and DU, which affected OHRQoL. PROSPERO registration number CRD42023455219.

Causal associations between COVID-19 and erectile dysfunction: a Mendelian randomization study.

In this study, we aimed to explore the potential association between COVID-19 infection, hospitalization, severe COVID-19, and erection dysfunction (ED) using the two-sample Mendelian randomization (MR) method. Data pertaining to COVID-19 were extracted from the latest version of the COVID-19 Host Genetics Initiative genome-wide association study (GWAS) meta-analyses (Round 7, April 2022), and outcome data were obtained from the Open GWAS database. We applied various MR analysis methods, including the inverse variance weighted method, weighted median method, and MR-Egger regression. Our investigation revealed a negative causal association between COVID-19 hospitalization and ED (total testosterone levels: beta = -0.026; 95% confidence interval: -0.049 to -0.001). However, no evidence supported causal relationships between COVID-19 infection, hospitalization for COVID-19, or severe COVID-19 and other ED risk factors. The results of this comprehensive MR analysis suggest a negative causal link between COVID-19 hospitalization and total testosterone levels. Nonetheless, COVID-19 (comprising infection, hospitalization, and severe illness) may not directly correlate with an increased risk of ED. These findings imply that COVID-19 may exert a distinct impact on ED through indirect pathways.

Depression Takes a Toll on Academic Performance: Evidence from Rural Students in China.

Depression is a growing public health concern around the world. For adolescents, depression not only impedes healthy development, but is negatively associated with academic performance. The purpose of this paper is to examine the prevalence of adolescent depressive symptoms in a sample of rural primary and junior high school students. Additionally, we examine various factors to identify subgroups within the sample that may be more vulnerable to depression. Finally, we explore the extent to which depression correlates with academic performance and conduct a series of heterogeneity analyses. We utilize cross-sectional data derived from 30 schools in underdeveloped regions of rural China encompassing primary and junior high school students (n = 1,609). We find a high prevalence of depression, with 23% and 9% of students experiencing general depression (depression score ≥ 14) and severe depression (depression score ≥ 21), respectively. Female gender, elevated stress and anxiety levels, boarding at school, exposure to bullying, and having depressed caregiver(s) are positively correlated with depressive symptoms, while high social support exhibits a negative association. Importantly, our analyses consistently show a significantly negative link between depression and academic performance, which is measured using standardized math tests. For instance, transitioning from a non-depressed state to a state of general depression (depression score ≥ 14) is linked to a decline of 0.348-0.406 standard deviations in math scores (p < 0.01). Heterogeneity analyses reveal that this adverse relationship is more pronounced for male students, boarding students, those with lower social support, individuals with more educated mothers, and those with lower family assets. Our findings underscore the high prevalence of depression in rural schools and the detrimental impact on academic performance. We advocate for the implementation of policies aimed at reducing student depression, particularly within vulnerable populations and subgroups.

Exploring the Recycling Behavior and Climate Change Mitigation in Booming Countries: A Path to Cleaner Seas and Sustainable Futures- A Case of UAE

The expansion of the global population, technological progress, economic growth, and rapid urbanization have induced substantial shifts in lifestyle choices, reshaping consumption patterns. This research aimed to investigate the interrelation between recycling practices in rapidly developing nations, notably China, Brazil, Turkey, Vietnam, Nigeria, and the United Arab Emirates (UAE), while emphasizing the role of the UAE, particularly Abu Dhabi, in mitigating climate change and addressing marine pollution. Furthermore, the study ascertain the significance of recycling practices, specifically concerning plastic and e-waste in the UAE, in contributing to environmental sustainability and promoting cleaner oceans. This endeavor ultimately aimed for more sustainable and conscientious development pathways. The research methodology was founded on established theoretical and conceptual framework developed through an in-depth analysis of variables rooted in the theory of planned behavior. Following the successful collection of data on recycling behaviors related to plastic and e-waste in Abu Dhabi, the data was analysed using the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS). The findings from the correlation analysis conducted showed complex correlations between recycling behavior and environmental factors. The positive connections found between “comparing recycling practice” and a favorable “future development pathway,” suggested active recycling involvement and good future perspectives. Similarly, positive correlation between “reducing marine pollution” and “environmental sustainability,” demonstrated a shared environmental conscience. However, a negative link was found between “mitigating climate change” and “reducing marine pollution”, “recycling behavior, showing that respondents with higher priority on mitigating climate change also not in favour to recycle and prioritize for reducing marine pollution.

가족통제와 혁신투자와의 관계에 대한 연구: 창업가문의 조절효과

In this paper, we attempted to validate the impact of family businesses, a distinct corporate structure, on innovative behavior. The role of family control, which is unique to family businesses, received special attention. In this study, we used agent theory and social-emotional wealth theory to test the effect of family control on creative investment. Furthermore, we attempted to confirm the moderating effect of the negative (-) of political connection, as well as the moderating effect of the definition of entrepreneurship as moderating variables that influence the effect of family control on innovative behavior. To that goal, the research hypotheses were validated using 5,120 samples of 1,024 family businesses listed from 2015 to 2019. According to the study's findings, the family control ratio and innovative behavior have a negative (-) link, and family control in publicly listed family enterprises that have started their own ventures can reduce the negative impact on corporate innovation investment. But, the political connection has been rejected. According to this study, the more the family composition control, the lower the corporate innovation investment; so, if family businesses want to grow, they should encourage innovative behavior and increase their interest in innovation support policies. Furthermore, it should be recognized that family control of self-starting family businesses can minimize negative effects on corporate innovation investment and increase availability.

The link between structural brain asymmetry and the dimensions of the corpus callosum: A systematic review

Cerebral asymmetry is a defining feature of the human brain, but some controversy exists with respect to the relationship between structural brain asymmetry and the dimensions of the corpus callosum, the brain’s major inter-hemispheric commissure. On the one hand, more asymmetric brains might house a proportionally smaller corpus callosum (negative link), potentially due to intra-hemispheric connections dominating over inter-hemispheric connections. On the other hand, asymmetric brains may contain a proportionately larger corpus callosum (positive link), to facilitate a possibly enhanced demand of interhemispheric communication, either through excitatory or inhibitory channels. The scientific literature on this topic is relatively sparse, but we have identified 13 studies that directly assess the relationship between structural asymmetries and callosal morphology. The studies suggest a multitude of effects on the global, regional, and local levels, where findings range from negative links, to positive links, to no links whatsoever. These links are systematically summarized, detailed, and discussed in the present review. Discrepancies between study outcomes might arise from the application of different morphometric approaches, the differential treatment of possible confounds, as well as the size and characteristics of the study sample.

SiSRS: Signed social recommender system using deep neural network representation learning

Most approaches used in social recommender systems concentrate mostly on positive relationshipswithin the social network, frequently ignoring the insightful information that negative relationships can offer. A more thorough understanding of user characteristics and behaviors within a social network can result from integrating positive and negative links to construct a signed graph. However, there are two major challenges in developing signed social recommender systems. Considering negative links in these systems needs to be done carefully to make sure that these relationships are appropriately represented and used. Moreover, it is difficult to predict user interactions and preferences effectively when relationships represented by positive and negative links conflict, known as social inconsistency. Therefore, working with signed graphs requires the management of social inconsistency. To address these issues, in this paper, a signed social recommender system called SiSRS is presented using a deep architecture combined with network representation learning. The SiSRS is composed of three principal components. First, the application of signed graph attention networks is explored to collate and disseminate information across the network via graph motifs, leading to the creation of node embeddings. Second, a deep autoencoder model is employed to assimilate top-k semantic signed social data within the deep learning framework. Third, a novel loss function is formulated to reduce the impact of social inconsistency. The efficacy of the SiSRS model was evaluated through extensive experiments conducted on two datasets in terms of various evaluation metrics. The results indicated a superior performance of this approach compared to existing state-of-the-art methods.

How mindfulness, decentering, nonattachment and rumination interact with the temporal associations between emotions and thoughts: An experience sampling study.

The way emotions and thoughts affect each other in daily life deeply impacts an individual's well-being. This experience sampling study (N = 132, 24 random-schedule signals in 6 days) aimed to (a) test the bidirectionality of within-person concurrent (simultaneous) and prospective (from time t-1 to time t) associations between real-life emotions and thoughts; (b) explore the moderator roles of dispositions involving the ability to take an aware and detached perspective on inner experience (i.e., mindfulness, decentering, nonattachment and low rumination) in the abovementioned associations. Multilevel within-person and multilevel lagged models assessed concurrent and prospective links, respectively. Emotions and thoughts showed concurrent associations, and prospective associations only between same-valence emotions and thoughts. Low rumination and decentering strengthened the-respectively-simultaneous and prospective relationship between positive thoughts and positive emotions; decentering, nonattachment and low rumination suppressed the positive association between lagged negative emotions and present negative thoughts. Decentering also nullified the negative concurrent link between positive thoughts and negative emotions. Mindfulness and nonattachment strengthened the concurrent negative link between negative thoughts and positive emotions. Dispositions involving a detached perspective on inner experience improve individual abilities to deal with negative emotions and promote upward spirals between positive emotions and thoughts.

Creativity, theory of mind and loneliness – The links between cognitive and social abilities of school-age children

In this study, we explored the relationships among children's creative imagery abilities, their theory of mind (ToM) and loneliness. A large sample (N = 743) of primary school-age children (M age = 9.3 years, SD = 0.45 years) solved two performance tasks (creative imagery and ToM) and provided self-reported frequencies of feelings of loneliness. We tested the fit of a structural equation model with aspects of creative abilities (creative imagery and fluency) as predictors of ToM and examined the links between ToM and the quality of relationships with peers and the frequency of feelings of loneliness. The obtained relationships indicate a positive association between creative imagery and ToM and a negative link between ToM and feelings of loneliness. Consequently, the indirect effect of “creative imagery – ToM – loneliness” was negative, which suggests that creative imagery might serve as a factor that reduces the feeling of loneliness among children due to their ToM. We discuss the potential consequences of these findings and propose future avenues that could be explored to untangle the mechanisms behind the identified links. Educational relevance and implications statementIn the study, we analysed the relationships among creative abilities, ToM and feelings of loneliness among children of primary school age. Our results show that richer creative imagery is positively associated with abilities to understand others. Moreover, children with advanced ToM feel less lonely at school among peers than those without such levels of ToM. Consequently, we posit that creative imagery might bring some overlooked benefits for children's social functioning, thanks to the role it plays for ToM.

Habitat Quality Evolution and Multi-Scenario Simulation Based on Land Use Change in the Jialing River Basin

The Jialing River watershed has seen substantial changes in habitat quality and land use throughout the last 20 years. It is yet unknown, however, how the habitat quality will react to these changes in land use. In this work, multi-scenario simulations for 2030 were carried out using the PLUS and InVEST models, and the land use changes and habitat quality evolution in the Jialing River basin from 2000 to 2020 were evaluated. In this study, the following facts were determined: (1) The study area’s southern region is mainly farmland, whereas the northern part is predominantly forestland. The most significant changes were a decrease of 1.46% in the grassland and an increase of 1.07% in the construction land. (2) The northern area typically has greater habitat quality than the southern region, at habitat quality indices of 0.5401, 0.5338, and 0.5084 for the year 2000, the year 2010, and the year 2020, respectively, demonstrating a pattern of steady decline. (3) Converting farmland to forestland can successfully increase habitat quality, but the conversion of grassland and forestland to farmland is the primary cause of the decline of habitat quality. (4) Global Moran’s indices of −0.7809, −0.7537, and −0.6376 for 2000, 2010, and 2020, respectively, were found in the correlation study between habitat quality and land use intensity, showing a high negative link. The local indicators of spatial association (LISA) maps indicated that the northern region had high land use intensity with low habitat quality, while the southern region had low land use intensity with low habitat quality. (5) The outcomes of the multi-scenario simulations show that, except under the ecological conservation scenario (0.5123) where habitat quality improved, there was a certain degree of deterioration under the business-as-usual (0.4381), farmland conservation (0.4941), and sustainable development (0.4909) scenarios. For future sustainable development, strict control of the encroachment on farmland and forestland is recommended, alongside the adoption of proactive measures to improve habitat quality.

Does the adoption of artificial intelligence by audit firms and their clients affect audit quality and efficiency? Evidence from China

PurposeThis study aims to examine whether the adoption of artificial intelligence (AI) by audit firms and their clients affects audit efficiency and audit quality.Design/methodology/approachThis study empirically examines the abovementioned research question based on data from China for the years 2011 to 2020. It uses audit report lag as a proxy for audit efficiency and the likelihood of annual report restatement as a proxy for audit quality. It adopts the propensity score matching and the two-stage OLS regression model to address the endogeneity issue led by firms’ innate complicated functions.FindingsThe findings show that when audit firms and their clients use AI separately, there's a positive link between AI use and audit report lag. However, when audit firms and clients use AI together, there's a negative link between AI use and audit report delays that enhance overall audit efficiency. Next, the authors observe a negative link between AI use and the likelihood of a restatement. Finally, the authors find that the association between AI adoption and audit quality is driven by increased audit effort lag. Results are consistent and robust to endogeneity tests and sensitivity analyses.Originality/valueFindings can complement the audit quality and corporate governance literature by clarifying that external audit must evolve through digitalization and the incorporation of newly developed digital tools, such as AI.

Diffusion theory, economic consequences, and adoption of international standards on auditing around the world

This paper examines the economic consequences of adopting the International Standards on Auditing (ISAs) from a diffusion of innovation theory perspective. Using a very extensive dataset with 160 countries over 20 years and generating 3,200 country-year observations, this study examines the impact of ISAs adoption on the economic consequences of adopting countries. Our findings are threefold. First, we show that early ISAs adoption has positively and significantly influenced three economic indicators of the adopting countries: (i) economic growth, (ii) foreign direct investment (FDI) inflows, and (iii) exchange rate. Second, our results show that late ISAs adoption has positively and significantly influenced two economic indicators: (i) exports and (ii) interest rates, but negatively with imports. Third, we find a significant positive association between ISAs adoption with amendments or translation and two economic indicators: (i) FDI and (ii) exchange rate, but negative with inflation. Finally, and by contrast, we find a negative link between early ISAs adoption, economic growth rate, and exports. Our findings have implications for theory and practice.

Exploring adolescent suicidal trajectories: The intersection of race/ethnicity, gender, and social connectedness.

Understanding adolescent racial/ethnic and gender disparities in suicidal ideation and attempts longitudinally can help curb future suicidal risk. Survey data (1994-2008) from the Longitudinal Study of Adolescent to Adult Health (Add Health study, n = 18,887) examined racial/ethnic and gender ideation and attempt disparities over four waves of data from across the United States (51% female; 51% White; Mage = 17.43 years at Wave 1). Repeated-measures latent class analyses described how ideation and attempt patterns present longitudinally and how racial/ethnic minority groups predict different classes based on each wave and age-appropriate social supports (i.e., parents, peers). Those most at-risk disclosed ideation and some attempt risk in early adolescence (Waves 1 and 2) and mostly identified as female. The second most prevalent group first disclosed ideation in their 20s and predominately identified as non-Hispanic White females. Peer connections were not significant for most groups except for non-Hispanic White males in Wave 3, while Black females who reported stronger school connections had decreased ideation and attempt rates in Wave 1 but not 2 (just 1 year later). A negative link between social supports and high-risk ideation and attempt classes was found among Black females, non-Hispanic Whites, and Latinos overall. As the United States becomes more diverse, understanding the unique ideation and attempt disparities are crucial. Tailoring interventions to include risk and protective mechanisms among intersectional communities could eradicate disparities. Longitudinal studies can illuminate how protective and risk factors can change over time and even within and among racial/ethnic and gender groups.

Impact of debt maturity and cash holding on investment decisions in Vietnamese companies

The study used data from 520 listed firms between 2004 and 2020 to ascertain the relationship between debt maturity, cash holding, and investment decisions in Vietnamese enterprises. The use of more conservative tactics results from the rise in agency costs. Increased cash holding encouraged businesses to employ internal resources to reduce external financing risks, favorably impacting investment decisions. The negative link between investment decisions and intangible assets indicates increased external funding costs. A high tax shield benefited the investment since it freed up financial flows for productive assets. The robustness test revealed that cash holding positively corresponds with investment decisions in consumer and technology enterprises and that technology firms are incredibly responsive to changes in debt maturity.

Labor investment inefficiency and LGBTQ+-friendliness

We study the effect of firms' LGBTQ+ friendliness on their labor investment efficiency and find that an improvement in firms' LGBTQ+ friendliness leads to greater labor investment inefficiencies, and that more LGBTQ+ friendly firms tend to underinvest in labor. However, we show that this relationship diminishes over time as societal and legal support for LGBTQ+ equal rights increases. A variety of firm and societal characteristics moderate the negative link between corporate LGBTQ+ friendliness and labor investment efficiency.

Racial stereotype and Black adolescents' math achievement: Unpacking the socio-cognitive mechanisms

Racial stereotypes are salient to Black adolescents and to the academic domain of mathematics; however, few studies have examined the socio-cognitive mechanisms through which racial stereotypes impact math achievement. This 2-year longitudinal study (N = 790 Grade 6, 8, and 10 students during Year 1; 50.7% girls and 49.3% boys) investigated (a) the extent to which the endorsement of positively and negatively biased racial stereotypes predicted Black adolescents' math performance through their cognitive engagement and ability mindset and (b) whether gender and ethnic-racial identity moderated these links. Results suggested that endorsement of negatively biased stereotypes was associated with diminished cognitive engagement and lower math scores across 2 years (p < .05). Additionally, adolescents' ethnic-racial identity commitment moderated the negative links between stereotype endorsement and math cognitive engagement in Year 2 (p < .05). When considering the mediating role of math ability mindsets, the endorsement of both positively and negatively biased racial stereotypes operated on math performance via its links to stronger fixed ability mindset beliefs in both years (p < .05). Gender also moderated the effects of racial stereotype endorsement on math mindset beliefs in Year 1 (p < .01). This study's findings advance the field's understanding of the psychosocial mechanisms through which racial stereotypes operate, thus enabling educators to develop tailored practices that facilitate equitable access to math learning opportunities.

Corporate social responsibility (CSR) and earnings management: A structured literature review with a focus on contextual factors

AbstractThe link between corporate social responsibility (CSR) and earnings management represents an attractive empirical research topic in recent years. In view of the heterogeneous research results, the purpose of this structured literature review is to analyze the contextual factors of this complex relationship. We selected 107 quantitative peer‐reviewed archival studies on that topic and explain a possible positive and negative link between CSR and earnings management by the moral licensing hypothesis (principal agent theory) and the moral track hypothesis (stakeholder theory). We focus on firm‐ and country‐related moderator effects as contextual factors. Country‐specific studies are separated in developed (Anglo‐American and Continental European settings) and developing countries (African and Asian settings), code and case law regimes as well as the degree of shareholder protection and legal enforcement. In line with stakeholder theory, we stress that most of the included studies found a negative impact of CSR on earnings management with a focus on CSR performance and accruals‐based earnings management. Other measures, for example, CSR reporting, sub‐pillars of CSR performance, and real earnings management, are inconclusive due to reduced research activity. We do not find any structural changes between developed and developing countries, case and code law regimes, and regarding the strength of shareholder protection and legal enforcement. However, there are clear indications that corporate and country governance strengthens (weakens) the negative (positive) influence of CSR on earnings management. We stress major limitations of prior research and formulate useful recommendations for future research.

The impact of authentic leadership on workplace bullying in the tourism and hotel industry: The mediating roles of psychological empowerment and organizational health

This study examines how workplace bullying (WB) is affected by authentic leadership (AL). It also investigates the mediating roles of psychological empowerment (PE) and organizational health (OH). Responses were collected from the employees of the five-star hotels and category (A) travel agencies in Egypt. 622 valid responses were collected and analyzed by PLS-SEM. The results depicted a negative link between authentic leadership and workplace bullying and a positive link between authentic leadership with psychological empowerment and organizational health. A negative link between psychological empowerment and organizational health with workplace bullying also existed. In addition, the results revealed a mediating role of psychological empowerment and organizational health in the relationship between authentic leadership and workplace bullying. This study contributes theoretically to bridging the gap in studies on AL, PE, and OH concerning WB, especially in the tourism and hotel industry. In practice, the research provides hotel and tourist enterprises with recommendations for improving the workplace environment.

Turning down employee voice with humour: A mixed blessing for employee voice resilience?

AbstractGiven that not all suggestions can be implemented, understanding how supervisors can turn down employee voiced suggestions while not discouraging employees voicing in the future is critical for theoretical and practical reasons. Supervisors may use humour when not endorsing employees' suggestions as they attempt to ease tension by injecting something lighthearted, but doing so, we argue, is not uniformly beneficial. Hence, we conducted a preregistered study that tests how supervisors' use of humour when turning down an employee's voiced suggestion affects voice resilience. Utilizing signaling theory, we theorize supervisors' use of humour when turning down voice strengthens voice safety but weakens voice impact perceptions. Indirectly, humour therefore may constitute a mixed blessing for voice resilience (voice behaviour after voice non‐endorsement). Additionally, we hypothesized that the positive link between humour and voice safety and the negative link between humour and voice impact are moderated by supervisor–employee relationship quality (leader–member exchange (LMX)). We tested these predictions in a time‐lagged study of 343 employees whose voice was recently turned down. Humour indeed increased voice resilience via voice safety; against expectations, humour positively related to voice impact (via it, resilience). LMX is significantly moderated. However, unexpectedly, humour helped voice safety, impact and the resilience of low LMX employees.

Adaptive VSG-Based power allocation strategy for hybrid energy storage

Abstract Aiming at the stochasticity of photovoltaic output and the problem of power, voltage, and frequency fluctuation caused by the lack of system inertia and damping parameters, a photovoltaic storage microgrid is constructed as a research object. Firstly, a virtual synchronous motor VSG is used to control the grid-connected inverter and to improve the dynamic performance of the system further. The inertia and damping parameters of the VSG are adjusted adaptively. Secondly, the hybrid energy storage device composed of a supercapacitor and battery adopts a second-order filter to avoid the integrating effect of the first-order filter on the high-frequency power and improve the poor performance of the first-order filter at the cutoff frequency to improve the accuracy of power distribution. Moreover, two negative feedback links of power error are added in the power distribution link to correct the reference power of the energy storage device, which further improves the power tracking effect of the energy storage system. Finally, the effectiveness of the above strategy is verified by a Matlab simulation session.