Interactive Online Research Articles

A Qualitative Study on Counterfeit Consumption in Kuwait

Purpose: This study explores the phenomenon of counterfeit luxury goods consumption in Kuwait, influenced by high disposable incomes, social status importance, and Islamic norms. The research aims to understand the socio-psychological motivations behind purchasing counterfeit luxury products.Study design/methodology/approach: Data were collected using semi-structured interviews and netnography. Semi-structured interviews provided in-depth exploration of participants' experiences, while netnography captured real-time online interactions and discussions.Sample and data: The study involved semi-structured interviews with 21 participants familiar with counterfeit luxury brands, predominantly under 30 years old. Additionally, 372 comments were collected from Instagram for the netnographic analysis to understand consumer behaviors and attitudes.Results: The study reveals that socio-psychological factors significantly impact counterfeit product consumption. Social conformity and public image influence counterfeit luxury consumption in Kuwait. Fashion consciousness and financial considerations, prioritizing visual appeal and cost savings over authenticity, are also highlighted. The hedonic experience associated with buying and using counterfeit products emerged as a significant motivator.Originality/value: This research provides a nuanced understanding of counterfeit consumption within a unique cultural and religious context, contributing to the limited literature on the subject in the Middle East. It offers insights for policymakers and brand managers to develop strategies addressing this issue.Research limitations/implications: The qualitative nature and convenience sampling limit the generalizability of the findings. Future research could expand to include different socio-economic backgrounds for a more comprehensive understanding of the phenomenon.

Enhanced learning engagement through teaching presence in online distance education

Distance education offers flexibility, affordability, and accessibility. However, it poses challenges such as learner isolation, limited interaction, reduced motivation, and low learning engagement. This study examines how the mediating effects of teaching presence can increase online learning engagement in distance education. A survey was conducted to test the mediating role of teaching presence on online self-regulation, interaction, and learning engagement among 853 undergraduate distance students from four institutions of higher learning and various distance courses in Zambia. The results indicate that teaching presence has a direct positive and significant effect on learning engagement, and an indirect positive and significant influence through self-regulation and online interaction. This highlights the importance of teaching presence in improving the quality and effectiveness of distance education. This study recommends enhancing, supporting, and promoting the teaching presence in distance education.

The Psychological and Social Effects of Social Media on Adolescents

This study examines the psychological and social effects of social media on adolescents, using a sample of 300 participants to analyze their social media interaction behaviors. Through descriptive statistics, correlation analysis, regression models, and independent samples tests, variables such as social media usage duration, frequency of checks, notification responses, and online interaction preferences were examined. The regression analysis revealed an R^2 value of 0.031, indicating a poor model fit and suggesting that the predictors did not significantly explain the variance in the psychological outcomes measured. The findings indicate a minimal influence of specific measured social media behaviors, pointing to the potential impact of unmeasured factors such as personality traits and offline social environments. The study highlights the need for future research to incorporate a broader range of variables and employ longitudinal designs to better understand the complex effects of social media on adolescent well-being.

IMPACT OF BLENDED LEARNING ON ACQUISITION OF ENGLISH AS SECOND LANGUAGE AT UNDERGRADUATE LEVEL IN PAKISTAN

Blended Learning (BL), is a teaching approach that integrates face-to-face instruction with interactive online tools and resources. The research study was conducted to analyze students’ satisfaction with approach of Blended Learning in the second language learning classrooms. The research study’s objectives were to find out the impact of blended learning on the students’ speaking practice and to find out impact of Blended Learning on students’ listening practice. The simple random sampling technique was used in this study. In this regard, the data was collected from 317 undergraduate ESL students of different private and government universities in Lahore. After collection, data was encrypted in SPSS software version 22. The descriptive analysis of the collected data shows that most of the ESL students found BL supportive and helpful in learning English language and shows a positive attitude toward BL. The results offered important information from results of current investigation in reaching the conclusion wherein findings show that varying percentages of the students expressed their diverse sentiments regarding the blended learning as compared to the traditional classroom environments.

The child the apple eats: processing of argument structure in Mandarin verb-final sentences

Mandarin Chinese is typologically unusual among the world’s languages in having flexible word order despite a near absence of inflectional morphology. These features of Mandarin challenge conventional linguistic notions such as subject and object and the divide between syntax and semantics. In the present study, we tested monolingual processing of argument structure in Mandarin verb-final sentences, where word order alone is not a reliable cue. We collected participants’ responses to a forced agent-assignment task while measuring their electroencephalography data to capture real-time processing throughout each sentence. We found that sentence interpretation was not informed by word order in the absence of other cues, and while the coverbs BA and BEI were strong signals for agent selection, comprehension was a result of multiple cues. These results challenge previous reports of a linear ranking of cue strength. Event-related potentials showed that BA and BEI impacted participants’ processing even before the verb was read and that role reversal anomalies elicited an N400 effect without a subsequent semantic P600. This study demonstrates that Mandarin sentence comprehension requires online interaction among cues in a language-specific manner, consistent with models that predict crosslinguistic differences in core sentence processing mechanisms.

A SeNA-based study of in-service teachers’ interaction patterns in an online learning community

In-service teachers, constrained by work commitments, adopt online learning methods for their graduate studies, emphasizing the significance of exploring the construction of online learning communities. Analyzing collaborative conversation texts within the online learning process of the “Learning Science” course at a university in Beijing, this study employed social epistemic network analysis (SeNA) to investigate interaction patterns of in-service teachers and propose optimization strategies. The findings of this study show that in asynchronous discussions without intervention, the overall situation of collaborative conversations among in-service teachers tends to be low-level. The social interaction network shows polycentricity, categorizing members into core and peripheral interactors based on distinct social interaction characteristics, highlighting substantial disparities in epistemic networks. Core interactors prioritize engaging with others, yet their contributions primarily echo interactions, reflecting superficial knowledge dimensions. Conversely, specific peripheral interactors prioritize independent reflection, sharing content largely derived from personal experiences or knowledge, signifying a commitment to independent and in-depth thinking within deeper knowledge dimensions. Moreover, learners’ online interactions are influenced by individual characteristics, instructional evaluation and the learning community atmosphere.

Social media, investor‒firm interactions and informational efficiency of stock prices: Evidence from China

Using a sample of Chinese listed companies from 2010 to 2022, we examine how investor‒firm online interactions influence informational efficiency of stock prices. The empirical results indicate that investor–firm online interactions significantly enhance informational efficiency. After conducting a series of robustness checks, the conclusions remain valid. Mechanistic analysis demonstrates that investor–firm online interactions enhance informational efficiency primarily by reducing information asymmetry and correcting stock mispricing. We emphasize the critical importance of retail investor–firm online interactions within social media platforms in promoting informational efficiency of stock prices.

Pengaruh Live Streaming dan Brand Ambassador Engagement terhadap Keputusan Pembelian Erigo: Studi Kasus Penggemar Grup Idola Jkt48 terhadap Produk Erigo di Karawang.

This research study aims to examine the influence of live streaming and brand ambassador of idol group JKT48 on the purchasing decisions of Erigo’s product. On this era of digitalization marketing, brands image increasingly leverage interactive online methods and influential personalities to enchance their target market and lead customer behavior. As such live streaming providing a real time immersive and interactive shopping experience that creates a dynamic engaging platform for product presentation. Brand ambassador with their credibility and relatability that can reach the significantly impact customer perseptions and preferences, further leading purchace decisions. This research employs a quantitative employ with surveying questionnaire sample of JKT48’s fans that bought Erigo product to gather data impact from their engagement and live streaming with factors influence their purchasing decisions.

ONLINE PLATFORMS AND TEACHER-STUDENT INTERACTION: COMPARING ENGAGEMENT LEVELS IN ONLINE AND OFFLINE LANGUAGE CLASSES

This article examines the dynamics of teacher-student interaction in online versus offline language education, particularly in light of the recent shift toward digital platforms spurred by the global pandemic. It explores how online environments impact engagement levels, comparing the immediacy and spontaneity of interactions in traditional classrooms with the structured communication necessitated by online platforms. The analysis highlights key factors influencing engagement, including the frequency and quality of interaction, student motivation, and the advantages of flexibility and accessibility offered by online learning. Findings suggest that while offline classrooms promote rich, immediate interactions, online platforms can enhance engagement through personalized learning opportunities and diverse resources. The study underscores the need for further research to optimize these technologies in fostering meaningful teacher-student interactions in both settings.

Empirical insights into the interaction effects of groups at high risk of depression on online social platforms with NLP-based sentiment analysis

With the proliferation of digital technology and the increasing prevalence of social media, some users at high risk of depression have opted to seek solace, acceptance, and assistance in online communities. However, the extant research is deficient in terms of the segmentation of groups, particularly subcultural groups. By analyzing the “Super Hashtags” and “Tree Hole” groups on Sina Weibo from January to March 2023 using a crawler and the ERNIE 3.0-Base model for sentiment analysis, the study uncovers distinct sentiment profiles and interaction patterns, revealing significant correlations between interaction metrics and sentiment levels. The findings indicate that while there are no significant differences in sentiment levels between the two communities, the “Tree Hole” community exhibits greater sentiment variability. Moreover, the study identifies that interaction behaviors are closely linked to sentiment states, emphasizing the importance of understanding the complex dynamics between online interactions and mental well-being. These insights contribute to the development of more effective support mechanisms within online platforms for individuals at risk of depression.

Model predictive complex system control from observational and interventional data

Complex systems, characterized by intricate interactions among numerous entities, give rise to emergent behaviors whose data-driven modeling and control are of utmost significance, especially when there is abundant observational data but the intervention cost is high. Traditional methods rely on precise dynamical models or require extensive intervention data, often falling short in real-world applications. To bridge this gap, we consider a specific setting of the complex systems control problem: how to control complex systems through a few online interactions on some intervenable nodes when abundant observational data from natural evolution is available. We introduce a two-stage model predictive complex system control framework, comprising an offline pre-training phase that leverages rich observational data to capture spontaneous evolutionary dynamics and an online fine-tuning phase that uses a variant of model predictive control to implement intervention actions. To address the high-dimensional nature of the state-action space in complex systems, we propose a novel approach employing action-extended graph neural networks to model the Markov decision process of complex systems and design a hierarchical action space for learning intervention actions. This approach performs well in three complex system control environments: Boids, Kuramoto, and Susceptible-Infectious-Susceptible (SIS) metapopulation. It offers accelerated convergence, robust generalization, and reduced intervention costs compared to the baseline algorithm. This work provides valuable insights into controlling complex systems with high-dimensional state-action spaces and limited intervention data, presenting promising applications for real-world challenges.

The development of a model for monitoring the quality of online psychological and educational services by using automated analysis of user reviews

Introduction. Digitalization of education and healthcare is an inevitable response to the demands of society. However, it is associated with the emergence of many risks, and the need for regulation and evaluation of new online practices is becoming increasingly important. Questions about the quality of online services are becoming more and more significant, as well as the search for new methods to monitor large amounts of publicly available data about online interactions with helping professionals. The purpose of this study is to develop a model for monitoring psychological and educational online services through automated analysis of user reviews and feedback. Materials and methods. The sample for the study consisted of a variety of reviews about online psychological and educational services. A total of 24,351 reviews of psychologists' work and 6,812 reviews of tutors' work were uploaded. These reviews were ranked in order to identify levels of user satisfaction. We used the following methods to collect and analyze the data: 1) Automated data parsing to extract relevant feedback using the GraphQL API; 2) The TF-IDF (term frequency-inverse document frequency) method to identify the most important linguistic markers in the reviews; 3) The LDA (latent Dirichlet allocation) method for thematic modeling of the reviews. The results of the study. An empirical study of online reviews of psychological and educational services in accordance with this model revealed their thematic structure in four main areas: assessment of interaction (19.8%), assessment of results (26%), organization of professional interaction (20.4%), and assessment of professional skills relevant to clients (29.1%).The main characteristics that users perceive in psychological online services are: the importance of comfortable communication (21.9%), inclusiveness (13.9%), and specialist experience (5.9%). Additionally, the ability to structure a request is also significant (19.8%). The result of evaluating the psychologist's work can be seen in user reviews. Some of the most common responses include: understanding the problem (18.5%), seeing the issue from a different perspective (6.7%), and feeling better (11.3%). Assessments of the quality of online education services include accessibility and clarity of presentation (29.5%), as well as confidence and flexibility in communication (6.1%). Additionally, finding a common language with students is also important (6.2%). Conclusion. The analysis of user feedback on educational and psychological online services can help to understand the directions for the development of work by helping specialists, create a system for monitoring non-specialized assistance, describe criteria for the training and retraining of specialists, and create educational programs for developing digital competence among psychologists and educators.

Exploring the effects of multiple online interaction on emotions of L2 learners in synchronous online classes

The decline in both the quantity and quality of interaction has emerged as a notable challenge in online learning. However, the definition of interaction quality remains unclear. This study clarifies it as a decrease in the breadth of interaction, which refers to interaction that can only cover a smaller number of learners. To address this, a synchronous interaction modality, termed Multiple Online Interaction (MOI), based on Zoom's interactive tools, was introduced. In a quasi-experiment involving 58 Chinese L2 learners (with 30 beginner and 28 intermediate students), emotions were assessed using the Brief Mood Introspection Scale (BMIS) while real-time emotional dynamics were revealed through the analysis of 5129 facial expression images during a 35-min synchronous class. MOI participants reported higher levels of Lively and Happy but also experienced more Nervous and less Calm. These emotional dynamics, tracked through expression recognition technology, demonstrate that MOI's impact is primarily observed during the first Grammar & Practice section of the teaching. The empirical findings of this study provide practical insights for educators aiming to conduct effective online teaching in the future.

Exploring how video conferencing impacts students' cognitive, emotional, and behavioral engagement

Video conferencing has become an essential tool in the realm of education, offering educators a plethora of features to enhance student learning. This study delved into the comparative impact of video conferencing and Learning Management Systems (LMS) on student engagement in online education. The primary objective was to discern the most effective mode of communication for fostering student engagement in online learning, examining cognitive, emotional, and behavioral dimensions of engagement. The researchers used a quasi-experimental design with a historical cohort control group to compare the effectiveness of Zoom and Moodle (LMS) on student engagement. The study involved English education students from a private university in Indonesia, with 20 students in each group. Data collection included recording online interactions, conducting semi-structured interviews, and administering a Likert-style survey. Data analysis involved content analysis, thematic analysis, and the Mann-Whitney U test. The findings underscored the advantages of utilizing Zoom, particularly in nurturing interpersonal relationships among students. Notably, the platform enhanced intimacy and interactivity within the learning environment, bolstering students' intrinsic motivation. Moreover, indicators such as creativity and idea exchange pointed towards heightened cognitive engagement facilitated by Zoom. Additionally, Zoom emerged as a practical tool for fostering social interaction and stimulating higher-order thinking during discussions. Consequently, these results provide compelling evidence supporting the integration of Zoom to enrich learning experiences and promote deeper engagement among students, both practically and theoretically.

[Translated article] Bibliometric Study of the Advances Made in Clinical Dermatological Research in Spain from 2015 through 2021: Update of the MaIND Project and Interactive Online Map

IntroductionA clinical dermatological research was conducted in Spain from 2005 through 2014 as part of the MaIND project with the provinces or centers with the highest number of published articles. However, a low level of evidence in scientific production was confirmed as the overall result. The aim of this study is to update the Spanish clinical dermatological research in bibliometric terms from 2015 through 2021 with comparisons between both periods of time. Material and methodsWe conducted a bibliometric study to replicate the methodology used in the article to be updated. We included articles whose corresponding authors’ affiliation was a Spanish dermatological center, which met the criteria for clinical research in dermatology, including a level of evidence ≤4. ResultsA total of 1,674 out of the 10,199 articles met the inclusion criteria. An interactive map representing quantitative and qualitative indicators calculated for the 2005-2021 is presented here. In the study period, we found an increasing trend both in the number of published articles (P<.002) and in the mean number of citation-years per article (P<.01). A total of 22 of the articles had a level of evidence >4, with a positive trend towards more articles having a higher level of evidence (P<.03). ACTAS DERMOSIFILOGRÁFICAS still maintains its position as the journal with the highest number of articles received (18%, a total of 302 articles). ConclusionsThe results of this study show that, in Spain, the scientific production of dermatology represents an upward trend in quantity, impact, and level of evidence.

Evaluating the feasibility and effectiveness of an LGBTQ+ cultural humility training for community mental health providers

BackgroundLGBTQIA+ patients face significant physical and mental health disparities, and providers often lack the training and knowledge to meet their needs. PurposeThe purpose of this quality improvement project was to evaluate the feasibility and effectiveness of an LGBTQIA+ cultural humility training program. MethodsUsing a pre-posttest design, 20 community mental health center employees completed surveys on knowledge, attitudes, and skills related to working with LGBTQIA+ patients before and after completion of an interactive online training module. ResultsResults showed statistically significant improvement in clinical preparedness. DiscussionFurther research is needed to determine the impact of improved provider knowledge and skills on patient outcomes.

737. ETHNIC, GENDER AND TUMOR-SPECIFIC ASSESSMENT OF BODY COMPOSITION IS CRITICAL FOR CLINICAL RELEVANCE IN PATIENTS UNDERGOING THERAPY FOR ESOPHAGEAL

Abstract Background Growing evidence has supported a role for body composition in predicting survival in patients undergoing esophagectomy. A contemporary meta-analysis of published data (n=44 studies) conducted for this study confirmed an association between reduced muscle mass at diagnosis and worse overall survival (HR 1.72, 95%CI 1.49-1.97). Variation in methods of assessing and defining parameters of body composition remain however an important barrier to the wider adoption in routine clinical practice. This is particularly pertinent in esophageal cancer due to known sex, biological and geographical difference in tumor subtypes. This study seeks to define baseline variation in body composition parameters and to report their association with 90-day and overall survival in a large international cohort of patients undergoing esophagectomy for cancer. Methods Patients who underwent esophagectomy in fourteen high-volume centers between January 2007 to December 2019 were eligible for inclusion. Survival data were included up until June 2022. Skeletal muscle, visceral and subcutaneous adipose tissues within CT images, acquired at the time of diagnosis, were analyzed in accordance with a standardized protocol. Results 1716 patients were recruited to this study from three global regions: North America (n=386;22.5%), Europe (n=940;54.8%) and Asia (n=390;22.7%). Patients were predominantly male (79.5%) and adenocarcinoma was the most common histological subtype (66.6%). Wide variation of skeletal muscle (17.1-83.5cm2), visceral adiposity (0.2-170.1cm2) and subcutaneous adiposity (0.2-216.8cm2) was observed at presentation. Characteristics significantly associated with levels of muscle and adiposity were global region, sex, age, and histological subtype (P&amp;lt;0.001) (Figure 1). Compared to adenocarcinoma, squamous cell carcinoma was associated with significantly lower levels of muscle and adiposity, a finding that was independent of global region, sex, and age using a multivariable linear regression model (p&amp;lt;.0001). Median follow-up was 71.3 (95%CI 69.1-73.5) months with a median overall survival of 60.9 (95%CI 53.0-68.9) months. Reduced skeletal muscle and an excess of total adiposity at the time of diagnosis was associated with worse 90-day mortality and long-term survival. An interactive online survival prediction tool was developed to provide personalized survival estimates based on relevant predictors including skeletal muscle, total adiposity at diagnosis and other tumor and patient specific variables. Conclusions This is the first and largest study to adopt standardized methods to define international variation in parameters of body composition in esophageal cancer patients. Findings corroborate the potential role of body composition as a method of prognostication in esophageal cancer and presents a on-line tool for convenient integration into clinical practice.

The impact of online interaction and information technology accessibility on academic engagement among international undergraduate students in Chinese universities: The mediating effect of learning interest

Academic engagement was recognized as a crucial predictor to measure the effectiveness of online teaching of international students. Therefore, this study established a mediating model to explore the mechanism underlying of interaction and information technology accessibility on academic engagement of international students, as well as the impact of learning interest on these mechanisms with the context of online teaching. Using a stratified random sampling method, 1895 international students from 32 Chinese universities were selected. These international students had completed the academic engagement scale, interaction scale, information technology accessibility scale, and learning interest scale. The study variables were analyzed in sequence for reliability and validity, common method biases test, correlation analysis, structural equation model testing, and bias-corrected percentile Bootstrap testing. The results revealed that online interaction positively affected the academic engagement of international students in Chinese universities (β= 0.35, p < 0.001), and learning interest played a partial mediating role between online interaction and academic engagement (indirect effect = 0.10, 95 % Boot CI = [0.06, 0.13], p < 0.001). Information technology accessibility did not have a direct impact on academic engagement (β= 0.06, p > 0.05); but learning interest played a complete mediating role between information technology accessibility and academic engagement (indirect effect = 0.09, 95 % Boot CI = [0.05, 0.11], p < 0.001). The results of Bootstrap showed that the mediating effects within the model were significant. The findings of this study explored the potential mechanism underlying the online academic engagement of international students in Chinese universities, and provided empirical evidence for universities and educators to implement differentiated learning support, assist international students in adapting to online learning styles, and stimulate the endogenous motivation of students' learning.

High-resolution three-dimensional atlas of congenital heart defects based on micro-CT images of human postmortem wax-infiltrated heart specimens

IntroductionPostmortem heart specimens are essential for education and research on the anatomy, morphology, and pathology of congenital heart defects. However, such specimens are rarely obtained these days, and the specimens stored in formalin are inexorably deteriorating. This study aimed to develop methods to archive three-dimensional data of rare human heart specimens and to publish the data. MethodsAll wax-infiltrated human postmortem heart specimens stored in the Cardiac Registry, Boston Children's Hospital were scanned using microfocus computed tomography (X-Tek HMXST225, Nikon Metrology, Inc.), and reproduced using a three-dimensional printer (Form 3B, Formlabs Inc.). The digital models were published as an interactive three-dimensional online atlas. The resolution of the three-dimensional data was evaluated. ResultsThe primary diagnoses in the 88 specimens included in the study include normal cardiac anatomy (11 cases), transposition of the great arteries {S,D,D} (11 cases), ventricular septal defect (10 cases), double-outlet right ventricle (9 cases), hypoplastic left heart syndrome (9 cases), and common atrioventricular canal (7 cases). Twenty-five cases (28%) underwent previous surgical or percutaneous interventions to the heart, including Mustard procedure (1 case), Senning procedure (2 cases, one was performed on a postmortem heart specimen). The median voxel size of the three-dimensional data was 40.5 um (IQR, 32.8–64.2). All intracardiac structures were precisely reproduced as digital and physical three-dimensional models. ConclusionsThe methods and resultant models were considered useful for archiving and furthering the utilization of these invaluable specimens. The atlas is available at https://www.sketchfab.com/heartmodels/collections.

Not our kind of crowd! How partisan bias distorts perceptions of political bots on Twitter (now X).

Social bots, employed to manipulate public opinion, pose a novel threat to digital societies. Existing bot research has emphasized technological aspects while neglecting psychological factors shaping human-bot interactions. This research addresses this gap within the context of the US-American electorate. Two datasets provide evidence that partisanship distorts (a) online users' representation of bots, (b) their ability to identify them, and (c) their intentions to interact with them. Study 1 explores global bot perceptions on through survey data from N = 452 Twitter (now X) users. Results suggest that users tend to attribute bot-related dangers to political adversaries, rather than recognizing bots as a shared threat to political discourse. Study 2 (N = 619) evaluates the consequences of such misrepresentations for the quality of online interactions. In an online experiment, participants were asked to differentiate between human and bot profiles. Results indicate that partisan leanings explained systematic judgement errors. The same data suggest that participants aim to avoid interacting with bots. However, biased judgements may undermine this motivation in praxis. In sum, the presented findings underscore the importance of interdisciplinary strategies that consider technological and human factors to address the threats posed by bots in a rapidly evolving digital landscape.