Ordinary Least-squares Regression Analysis Research Articles

Comparing The Effectiveness Of Multiple-Answer And Single-Answer Multiple-Choice Questions In Assessing Student Learning

ABSTRACT Driven by technological innovations, continuous digital expansion has transformed fundamentally the landscape of modern higher education, leading to discussions about evaluation techniques. The emergence of generative artificial intelligence raises questions about reliability and academic honesty regarding multiple-choice assessments in online education. In this context, this study investigates multiple-answer questions (MAQs) versus traditional single-answer questions (SAQs) in online higher-education assessments. A mixed-methods study involving quantitative field experiments and qualitative interviews was conducted with students enrolled in an online Marketing M.Sc. program. The students were divided randomly and assessed using either SAQs or MAQs, and the impacts on test performance of variables such as grade averages, study times, perceived workload, and difficulty were evaluated using independent-sample t-tests and ordinary least-squares regression analysis. The results show that although grades were lower and MAQs were perceived as being more difficult, study times and perceived workload did not differ significantly between the two formats. These findings suggest that despite their challenge, MAQs can promote deeper understanding and greater learning retention. Furthermore, even with their higher perceived difficulty and impact on performance, MAQs hold potential for dealing with academic-integrity concerns related to artificial intelligence.

Exploring public perception and willingness to pay for a renewable source of energy: evidence from an emerging economy of renewable-energy development

Abstract The study focuses on the transition from conventional energy sources to sustainable renewable energy (RE) in Palestine, particularly in the West Bank and Gaza Strip. The research aims to understand the relationship between key factors and residents’ willingness to invest in the RE sector, with a specific focus on the impact of education. Using the unified theory of acceptance and use of technology, the study analyzes data from 400 residents through a questionnaire and employs ordinary least-squares regression analysis with Eviews 12. The key findings indicate that residents’ inclination to invest in RE is significantly influenced by factors such as resource availability, knowledge level and power outages. Moreover, the study suggests that educated residents are more likely to invest in RE when factors such as knowledge, effort expectation, enabling conditions and resource availability are relatively high. The conclusion emphasizes the importance of policymakers’ allocating sufficient funds to research and development to promote technological innovation in RE sources, thereby enhancing the population’s energy efficiency.

Men, Masculinities, and Relational Leadership Attitudes in the Collegiate Fraternity Environment

Examinations of fraternity life have infrequently analyzed the interconnections between the focus on leadership attitudes and that of members’ adherence to masculinities. In this critical quantitative study, the authors sought to comprehend how conforming to gendered norms often associated with historically white masculinities informed relational leadership attitudes for fraternity members. Using data from 3,136 participants in a single national historically white men’s social fraternity, results from an ordinary least-squares regression analysis revealed that emotional control, self-reliance, and power over women had negative associations with the relational leadership orientations of fraternity men. Additionally, risk taking and primacy of work had positive associations with a member’s relational leadership orientation. Finally, those who identified as queer were less likely to adopt a relational leadership orientation, a result the article unpacks considering the gendered and heteronormative contexts of fraternities. It then provides recommendations for future research, as well as implications for practitioners.

Genomic analysis of lineage-specific transmission of multidrug resistance tuberculosis in China

ABSTRACT Objectives We investigated the genetic diversities and lineage-specific transmission dynamics of multidrug-resistant tuberculosis (MDR-TB), with the goal of determining the potential factors driving the MDR epidemics in China. Methods We curated a large nationwide Mycobacterium tuberculosis (M. tuberculosis) whole genome sequence data set, including 1313 MDR strains. We reconstructed the phylogeny and mapped the transmission networks of MDR-TB across China using Bayesian inference. To identify drug-resistance variants linked to enhanced transmissibility, we employed ordinary least-squares (OLS) regression analysis. Result The majority of MDR-TB strains in China belong to lineage 2.2.1. Transmission chain analysis has indicated that the repeated and frequent transmission of L2.2.1 plays a central role in the establishment of MDR epidemic in China, but no occurrence of a large predominant MDR outbreak was detected. Using OLS regression, the most common single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) associated with resistance to isoniazid (katG_p.Ser315Thr and katG_p.Ser315Asn) and rifampicin (rpoB_p.Ser450Leu, rpoB_p.His445Tyr, rpoB_p.His445Arg, rpoB_p.His445Asp, and rpoB_p.His445Asn) were more likely to be found in L2 clustered strains. Several putative compensatory mutations in rpoA, rpoC, and katG were significantly associated with clustering. The eastern, central, and southern regions of China had a high level of connectivity for the migration of L2 MDR strains throughout the country. The skyline plot showed distinct population size expansion dynamics for MDR-TB lineages in China. Conclusion MDR-TB epidemic in China is predominantly driven by the spread of highly transmissible Beijing strains. A range of drug-resistance mutations of L2 MDR-TB strains displayed minimal fitness costs and may facilitate their transmission.

The role of organizational controls to advance sustainability innovation performance

Although improving a company’s sustainability innovation performance (SIP) has become increasingly important, managers still struggle to achieve such performance at the portfolio level. In our research, we demonstrate that managers can support SIP with formal controls in the form of clear sustainability-related innovation goals, program activities, and a mission statement that provides the guidance and alignment necessary for sustainable innovation. The effect is strengthened when complemented by social controls that coordinate behavior and decisions through shared sustainability-related norms and values. However, social controls have no independent effect on SIP. These findings result from approaching the challenge of firms in embedding sustainability into their innovation activities through the lens of organizational control theory. Organizational controls are implemented to orchestrate complex innovation tasks that go beyond those attained by using isolated managerial practices. Empirically, we used multi-respondent field survey data from 114 firms and applied hierarchical ordinary least-squares regression analysis. The study has limitations and thereby provides opportunities for future research as it relies on cross sectional data that does not capture dynamics over time, and the response rate caused by the multi-respondent design with executives and senior managers.

Accompanying your children: Living without parents at different stages of pre-adulthood and individual physical and mental health in adulthood.

This study examined how living without parents at different stages of childhood and adolescence affects physical and mental health in adulthood. The data came from 3,464 survey respondents aged 18-36 in the 2018 China Labor-Force Dynamics Survey. Physical health was self-rated. Mental health was measured by the Center for Epidemiological Studies Depression scale. The ordered probit and ordinary least-squares regression analyses were employed to determine the associations between growing up without parents at different stages in pre-adulthood and individual physical and mental health in adulthood. Individuals who did not live with their parents during their minor years were more likely to report worse physical and mental health in adulthood, compared to those who lived with their parents. This difference was heterogeneous among different age stages and genders. Absence of parents in the household has long-term impacts on the physical and mental health of children in adulthood, especially for females. The government should make feasible institutional arrangements to avoid the separation of minor children from their parents.

Body Size Estimation in Toads (Anura: Bufonidae): Applicability to the Fossil Record

Organisms’ body size is an important biological trait that is related to the environment and constrained by physiology. It is also one of few biological characteristics that can be inferred from fossil specimens. Variation in body size both within and across fossil communities can provide insight into their response to past climatic events, as well as morphological or ecological evolution in specific taxa. Among vertebrates, frogs and toads (Anura) are of particular interest given their sensitivity to environmental variation. Here, we propose a method for estimating body size in toads, one of the most ecologically and taxonomically diverse frog families (Bufonidae) that is cosmopolitan in distribution and contains aquatic, terrestrial, arboreal, and fossorial species. We used computed tomography scans (CT-scans) of 36 living species of toads to digitally segment five bones that are frequently found as fossil (ilium, sacrum, urostyle, humerus, and radioulna). We took nine different measurements on those bones to be used as proxies for body size and for each specimen collected a measurement of body size, snout–urostyle length (SUL). We used ordinary least square regression analysis (OLS) with 95% confidence and prediction intervals to determine if those measurements are useful to estimate body size from isolated bones and in the fossil record. Our regression analyses indicate that these measurements can serve as proxies to estimate body size in bufonids (with coefficients of determination between 0.80–0.95). The measurements with the highest coefficient of determinations are those of the ilium and humeri, both of which are abundant in the fossil record and taxonomically informative. Last, we tested our method on examples of living and fossils toads of North and South America. Our method is the first quantitative approach to estimate size in toads based on isolated bones and enables us to continue to explore the correlation between size and ecology in toads in the past.

Roll-to-roll reactive ion etching of large-area nanostructure arrays in Si: Process development, characterization, and optimization

Roll-to-roll (R2R) nanofabrication processes are recognized as key enabling-technologies for many next-generation applications in flexible electronics, displays, energy generation, storage, as well as healthcare. However, R2R processing techniques reported in the literature currently lack a scalable method of performing high-throughput nanoscale pattern transfer of geometry requiring a high degree of fidelity in terms of critical dimension resolution, etch uniformity, and aspect ratio. Reactive ion etching (RIE) addresses the need for sub-10 nm pattern transfer with large-area uniformity in wafer-scale semiconductor manufacturing, but adapting plasma etch systems for use in R2R nanopatterning has proven to be nontrivial. Moreover, robust models for simulating R2R RIE do not exist, which is an obstacle to the creation of computational approaches to design, control, and scale-up of nanoscale R2R equipment and processes. To address these challenges, we demonstrate a process flow for fabricating Si nanopillar arrays utilizing a combination of nanoimprint lithography and RIE with all pattern transfer steps performed using a R2R plasma reactor system. Specifically discussed are process development details for etching imprint resist and Si including etch rates, cross-web etch uniformity, etch directionality, and etch selectivity at varying gas chemistries, powers, and pressures. 2k full-factorial Design of Experiments (DoEs) and ordinary least-squares regression analysis are also employed to study influence of process parameters on multiple outgoing etch quality characteristics and generate stochastic models of the R2R RIE pattern transfer process into Si. Utilizing these DOE-based models and desired targets for etch quality characteristics, we describe a bounded multivariate inverse-optimization scheme for automated etch process parameter tuning. The culmination of these efforts, to the best of the authors' knowledge, is the first reported RIE-based pattern transfer of 100 nm-scale features performed in continuous R2R fashion with control of feature geometry over large area. The methodology employed herein may be applied similarly to additional materials and geometries for future applications.

Telehealth uptake among middle-aged and older Americans during COVID-19: chronic conditions, social media communication, and race/ethnicity

Objectives This study investigated whether and to what extent constructs of the protection motivation theory of health (PMT)—threat appraisal (perceived vulnerability/severity) and coping appraisal (response efficacy and self-efficacy)—are related to telehealth engagement during the COVID-19 pandemic, and how these associations differ by race/ethnicity among middle-aged and older Americans. Methods Data were from the 2020 Health and Retirement Study. Multivariable ordinary least-squares regression analyses were computed adjusting for health and sociodemographic factors. Results Some PMT constructs are useful in understanding telehealth uptake. Perceived vulnerability/severity, particularly comorbidity (b = 0.13, 95% confidence interval (CI) [0.11, 0.15], p < 0.001), and response efficacy, particularly participation in communication via social media (b = 0.24, 95% CI [0.21, 0.27], p < 0.001), were significantly and positively associated with higher telehealth uptake during the COVID-19 pandemic among middle-aged and older Americans. Non-Hispanic Black adults were more likely to engage in telehealth during the pandemic than their non-Hispanic White counterparts (b = 0.20, 95% CI [0.12, 0.28], p < 0.001). Multiple moderation analyses revealed the significant association between comorbidity and telehealth uptake was similar across racial/ethnic groups, whereas the significant association between social media communication and telehealth uptake varied by race/ethnicity. Specifically, the association was significantly less pronounced for Hispanic adults (b = −0.11, 95% CI [−0.19, −0.04], p < 0.01) and non-Hispanic Asian/other races adults (b = −0.13, 95% CI [−0.26, −0.01], p < 0.05) than it was for their non-Hispanic White counterparts. Conclusion Results suggest the potential of using social media and telehealth to narrow health disparities, particularly serving as a bridge for members of underserved communities to telehealth uptake.

Rates of Visual Field Change in Patients With Glaucoma and Healthy Individuals

Estimating the rate of glaucomatous visual field change provides practical assessment of disease progression and has implications for management decisions. To assess the rates of visual field change in patients receiving treatment for glaucoma compared with healthy individuals over an extensive follow-up period and to quantify the impact of important covariates for these rates. This prospective longitudinal cohort study was conducted in a hospital-based setting from January 1991 to February 2020. The study included 40 patients receiving treatment for open-angle glaucoma and 29 healthy participants. One eye of each participant was randomly selected as the study eye. Patients with glaucoma and healthy participants received testing with standard automated perimetry every 6 months. Individual rates of mean sensitivity change were computed using ordinary least-squares regression analysis, and linear mixed-effects modeling was used to estimate the mean rates of mean sensitivity change in the 2 groups and the impact of baseline mean sensitivity, baseline age, and follow-up intraocular pressure for rate estimates. Rate of mean sensitivity change in patients with glaucoma and healthy participants. A total of 40 patients with glaucoma (median age, 53.07 years [IQR, 48.34-57.97 years]; 21 men [52%]) and 29 healthy participants (median age, 48.80 years [IQR, 40.40-59.07 years], 17 women [59%]) were followed up for a median of 25.65 years (IQR, 22.49-27.02 years) and 19.56 years (IQR, 16.19-26.21 years), respectively. Most participants (65 individuals [94%]) self-identified as White, with the exception of 2 patients with glaucoma (1 self-identified as Black and 1 as South Asian) and 2 healthy participants (both self-identified as South Asian). The mean follow-up intraocular pressure of patients with glaucoma (median, 15.83 mm Hg [IQR, 13.05-17.33 mm Hg]) was similar to that of healthy participants (median, 14.94 mm Hg [IQR, 13.28-16.01 mm Hg]; P = .25). In an ordinary least-squares regression analysis, 31 patients (78%) with glaucoma had rates of mean sensitivity change within the range of healthy participants (ie, between -0.20 dB/y and 0.15 dB/y). Linear mixed-effects modeling revealed that the mean (SE) rate of mean sensitivity change in healthy participants was 0.003 (0.033) dB/y (95% CI, -0.062 to 0.068; P = .93). In comparison, patients with glaucoma had a mean (SE) rate of mean sensitivity change that was -0.032 (0.052) dB/y faster, but this difference was not statistically significant (95% CI, -0.134 to 0.070; P = .53). Among covariates, only baseline mean sensitivity was associated with the rate of mean sensitivity change (mean [SE], 0.021 [0.010] dB/y/dB; 95% CI, 0.002-0.041; P = .03). The results of this cohort study suggest that over a median follow-up of more than 25 years, the rate of visual field change in patients receiving treatment for glaucoma was comparable to that of healthy individuals. These findings could guide practitioners in making management decisions.

Predicting mathematics achievement from subdomains of early number competence: Differences by grade and achievement level

This study investigated the relative importance of three subdomains of early number competence (number, number relations, and number operations) in predicting later mathematics achievement in cross-sequential samples of pre-kindergarten (pre-K), kindergarten, and first-grade children (n = 150 at each grade). Ordinary least-squares (OLS) regression analyses showed that each subdomain predicted mathematics achievement at each grade level, controlling for the other two subdomains as well as background variables. All the subdomains explained a significant amount of variance in later mathematics achievement. Unconditional quantile regression analyses examined relations between number competencies and mathematics achievement at quantiles representing low (0.2), intermediate (0.5) and high (0.8) achievement. The subdomain of number operations was highly related to mathematics achievement for high achievers. For low achievers, future mathematics achievement was most highly related to number and number relations abilities in the pre-K sample and to number relations abilities in the kindergarten and first-grade samples. Findings highlight the unique importance of all three subdomains of early number competence for later mathematics achievement, but they show that some of the relations are contingent on achievement level.

Justifying academic dishonesty: A survey of Canadian university students

Academic dishonesty is a growing problem in the higher education sector. Using a sample of 321 undergraduate students at a medium-sized Canadian university, this paper explores the respondents’ acceptability of the various reasons for engagement in academically dishonest behaviour. The findings revealed that respondents displayed moderately negative attitudes toward academic dishonesty and that the top three circumstances under which academically dishonest behaviour would be considered acceptable were pressure to maintain a scholarship, pressure from parents to perform well, and the heavy academic work load.&#x0D; Multiple ordinary least-squares regression analysis revealed that male respondents and those who reported a higher family income, enrolled in more classes, witnessed academic misconduct more frequently, expressed dissatisfaction with academic performance, indicated dissatisfaction with school life, placed less emphasis on intrinsic motivation to pursue higher education, and adopted a surface approach to learning were found to be associated with a greater likelihood of accepting the various justifications for academic dishonesty. &#x0D; The results of this investigation may be utilized by university administrators, academic advisors, and academic counselors to aid in the design of support services and interventions (e.g., explicit guidelines and practical teaching/learning resources) that will serve to prevent academic misconduct and to promote academic integrity.

Seasonal variations of the dominant factors for spatial heterogeneity and time inconsistency of land surface temperature in an urban agglomeration of central China

The urban heat island (UHI) effect is causing a series of environmental, energy and health problems. Studies on UHI are on the rise; however, some limitations still exist, such as the poor interaction of factors affecting land surface temperature (LST) and restriction of linear hypotheses from research method. To overcome these problems, we used geo-detector to measure the independent and interactive impacts on spatial heterogeneity of LST, and performed Spearman correlation, ordinary least-squares regression, all-subsets regression, and hierarchical partitioning analysis to explore the driving mechanism of time inconsistency of regional heat island (RHI). The results showed the most significant layers affecting spatial heterogeneity of LST in different seasons were landscape composition and biophysical parameters during daytime of relatively hotter seasons, climate conditions during winter daytime, climate conditions and biophysical parameters during nighttime, respectively. The wetlands proportion and albedo significantly influenced the time inconsistency of RHI between day and night. The dominant factors of time inconsistency of RHI between seasons were ΔNDVI, Δalbedo, Δalbedo, and Δsunshine duration during daytime, and Δsunshine duration, farmland proportion, Δair temperature, and forest land proportion during nighttime, respectively. These findings contribute to make scientific UHI adaptation strategies and promote sustainable development of cities and society.

Delinquent and Risk Behaviour among High School Students in a Canadian Prairie City: A Multivariate Analysis

Drawing primarily on the concepts of self-control, differential association, and social bond, this paper explores delinquent and risk behaviour among high school students in a Canadian prairie city. A total of 262 students attending 14 high schools participated in a self-administered questionnaire survey. The results demonstrated that a notable number of students engaged in various risk (e.g., drinking, unprotected sex, and smoking) and delinquent (e.g., use of illegal substance, theft, and vandalism) behaviour. Multiple ordinary least-squares regression analysis revealed that males, older students, and those who had parents with a lower level of education, considered religion to be less important, scored lower on the self-control scale, indicated having more close friends who used illegal drugs, and reported having been a victim of violent or property crime were shown to have a greater likelihood of risk behaviour involvement. On the other hand, male respondents and those who scored lower on the self-control scale, associated with individuals who used illegal drugs, and reported having been a victim of violent or property crime were found to be significantly more likely to engage in delinquent behaviour. Policy implications of these results for institutional interventions are briefly discussed.

Short Seller, Firm, and Auditor Behavior

Purpose: Although a small part of arbitrage trading, short selling has a significant impact on capital markets. This study empirically examines relationships among short selling, earnings managements, and auditor behaviors. Design/methodology/approach: We employed short selling and abnormal short selling as independent variables. Audit hours, audit fees, and (absolute) value of discretionary accruals as dependent variables. In this study, we basically include ordinary least-squares regression analyses using panel data and interaction analyses. Findings: This study verifies the relationship among short selling, firm earnings management, and auditor behavior, showing positive relationships between short selling and current and future audit fees, audit hours, and current audit quality. Further, higher audit risk, caused by the interaction between abnormal short selling and aggressive earnings management, is reflected in future audit fees and hours. Research limitations/implications: Due to the financial data provided on an annual basis, the daily short selling data was aggregated on an annual basis. This study suggests that short selling is related to firm earnings management behavior, as well as to the auditor behaviors. Therefore, regulators should consider the impacts of short selling on company and auditors as well as investors. Originality/value: This study provides evidence that the positive relationship between short selling and audit fee is not only caused by risk-premium channels, but also by audit-effort channels. Furthermore, we find that the interaction effects of short selling and earnings managements occur only in abnormal short selling. This seemed to impose penalties on short selling exceeding forecasts when auditors considered earnings managements and short selling at the same time.

Optimal combinations of factors influencing the sustainability of Taiwanese firms

PurposeThe authors aim to obtain the optimal combinations of factors from institutional environment adaptation mechanisms and internal resources or capabilities that influence the sustainability of a firm.Design/methodology/approachThe authors develop a new index, called the sustainability index, based on the stakeholder perspective by employing a corporate credit risk index, an evaluation of a firm's corporate governance, corporate financial performance and firm age. The authors then apply both Ordinary Least Squares (OLS) Regression Analysis and Fuzzy set Qualitative Comparative Analysis (FsQCA) to obtain the optimal models for firms' sustainability.FindingsThe OLS analysis shows that the variables including financial leverage, slack, innovation capability, manufacturing capability and human capital that have significant influences on the sustainability of firms. Our FsQCA analysis obtains configurations of several solutions for firm sustainability and concludes that the fit of combinations of institutional factors and/or internal resources and capabilities of a firm is related to its sustainability.Research limitations/implicationsThe limitations in our new index include these: first, one may add more key metrics to measure the index; second, the findings do not provide any necessary nor a sufficient condition to get sustainability for sure. The limitations of using multiple regression analysis are that it is not able to reveal the combinations of causal conditions that can lead to the outcome in the real world as well as to the sustainability of a firm in our study. To overcome the limitations, the authors apply fsQCA analysis to identify combinations of causal conditions to a firm's sustainability in our study.Practical implicationsIntroducing the sustainability index enables us to find out all factors influencing the sustainability of a firm. The authors’ analysis can be used to identify combinations of causal conditions to lead to outcomes in the real world. Their analysis enables managers to know how to predict the sustainability of the firm. For example, the authors’ fsQCA analysis shows that low marketing capability will lead to the high sustainability of the firm. This information helps managers to make the decision or plan to achieve good results toward their businesses and get better allocate their resources and get a better investment.Social implicationsThe authors’ analysis can be used to identify combinations of causal conditions to lead to outcomes in the real world and enable managers to know how to predict the sustainability of the firm. A correct prediction can assist companies in developing their future operations, which would enhance their competitiveness vis-à-vis rivals during this time of global economic volatility, which, in turn, enables firms to perform better and employ more employees that could help the entire society.Originality/valueThe sustainability index the authors developed in our paper is new in the literature and the findings obtained by both OLS Regression Analysis and FsQCA are new in predicting a firm's sustainability. The authors’ findings are useful for academics, managers and policymakers in predicting and maintaining a firm's sustainability.

High Schoolers’ Usage Intensity of Mobile Social Media and Nomophobia: Investigating the Mediating Role of Flow Experience

This study aimed to investigate the relationship between high schoolers’ usage intensity of mobile social media and nomophobia through the mediation of flow experience. By adopting flow as a multidimensional construct; skill, machine interaction, and social interaction were included in the analysis as the conditions while concentration, enjoyment, and playfulness were included as the dimensions. A total of 584 adolescent mobile social media users participated in the study. The proposed model was tested through ordinary least-squares regression analysis and bootstrap methods. The findings showed that the usage intensity of the favorite mobile social media significantly predicts both conditions and dimensions of flow experience and nomophobia. In addition, the dimensions of flow experience together with skill significantly mediate the relationship between the usage intensity and nomophobia while the other conditions do not. These findings imply that as students spend more time on their favorite mobile social media, their nomophobic behaviors increase with the mediation of the dimensions and skill; but not the other conditions. The current study contributes to the relevant literature by associating nomophobia with flow experience on multiple mobile social media platforms. It also has implications for parents, school counselors, and educators of high school students.

Serial-multiple mediation of enjoyment and intention on the relationship between creativity and physical activity.

The purpose of the present study was to examine a serial-multiple mediation of physical activity (PA) enjoyment and PA intention in the relationship between creativity and PA level (i.e., moderate-to-vigorous PA). A total of 298 undergraduate and graduate students completed a self-reported questionnaire evaluating creativity, PA enjoyment, PA intention, and PA level. Data analysis was conducted using descriptive statistics, Pearson correlation coefficient, ordinary least-squares regression analysis, and bootstrap methodology. Based on the research findings, both PA enjoyment (β = 0.06; 95% CI [0.003, 0.12]) and PA intention (β = 0.08; 95% CI [0.03, 0.13]) were found to be a mediator of the relationship between creativity and PA level, respectively. Moreover, the serial-multiple mediation of PA enjoyment and PA intention in the relationship between creativity and PA level was statistically significant (β = 0.02; 95% CI [0.01, 0.04]). These findings underscore the importance of shaping both cognitive and affective functions for PA promotion and provide additional support for a neurocognitive affect-related model in the PA domain. In order to guide best practices for PA promotion programs aimed at positively influencing cognition and affect, future PA interventions should develop evidence-based strategies that routinely evaluate cognitive as well as affective responses to PA.

Assessing the Relationship Between Nutrition Knowledge and Skin Carotenoids in University Students

Abstract Objectives To determine whether nutrition knowledge is associated with skin carotenoids, as measured by reflection spectroscopy, a valid and objective assessment of fruit and vegetable intake. Methods A convenience sample of undergraduate and graduate students were recruited through flyers, classroom announcements, and email distribution lists at a large public university in California. Nutrition knowledge was assessed with a validated questionnaire. Skin carotenoids were measured with reflection spectroscopy (RS) using a device known as the Veggie MeterTM. Participants completed the nutrition knowledge questionnaire and height, weight, and RS data were collected by trained researchers at a single time-point. Data were collected as part of a larger, on-going study. Pearson's correlation and ordinary least-squares (OLS) regression analysis were used to determine the relationship between nutrition knowledge and skin carotenoids. Results A total of 40 students participated in the study; 72% were female. Nutrition knowledge scores ranged from 13 to 53 with a mean of 37.95 (out of 58 possible), and the mean RS score was 334.0. Skin carotenoids were found to be significantly correlated with nutrition knowledge (r = 0.332; P = 0.036), with 8.7% of variance in RS score explained by nutrition knowledge. Body mass index (BMI) was found to be negatively associated with RS score at P &amp;lt; 0.05; when BMI was incorporated, the proportion of variance in RS score explained by the regression model was 26.9%. Gender was not found to significantly associated with RS score (P = 0.965). Conclusions These preliminary data suggest that nutrition knowledge may be a significant predictor of dietary fruit and vegetable intake when accounting for BMI in university students. Future studies will incorporate additional variables, such as food security status and diet quality to further elaborate on the relationship between nutrition knowledge and behavior. Funding Sources This project was funded by an internal University of California, Davis grant.

Geographical diversification and corporate liquidity in Malaysia: a quantile regression approach

PurposeThis paper aims to examine the effect of geographical diversification on corporate liquidity in Malaysian firms. Liquidity is represented by both cash and working capital.Design/methodology/approachData for this study is collected from a total of 735 firms over a period of five years, from 2010 to 2014, resulting in a total of 2,904 firm-year observations. The effect of geographical diversification on the cash and working capital of the firms is analyzed by using the ordinary least squares (OLS) with standard errors adjusted for firm level clustering and the quantile regression (QR) analyses. Control variables which represent the characteristics of the firms are also considered.FindingsAnalysis using the OLS regression technique indicates that geographical diversification has a highly significant positive influence on corporate cash holdings, while the influence of working capital is negative and its significance is only at the 10 per cent level. However, when QR is used to analyze the relationships, it is found that geographical diversification is only significant in positively influencing cash holdings for firms with low cash holdings, but the relationship is insignificant at high levels of cash holdings. Additionally, working capital is significantly influenced by geographical diversification at high levels of working capital but not at low levels.Originality/valueTo the author’s knowledge, this is the first study to analyze the influence of geographical diversification on liquidity by considering both cash and working capital. The effect of diversification on liquidity is mostly studied in developed countries, whereas this study is focused on a developing country. Additionally, this study uses QR to analyze relationships at different levels rather than at aggregate level as done in OLS regression analysis.