Significant Link Research Articles

Can ICT be Driving Force behind the Acceleration of Small and Medium Enterprise Profitability: Evidence from Nepal

Background: SMEs are critical to a country's economic development; researchers are increasingly focusing on their adoption and use of information and communication technology. Previous research has revealed that the contribution of ICT to SMEs performance and profitability is not clear or certain. Objective: This study examines the adoption among SMEs in terms of the advanced stage from technology adoption to post-adoption. The mediating impact of performance on profitability is also being investigated. Method: The exploratory research design was chosen as the primary study model in order to find reality. To examine the data quantitatively, descriptive and inferential statistics were used. A convenience sampling with a sample size of 201 SMEs were chosen for the study based on practical experience and adequate ICT knowledge. Result: The study found that ICT usage and profit have a significant link. However, the performance of SMEs does not play a role in moderating the relationship between ICT usage and profitability because our study finds degree of utilization ICT usage doesn’t play any significant role in performance. Conclusion: ICT is still a new concept in SMEs that deserves to be given more attention. Employees and organizations must use ICT, technology system integration, and finally implementation across all functional areas to increase the profitability of SMEs. This study recommends that government should initiate ICT awareness programs in SMEs, provide subsidies and grants for ICT adaptation and use, education sectors should focus on technology skill manpower, and ICT should be used and integrated across all functional areas of SMEs to increase profit. Paper Type: Research Paper Key words: ICT, Small Medium Enterprise, Profitability, Performance JEL Classification: M41, M15, C88, D91, N95, C38

Assessing the causal effect of inflammation-related genes on myocarditis: A Mendelian randomization study.

Prior evidence has shown a significant link between inflammation and the development of myocarditis. This study aimed to investigate the causal relationship between inflammation-related genes (IRGs) and myocarditis. In this study, the causal relationship between 167 IRGs and myocarditis were investigated using datasets from the Gene Set Enrichment Analysis and Integrative Epidemiology Unit open genome-wide association study (IEU OpenGWAS) databases. The GWAS data (finn-b-I9 MYOCARD) contained single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) data from 117755 myocarditis samples (16379455 SNPs, 829 cases vs. 116926 controls). Five algorithms [MR-Egger, weighted median, inverse variance weighted (IVW), simple mode, and weighted mode regression] were employed for the MR analysis, with IVW as the primary method, and sensitivity analysis was conducted. Subcellular localization and protein-protein interaction (PPI) network analyses were performed for selected biomarkers. Results were verified in ebi-a-GCST90018882 (24180570 SNPs, 633 cases vs. 427278 controls) and finn-b-I9 MYOCARD EXNONE (16380466 SNPs, 829 cases vs. 217963 controls) to enhance reliability. IRF7 and ADORA2B were shown to be two exposure factors after screening. Univariable MR (UVMR) analysis revealed that IRF7 was a risk factor for myocarditis [IVW: odd ratio (OR)=1.041, 95% confidence interval (CI)=1.018-1.955, P=0.039], while ADORA2B was a protective factors for myocarditis (IVW: OR=0.799, 95% CI=0.640-0.997, P=0.047). Sensitivity analysis confirmed the robustness of these findings. Multivariable MR (MVMR) analysis further demonstrated a direct causal role of ADORA2B in preventing myocarditis. Subcellular localization analysis indicated predominant cytoplasmic expression and limited mitochondrial expression for both genes. The results of PPI analysis showed that 20 genes were predicted to be associated with IRF7 function, such as response to type I interferon, pattern recognition receptor signalling pathway, and toll-like receptor signalling pathway. The results in finn-b-I9 MYOCARD EXNONE were consistent with MR analysis. The findings indicated there was a causal connection between IRGs (IRF7 and ADORA2B) and myocarditis, which offered a crucial point of reference and guidance for future studies and myocarditis treatment.

Tragic Curse, or Messianic Hope? Reading Genesis 3:16 in Light of Genesis 3:15

In this paper, it will be shown that Genesis 3:16 parallels the Messianic prophecy of Genesis 3:15 with which it also shares significant linguistic links and literary features. From this literary observation, it will be established that the two key words “desire” and “rule” have a positive significance which is further supported by the literary and syntactical construction of the sentences. The positive understanding of Genesis 3:16 in the light of Genesis 3:15 will also be reinforced and illuminated by the comparative analysis with the parallel text of Genesis 4:7. Rather than proclaiming the tragic “curse” of the subordinated woman in her relationship with man, the connection of Genesis 3:16 with Genesis 3:15 brings a message of blessing in the perspective of redemption.

Can’t Stop, Won’t Stop Online In-Game Purchase on Mobile Phone: The Role of Flow Experience and Gaming Addiction (2024)

This study investigates factors influencing compulsive in-game purchases among Indonesian internet users, particularly Generation Z, and their societal impacts. It explores competitive behavior and flow experience in online gaming addiction, compulsive in-game purchases, and the link between them. Using quota sampling, 206 participants completed tailored questionnaires assessing online game addiction, flow, compulsive buying, and competitiveness. Structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) was employed to analyze relationships between these constructs, revealing significant links between gaming addiction, flow experiences, and compulsive online purchasing. Competitive gaming may moderate the relationship between flow experience and compulsive buying.

Cluster of Differentiation Markers and Human Leukocyte Antigen Expression in Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia Patients: Correlations and Clinical Relevance.

Chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) is a distinct category of lymphoproliferative disorder characterized by the clonal expansion of mature B cells, followed by their accumulation in primary and secondary lymphoid organs. Cluster of differentiation (CD) markers such as CD79b, CD45, CD23, CD22 and CD81 serve as reliable prognostic indicators in CLL as well as the human leukocyte antigen (HLA) with its well-documented associations with various cancers. This study aims to investigate, for the first time, potential connections between HLA typing and CD marker expression in CLL. Although it is one of the most prevalent neoplasms, there is a need for biomarkers that can improve survival. This study included 66 CLL patients and 100 controls, with all samples analyzed using biochemical methods, flow cytometry, and cytomorphology. Next-generation sequencing was performed for HLA typing. The results indicate that several CD markers are statistically associated with different HLA alleles, specifically CD45 with HLA-C*07:01:01; CD79b with HLA-DPA1*02:01:02; CD23 with HLA-B*39:01:01; CD22 with HLA-B*49:01:01, HLA-C*07:01:01, HLA-DPB1*02:01:02, and HLA-DRB1*07:01:01; and CD81 with HLA-DPB1*04:02:01, HLA-DQA1*01:04:01, and HLA-DQB1*05:03:01. In conclusion, this research demonstrates significant statistical links between HLA genes and immunophenotypic markers in CLL patients, shedding new light on the immunological context of CLL.

Digitalization capability and digital product and service innovation performance: empirical evidence from China

PurposeDigital product and service innovations (DPSI) has attracted widespread attention from both management scholars and practitioners. Previous studies have documented that information technology (IT) capability and digital orientation positively influence DPSI performance. However, the question of whether and how digitalization capability can facilitate DPSI performance remains unresolved. This paper fills these gaps by investigating the mediating role of improvisation capability and the moderating role of technological turbulence.Design/methodology/approachThis study used two-wave data from 240 matched digital transformation department leaders and senior managers from Chinese firms and examined the hypotheses deploying hierarchical regression and bootstrapping.FindingsOur analyses reveal positive, significant links between digitalization capability and improvisation capability and between improvisation capability and DPSI performance. The findings further show that the effect of digitalization capability on DPSI performance is partially mediated by improvisation capability and that technological turbulence strengthens the indirect relationship between digitalization capability and DPSI performance through improvisation capability.Originality/valueIntegrating resource-based view, this research provides evidence that the extent to which improvisation capability mediates the relationship between digitalization capability and DPSI performance depends on technological turbulence. It provides a new direction for digitalization capability and DPSI performance.

Geospatial and Temporal Patterns of Natural and Man-Made (Technological) Disasters (1900–2024): Insights from Different Socio-Economic and Demographic Perspectives

This pioneering study explores the geospatial and temporal patterns of natural and human-induced disasters from 1900 to 2024, providing essential insights into their global distribution and impacts. Significant trends and disparities in disaster occurrences and their widespread consequences are revealed through the utilization of the comprehensive international EM-DAT database. The results showed a dramatic escalation in both natural and man-made (technological) disasters over the decades, with notable surges in the 1991–2000 and 2001–2010 periods. A total of 25,836 disasters were recorded worldwide, of which 69.41% were natural disasters (16,567) and 30.59% were man-made (technological) disasters (9269). The most significant increase in natural disasters occurred from 1961–1970, while man-made (technological) disasters surged substantially from 1981–1990. Seasonal trends reveal that floods peak in January and July, while storms are most frequent in June and October. Droughts and floods are the most devastating in terms of human lives, while storms and earthquakes cause the highest economic losses. The most substantial economic losses were reported during the 2001–2010 period, driven by catastrophic natural disasters in Asia and North America. Also, Asia was highlighted by our research as the most disaster-prone continent, accounting for 41.75% of global events, with 61.89% of these events being natural disasters. Oceania, despite experiencing fewer total disasters, shows a remarkable 91.51% of these as natural disasters. Africa is notable for its high incidence of man-made (technological) disasters, which constitute 43.79% of the continent’s disaster events. Europe, representing 11.96% of total disasters, exhibits a balanced distribution but tends towards natural disasters at 64.54%. Examining specific countries, China, India, and the United States emerged as the countries most frequently affected by both types of disasters. The impact of these disasters has been immense, with economic losses reaching their highest during the decade of 2010–2020, largely due to natural disasters. The human toll has been equally significant, with Asia recording the most fatalities and Africa the most injuries. Pearson’s correlation analysis identified statistically significant links between socioeconomic factors and the effects of disasters. It shows that nations with higher GDP per capita and better governance quality tend to experience fewer disasters and less severe negative consequences. These insights highlight the urgent need for tailored disaster risk management strategies that address the distinct challenges and impacts in various regions. By understanding historical disaster patterns, policymakers and stakeholders can better anticipate and manage future risks, ultimately safeguarding lives and economies.

Early-life ozone exposure and childhood otitis media: Unveiling critical windows of risk

BackgroundDespite increasing evidence of a strong correlation between air pollution and otitis media (OM), the impact of early-life ozone (O3) exposure on the development of OM in children remains uncertain. ObjectivesTo explore the connection between early-life O3 exposure and OM, and to identify the critical time period(s) during which O3 exposure significantly influences the development of OM in children. MethodsWe conducted a study involving 8689 children living in Changsha, China. Information regarding personal factors, health conditions, and the indoor environment was gathered using questionnaires. Personal exposure to outdoor O3 and other major pollutants at the place of residence during the periods before conception, prenatal periods, and after birth was calculated by applying the inverse distance weighted (IDW) method with data gathered from ten air quality monitoring stations. Multiple logistic regression analyses were employed to investigate the associations between O3 exposure and children's OM. ResultsAfter controlling for covariates and ambient temperature, exposure to O3 during the year preceding pregnancy was correlated with childhood lifetime OM, showing ORs (95 % CI) of 1.28 (1.01–1.64). O3 exposures in the 10th–12th, 7th–9th, and 4th–6th months before pregnancy were all linked to children's lifetime OM. Within the multi-window model, we detected that O3 exposure in the 10th to 12th month prior to pregnancy was significantly related to lifetime OM, showing ORs (95 % CI) of 1.28 (1.05–1.55). A significant link was discovered between childhood OM and O3 exposure after controlling for six other pollutants (SO2, PM2.5, NO2, PM2.5–10, CO, and PM10) during the 10th to 12th month prior to conception. Exposure to O3 during the 36th gestational week significantly raised the likelihood of childhood lifetime OM. There is a significant interaction between O3 and temperature exposure during the first trimester of pregnancy and one year before pregnancy on childhood lifetime OM. ConclusionsPreconceptional O3 exposure and its interaction with low temperature played critical roles in children's OM development, backing the hypothesis of “(pre) fetal origins of childhood OM”.

Associations between Knowledge, Attitude and Behavior with Helminthiasis in Children

Soil-transmitted helminths (STH) infection is currently one of the highest prevalence neglected tropical diseases in children. Factors contributing to such case are children’s hygiene, as well as the existence of helminths in the surrounding soil. A child’s education has large influence on their behavior and attitude towards hygiene. However, previous studies showed varying results on wether hygiene affects the rate of STH infection. Therefore, this research is done to determine whether there is significant association between hygiene and STH infection in children. This observational analysis with a cross-sectional design was conducted on elementary school children by interviewing the children and obtaining fecal samples. Analysis of 197 fecal samples shows that 14.7% of the children were infected with STH and results of the interview show more children had poor knowledge about STH infection (69%). Good hygiene attitude and behavior were found in the majority of the subjects (58.9% and 81.7% respectively). The chi-square analysis performed shows no significant relation between knowledge (p=0.626), attitude (p=0.975), and behavior (p=0.376) and the incidence of STH infection. In this study, although children demonstrated poor knowledge of STH infection but had good hygiene attitudes and behaviors, there was no significant link between these factors and STH infection. This emphasizes the need for ongoing hygiene education in elementary school children.

Competency development opportunities and OCB: the fully mediating role of subjective career success

Purpose This paper aims to review the latest management developments across the globe and pinpoint practical implications from cutting-edge research and case studies. Design/methodology/approach This briefing is prepared by an independent writer who adds their own impartial comments and places the articles in context. Findings In a study of 353 working professionals in Malaysia, researchers found no significant direct link between perceived opportunities for competency development (POCD) and organizational citizenship behaviors (OCBs). But the authors did establish that subjective career success (SCS) fully mediated this effect. Originality/value The briefing saves busy executives, strategists and researchers hours of reading time by selecting only the very best, most pertinent information and presenting it in a condensed and easy-to-digest format.

Eight-year total, cognitive-affective, and somatic depressive symptoms trajectories and risks of cardiac events

In this study, we analyzed pooled data from two prospective population-based cohorts—the Health Retirement Study (HRS) and the English Longitudinal Study of Ageing (ELSA)—to explore the association between trajectories of depressive symptoms and the risk of cardiac events. Depressive symptoms were assessed using the 8-item CES-D scale and categorized into somatic and cognitive-affective subtypes. Trajectories were tracked for four surveys from baseline. Heart disease was identified based on self-reported physician-diagnosed conditions. Hazard ratios and 95% confidence intervals were calculated with Cox proportional risk models that adjusted for potential confounders. In total, 17,787 subjects (59.7% female, median age 63 years) were enrolled at baseline. During a 10-year follow-up, 2409 cases of heart disease were identified. Participants with fluctuating (HR = 1.13, 95% CI: 1.06–1.20), increasing (HR = 1.43, 95% CI: 1.25–1.64), and consistently high (HR = 1.64, 95% CI: 1.45–1.84) depressive symptom trajectories exhibited an increased risk of heart disease compared to those with consistently low depressive symptoms, while a decreasing (HR = 1.07, 95% CI: 0.96–1.19) depressive symptom trajectory did not significantly affect the risk of heart disease. Moreover, the association between heart disease and somatic depressive symptoms was found to be stronger than with cognitive-affective symptoms. These findings suggest a significant link between depressive symptom trajectories and heart disease, with particular emphasis on stronger associations with somatic symptoms. It is recommended that the identification and management of depressive symptoms be incorporated into heart disease prevention strategies.

Commuting in dual-earner households: international gender differences with time use surveys

AbstractPrior studies show men commute longer than women, often due to household responsibilities. However, research on commuting differences within couples is limited. This study examines gender gaps in commuting times and mode choices among dual-earner couples in Spain, Italy, South Korea, and the UK. Using Ordinary Least Squares regressions, we find that the presence of children significantly increases gender gaps in commuting times in Italy and the UK, supporting the household responsibility hypothesis. Conversely, no significant link between children and gender gaps is observed in Spain and Korea. Additionally, children’s presence affects commuting mode choices in Italy across all modes, and in Korea for public transit only, with Italian women showing the most changes in commuting mode when children are present.

The Relationship between Cyberchondria and Health Anxiety and the Moderating Role of Health Literacy among the Pakistani Public.

Following the COVID-19 pandemic, the current study examines the association between cyberchondria and health anxiety in the Pakistani population, with health literacy as a moderator. This study utilized a cross-sectional research approach, with data gathered through simple random sampling. The study enlisted 1295 participants from Pakistan aged between 18 and 70, 63% of whom were male and 36% of whom were female. The researchers found a statistically significant positive link between cyberchondria and health anxiety (β = 0.215; t = 1.052; p 0.000). The moderating influence of health literacy suggests that health anxiety has a significantly negative effect on the relationship between cyberchondria and health anxiety (β = -0.769; t = 2.097; p 0.037). Moreover, females had higher cyberchondria scores than males. Health-related anxiety did not differ between the sexes, and males had greater health literacy than females. These results emphasize the critical role of health literacy in the moderating effects of cyberchondria on health anxiety. Furthermore, they reveal significant gender differences in both cyberchondria and health literacy.

Causal pathways in preeclampsia: a Mendelian randomization study in European populations.

Our study utilizes Mendelian Randomization (MR) to explore the causal relationships between a range of risk factors and preeclampsia, a major contributor to maternal and perinatal morbidity and mortality. Employing the Inverse Variance Weighting (IVW) approach, we conducted a comprehensive multi-exposure MR study analyzing genetic variants linked to 25 risk factors including metabolic disorders, circulating lipid levels, immune and inflammatory responses, lifestyle choices, and bone metabolism. We applied rigorous statistical techniques such as sensitivity analyses, Cochran's Q test, MR Egger regression, funnel plots, and leave-one-out sensitivity analysis to address potential biases like pleiotropy and population stratification. Our analysis included 267,242 individuals, focusing on European ancestries and involving 2,355 patients with preeclampsia. We identified strong genetic associations linking increased preeclampsia risk with factors such as hyperthyroidism, BMI, type 2 diabetes, and elevated serum uric acid levels. Conversely, no significant causal links were found with gestational diabetes, total cholesterol, sleep duration, and bone mineral density, suggesting areas for further investigation. A notable finding was the causal relationship between systemic lupus erythematosus and increased preeclampsia risk, highlighting the significant role of immune and inflammatory responses. This extensive MR study sheds light on the complex etiology of preeclampsia, underscoring the causal impact of specific metabolic, lipid, immune, lifestyle, and bone metabolism factors. Our findings advocate for a multidimensional approach to better understand and manage preeclampsia, paving the way for future research to develop targeted preventive and therapeutic strategies.

Evaluation of Health Science Examination of Pharmacy Students Using Critical Thinking Ability

This research aims to find a link between how well pharmacy students did on the Health Science Examination (HSE) and how well they did on a task that tests their critical thinking skills (package insert). Pharmacy students in their first year were given the HSE as part of a spring term task to help them think critically. The box insert project was finished as part of a pharmacokinetics course in the same semester. The correlation analysis was used to check for a link between HSE scores and project grades. A weak but significant link existed between the learners' grades on the task and their overall HSE rating. Team-Based Learning (TBL) is a way of teaching that gets students to learn by doing and by getting them to think critically about how to solve problems. Given a weak but meaningful link with HSE scores, this study showed that a package insert task could be used to test pharmacy students' critical thinking skills.

Screening for Small Airway Obstruction in Garment Industry: A Pilot Study

Abstract Aim and Background: A noticeable gap in the literature is observed in factors associated with the occurrence of respiratory illness among people working in garment industries. This study aims to investigate whether spirometry screening is warranted for individuals employed within the garment industry. Subjects and Methods: This is an observational cross-sectional pilot study conducted in asymptomatic workers of various sectors in a garment industry using spirometry to check for the presence of small airway obstruction. Duration of work along with the nature of work was taken into consideration to see if any correlation exists with the small airway obstruction. Results: A random sample of 40 asymptomatic individuals was drawn consisting of 16 males and 24 females with 47.5% of them working for around 5–10 years. Ninety-five percentage showed no evidence of small airway obstruction and only 5% showed small airway obstruction showing that no correlation exists between the duration of work and the development of small airway obstruction in the garment industry. Conclusion: There appears to be no significant link between the duration of employment in the garment industry and the development of small airway obstruction as compared to the textile/cotton industry, yet annual screening could be integrated into routine health assessments.

A Case-Control Study of the Correlation Between Blood Parameters and Obesity.

Obesity has become a global health crisis in adults, and islinked to conditions like diabetes, cardiovascular diseases, and cancer. This study explored associations between body mass index (BMI) and laboratory parameters in healthy individuals to identify risk factors and guide targeted interventions in Turkey. It was found that screening and lifestyle changes can help prevent and manage obesity-related health issues. This retrospective case-control study analyzed 2153 adult participants using medical records between 2021 and 2024. The study included those with good overall health; those under 18 years of age or had organ failure, chronic metabolic disorders, obesity complications, or were on multiple obesity-related medications were excluded. Data collected included demographic details, waist-to-hip ratio (WHR), BMI, and laboratory findings. Statistical analyses, including Pearson and Spearman correlations, Mann-Whitney U testand t test, and receiver operating characteristic analysis, were performed using SPSS 24.0 (IBM Corp., Armonk, NY). The study, comprising 1016 men and 1137 women, revealed that 31.8% of adults were obese. Gender disparities were evident, with a higher prevalence of obesity observed in women: 76.5%, 68.8%, and 45.3% for classes 1, 2, and 3, respectively, compared to corresponding rates of 23.5%, 31.2%, and 54.7% in men. BMI significantly correlated with WHR. Despite the disparity between BMI and WHR between men and women, positive correlations were found between BMI and age (r=0.4) and serum uric acid (SUA) levels (r=0.5). The Mann-Whitney U test also demonstrated a significant association between BMI andfasting plasma glucose level, low-density lipoprotein(LDL), triglycerides, alanine aminotransferase (ALT), uric acid, platelet count, and lymphocyte count (all p values<0.005).Despite the poor correlation with BMI, SUAlevelsemerged as a potential obesity predictor, with a 4.1 mg/dl cutoff value, exhibiting 50% sensitivity and 34% specificity (p<0.001; area under the curve, or AUC, 0.67; 95% CI 0.65-0.70). There was no significant link between BMIandaspartate aminotransferase, hemoglobin, mean platelet volume, neutrophil and lymphocyte count, vitamin D, thyroid-stimulating hormone, and free thyroxine 4 levels. This study found significant associations between BMI and laboratory parameters, including serum uric acid, fasting glucose, LDL, triglycerides, and ALT. WHRwas also closely linked to BMI, with notable gender differences in body composition. These significant findings underscore the complex nature of obesity and highlight the importance of gender-specific considerations and biomarkers in research and management strategies that are crucial for understanding and addressing this global health crisis.

Effect of solar wind disturbances on small-amplitude simultaneous Forbush events during solar cycle 23

The transient and rapid reduction in galactic cosmic ray (GCR) flux intensity, commonly referred to as Forbush decrease (FD), is widely used as a mediator variable in searching for solar-terrestrial weather linkages. Whereas literature in the field is replete with high-amplitude (FD(%) ⩾3) FD-based analyses, the empirical connections between low-amplitude (FD(%) ⩽3) events and Sun-Earth variables are seldom tested. It is recently observed that the dearth of such studies might be due to the daunting task of accurate detection/precise timing of FDs and other transient astrophysical events. Using a sensitive version of the FD detection algorithm, we selected 264, 267, and 206 low amplitude (FD(%) ⩽3) FDs from the daily GCR data of Hermanus (HRMS), Newark (NWRK) and Oulu (OULU) neutron monitor stations respectively during solar cycle 23. A total of 80 simultaneous small-amplitude FDs were identified from the three stations with a simple coincident computer code. Statistically significant correlations at 95% confidence level exist between the planetary K-index (Kp), disturbance storm time index (Dst), planetary A-index (Ap), and the corresponding simultaneous small-amplitude FDs at OULU station, but not found in HRMS and NWRK data. These significant links between the weak FDs and the geomagnetic indices (Kp, Dst, and Ap) at OULU station suggest that the parameters (Kp, Dst, and Ap) are likely connected with some common solar activities.

Exploring the Impact of Green HRM, Corporate Social Responsibility, Organizational Green Culture, and Work-Life Balance on Sustainable Corporate Performance: The Moderating Role of Organizational Citizenship Behavior for Environment

This study examines the impact of Green Human Resource Management (GHRM), Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR), Organizational Green Culture (OGC), and Work-Life Balance (WLB) on Sustainable Corporate Performance (SCP), with Organizational Citizenship Behavior for Environment (OCBE) as a moderator. Data from 186 South Punjab higher education institutes employees, both teaching faculty and managerial, were collected using purposive sampling and were analyzed using SEM-PLS to validate the proposed relationships. Reliability, convergent, and discriminant validity of the study variables were assessed and found satisfactory. Findings highlight significant positive links between CSR, WLB, and SCP. However, GHRM and OGC had an insignificant relationship with SCP. OCBE moderated only the WLB-SCP relationship. OBCE did not moderate the other relationships CSR-SCP, GHRM-SCP, and OGC-SCP. This research contributes theoretically to understanding the strategic role of OCBE and provides practical insights for managers aiming to align HRM and environmental goals to boost SCP.

Abstract P349: Prediabetes Increases the Risk of Frailty in Pre-frail Hypertensive Older Adults: Beneficial Effects of Metformin Treatment

Background: Prediabetes has garnered increasing attention due to its association with cardiovascular conditions, especially hypertension, which increases the risk of prefrailty and frailty among older individuals. Methods: We screened older adults with prefrailty and hypertension from March 2021 to January 2023. We assessed the correlation linking cognitive dysfunction (Montreal Cognitive Assessment score), insulin resistance (triglyceride-to-glucose index), and physical impairment (5-meter gait speed). Then, we measured the risk of developing frailty after a 1-year follow-up period, adjusting the outcome using multivariable Cox regression analysis. We also investigated the impact of administering 500 mg of metformin once daily to a subset of frail subjects for an additional 6 months. Results: We assessed the relationship between the triglyceride-to-glucose index and the Montreal Cognitive Assessment score, observing a significant correlation (r: 0.880; P&lt;0.0001). Similarly, we analyzed the association between the triglyceride-to-glucose index and 5-meter gait speed, uncovering a significant link between insulin resistance and physical impairment (r: 0.809; P&lt;0.0001). Prediabetes was found to significantly (P&lt;0.0001) elevate the risk of frailty development compared with individuals without prediabetes by the end of the 1-year follow-up, a finding confirmed via multivariable analysis with Cox regression. Furthermore, among the subgroup of subjects who developed frailty, those who received metformin exhibited a significant decrease in frailty levels (P&lt;0.0001). Conclusions: Insulin resistance and prediabetes play substantial roles in the development of cognitive and physical impairments, highlighting their importance in managing hypertension, even before the onset of frank diabetes. Metformin, a well-established drug for the treatment of diabetes, has shown favorable effects in mitigating frailty.