Customer Superstitions in the Accommodation Industry: A Demographic Analysis

This research project focussed on the topic of superstitions which is widely prevalent but under-explored. Specifically, this study examined the effects of demographical variables (namely, gender, age, education, income, and religion) on 18 superstitious behaviours. An online survey was distributed using two non-probability sampling techniques: snowballing and voluntary response sampling. The data collection was done through known contacts and on a social media platform within online communities. The survey was open to participants who were at least 18 years old and fitted the other criterion of being guests at hotels, hostels, Airbnb, etc. A total of 126 usable responses was collected and analysed. Descriptive statistics and MANOVA results indicated that demographical variables did not have much effect on superstitious behaviours. Furthermore, the extent of superstitious behavioural displays was also not varied among respondents with different demographical profiles. In a challenging business landscape, it is relevant and important for the accommodation industry to have heightened awareness about guests’ superstitions. Such knowledge can aid the operators in exhibiting extra cultural sensitivity and gracious respect towards their guests, generating more satisfaction and building loyalty.

Knowledge and public health practices during lockdown towards COVID-19 in Bangladesh

The study aimed to assess the role of having knowledge and essential hygiene practices to prevent coronavirus pandemic and to find out the relationship between people’s knowledge and good hygiene practices with socio-demographic variables during coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic situation. In this study, data were collected from 248 respondents for cross-sectional study using voluntary response sampling from April, 30 2020 to May, 30 2020, during lockdown situation in Bangladesh. Descriptive statistics were done to calculate the frequencies and percentages by using Stata SE 14.2 (StataCorp). Chi-square was performed at the significance level of 5% to find the factors which were associated with knowledge about COVID-19. After knowing about COVID-19, 86.29% respondents had taken preventive measures and 71.37% respondents had agreed to stay at home. Among the respondents, 47.98% were involved in services and were positively associated with good general knowledge of preventive practices. Our present findings indicated significant relationship between good general knowledge and practice of general people towards COVID-19 outbreak in Bangladesh. The findings of the study are helpful for the researchers and the population to follow all good promotional practices for preventive measures against coronavirus.

Can we talk about price with patients when choosing antiretroviral therapy? A survey with people living with HIV and prescribers in France

ObjectiveThe aim of this study was to evaluate people living with HIV (PLWH) and HIV specialist prescribers’ perception of discussing antiretroviral therapy (ART) price in PLWH’s care and the acceptability of choosing or switching to various types of less expensive ARTs.DesignCross-sectional surveys (one in a convenience sample of PLWH and one in a voluntary response sample of HIV specialist prescribers).Setting and participantsThe surveys were conducted among PLHW attending an HIV clinic in the North of Paris (cohort of 4922 PLWH in 2016), and HIV specialists working in French HIV clinics (210 across 12 districts/28), between January and June 2016.MethodSelf-administered questionnaires were constructed using data collected during focus groups with PLWH and prescribers. Pretests were carried out to select the questions and items. Descriptive analyses of the 129 complete questionnaires of PLWH and 79 of prescribers are presented.ResultsAmong PLWH, 128/129 were on ART and 54% (69/128) gave a fair estimation of the price of their current regimen. Among prescribers, 24% (19/79) thought that their patients knew this price. Taking into account the price of ART was not perceived as a negative step in the history of French response to HIV epidemic for 53% (68/129) of PLWH and 82% (65/79) of prescribers. Seventy-seven PLWH (60%) would agree to switch to less expensive antiretroviral regimens (as effective and with similar adverse events) if pills were bigger; 42 (33%) if there were more daily doses, and 37 (29%) if there were more pills per dose; prescribers were more circumspect.ConclusionA high proportion of PLWH gave a fair estimate of their ART price and this seemed unexpected by HIV specialists. Consideration of drug prices when choosing ART was perceived as conceivable by PLWH and prescribers if effectiveness and tolerance were also considered.

NEUROLOGICAL UNDERSTANDING OF SHAD CHAKRA WITH SPECIAL REFERENCE TO VATA DOSHA

Chakra are believed to be part of subtle body, thought to vitalize the physical and mental status of an individual. Muladhara, Swadhishtana, Manipura, Anahata, Vishuddha and Ajna are called Shadchakra. Ayurveda is based on Tridosha Sidhantha, in which Vata Dosha has prime control over all functions of body, renders Prana to livings. Functions and site of Vata Dosha and Shad Chakra are found to be identical in some constituents. The function of Chakra is to spin and draw in this universal life force energy to keep the spiritual, mental, emotional and physical health of the body in balance. Prana Vata is seen related with Ajna Chakra, Udana Vata with Vishuddha Chakra, Vyana Vata with Anahata Chakra, Samana Vata with Manipura Chakra, Apana Vata with Muladhara and Swadhishtana Chakra respectively. Vata Dosha prompts all types of actions, coordinates physical and mental activities, likewise Chakra modulate the flow of subtle energy. Movement of energy is vital to life and the energetic process in body is caused by nervous system. The autonomic and somatic nervous system is most relevant with action of Chakra dealing with involuntary and voluntary response of the body as per need.

Japan’s voluntary lockdown: further evidence based on age-specific mobile location data

Changes in people’s behavior during the COVID-19 pandemic can be regarded as the result of two types of effects: the “intervention effect” (changes resulting from government orders for people to change their behavior) and the “information effect” (voluntary changes in people’s behavior based on information about the pandemic). Using age-specific mobile location data, we examine how the intervention and information effects differ across age groups. Our main findings are as follows. First, the age profile of the intervention effect shows that the degree to which people refrained from going out was smaller for older age groups, who are at a higher risk of serious illness and death, than for younger age groups. Second, the age profile of the information effect shows that the degree to which people stayed at home tended to increase with age for weekends and holidays. Thus, while Acemoglu et al. (2020) proposed targeted lockdowns requiring stricter lockdown policies for the oldest group in order to protect those at a high risk of serious illness and death, our findings suggest that Japan’s government intervention had a very different effect in that it primarily reduced outings by the young, and what led to the quarantining of older groups at higher risk instead was people’s voluntary response to information about the pandemic. Third, the information effect has been on a downward trend since the summer of 2020. It is relatively more pronounced among the young, so that the age profile of the information effect remains upward sloping.

Motor Control Changes after Innovative Aquatic Proprioceptive Training in Athletes with Anterior Cruciate Ligament Reconstruction: Voluntary Response Index Analysis

Objectives: The main aim of this study was to determine and compare the effects of innovative aquatic proprioceptive training plus conventional rehabilitation with conventional rehabilitation alone on voluntary response index (VRI) components in athletes with anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction (ACLR). Methods: Forty male athletes with ACLR (18 - 35 years of age) voluntarily participated in this study. They were randomly allocated into two groups. The conventional therapy group (n = 20) underwent conventional rehabilitation for ten weeks, three sessions a week. The aquatic proprioceptive training plus conventional rehabilitation (n = 20) group received the same conventional rehabilitation plus 30 sessions of innovative hydrotherapy exercises. Voluntary response index analysis was carried out to determine changes in motor control and muscle activation patterns based on electromyographic (EMG) outcome measures. Results: There was a significant difference in the magnitude (MAG) and similarity index (SI) between the two groups at all phases of the functional task (sit-stand-sit) (P < 0.05). Also, both groups showed a significant change in MAG and SI at all phases of the functional task (sit-stand-sit) after the intervention (P < 0.05). Effect size in both groups for MAG and SI at all phases of the functional task (sit-stand-sit) ranged from 2.5 to 4.61 and from 0.29 to 1.7, respectively. Conclusions: The incorporation of innovative aquatic proprioceptive training into conventional accelerated rehabilitation protocol can improve motor control by influencing muscle activation patterns.

The feelings & perceptions of a Medical doctor after recovery from Corona infection

Aim: To know the core feelings and perception of a medical doctor after recovery from corona infection Study Design: A descriptive cross-sectional qualitative survey Place and duration of study: Akhter Saeed medical and dental college Lahore. Duration of study was two months from 1stJanuary 2021 to 31st March 2021. Methods: A survey questionnaire is formed and sent to different doctors of different specialties both in the public and private sectors. Non-probability conventional sampling technique was used. Qualitative data was analyzed by the SPSS 20. Results: The online survey was sent to three hundred and fifty (350) doctors who were fellows, consultants, assistant consultants and professors. The voluntary response is submitted by 26doctors who suffered and recovered from corona infection. Conclusion: Coronapandemic has physical, psychological, social and economic effects. Everyone who suffered from it has his own insight about disease but unlike other infections, anxiety and uncertainty about future were major psychological effects which added to physical suffering of patients. All recovered patients strongly recommended following of SOPs. Vaccinationwith following SOPs is unanimously only optimistic approachagainst corona to decrease incidence and severity of infection. There is a need for doctor counselling sessions to cope with stress and anxiety issues. Keywords: Corona infection, anxiety, consultant.

Measuring voluntary and policy-induced social distancing behavior during the COVID-19 pandemic

Staying home and avoiding unnecessary contact is an important part of the effort to contain COVID-19 and limit deaths. Every state in the United States enacted policies to encourage distancing and some mandated staying home. Understanding how these policies interact with individuals’ voluntary responses to the COVID-19 epidemic is a critical initial step in understanding the role of these nonpharmaceutical interventions in transmission dynamics and assessing policy impacts. We use variation in policy responses along with smart device data that measures the amount of time Americans stayed home to disentangle the extent that observed shifts in staying home behavior are induced by policy. We find evidence that stay-at-home orders and voluntary response to locally reported COVID-19 cases and deaths led to behavioral change. For the median county, which implemented a stay-at-home order with about two cases, we find that the response to stay-at-home orders increased time at home as if the county had experienced 29 additional local cases. However, the relative effect of stay-at-home orders was much greater in select counties. On the one hand, the mandate can be viewed as displacing a voluntary response to this rise in cases. On the other hand, policy accelerated the response, which likely helped reduce spread in the early phase of the pandemic. It is important to be able to attribute the relative role of self-interested behavior or policy mandates to understand the limits and opportunities for relying on voluntary behavior as opposed to imposing stay-at-home orders.

“Let’s Go, Baby Forklift!”: Fandom Governance and the Political Power of Cuteness in China

This article describes how the Chinese state borrows from the culture of celebrity fandom to implement a novel strategy of governing that we term “fandom governance.” We illustrate how state-run social media employed fandom governance early in the COVID-19 pandemic when the country was convulsed with anxiety. As the state faced a crisis of confidence, state social media responded with a propagandistic display of state efficacy, broadcasting a round-the-clock livestream of a massive emergency hospital construction project. Chinese internet users playfully embellished imagery from the livestream. They unexpectedly transformed the construction vehicles into cute personified memes, with Baby Forklift and Baby Mud Barfer (a cement mixer) among the most popular. In turn, state social media strategically channeled this playful engagement in politically productive directions by resignifying the personified vehicles as celebrity idols. Combining social media studies with cultural and linguistic anthropology, we offer a processual account of the semiotic mediations involved in turning vehicles into memes, memes into idols, and citizens into fans. We show how, by embedding cute memes within modules of fandom management such as celebrity ranking lists, state social media rendered them artificially vulnerable to a fall in status. Fans, in turn, rallied around to “protect” these cute idols with small but significant acts of digital devotion and care, organizing themselves into fan circles and exhorting each other to vote. In elevating the memes to the status of celebrity idols, state social media thereby created a disposable pantheon of virtual avatars for the state, and consolidated state power by exploiting citizens’ voluntary response to vulnerability. We analyze fandom governance as a new development in the Chinese state’s long history of governing citizens through the management of emotion.