The impact of changing value systems on social inclusion: an Asia-Pacific perspective

Author(s):  
David R. Phillips ◽  
Kevin H.C. Cheng
2020 ◽  
Vol 9 (2) ◽  
pp. 298
Author(s):  
Muhamad Marwan

The aim of this study is to determine the impact of networking on SME’s ability to access government financial support through legal channels in Asia Pacific. This study is quantitative in nature in which the data has been gathered from 281 employees and managers working in SMEs through survey questionnaire. The SEM technique was utilised for the purpose of analysing and testing the mediation effect. The study found that there is a partial mediation of government financial support through legal channels among the relationship between networking with officers and access to finance. This study is restricted to the SMEs operating in the region of Asia Pacific.


2021 ◽  
Vol 7 (8) ◽  
pp. 132
Author(s):  
Giorgio Margaritondo ◽  
Yeukuang Hwu

The high longitudinal and lateral coherence of synchrotron X-rays sources radically transformed radiography. Before them, the image contrast was almost only based on absorption. Coherent synchrotron sources transformed radiography into a multi-faceted tool that can extract information also from “phase” effects. Here, we report a very simple description of the new techniques, presenting them to potential new users without requiring a sophisticated background in advanced physics. We then illustrate the impact of such techniques with a number of examples. Finally, we present the international collaboration SYNAPSE (Synchrotrons for Neuroscience—an Asia-Pacific Strategic Enterprise), which targets the use of phase-contrast radiography to map one full human brain in a few years.


2021 ◽  
pp. 219256822199630
Author(s):  
Narihito Nagoshi ◽  
Kota Watanabe ◽  
Masaya Nakamura ◽  
Morio Matsumoto ◽  
Nan Li ◽  
...  

Study Design: Retrospective multicenter study. Objectives: To evaluate the surgical outcomes of cervical ossification of the posterior longitudinal ligament (OPLL) in diabetes mellitus (DM) patients. Methods: Approximately 253 cervical OPLL patients who underwent surgical decompression with or without fixation were registered at 4 institutions in 3 Asian countries. They were followed up for at least 2 years. Demographics, imaging, and surgical information were collected, and cervical Japanese Orthopaedic Association (JOA) scores and the visual analog scale (VAS) for the neck were used for evaluation. Results: Forty-seven patients had DM, showing higher hypertension and cardiovascular disease prevalence. Although they presented worse preoperative JOA scores than non-DM patients (10.5 ± 3.1 vs. 11.8 ± 3.2; P = 0.01), the former showed comparable neurologic recovery at the final follow-up (13.9 ± 2.9 vs. 14.2 ± 2.6; P = 0.41). No correlation was noted between the hemoglobin A1c level in the DM group and the pre- and postoperative JOA scores. No significant difference was noted in VAS scores between the groups at pre- and postsurgery. Regarding perioperative complications, DM patients presented a higher C5 palsy frequency (14.9% vs. 5.8%; P = 0.04). A similar trend was observed when surgical procedure was limited to laminoplasty. Conclusions: This is the first multicenter Asian study to evaluate the impact of DM on cervical OPLL patients. Surgical results were favorable even in DM cases, regardless of preoperative hemoglobin A1c levels or operative procedures. However, caution is warranted for the occurrence of C5 palsy after surgery.


2021 ◽  
pp. 154805182098653
Author(s):  
Jonathan C. Ziegert ◽  
David M. Mayer ◽  
Ronald F. Piccolo ◽  
Katrina A. Graham

This research explores the nature of collective leadership by examining the boundary conditions of how and when it relates to unit functioning. Building from a contingency perspective that considers the impact of contextual factors, we propose that collective charismatic leadership will be associated with lowered unit conflict, and this relationship will be strengthened by the contingency elements of individual charismatic leadership, task complexity, and social inclusion. Furthermore, we propose that the interactions of collective charismatic leadership with these contextual factors will relate to performance and satisfaction through conflict. We examine our hypotheses across two unit-level field studies, and the results illustrated that high levels of these contextual factors enhanced the negative relationship between collective charismatic leadership and conflict, which generally mediated the relationships between these interactive effects and performance and satisfaction. The results also highlight the detrimental aspects of collective leadership and how it can relate to reduced unit functioning when it is not aligned with an appropriate context. Overall, these findings begin to provide a more complete picture of collective leadership from a contingency perspective through a greater understanding of when and how it is related to unit functioning.


2021 ◽  
Vol 16 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Claudia Ching Yan Chung ◽  
Yvette Nga Chung Ng ◽  
Ritu Jain ◽  
Brian Hon Yin Chung

Abstract Background This study assesses the areas and extent of impact of the Coronavirus Disease of 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic on rare disease (RD) organisations in the Asia Pacific region. There is no existing literature that focuses on such impact on RD organisations in any jurisdictions, nor RD populations across multiple jurisdictions in the Asia Pacific region. A cross-sectional survey was distributed to RD organisations between April and May 2020. Quantitative and qualitative data on the impact of COVID-19 on RD organisations and patients were collected from the organisation representative’s perspective. Qualitative data was analysed using thematic analysis. A follow-up focus group meeting was conducted in August 2020 to validate the survey findings and to discuss specific needs, support and recommendations for sustainable healthcare systems during the pandemic. Results A total of 80 RD organisations from Australia, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of China, India, Japan, mainland China, Malaysia, New Zealand, the Philippines, Singapore and Taiwan participated in the study. Of all, 89% were concerned about the impact of pandemic on their organisations. Results indicate that 63% of the organisations functioned at a reduced capacity and 42% stated a decrease in funding as their biggest challenge. Overall, 95% believed their patients were impacted, particularly in healthcare access, social lives, physical health, psychological health and financial impact. Specifically, 43% identified the reduced healthcare access as their top impact, followed by 26% about the impact on daily living and social life. Focus group meeting discussed differential impact across jurisdictions and point towards telemedicine and digitalisation as potential solutions. Conclusions This serves as the first study to assess the impact of COVID-19 on RD patients and organisations across multiple jurisdictions in the Asia Pacific region, identifying major themes on the impact on both RD patients and organisations. By including 80 organisations from ten jurisdictions, our study presents the most comprehensive assessment of the pandemic’s impact to date. It highlights the need for mental health support and sheds light on moving towards telemedicine and digitalisation of organisation operation, which constitutes a sustainable model in times of pandemics and beyond.


Fermentation ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 7 (1) ◽  
pp. 21
Author(s):  
Tinashe Mangwanda ◽  
Joel B. Johnson ◽  
Janice S. Mani ◽  
Steve Jackson ◽  
Shaneel Chandra ◽  
...  

The rum industry is currently worth USD 16 billion, with production concentrated in tropical countries of the Caribbean and Asia-Pacific regions. The primary feedstock for rum production is sugar cane molasses, a by-product of sugar refineries. The main variables known to affect rum quality include the composition of the molasses, the length of fermentation, and the type of barrels and length of time used for aging the rum. The goal of this review is to provide an overview of the impact of these variables on rum quality, and to highlight current challenges and opportunities in the production of rum from molasses. In order to achieve this, we review the relevant contemporary scientific literature on these topics. The major contemporary challenges in the rum production industry include minimising the effects of variability in feedstock quality, ensuring the fermentation process runs to completion, preventing microbial contamination, and the selection and maintenance of yeast strains providing optimum ethanol production. Stringent quality management practices are required to ensure consistency in the quality and organoleptic properties of the rum from batch to batch. Further research is required to fully understand the influences of many of these variables on the final quality of the rum produced.


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