Traditional Barriers Research Articles

Barriers toward Adoption of Mobile Payment in Pakistan

The main aim of this work is find out main barriers toward adoption of mobile Payment in Pakistan. For this innovative resistance model is adopted with some changes. Adoption intention is used as dependent variable whereas Usage barrier, value barrier, Risk barrier, traditional barrier and image barrier are used as independent variables. The primary data were collected through close-ended questionnaire based on five-point Likert-type scale. Responses of 738 people were taken through online survey with the help of Google document from the cities of Hyderabad and Karachi (Pakistan). Initially to overview the data, respondents’ profile and descriptive analysis are stated. Furthermore, that normality (Skewness and Kurtosis) and reliability (Cronbach’s Alpha) tests are employed to check the quality and usability of data. Test of VIF is conducted to check the problem of multicollinearity. Finally, multiple regression analyses are employed. The result of this study showed that there is negative and significance relation of risk barrier and traditional barrier with adoption intention of consumers in Pakistan where as other three barriers usage, value and image found insignificant. Therefore, the service providers and other related authorities must cope with these barriers in order to increase the mobile payment services in Pakistan.

Effectiveness of online learning interventions on student engagement and academic performance amongst first-year students in allied health disciplines: A systematic review of the literature

Introduction: Online learning has increased in popularity due to its perceived ability to improve access for students. With advancements in technology, traditional barriers such as location, time and space can be readily overcome. However, despite its popularity, there continues to be ongoing debate regarding its effectiveness. Methods: We searched commercially produced (six databases) and grey literature sources, limiting our search to humans and English language publications. Two reviewers independently screened the search results. Included studies were assessed for methodological quality assessment using the McMaster Critical Appraisal Tool for quantitative studies. Summarised data from the included studies were descriptively synthesised. Results: We identified a modest body of evidence (19 studies) that indicates that online learning interventions may have a positive impact on student engagement and academic performance for first-year allied health students. This finding should be considered with caution due to methodological concerns about the low-level evidence base arising from lack of adequate and representative sampling, lack of clarity and descriptions regarding the interventions utilised and lack of psychometrically sound outcome measures, just to name a few. Conclusions: There continues to remain key knowledge gaps in this field, such as who benefits the most, or the least, and the nature of any benefits and limitations, for which ongoing research is required.

Mental barriers in planning for cycling along the urban–rural gradient

As studying planning practices and planners’ motivations along the urban–rural gradient has not been common practice, we scrutinize the regional differences in the understanding of cycling planning of Austrian municipal administrators using three questions from a previous on-purpose survey. These questions serve as simple proxies for decisions that need to be made from the perspective of a climate change mitigation-driven transformation of transport planning. The administrators were asked (1) to rank the priorities for transport modes in the case of conflict of space allocation, (2) to name the quantity of bicycle parking provision in projects, and (3) to mark pictures of bicycle parking stands they consider fulfilling the needs of cyclists. The chosen priorities indicate that traditional understanding and mental barriers persist among administrators in an urban–rural gradient. In urban as well as rural areas administrators in charge of cycling planning, still prioritize cars (in terms of infrastructure and space) over bicycles. And up to one quarter of responses – from urban as well as rural municipalities – state that they don’t know if the amount of bicycle parking spaces provided meets legal requirements or exceeds them. These mental barriers need to be overcome for an improved and accelerated introduction of necessary cycling policies.

Clinical trial research agenda on COVID-19 – the first two years in Germany and beyond

BackgroundWe have followed the COVID-19 clinical trial research agenda from the beginning using the COVID-evidence.org platform. Now, two years after the COVID-19 pandemic started, our aim was to re-examine this research agenda with the latest data to provide a global perspective on the research landscape with a focus on Germany. MethodsWe reviewed and updated previously published data on the COVID-19 clinical research agenda as of 28February 2022 focusing on randomized trials. We used the COVID-evidence.org platform including registry entries from ClinicalTrials.gov and the WHO International Clinical Trials Registry Platform as well as publications from the Living OVerview of Evidence platform for COVID-19 (L·OVE). ResultsTwo years on from the pandemic outbreak, there were 4,673 registered trials. The majority of these trials have remained small with a median of 120 planned participants (IQR 60-320). In the first hundred days of the pandemic most of them (50%) had been registered in China. More than two years later, the five countries with the most registered trials (alone or within a framework of international collaborations) were the USA (825 trials; 18%), Iran (619 trials; 13%), India (566 trials; 12%), China (353 trials; 8%), and Spain (309 trials; 7%). Only 119 trials were reported to have a study site in Germany (2.5% of the registered trials). Of the 4,673 trials registered, 15% (694 trials) had published their results by February 2022. The clinical research agenda has been marked by both successes, such as the large RECOVERY trial providing evidence on 10 treatments for COVID-19 including over 45,000 patients as of February 2022, and failures: worldwide only 57 randomized trials have been registered over two years that aimed to assess non-pharmaceutical interventions (e.g., face mask policies and lockdown measures) to prevent COVID-19, and only 11 of them had published results informing decisions that have an impact on the life of billions of people worldwide. ConclusionsThe COVID-19 clinical research agenda has highlighted the substantial effort of the research community but also the challenges of the clinical research ecosystem. Most importantly, it has shed light on the ability to circumvent traditional barriers and to make trials more useful even under extraordinary conditions. The time to learn our lessons and apply them is now, and the time to demonstrate how we have improved the system is before the next pandemic.

Nnovation Resistance Barriers to Online Purchase Intention: The Mediating Role of Perceived Price and Perceived Enjoyment

Purpose –The goal of capturing their ideal selves affects every step that individuals will take throughout their lives. This aim has made cosmetic product usage a necessity for modern people. For this reason, cosmetic products have a crucial role in transforming consumers into the person they want to be. The research provides data that supports this role of individuals in the process of reaching the ideal self. Today, the cosmetic product industry has reached gigantic dimensions, and it shows that it will continue to progress day by day. It is vital to understand the behavior of the target audience of the sector, which displays such dynamic growth. The purpose of this study is to determine the barriers experienced by individuals who have the intention to purchase cosmetic products online.Design/methodology/approach –This study aims to determine the barriers experienced by individuals who have the intention to purchase cosmetic products online. The main body of the research consists of individuals who want to buy cosmetic products online. Data were collected through an online questionnaire shared on social media using the convenience sampling method. A total of 466 questionnaires obtained in this way were evaluated. During the analysis process, path analysis was performed to test the research hypotheses.Findings –When the research results are examined, with the effect of perceived enjoyment and perceived price, the tradition barrier, one of the factors of resistance to innovation, emerges as the main factor affecting the intention to purchase cosmetic products.Discussion –The image barrier does not directly affect the purchase intention. However, a meaningful causality relationship occurs between the image barrier and the purchase intention when the mediating effect of the perceived price comes into play. At the same time, the mediating effect of perceived price also causes a causal relationship between the value barrier and purchase intention. The tradition barrier factor influences purchase intention directly and with the mediating effect of perceived enjoyment. The mediating effect of perceived enjoyment in product presentation causes an increase in consumers' purchase intention. The research results provide recommendations for academics and professionals in the cosmetic industry.

Analisis Faktor yang Mempengaruhi Innovation Resistance dan Intention to Use Terhadap Penerapan Pembayaran Non Tunai

Pertamina implements the MyPertamina cashless payment system to improve the quality of service to consumers in purchasing Pertamina products. Nevertheless, the MyPertamina application lacks users, as no research has discussed the reason for MyPertamina's low adoption rate; thus, it can be an exciting topic to investigate further. The objective of this research was to gain a better understanding of technological resistance by exploring the factors that contribute to resistance behaviour and intentions to adopt technology for MyPertamina services. The conceptual model was based on social influence, innovation resistance theory, and planned behaviour theory. Data was collected by distributing online questionnaires, and up to 350 data sets were processed using the structural equation model - partial least squares method. The results indicated that traditional and image barriers had a significant positive effect on innovation resistance, and social influence and self-efficacy significantly impacted the intention to use. In comparison, innovation resistance had a negative effect on the intention to use.

Factors hindering the integration of Russian companies into digital platforms

Aim. The presented study aims to identify the main factors (and the degree of their influence) hindering the integration of companies into digital and non-digital platforms that are actively developing in the Russian economy and opening up new horizons of development, removing traditional organizational barriers and boundaries.Tasks. The authors conduct a pilot qualitative study of twenty companies and twenty platform holders of different levels to identify, systemize, and rank factors affecting the decision of companies to integrate into a specific platform.Methods. This study uses the methods of in-depth semi-structured interviews, content analysis, systematization, and Spearman’s rank correlation to investigate the relationship between the responses of company executives and platform holders.Results. It is shown that nine main factors mentioned by both groups of respondents prevent companies from mutually beneficial cooperation with platforms. However, the ranking of determinants produces ambiguous results.Conclusions. Research makes an ascertainable contribution to science. In particular, it complements existing scientific literature and business practices in several areas. Conceptually new information is obtained about what prevents companies from cooperating with platforms from the perspective of platform holders and company managers. The quantitative ranking of barriers for both groups is presented, making it possible to identify existing and potential problems that platform holders may face, evaluate them, and effectively manage the processes of overcoming barriers with allowance for their rating. Scientific results form a foundation for future research, since the information obtained during the interviews can be used as a basis for indepth quantitative analysis that would make it possible to further generalize and use the results.

Access to care through telehealth among U.S. Medicare beneficiaries in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic.

BackgroundThe coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) public health emergency has amplified the potential value of deploying telehealth solutions. Less is known about how trends in access to care through telehealth changed over time.ObjectivesTo investigate trends in forgone care and telehealth coverage among Medicare beneficiaries during the COVID-19 pandemic.MethodsA cross-sectional study design was used to analyze the outcomes of 31,907 Medicare beneficiaries using data from three waves of survey data from the Medicare Current Beneficiary Survey COVID-19 Supplement (Summer 2020, Fall 2020, and Winter 2021). We identified informative variables through a multivariate classification analysis utilizing Random Forest machine learning techniques.FindingsThe rate of reported forgone medical care because of COVID-19 decreased largely (22.89–3.31%) with a small increase in telehealth coverage (56.24–61.84%) from the week of June 7, 2020, to the week of April 4 to 25, 2021. Overall, there were 21.97% of respondents did not know whether their primary care providers offered telehealth services; the rates of forgone care and telehealth coverage were 11.68 and 59.52% (11.73 and 81.18% from yes and no responses). Our machine learning model predicted the outcomes accurately utilizing 43 variables. Informative factors included Medicare beneficiaries' age, Medicare-Medicaid dual eligibility, ability to access basic needs, certain mental and physical health conditions, and interview date.ConclusionsThis cross-sectional survey study found proliferation and utilization of telehealth services in certain subgroups during the COVID-19 pandemic, providing important access to care. There is a need to confront traditional barriers to the proliferation of telehealth. Policymakers must continue to identify effective means of maintaining continuity of care and growth of telehealth services.

Extension of the shelf-life of fresh pasta using modified atmosphere packaging and bioprotective cultures

Microbial stability of fresh pasta depends on heat treatment, storage temperature, proper preservatives, and atmosphere packaging. This study aimed at improving the microbial quality, safety, and shelf life of fresh pasta using modified atmosphere composition and packaging with or without the addition of bioprotective cultures (Lactobacillus acidophilus, Lactobacillus casei, Bifidobacterium spp., and Bacillus coagulans) into semolina. Three fresh pasta variants were made using (i) the traditional protocol (control), MAP (20:80 CO2:N2), and barrier packaging, (ii) the experimental MAP (40:60 CO2:N2) and barrier packaging, and (iii) the experimental MAP, barrier packaging, and bioprotective cultures. Their effects on physicochemical properties (i.e., content on macro elements, water activity, headspace O2, CO2 concentrations, and mycotoxins), microbiological patterns, protein, and volatile organic compounds (VOC) were investigated at the beginning and the end of the actual or extended shelf-life through traditional and multi-omics approaches. We showed that the gas composition and properties of the packaging material tested in the experimental MAP system, with or without bioprotective cultures, positively affect features of fresh pasta avoiding changes in their main chemical properties, allowing for a storage longer than 120 days under refrigerated conditions. These results support that, although bioprotective cultures were not all able to grow in tested conditions, they can control the spoilage and the associated food-borne microbiota in fresh pasta during storage by their antimicrobials and/or fermentation products synergically. The VOC profiling, based on gas-chromatography mass-spectrometry (GC-MS), highlighted significant differences affected by the different manufacturing and packaging of samples. Therefore, the use of the proposed MAP system and the addition of bioprotective cultures can be considered an industrial helpful strategy to reduce the quality loss during refrigerated storage and to increase the shelf life of fresh pasta for additional 30 days by allowing the economic and environmental benefits spurring innovation in existing production models.

Supply Chain Management Strategy for MSMEs in Reducing Unemployment in Medan City

It is impossible to disentangle the contribution of industries and MSMEs present in different parts of Indonesia from the country's rising economic growth. As a result, SMEs confront a variety of challenges, including fiercer competition, trouble accessing finance, underutilized marketing, a lack of superior resources, restricted access to suppliers, the emergence of new rivals, and a lack of preparedness for the unexpected. The supply chain management process takes these issues into account. It is anticipated that micro, small, and medium-sized firms (MSMEs) will play a crucial role in the development of the populace's economy. MSMEs are anticipated to be able to overcome poverty, the traditional development barrier. The goal of this study is to develop a better supply chain management plan that will benefit the residents of Medan, especially MSMEs, and help to lower the unemployment rate. This study uses a qualitative methodology. the collection of data through surveys and the use of website-based supporting materials. As a result, the study's findings show that Medan's unemployment rate has gone up. Many causes, including the rising number of high school graduates who don't pursue higher education, contribute to the rise in the number of unemployed people in the city of Medan. MSMEs thus contribute significantly to lowering the unemployment rate in the city of Medan. The growth of MSMEs is hampered by a number of problems, which prevent them from developing to their full potential. The lack of money, the employment of less labor, and poorly functioning marketing are some of the challenges faced by MSMEs. So in order to lower the unemployment rate, researchers apply a supply chain method.

Designing a Unified Healthcare Data System with Blockchain and Cryptography

The majority of public and private healthcare data systems across the globe are proprietary, making it difficult to coordinate and share data between medical institutions on different systems. For the United States, a technically and economically advanced nation, patients still face significant issues with healthcare data sharing, which contribute to inefficiencies in the healthcare system. Friction in data sharing is also prevalent in developing nations like India, where the lack of shareability of patient data leads to redundant tests and unnecessarily high healthcare costs. To improve the integrity and shareability of patient data, we propose a Unified Healthcare Data System, built with blockchain and cryptography. Under this system, patients are in control of their data, and can choose to share their data with doctors and institutions without traditional barriers. To ensure data integrity, blockchain is used to provide immutability and data ownership while cryptography is used to encrypt patient data and implement permissioned access. In this paper, we provide a working implementation of Unified Healthcare Data System and expand on the viability, impact, and evolution of this blockchain-based healthcare data system.

¿Boca sana o boca enferma? Representaciones de la salud bucal en sectores vulnerables

Background: The society and the State must provide dental care and help prevent oral health problems by implementing public policies with cultural relevance that allow society to address and improve the inequity in health care that systematically affects people's well-being. The present study seeks to understand the representations of dental health in people who attend primary care services in vulnerable urban and rural areas of the central zone of Chile. Specifically, the representations of the causes, morbidities, and symptoms attributed to the healthy and diseased mouth. Material and Methods: A qualitative study based on the Grounded Theory was conducted, analyzing the social representations of oral health in a sample of 161 adult people receiving treatment at public primary care services and dental emergency units in rural and urban communes. Empirical saturation and triangulation by time, place, and subjects give reliability to the study. Results: The data obtained show that dental health is mainly valued for its implications for self-esteem and social integration. A naturalization of dental health problems is evidenced as an adaptive strategy to traditional access barriers, which is counterproductive with preventive strategies. Conclusion: The results of the study suggest the need to reinforce education in dental health implemented in a transversal manner, having aesthetic values and the population's expectations of sociability as the key to action.

A novel asymmetrical integral barrier Lyapunov function-based trajectory tracking control for hovercraft with multiple constraints

This paper addresses the trajectory tracking control problem of a hovercraft with asymmetrical time-varying multiple state constraints in the presence of unmodeled dynamics and external disturbances. By using the four-degree-of-freedom vector mathematical model of hovercraft, an extended state observer is adopted to provide the lumped disturbance estimation. Then, the virtual surge velocity and yaw angular velocity control laws are obtained by using a regular log-type barrier Lyapunov function to stabilize the position and yaw errors. In addition, compared with the traditional symmetric integral barrier Lyapunov function, a new asymmetric integral barrier Lyapunov function is introduced to the design process in this paper to address asymmetric state constraint problems. The surge velocity and yaw angular velocity to the inside of the boundary are analyzed to guarantee the safe turning motion or performance required at high speed, and the tracking errors of the closed-loop system are ultimately uniformly bounded by using the cascade system’s stability lemma. The effectiveness of the proposed control scheme is shown via numerical simulations.

Scalable Additive Construction of Arrayed Microstructures with Encoded Properties for Bioimaging.

Microarrays are essential components of analytical instruments. The elements of microarrays may be imbued with additional functionalities and encodings using composite materials and structures, but traditional microfabrication methods present substantial barriers to fabrication, design, and scalability. In this work, a tool-free technique was reported to additively batch-construct micromolded, composite, and arrayed microstructures. The method required only a compatible carrier fluid to deposit a material onto a substrate with some topography. Permutations of this basic fabrication approach were leveraged to gain control over the volumes and positions of deposited materials within the microstructures. As a proof of concept, cell micro-carrier arrays were constructed to demonstrate a range of designs, compositions, functionalities, and applications for composite microstructures. This approach is envisioned to enable the fabrication of complex composite biological and synthetic microelements for biosensing, cellular analysis, and biochemical screening.

Digital transformation of healthcare sector. What is impeding adoption and continued usage of technology-driven innovations by end-users?

The digital transformation of businesses is no longer debatable, and the effects are visible in all sectors. What is arguable, however, is why the transformation has not been seamless—particularly given the multiple benefits of digitalization. We seek to address this question for the healthcare sector, where various reports have acknowledged end-users’ resistance to the adoption and continued usage of technology-driven innovations (e-health innovations). These accounts, though, are largely anecdotal, and the volume of academic research in the area has remained rather confined. To address this paucity of insights, particularly after the onset of the pandemic, which has brought the healthcare sector to the fore, we conducted a qualitative study among healthcare providers (doctors, nurses, and other clinical staff). The key objective of our study was to identify the perceived barriers and other inhibiting factors that impede individuals’ adoption and continued usage of e-health innovations. We conducted our study in the United Kingdom and analyzed the data using the classic approach of manual content analysis. Through these efforts, we identified barriers from the perspectives of healthcare providers (task-related, patient-care, and system barriers), healthcare organizations (threat perception and infrastructural barriers), patients (usability and resource barriers), and end-users in general (self-efficacy, tradition, and image barriers). Our study makes a noteworthy theoretical contribution by proposing a conceptual framework for resistance to e-health innovations that is grounded in innovation resistance theory (IRT). We also make some useful suggestions for practice that have the potential to accelerate the diffusion of e-health innovations.

Examining the Challenges and Prospects of Women’s Political empowerment in Cameroon Democratic Process

Democratic governance in most nation-states across the globe has seemingly not been able to maximally address the widespread marginalization, and exclusion of women in decision-making processes and administration in mainstream democratic activities. In Cameroon, the narrative has remained the same amidst the low rate of women’s ascension into key political offices. This paper examines Cameroonian women’s political empowerment vis-à-vis their capacities to influence state power amidst constitutional provisions and public policies which guarantee women’s political rights. The paper argues that the lopsided institutional framework, deep-rooted traditional and cultural barriers exacerbated by poor funding, rough political terrain, and socioeconomic underdevelopment promote women’s political disempowerment. Using context analysis the correlation between the variables was determined. Situating its argument within the participatory democracy approach and power theory the findings reveal that women have not advanced to a level where many of them who are academically and professionally qualified can be elected to high executive positions. The paper concludes that the massive mobilization of women into civic activities and political engagement resulting in women’s sponsorship of choice candidates in political parties and beyond is a prerequisite for Cameroonian women’s political empowerment.

Connecting the Dots: Joint development of best practices between infrastructures in support of bidirectional data linking

Working together is key in terms of knowledge exchange and in the Biodiversity Community Integrated Knowledge Library project (BiCIKL), infrastructures involved in the biodiversity data landscape are working together to connect data from their different but related data domains. This will be key to connecting the dots towards the development of global collections and global specimen networks in line with e.g., the Extended Specimens Network (Lendemer et al. 2019), which describes a strategy to enhance US biodiversity collections and promote research and education by enabling seamless data integration, attribution and use tracking. It will enable and improve linkages in the fragmented landscape of literature, specimens, collections, species and sequence data. It is required to reliably connect collection level data and specimen level data with derived and related data served through these infrastructures. BiCIKL is a project funded by the European Commission that will develop bidirectional data linkages through persistant identifiers between the data so that they become part of a big FAIR (Findable, Accessible, Interoperable, Reusable) data pool available to researchers, public authorities and business to foster innovation in the digital economy and to contribute in solving global environmental challenges. This will enable end-users to seamlessly access a larger pool of enriched data and knowledge, thereby bypassing the traditional barrier of having to search multiple databases and then link up different data types, or to manually extract data from literature. Two elements are key for development of the data linkages: 1) the global adoption of agreed upon persistent identifiers for digital specimen objects, taxonomic treatments, collections, persons, sequences and taxa across stakeholders, and 2) best practices for the generation, management and curation of the linked data. We will present the best practices that have been jointly developed by the infrastructures in the BiCIKL project for findability, re-use and accessibility. The presentation will focus on the best practices that are essential for reliably linking specimen- and collection-level data with other types of data. Implementing these practices will be an important contribution towards connecting the dots in the biodiversity data landscape and will enrich the information at the data provider level.

Porous geopolymer with controllable interconnected pores—a viable permeable reactive barrier filler for lead pollutant removal

Most of the commonly used traditional permeable reactive barrier (PRB) fillers have many drawbacks, such as poor retention of hydraulic conductivity, high cost, and a complex preparation process. Porous geopolymers (PGPs) with controllable pore structures could circumvent these drawbacks owing to their high adsorption capacity, cost-effective synthesis, and good chemical stability. In this study, based on our previous research, the “foaming-liquid film” balance control method was proposed and used to fabricate three PGPs with gradient pore connectivity. The influence of pore structure on the Pb2+ removal performance and migration mechanism were investigated by conducting both batch and column experiments. Closed, dead-end, capillary, and interconnected pores exist in the PGPs, and results indicated that interconnected pores effectively promote the migration of solute in the main flow channels to the deeper matrix, thereby enhancing the long-term dynamic removal efficiency. At breakthrough, the Pb2+ uptake of PGP-3 reached 146 mg g−1. Further, the proposed “foaming-liquid film” balance control method is effective to prepare PGPs with controllable connectivity, and the PGP-PRBs with a high proportion of interconnected pores exhibit excellent performance for the removal of heavy metals, which is advantageous for their future applications in groundwater decontamination.

Towards inclusiveness and sustainability of robot programming in early childhood: Child engagement, learning outcomes and teacher perception

AbstractThe proliferation of screen‐free programmable robotics allows teachers to implement age‐appropriate integrated activities that can promote child learning and development. However, very scarce is known about the challenges of using programmable robots as a tool to empower children in minority communities. This mixed‐methods case study examined a Free Quality Kindergarten situated in a low‐income public housing estate in Hong Kong to explore the affordances and challenges of robot programming (RP) in early childhood education (ECE). Both quantitative and qualitative data were generated through videotaped observations, child assessments and teacher interviews to journey with the teaching team as they managed to implement the newly introduced RP curriculum. Child assessment evidence revealed that there was a statistically significant improvement in CT scores over 6 weeks of RP activities, while the pretest–posttest change of child self‐regulation scores was nonsignificant. Video analysis results further revealed that children's interaction level with the robot kit significantly predicted the change of self‐regulation over time. Qualitative results are presented to explicate the micro, meso and macro conditions that constrain the implementation of RP curriculum, including the following: (a) teachers' limited TPACK in RP education, (b) a disconnect between the RP curriculum and the school‐based curriculum, (c) limited resources and (d) the Confucian tradition and cultural barriers. These illustrate the intricacies involved in the implementation of RP education to empower marginalized children in under‐resourced ECE settings. This study will help bring systemic change to the ECE field by uncovering ecological difficulties in integrating new technologies to promote inclusiveness and sustainability for the future. Practitioner notesWhat is already known about this topic Screen‐free robot programming (RP) is beneficial for preschool children in terms of promoting their computational thinking (CT) and executive functioning. RP can be generally engaging for preschool children from a middle‐class background. What this paper adds The study is addressing the inclusiveness and sustainability according to the learning needs of kindergarten students, especially those from less privileged backgrounds. The story‐based approach to RP can cater to the learning needs and interests of children from a lower socio‐economic background, which is likely to enhance their CT skills. Children with a higher level of interaction with the robot kit benefited more from the RP activities in terms of self‐regulation skills. This study used multiple methods (ie, video analysis, teacher interview and child assessment) to reveal the effects of micro, meso and macro contexts on RP education in an under‐resourced Hong Kong kindergarten. Implications for practice and/or policy RP education should be cautiously prompted in diverse early childhood settings, especially the less privileged institutions, to enhance positive effects. Critical constraints on the use of programmable robots to empower marginalized children should be adequately addressed when trying to integrate RP into early childhood education. Teachers should receive training and continual support in RP‐related pedagogical strategies to facilitate and scaffold children's learning.

Microsurgical Management of Male Infertility: Compelling Evidence That Collaboration with Qualified Male Reproductive Urologists Enhances Assisted Reproductive Technology (ART) Outcomes

A male factor plays a significant role in a couple’s reproductive success. Today, advances in reproductive technology, such as intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI), have allowed it to be possible for just a single sperm to fertilize an egg, thus, overcoming many of the traditional barriers to male fertility, such as a low sperm count, impaired motility, and abnormal morphology. Given these advances in reproductive technology, it has been questioned whether a reproductive urologist is needed for the evaluation and treatment of infertile and subfertile men. In this review, we aim to provide compelling evidence that collaboration between reproductive endocrinologists and reproductive urologists is essential for optimizing a couple’s fertility outcomes, as well as for improving the health of infertile men and providing cost-effective care.