Small Negative Effect Research Articles

Problem-Solving and Tool Use in Office Work: The Potential of Electronic Performance Support Systems to Promote Employee Performance and Learning.

In the context of office work, learning to handle an Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) system is important as implementation costs for such systems and associated expectations are high. However, these expectations are often not met because the users are not trained adequately. Electronic Performance Support Systems (EPSS) are designed to support employees’ ERP-related problem-solving and informal learning. EPSS are supposed to enhance employees’ performance and informal workplace learning through task-specific and granular help in task performance and problem-solving. However, there is little empirical research on EPSS. Two survey studies addressed this research gap. In the first study, 301 people working in Human Resource (HR)-related positions and functions evaluated the learning potential of EPSS as well as potential advantages and obstacles concerning the implementation and use of EPSS. Though other measures are currently assessed as more important for learning, HR employees expect a strong increase in the significance of EPSS for employee learning. In the second study, 652 users of ERP software completed a questionnaire on characteristics of their daily work tasks, team characteristics, individual dispositions, their coping with ERP-related problems, and characteristics of EPSS. Findings indicate that the most frequently available and used approach when dealing with an ERP-related problem is consulting colleagues. Three EPSS types can be distinguished by their increasing integration into the user interface and their context-sensitivity (external, extrinsic, and intrinsic EPSS). While external and extrinsic EPSS are available to many users, intrinsic EPSS are less common but are used intensively if available. EPSS availability is identified to be a strong positive predictor of frequency of EPSS use, while agreeableness as well as the task complexity and information-processing requirements show small negative effects. Moreover, more intensive ERP users use EPSS more frequently. In general, ERP users value, features such as context-sensitivity, an integration of the EPSS into the ERP system’s user interface, the option to save one’s own notes, and information displayed in an extra window. It is expected that EPSS will play an important role in workplace learning in the future, along with other measures.

Effect of calcium hydroxyzincate on bond strength of hot-dip galvanized plain bars with normal strength concrete

The study separately investigates the interaction of two primary effects causing reduction of the bond strength between hot-dip galvanized steel and normal strength concrete. The effect of the layer of calcium hydroxyzincate (CHZ, commonly forming on hot-dip galvanized steel in concrete) is newly examined. It is shown that increasing the porosity of cement at the phase interface has a smaller negative effect on the bond strength than the presence of a thick layer of the CHZ corrosion products. The failure mechanism of corroded hot-dip galvanized plain bars during bond strength testing differs from that of uncoated steel as the intergranular rupture is likely formed at the CHZ/cement phase interface, or at a small depth below the interface in the CHZ crystals.

Calendar Anomalies in Islamic Frontier Markets

This study investigates calendar anomalies in eight Islamic frontier markets. Our sample consists of the daily closing prices of their stock indices for the period of January 2006 to September 2019. The data are categorized with respect to day-of-the-week and month-of-the-year according to both the Gregorian and Islamic calendars. We control for time-varying systematic risk using Morgan Stanley Capital International (MSCI) index as the proxy for the market portfolio and apply Bonferroni correction to reduce the occurrence of false-positive results. We find little support for the proposition that any of the Islamic calendar months generate abnormal returns, bar a slight negative abnormal return during the holy month of Rajab for Kuwait. We find evidence of a small negative Monday effect for the stock markets of Bangladesh and Pakistan and a small positive January effect for the stock market of Morocco. The results support weak-form market efficiency, suggesting that investors in frontier stock markets should not expect to outperform the market on a consistent basis when trading on particular days of the week or months of the year according to the Islamic or Gregorian calendar.

Experiences of peer victimization and teacher support in secondary school predict university enrolment 5years later: Role of school engagement.

Peer victimization has an adverse effect on academic outcomes. However, longitudinal research on how peer victimization affects access to higher education is lacking. In this study, we investigated the mechanisms through which peer victimization and teacher support affect aspirations for and enrolment at university 5years later through engagement in secondary school. We also examined whether these effects were moderated by ethnicity, and whether teacher support may compensate for the effects of peer victimization. The sample (N=15,110, 51% male, 68% White, 12% Black and 20% Asian) was drawn from a nationally representative study of young people in England. We used data from four waves, following adolescents over 3years of secondary education (T1-T2-T3, age 13 to 15years) until university (T4, age 18years). Data were analysed in a longitudinal structural equation model in Mplus 8. Adolescents subjected to more peer victimization at T1 had lower university aspirations 2years later and were less likely to attend university 5years later. These effects were mediated via secondary school engagement. Teacher support at T1 was related to higher school engagement, leading to higher aspirations (T3) and higher likelihood of university enrolment (T4) over time. We also found evidence that teacher support may lessen the effect of peer victimization on school engagement, and that ethnic background may moderate the effect of teacher support. Peer victimization had a small long-lasting negative effect on university choices via school engagement, while teacher support had a positive effect. In summary, relationships in secondary school have long-lasting implications for university aspirations and enrolment.

Jobs, Crime and Votes: A Short‐run Evaluation of the Refugee Crisis in Germany

Millions of refugees made their way to Europe between 2014 and 2015, with over one million arriving in Germany alone. Yet little is known about the impact of this inflow on labour markets, crime and voting behaviour. This paper uses administrative data on asylum seeker allocation and provides an evaluation of the short‐run consequences of the refugee inflow. Our identification strategy exploits the fact that a scramble for accommodation determined the assignment of asylum seekers to German counties, resulting in exogenous variation in the number of asylum seekers per county within and across states. Our estimates suggest that those migrants have not displaced native workers but have themselves struggled to find gainful employment. We find moderate increases in crime, and our analysis further indicates that while at the macro level increased migration was accompanied by increased support for anti‐immigrant parties, exposure to asylum seekers at the micro level had a small negative effect.

Microsite abiotic conditions and juvenile response under three early successional shrub/tree species in a SEMI‐ARID region

AbstractIn environments with water and nutrient constraints, some early successional shrub/tree species may promote facilitation by ameliorating the microclimate and increasing resource availability. We ask whether early successional semi‐arid shrub/tree species have facilitation effects for other woody species and if they do, which mechanisms are involved and how they affect the water status of juvenile plants. Three early successional woody species; Combretum leprosum, Cenostigma bracteosum and Mimosa tenuiflora, were chosen for investigation. The richness of regenerating woody species and their leaf water potential were used as response variables, while air and soil temperature, leaf area index, humidity and soil attributes were used as explanatory environmental variables. Species growing under the canopy of C. leprosum had better water status and growth at higher soil moisture and lower thermal and solar radiation stress, receiving a facilitative effect. The lower leaf area index, higher radiation and more negative soil water content under the canopy of C. bracteosum in comparison to C. leprosum may have a small negative effect on species richness. M. tenuiflora did not reduce environmental stress, and the species associated with it had low water potential, thus no increase in species richness was detected under its canopy. C. leprosum and C. bracteosum improve the environmental conditions under their canopies and provide favourable microsites for the establishment of other species. The positive effects may be generated by functional traits that modify microclimatic characteristics under the nurse species' canopy and lead to a higher water status of the juveniles growing under it.

So Close, Yet So Far: The Benefits and Limits of Rural–Urban Industry Linkages

Rural–urban linkages have long been recognized as a potential rural economic development strategy. This article tests the potential effects of rural–urban linkages created through rural food manufacturing, tourism, and data processing centers on rural per capita income, employment, and population between 2009 and 2016. Using unique spatial interaction variables, we empirically estimate the Carlino–Mills conditional growth model for all rural counties in the contiguous US. Robustness checks reveal the limits of this economic development strategy by testing the model specification across different definitions of urban and rural places and varying spatial lags. Results suggest that both agritourism and data processing centers increase per capita incomes and employment through rural–urban linkages across distances, urbanicity, and rurality. The potential of beneficial rural–urban linkages associated with food manufacturing appears to be more situational, while creative class and outdoor recreation had small negative or insignificant rural-urban linkage effects on the three economic outcomes.

Temperature and barometric pressure affect the activity intensity and movement of an endangered thermoconforming lizard

AbstractGlobal warming is expected to affect movement‐related thermoregulation in ectotherms, but the likely effects on thermoconforming lizards, which spend little energy in thermoregulation behavior, are unclear. We used the Guatemalan beaded lizard (Heloderma charlesbogerti) as a model thermoconforming species to investigate the effects of ambient temperature and barometric pressure (a cue for rain in the study area) on activity intensity and the structure of movement paths. We tracked 12 individuals over a total of 148 animal days during the wet season of 2019 using Global Positioning System tags and triaxial accelerometry. We found a clear positive effect of ambient temperature on activity (using vectorial dynamic body acceleration [VeDBA]) and step length of lizard movements. The movement also became more directional (longer step lengths and smaller turning angles) with increasing ambient temperatures. There was a small negative effect of barometric pressure on VeDBA. We propose that our patterns are indicative of internal state changes in the animals, as they move from a state of hunger, eliciting foraging, which is enhanced by lower temperatures and rainfall to a thermally stressed state, which initiates shelter‐seeking. Our findings highlight the sensitivity of this species to temperature change, show that not all thermoconforming lizards are thermal generalists, and indicate that predicted regional increases in temperature and reduction in rainfall are likely to negatively impact this species by reducing the width of their operational thermal window.

Effects of balance training on dynamic postural stability in patients with chronic ankle instability: systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials

Chronic ankle instability (CAI), which is characterized by deficient postural control, is associated with functional limitations and diminished self-reported quality of life. Recent studies have suggested that balance training can improve postural control, but high-quality evidence-based research to confirm the effect of balance training on dynamic postural stability in CAI patients is lacking. The purpose of this study was to synthesize current evidence regarding the effect of balance training on dynamic postural stability in CAI patients. PubMed, Embase, Web of Science and Cochrane Library databases were searched for clinical trials that evaluated the effect of balance training on posture and balance in CAI patients from their inception to 15 July 2021. All statistical analyses were performed in RevMan 5.4. The risk of bias was assessed by the Cochrane Collaboration's risk of bias tool, and studies that reported statistically comparable outcomes were analyzed in meta-analyses using random effects models. Heterogeneity was assessed using the I2 statistic index. A total of 12 RCTs included in this meta-analysis and revealed that balance training was effective for improving the dynamic posture stability of CAI patients (SMD=0:90; 95% CI: 0.54 to 1.26; P<0:00001, I2=71%; Star Excursion Balance Test). Subgroup analysis (balance training vs. other training) revealed a small negative effect size, but this was not statistically significant (SMD=-0.12, 95% CI=-0.53 to 0.29, P=0.56, I2=9%). Another subgroup analysis (balance training vs. no training) revealed that balance training was more likely to have greater improvement on the dynamic posture stability of CAI patients (SMD=0.94, 95% CI: 0.71 to 1.17; P<0.00001, I2=0%). Balance training yielded a statistically significant and clinically meaningful improvement in dynamic postural stability in CAI patients. Limited evidence indicates that balance training was more effective than other training methods.

Migrant Students’ Sense of Belonging and the Covid‐19 Pandemic: Implications for Educational Inclusion

This article investigates school belonging among migrant students and how this changed during the Covid‐19 pandemic. Drawing on quantitative data gathered from 751 migrant students in secondary schools in six European countries (Belgium, Denmark, Finland, Norway, Sweden, and the UK), we examined the impact of Covid‐19 school closures, social support, and post‐traumatic stress symptoms on changes in school belonging. Linear regression showed a non‐significant decrease in school belonging, and none of the studied variables had a significant effect on this change in our whole sample. However, sensitivity analysis on a subsample from three countries (Denmark, Finland, and the UK) showed a small but significant negative effect of increasing post‐traumatic stress symptoms on school belonging during Covid‐19 school closures. Given that scholarship on school belonging during Covid‐19 is emergent, this study delineates some key areas for future research on the relationship between wellbeing, school belonging, and inclusion.

Sport psychology and performance meta-analyses: A systematic review of the literature.

Sport psychology as an academic pursuit is nearly two centuries old. An enduring goal since inception has been to understand how psychological techniques can improve athletic performance. Although much evidence exists in the form of meta-analytic reviews related to sport psychology and performance, a systematic review of these meta-analyses is absent from the literature. We aimed to synthesize the extant literature to gain insights into the overall impact of sport psychology on athletic performance. Guided by the PRISMA statement for systematic reviews, we reviewed relevant articles identified via the EBSCOhost interface. Thirty meta-analyses published between 1983 and 2021 met the inclusion criteria, covering 16 distinct sport psychology constructs. Overall, sport psychology interventions/variables hypothesized to enhance performance (e.g., cohesion, confidence, mindfulness) were shown to have a moderate beneficial effect (d = 0.51), whereas variables hypothesized to be detrimental to performance (e.g., cognitive anxiety, depression, ego climate) had a small negative effect (d = -0.21). The quality rating of meta-analyses did not significantly moderate the magnitude of observed effects, nor did the research design (i.e., intervention vs. correlation) of the primary studies included in the meta-analyses. Our review strengthens the evidence base for sport psychology techniques and may be of great practical value to practitioners. We provide recommendations for future research in the area.

Did Ohio’s Vaccine Lottery Increase Vaccination Rates? A Pre-Registered, Synthetic Control Study

AbstractOvercoming vaccine hesitancy is critical to containing the COVID-19 pandemic in the United States. To increase vaccination rates, the State of Ohio launched a million dollar lottery in May 2021. Following a pre-registered analysis, we estimate the effects of Ohio’s lottery program Vax-a-Million on COVID-19 vaccination rates by comparing it to a “synthetic control” composed of eight other states. We find a statistically insignificant 1.3% decrease in the full vaccination rate in Ohio at the end of the lottery period. We investigate the robustness of our conclusion to model specifications through a multiverse analysis of 216 possible models, including longer time periods and alternative vaccination measures. The majority (88%) find small negative effects in line with the results of our pre-registered model. While our results are most consistent with a decrease in vaccination rate, they do not allow a firm conclusion on whether the lottery increased or decreased vaccine uptake.

Personality traits differentiate patients with bipolar disorder and healthy controls – A meta-analytic approach

BackgroundExpression of specific personality traits has been associated with the presence and disease course of bipolar disorder (BD) in multiple studies. However, until today findings are inconsistent and potentially confounding factors such as age and gender as well as the limited sample size of previous studies make it difficult to generalize these findings. To overcome these limitations and to specify the role of personality traits in the context of BD, we performed a meta-analysis in patients with BD and healthy controls (HC), focusing on the traits of the big three and the big five: Neuroticism (N), Extraversion (E), Openness (O), Conscientiousness (C), Agreeableness (A) and Psychoticism (P). MethodsTwo online databases (Pubmed and Web of Science) were searched systematically to identify relevant articles, including publications up to December 31, 2019. From studies that met our inclusion criteria (n = 18), we extracted relevant data of patients with BD (n = 1694) and HC (n = 2153) and calculated effect sizes for each personality trait. Further, we performed moderator analysis on gender, age, quality score and years of publication. ResultsOur results indicate that patients with BD exhibit higher scores on N (large positive effect size; n = 18, g = 1.44, 95%-CI : 1.11 to 1.77) and lower scores on C (medium negative effect size; n = 6, g = -0.78, 95%-CI: -1.13 to -0.43) and E (small negative effect size; n = 13, g = -0.38, 95%-CI: -0.52 to -0.23) compared to HC. We found a moderating effect of mean age on the effect size of N with smaller differences in N levels between patients with BD and HC in older samples (-0.0437, z = - 3.96, p <0.0001). Our results were robust with respect to potential publication biases and the inclusion of potentially confounding factors such as gender, age, quality score and years of publication. LimitationsDue to the lack of available data no subgroup analysis on the effect of mood states of patients and subtypes of BD could be performed. Moreover, our analyses are based on cross-sectional data so that findings should be interpreted with care, especially concerning causal conclusions. ConclusionsPatients with BD showed differences in several personality traits compared to HC. Our results provide the basis for future research with focus on personality and psychopathology in patients with BD. Identifying the interaction between expressions of personality traits and BD might provide novel approaches in prevention and therapy.

Mobile working of administrative staff at USB Bochum GmbH and affiliated companies before and during corona-related restrictions-first results of alongitudinal study

Mit dem Fortschreiten der COVID-19-Pandemie realisierte die USB-Familie für ihre Verwaltungsmitarbeiter*innen die Möglichkeit zum Homeoffice. Anschließen wurden unterstützende Maßnahmen für das Mobile Arbeiten umgesetzt und von einer Betriebsvereinbarung flankiert. Dies wird durch eine längsschnittliche Befragung begleitet. Vorliegend werden erste Ergebnisse der ersten Erhebung präsentiert. Ziel dieser ist der Vergleich der Vor-Corona-Zeit ohne Homeoffice (2/2020) mit der Situation während Corona nach Einführung von Homeoffice (10/2020). Im Rahmen der anonymen Onlinebefragung nahmen 68 Personen teil. 41,2 % arbeiten ausschließlich im Betrieb, die Übrigen sind teilweise/ganz von zu Hause aus tätig. Letztere tun dies zur Hälfte aufgrund einer Anordnung. Im Zuge der retrospektiven Befragung zeigt sich das Folgende. 91,0 % bewerten die Arbeitssicherheit als gleich oder besser. 2,3 h pro Woche sparen die Teilnehmer durchschnittlich. Kleine negative Effekte zeigen sich bei Informationsaustausch und Erreichbarkeit (Cohen’s d jeweils −0,27). In geringem Maße steigt der Wunsch sich privat mit Kollegen auszutauschen (Cohen’s d = 0,22). Keinen Zuwachs gibt es bei Entgrenzung und Mehrarbeit durch Kollegen. Einen Effekt von nahezu mittlerer Stärke ist bei der Work-Life-Balance (Cohen’s d = 0,49) zu verzeichnen; hier steigt die Zufriedenheit. Ein mittlerer Effekt in Richtung Verbesserung findet sich beim Ungestörten Arbeiten (Cohen’s d = 0,66). Im Ergebnis zeigt sich ein kleiner Effekt hinsichtlich der Steigerung der Zufriedenheit mit der Arbeitssituation (Cohen’s d = 0,24). 85,3 % geben an, dass sie die Arbeit nun im Oktober gleich gut oder besser bewältigen können als im Februar. Durch die veränderte Situation werden pro Woche durchschnittlich 5,9 km Fahrtweg pro Woche eingespart.Praktische Relevanz: Deutlich werden Vor- und Nachteile der Umstellung auf Mobiles Arbeiten in einem mittelständigen Unternehmen.

Collision Avoidance and Connectivity Preservation for Time-Varying Formation of Second-Order Multi-Agent Systems With a Dynamic Leader

In this paper, the problem of time-varying formation tracking control, with collision avoidance (CA) and connectivity preservation (CP), is studied for second-order multi-agent systems. Consider the unknown control input of virtual leader, an estimator is introduced to design a distributed time-varying formation tracking control protocol, while relaxing the condition the leader&#x2019;s velocity is constant. Different from some existing results, relative velocity-based action function is designed such that both CA and CP with small negative effects on formation are achieved, and a simpler method is proposed to eliminate the large jump and discontinuity of potential field force. Furthermore, the Lyapunov-like approach is used for the stability analysis and the theoretical results are derived. Accordingly, it is demonstrated that velocity tracking errors can asymptotically converge to 0, and steady-state position tracking errors are bounded and related to initial state. Finally, two simulation examples verify the effectiveness of theoretical results.

Center-Based Care and Parenting Activities

We estimate effects of center-based care on parenting activities using time use data for Germany. Our estimates imply that center-based care reduces the overall time that parents spend with the enrolled child, but has only small negative effects on time spent doing activities together. Correspondingly, center-based care increases activities as a share of the time spent together with the child. The overall effect is driven by households with lower maternal education. Our findings imply that child development effects of center-based care may be explained, not just by the institutional environment, but also by changes that occur within the home environment.

Mechanisms of Change for Child Mental Health and Psychosocial Support in Conflict Settings: A Systematic Review

There is a growing evidence-base for the effectiveness of mental health and psychosocial support (MHPSS) programmes for children affected by conflict for a range of mental health and wellbeing outcomes, but with limited evidence for how these interventions produce change. This study aimed to review the evidence for mechanisms of change of MHPSS interventions for children affected by conflict. Systematic review methodology was used to screen the PubMed, Published International Literature on Traumatic Stress (PILOTS) and PsycInfo databases for primary quantitative studies. Out of 3,903 records, seven studies were included, all evaluations of school-based preventative programmes. Results showed a mediation effect of peer relations on treatment change for wellbeing outcomes, while a predictable and cooperative learning environment partially mediated treatment change for academic outcomes, victimisation and mental health. One study found a small negative mediation effect of play-based social support for posttraumatic stress disorder. No evidence was found for any other mechanisms. The findings of this review highlight the role of social relationships as mechanisms of change in MHPSS programmes, but with limited studies to draw from. Future programme evaluations should include measures of proposed mechanisms to further our understanding of how MHPSS programmes work to continue to improve their relevance and scope and to do no harm.

A NIR-Based Study of Desorption Kinetics during Continuous Spin Freeze-Drying

The pharmaceutical industry is progressing toward the development of more continuous manufacturing techniques. At the same time, the industry is striving toward more process understanding and improved process control, which requires the implementation of process analytical technology tools (PAT). For the purpose of drying biopharmaceuticals, a continuous spin freeze-drying technology for unit doses was developed, which is based on creating thin layers of product by spinning the solution during the freezing step. Drying is performed under vacuum using infrared heaters to provide energy for the sublimation process. This approach reduces drying times by more than 90% compared to conventional batch freeze-drying. In this work, a new methodology is presented using near-infrared (NIR) spectroscopy to study the desorption kinetics during the secondary drying step of the continuous spin freeze-drying process. An inline PLS-based NIR calibration model to predict the residual moisture content of a standard formulation (i.e., 10% sucrose) was constructed and validated. This model was then used to evaluate the effect of different process parameters on the desorption rate. Product temperature, which was controlled by a PID feedback mechanism of the IR heaters, had the highest positive impact on the drying rate during secondary drying. Using a higher cooling rate during spin freezing was found to significantly increase the desorption rate as well. A higher filling volume had a smaller negative effect on the drying rate while the chamber pressure during drying was found to have no significant effect in the range between 10 and 30 Pa.

How Does Armed Conflict Shape Investment? Evidence from the Mining Sector

How does conflict affect firms’ investment decisions? Past results are mixed: a third of the studies we reviewed report null or mixed correlations; some suggest that conflict increases investment. We rationalize these results, arguing that armed conflict has divergent effects depending on firms’ exposure to violence. Conflict can deter investment by disrupting production or raising uncertainty. Yet, conflict can encourage investment by hampering government oversight. We argue that each mechanism operates over different geographic extents. We use data from the mining sector to test these claims and report three main results. Firms operating at conflict sites dramatically reduce investments. By contrast, firms operating in territory surrounding conflict, but separated from fighting, actually increase investment. Firms far from violence see a small negative effect. These divergent responses cannot be inferred from aggregate flows: we show that conflict depresses aggregate investment, but this reflects responses among firms far from fighting.

Проявление гетерозиса у F1 гибридов петунии

The article presents the results of a study of the manifestation of hypothetical and true heterosis in the hybrid petunia according to some decorative features in the conditions of the protected ground of Moscow. The presence of a heterosis effect and overdomination in the time of flowering of the first flower, the diameter of the flower and the number of flowers for the first two weeks of flowering was established. All hybrid combinations showed a small negative hypothetical and true heterosis effect on the early entry of petunia plants into the flowering phase. Keywords: PETUNIA, HETEROSIS, HYBRID, DOMINANCE, OVERDOMINATION