A Primer on Incorporating Sex as a Biological Variable into the Conduct and Reporting of Basic and Clinical Research Studies

The recent move to require sex as a biological variable (SABV), which includes gender, into the reporting of research published by the American Journal of Physiology - Heart and Circulatory Physiology follows a growing, and much-needed, trend by journals. Understandably, there is concern over how to do this without adding considerable work, especially if one's primary research focus is not on elucidating sex/gender differences. The purpose of this article is to provide additional guidance and examples on how to incorporate SABV into the conduct and reporting of basic and clinical research. Using examples from our research, which includes both studies focused and not focused on sex/gender differences, we offer suggestions for how to incorporate SABV into basic and clinical research studies.

Faith in localisation? The experiences of local faith actors engaging with the international humanitarian system in South Sudan

Localisation, as it aims to shift power in the humanitarian system, will involve the increased inclusion of local faith actors, those national and local faith-affiliated groups and organisations that are often first, and last, responders in crises and have been responding in humanitarian contexts for many years, but often in parallel to humanitarian coordination mechanisms. In primary research in South Sudan with local faith actors and international humanitarian actors, this article aims to examine the inroads and barriers to local faith actor involvement in the humanitarian system and the realisation of localisation with local actors such as these. The research is based on an ethnographic study in which researchers were imbedded in a humanitarian project that aimed to help bridge divides between local faith actors and the international humanitarian system. The findings are based on one-on-one and group interviews with 89 participants from a range of international and local, and faith and secular, organisations. Findings indicate that local faith actors are active in responding to crises and want to be linked to the humanitarian system, but they feel distanced from it and pigeonholed as local faith actors. Formalisation through the appropriate registration systems and then training and networking with the humanitarian system helped them build legitimacy and feel confident to participate in humanitarian coordination. International humanitarian actors can help bridge barriers by understanding and connecting with the local faith actors and challenging their own assumptions about who local faith actors are.

Examination of motivations of Generation Z and Millennial consumers with regards to alternative payment options in terms of user experience and product offerings. Literature Review.

With the acceleration of fintech innovations, the use of alternative payment methods has continued to increase globally. Generation Z and Y consumers are the highest adopters of these alternative payment methods, yet despite this, there is limited research examining their motivations and intentions for using alternative payment methods. This literature review aimed to address this gap through the evaluation of relevant quantitative empirical research by utilizing The Unified Theory of Technology Acceptance and Use of Technology (UTAUT) for its theoretical. The findings indicated that generation z and Y consumers adoption of alternative payment methods are driven largely by behavioural intention, wherein using the UTAUT model, finds a common positive effect across all five variables. Nevertheless, current literature fails to address how Covid-19 restrictions influenced this adoption and as such further primary research post-lockdown is recommended.

Oral Epithelial Dysplasia Grading Systems: A Systematic Review & Meta-Analysis

This systematic review and meta-analysis aims to provide a robust qualitative and quantitative analysis of the different systems used to assess the grade of oral epithelial dysplasia (OED). This study was conducted following the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-analyzes (PRISMA) statement. Six electronic databases were searched for primary research published over the past four decades. Overall quality and level of evidence were based on the Johns Hopkins Research Evidence Appraisal Tool, while evidence of heterogeneity was determined by the Q-statistic and I^2 statistic. Evidence of publication bias was determined using Egger's regression and the Rank correlation tests. A total of 170 records were identified. Only 9 primary research articles were included in the qualitative systematic review. Four studies (4/9) were included in the final quantitative meta-analysis. The grading systems analyzed included the WHO, binary, Ljubljana, Smith and Pindborg, Brothwell, and the oral intraepithelial neoplasia. The results demonstrate the binary system to be superior to the WHO system in grading OED, by providing better inter-observer agreement, however, the substantial error among the inter-observer κ values analyzed indicates the significance of this finding to be of minimal impact. Lack of reliable reproducibility of the grading systems and lack of common effect size (heterogeneity analysis) were noted.

Model of Communication Effectiveness in the Mentoring Process

In this paper the authors analyse the conditions of effective communication in the mentoring process. In the literature on the subject effective business communication is considered as a key to planning, leading, organizing and controlling the resources of organizations to achieve their objectives. Still, communication models in the mentoring network have not been of interest to researchers yet. The aim of this study was to identify the factors that influence the effectiveness of communication in the mentoring process. The authors created a theoretical model of communication in the mentoring process which became a basis for primary research conducted among 103 mentors and 119 mentees in Poland. It occurred that the factors influencing the effectiveness of communication in the mentoring process are similar in both groups. Next, the authors incorporated the Exploratory Factor Analysis and Cronbach’s alpha reliability test of different factors influencing the effectiveness of communication in the mentoring process. The results proved that all the developed scales demonstrated reliability above the recommended threshold. The final stage involved developing a regression model which allowed to identify the factors influencing the effectiveness of communication in the mentoring process. Those factors are: non-verbal channels and tools of communication, written and oral channels and tools of communication as well as social engagement in the mentoring process.

Innovation Through Social Media

This chapter explores the potential of work-oriented social media (WOSM) platforms for generating innovative ideas. A case study of a single WOSM platform, focused on innovation, is analysed from the perspective of features influencing adoption. The features are examined using the unified theory of acceptance and use of technology (UTAUT) framework. Primary research was conducted through a study on the use of a WOSM platform called Brightidea to promote crowdsourced innovation. The work included investigation of features that influenced adoption and usage of the platform. Additionally, the potential for domain-crossing innovation was explored through data analysis of ideas on the platform. The study was built on data collected from a survey of employees of Kerpoc (a pseudonym), a large company in the oil and gas (O&G) sector, and interviews with Kerpoc staff. The chapter concludes that although the business value of the platform may have been below expectations, its social media-like features were positively viewed by users and facilitated discipline crossing.

The Effects of Task Service Fit on Brand Loyalty

Motivated by the role that branded apps play in enhancing customer perceptions of brands, this paper is developed to provide a better understanding of the extent to which task-service fit associated with branded apps influences brand attitudes. The primary research objective is to determine how perceptions of task-service fit associated with branded apps enhances branded app experience and to explore brand co-creation and ultimately brand loyalty. Using data from 573 branded app users we were able to identify the following relationships: Perceptions of task-service fit and o-creation were found to influence brand loyalty. Also, task-service fit and randed app experience influenced co-creation. Finally, results also confirm that branded app experience and brand co-creation are mediators of the relationship between task-service fit and brand loyalty.

Impact of Lockdown COVID-19 in the quality Higher Education as a tools used basic of Bioinformatics

THE COVID-19 halted the education system throughout the world, Colleges, Schools across India were shut down to contain the spread of the virus. Now there was an immediate need to respond to this situation and colleges, schools, and coaching centers throughout India and the world started moving online for conducting classes, giving homework and assignments to the students, thereby not stopping the learning. The purpose of the research is to investigate the closure of schools, colleges due to COVID-19 and its impact on online websites, certification courses Both Primary and Secondary research sources would be used to collect relevant information throughout the research, Primary research was taken from a Questionnaire, Surveys, and Interviews while secondary sources articles, previous research papers, newspapers, etc. It was found that students found online learning necessary during the lockdown and that there was a significant relationship between the closure of colleges and schools during the lockdown and an increase in online course takers.

The Effects of Task Service Fit on Brand Loyalty

Motivated by the role that branded apps play in enhancing customer perceptions of brands, this paper is developed to provide a better understanding of the extent to which task-service fit associated with branded apps influences brand attitudes. The primary research objective is to determine how perceptions of task-service fit associated with branded apps enhances branded app experience and to explore brand co-creation and ultimately brand loyalty. Using data from 573 branded app users we were able to identify the following relationships: Perceptions of task-service fit and o-creation were found to influence brand loyalty. Also, task-service fit and randed app experience influenced co-creation. Finally, results also confirm that branded app experience and brand co-creation are mediators of the relationship between task-service fit and brand loyalty.

Taking the Long View

This article discusses how the concept of undergraduate research has evolved from an artificial academic exercise, typically introduced in first-year composition courses, to an authentic activity that engages students in primary research. Through these authentic experiences, students have opportunities to learn why research is valued in colleges and universities, to see themselves as makers of knowledge, and often to contribute to their communities.