Search Results (152)

This study examines how distinct dimensions of financial literacy relate to the business performance of rural female micro-entrepreneurs in a transition economy. Drawing on the Resource-Based View, Human Capital Theory, and Entrepreneurial Capability Theory, financial literacy is conceptualized as four separable capabilities: financial education, cash forecasting, bookkeeping practice, and financial self-efficacy. Survey data were collected from 200 women micro-entrepreneurs sampled at random in Shovot District, Khorezm region, Uzbekistan, and 173 usable responses were analysed with partial least squares structural equation modelling (PLS-SEM). After validation and refinement of the measurement model, the results show that bookkeeping practice (β = 0.407) and financial education (β = 0.294) are positively and significantly associated with business performance, as is financial self-efficacy (β = 0.155), whereas cash forecasting shows no significant unique association. The findings are robust to alternative construct and outcome specifications and to endogeneity checks, and they suggest that, where formal financial infrastructure is thin, record-keeping and foundational financial knowledge appear to be the capabilities most closely associated with micro-enterprise performance; because the measurement model was refined on these data, these associations are exploratory and await confirmation on independent samples. Full article

Leishmaniasis is an endemic zoonotic disease caused by the protozoan parasite Leishmania and transmitted by infected female phlebotomine sandflies. The World Health Organization (WHO) classifies it among the 20 neglected tropical diseases (NTDs), ranking eighth globally. The disease predominantly affects resource-limited populations in tropical regions. Kenya bears a significant global burden of leishmaniasis, with Baringo County identified as a major endemic area. A cross-sectional survey on knowledge, attitudes, and practices (KAP) was conducted from July 2025 to January 2026 among 135 residents of Baringo South Sub-County using a structured questionnaire. The study evaluated sociodemographic characteristics, disease awareness, perceptions, preventive practices, and treatment-seeking behaviors. Additionally, 12 healthcare professionals were interviewed regarding their diagnostic and treatment capacities. Associations between variables were analyzed using Chi-square tests and multivariate logistic regression. Overall awareness of leishmaniasis was high (94.8%), with KAP scores of 86.7%, 76%, and 77.7%, respectively. Despite this, critical knowledge gaps persisted regarding transmission dynamics, the role of dogs as reservoir hosts, and preventive measures. Significant associations were found for awareness of local cases, recognition of clinical signs, knowledge of vector activity, community control measures, and attitudes toward treatment preferences. Age and education level predicted KAP outcomes. Healthcare practitioners demonstrated technical capacity to diagnose and treat human Leishmania infections, whereas veterinarians lacked awareness of Leishmania infection in dogs, including its diagnosis and treatment. Integration of human, animal, and vector surveillance within a One Health framework is recommended to enhance disease monitoring and control in Baringo County. Full article

High-involvement work systems (HIWSs) have been an important organisational aspect in increasing employee job performance. However, the high-involvement work system is often looked at collectively using one dimension instead of through the individual dimensions of the work system. Using the power, information sharing, rewards, and knowledge (PIRK) model, the present cross-lagged study aims to examine the influence of the individual dimensions of the PIRK model on employees’ opportunities for skill development and emotional job demands, subsequent quality of work (QoW) and the processes involved. This quantitative cross-lagged study involved 120 New Zealand (NZ) employees (80.8% female; mean age = 32.4 years) from various industries. The results showed a significant positive effect of opportunities for skill development on employees’ QoW. In addition, the four dimensions of the PIRK model had significant positive effects on opportunities for skill development. However, only the information-sharing and knowledge dimensions produced a significant negative effect on emotional job demands. Opportunities for skill development mediated the relationship between the four dimensions of the PIRK model and employees’ QoW, whereas emotional job demands only mediated the relationship between the information-sharing and knowledge dimensions of the PIRK model and employees’ QoW. This study contributes to the limited cross-lagged and longitudinal research on human resource work systems and provides empirical evidence on the role of the organisational work system in supporting employee QoW through opportunities for skill development and emotional job demands. Full article

The U.S. pharmacist workforce has undergone significant growth and demographic changes, particularly increased female participation and part-time employment. However, limited evidence exists on how labor supply behavior varies by gender and employment status. This study used a nationally representative sample of 12,064 pharmacists from the 2019–2022 American Community Survey (ACS) to examine heterogeneity in labor supply decisions. Ordinary Least Squares (OLS) regression models were estimated separately by employment status (full-time versus part-time) and gender. The dependent variable was the number of hours worked. Independent variables included wage rate, age, marital status, number of children, and race/ethnicity. Findings showed that women were more than twice as likely to work part-time as men and minority pharmacists were largely underrepresented in the study sample relative to nonminority pharmacists. Gender gaps in wages, hours worked, and demographic and family characteristics also differed markedly between full-time and part-time pharmacists. Finally, findings lent support to the contention than women are more likely to work fewer hours than men as they are expected to spend more hours at home raising children. Understanding how individual characteristics shape pharmacists’ labor supply, and how these relationships differ by gender and employment status, is essential for workforce planning and healthcare human resources policy. Full article

Peripheral blood metabolite concentrations vary with food intake and time of day, risking confounding effects in metabolomics studies with non-standardised sampling conditions or incomplete metadata. Such effects are often overlooked during study design, limiting the clinical translation of biomarkers and wasting resources for researchers, funders and clinicians. In our random sample of 100 human metabolomics studies, 56% did not control for food intake, and 59% did not explicitly control for sampling time. To provide a study design resource, we analysed a liquid-chromatography–mass-spectrometry-targeted dataset from controlled laboratory studies of 24 young, healthy participants (12 male, 12 female) sampled every 2 h for 34 h, with fixed-macronutrient meals provided at set times. Acute postprandial responses were quantified by effect size using pre- and post-meal windows, while daily rhythmicity was assessed using a mixed-effects cosinor model. Analyses were sex-stratified, and metabolites were classified as meal-responsive, time-of-day-responsive, both, or neither. Amino acids and their derivatives showed strong postprandial increases, whereas lipid classes showed minimal changes. Rhythmicity varied across metabolites, enabling the identification of features sensitive to meal timing and/or time of day. These results aim to provide a comprehensive dictionary of metabolite effect sizes for study design and metadata collection to support reproducibility and the clinical translation of potential biomarkers. Full article

Human papillomavirus (HPV) is one of the most widespread sexually transmitted infections globally, whose persistent infection plays a major role in causing cervical cancer. Vaccination is therefore a key prevention strategy. Using a gender-stratified dynamic transmission model tailored to a Tunisian case, we investigate the impact of bivalent HPV vaccination. The proposed model accounts for partial cross-immunity and captures both direct and indirect effects of female-only vaccination. We derive the basic reproduction number and the corresponding herd immunity threshold, and a global sensitivity analysis shows that vaccine coverage, efficacy, and cross-protection are strong drivers of transmission reduction. Their combined effects on disease spread are quantified by varying these parameters across biologically relevant ranges. An optimal control problem was formulated and analyzed using Pontryagin’s Maximum Principle to minimize persistent infections and cancer cases while limiting vaccination effort. Three vaccination scenarios are compared: an ideal case with full vaccine availability and two resource-constrained cases with respective maximum coverage rates of $100\%$ and $80\%$. The numerical simulations revealed that the optimal strategy under unconstrained conditions can achieve significant suppression of infection, persistence, and cancer. Under constrained effort, the optimal control still achieves substantial reductions in disease burden, with minor differences in dynamics and speed of immunity buildup. Our results highlight the effectiveness of female-only HPV vaccination in providing both direct and indirect protection. They also emphasize the importance of sustained coverage in constrained settings. Full article

Background: While human cranial sutures are well-established indicators for age-at-death estimation in forensic anthropology, facial sutures remain an underutilized resource despite their critical role in facial growth and development. Macroscopic examination of craniofacial suture closure patterns reflects physiological aging processes and can provide valuable information at crime scenes. This study aimed to address the gap of knowledge by quantitatively evaluating the efficacy of facial suture closure patterns for age estimation. Methods: A sample consisting of 296 Thai skulls was analyzed to assess facial suture closure based on anatomical morphology. The sutures were evaluated using various established classification systems to determine the most effective method for predicting age ranges. To ensure consistency and reliability, the evaluations were conducted by three independent raters. Results: The assessment demonstrated good Intraclass Correlation (ICC = 0.755, df = 14, p < 0.05). Among the classification methods tested, the Modified Meindl and Lovejoy Scoring System yielded the highest sensitivity, ranging from 90.9% to 100% in males and 75.4% to 96.1% in females. Specifically, the zygomaticomaxillary suture showed the highest sensitivity in males, whereas the frontonasal and sphenozygomatic sutures were the most sensitive indicators in females. Utilizing the total sum score (TSS), the following sex-specific linear regression formulas for age-at-death were generated: (Males: Age-at-death = 1.7625(TSS) − 17.094. Females: Age-at-death = 1.7325(TSS) − 12.865). Conclusions: Facial sutures exhibit distinct, sex-specific closure patterns that serve as robust and reliable indicators for estimating age, with higher sensitivity generally observed in males. The utility of this novel method is heavily dependent on the scoring system employed, highlighting the critical importance of utilizing modified, sex-specific analyses. While these population-specific models tailored to the Thai demographic effectively refine age estimation outcomes, integrating this methodology with broader biological profiling remains essential for high-confidence forensic identification. Full article

Background: Incorporating sex as a biological variable (SBV) is recognized as essential for improving the reliability, reproducibility, and generalizability of pharmacological research. This principle is codified in international policies and guidelines, yet implementation remains uneven, especially in phytomedicine. Phytomedicines are a major component of healthcare worldwide, with 65% of the global population relying on them in both regulated and traditional contexts. Globally, phytomedicines are used by males, females, intersex and non-cis gender persons, all of whom may present specific safety and efficacy considerations and warrant full inclusion in pre-clinical to clinical research pipelines. However, in contemporary settings, phytomedicine lags in SBV best practices relative to Western allopathic standards for research design. Methods: We conducted a non-systematic review and in silico data mining to quantify sex/gender representation in recent preclinical and clinical phytomedicine studies, complemented by targeted case studies of sexually dimorphic safety/efficacy. We also summarize the historical role of women and gender-diverse people as users and providers within Traditional and Integrative Medical Systems (TIMSs). Results: Across rodent and human studies, females are under-represented relative to males, and sex is rarely reported for cell lines. Intentional inclusion of intersex and other gender-diverse populations is largely absent. Case studies illustrate plausible sex-associated differences in pharmacokinetics, pharmacodynamics, and adverse event profiles. TIMSs historically address women’s health needs and include substantial participation by female practitioners; however, contemporary SBV practices remain less standardized than in Western allopathic pipelines. Conclusions: SBV integration in phytomedicine is needed to strengthen safety, efficacy, and regulatory-grade evidence. Practical barriers include legacy datasets without sex metadata, limited intersex animal models, and uneven resources across settings. We outline feasible, stepwise practices to improve SBV adoption in a manner compatible with TIMS contexts and recommend expanding current guidelines to better support diverse research environments while maintaining scientific rigor. Full article

Background: Sustainability-oriented higher education research has increasingly foregrounded staff wellbeing, motivational practice, and instructional continuity as central to long-term educational effectiveness. However, empirical evidence remains limited for university English language teaching (ELT) instructors operating within fragile, post-conflict, and regionally uneven systems such as Libya. In particular, little is known about whether job satisfaction is translated into motivational teaching behaviour through teacher self-efficacy, or how such relationships vary across demographic and institutional contexts. Addressing this gap is critical for understanding human-capital sustainability in higher education systems facing structural instability. Methods: A quantitative cross-sectional online survey was conducted using Google Forms and regionally stratified convenience sampling across Libya’s Western, Eastern, Central, and Southern regions. The final sample comprised 385 eligible university ELT instructors, including both full-time and part-time staff. Data were collected using three validated instruments: an adapted Teacher Job Satisfaction Questionnaire (21 items), a teacher self-efficacy scale (12 items), and a motivational teaching strategies scale (18 items). All measures demonstrated satisfactory internal consistency. Data analysis was performed using IBM SPSS Statistics v29, applying descriptive statistics, Pearson correlation analysis, regression-based mediation analysis with bootstrapping, and group comparisons using independent-samples t-tests and one-way ANOVA. Results: The sample included 57.14% male and 42.86% female instructors, with 62.86% employed full-time and the majority reporting 6–10 years of teaching experience (51.95%). Mean scores indicated moderate levels of job satisfaction (M = 3.32, SD = 0.94) and teacher self-efficacy (M = 3.03, SD = 0.68), alongside high levels of motivational teaching strategies (M = 4.15, SD = 0.87). Job satisfaction was positively associated with motivational teaching strategies (r = 0.61, p < 0.001) and teacher self-efficacy (r = 0.49, p < 0.001), while teacher self-efficacy was also positively related to motivational strategies (r = 0.53, p < 0.001). Mediation analysis revealed a significant partial mediating effect of teacher self-efficacy (indirect effect = 0.19, 95% CI [0.12, 0.28]). Significant differences were observed across demographic variables (age, gender, teaching experience) and institutional characteristics (employment status and university region). Conclusions: The findings indicate that sustainable teaching practice in Libyan higher education has been jointly shaped by organisational satisfaction and teachers’ capability beliefs. These results underscore the importance of context-sensitive institutional policies that support both structural working conditions and psychological resources. Future research could extend this evidence through longitudinal and mixed-methods designs to deepen understanding of sustainability-oriented teaching dynamics in fragile higher education systems. Full article

Urbanization is a major and rapidly expanding form of land-use change worldwide and is one of the main drivers of the decline in arthropod diversity. Within urban matrices, remnants of natural or semi-natural habitats serve as important refuges for native organisms. However, these urban fragments are typically small, isolated, and strongly affected by various forms of disturbance. Therefore, connectivity among urban remnant patches may enhance population persistence and resilience. Increased tendencies to explore novel environments, tolerate human disturbance, and exploit unpredictable resources can be advantageous in urban environments. Accordingly, in this study of a flightless ground beetle species, we hypothesized that individuals from urban habitats—especially from isolated ones—would be bolder and more exploratory than their rural conspecifics, that sexes would differ in behavior, and that these behaviors would be temporally consistent, indicating animal personality. Activity-, exploration-, and boldness-related behavioral traits were significantly repeatable, providing evidence for animal personality, particularly in females and rural beetles. Contrary to our hypothesis, no behavioral differences were detected between rural and urban individuals. Furthermore, no significant sex-dependent differences in behavior were observed. Overall, our findings highlight the importance of species-specific traits and ecological context in shaping behavioral variation. Full article

Background and objectives: Accurate anatomical knowledge of the transverse dural venous sinuses (TS) is essential for safe neurosurgical procedures, particularly in resource-limited settings where advanced imaging modalities may be unavailable. Despite the TS’s clinical importance, detailed cadaveric studies focusing solely on its morphology are scarce. This study investigated the length, width, and shape of the TS in adult human cadavers, assessing anatomical dominance and morphological variations relevant to surgical planning. Methods: A descriptive, cross-sectional study was conducted on 32 formalin-fixed adult cadavers (20 male, 12 female) at the University of Pretoria in South Africa. The TS was examined bilaterally within the dura mater and the corresponding transverse sulcus. Lengths were measured using a string and a ruler to accommodate curvature, while widths at the origin, midpoint, and termination were measured using digital calipers. Statistical analyses included Shapiro–Wilk tests, paired t-tests, and intra-class correlation to determine significance and reliability. Results: The average TS length was 72.54 mm (left) and 70.23 mm (right), with no statistically significant differences between sides. Right-sided dominance in TS width was observed in 71.88% of cases. A significant narrowing at the midpoint, followed by widening at the termination, was consistently noted, especially in males. Differences between dural and bony groove widths suggested that sulcal impressions may not accurately reflect TS dimensions. Conclusions: The TS demonstrates significant morphological variability, including asymmetry and abrupt dimensional changes. These findings underscore the importance of direct anatomical reference for surgical navigation, particularly in low-resource settings lacking advanced imaging. Full article

Leishmaniases are infections caused by Leishmania parasites and transmitted through the bite of infected female Phlebotomus (Old World) and Lutzomyia (New World) sandflies. The disease disproportionately affects marginalized communities with limited healthcare access. With no approved human vaccines available, leishmaniasis treatment and prevention depend heavily on chemotherapeutics that face growing drug resistance challenges alongside toxicity concerns. The development of safe, effective and affordable vaccines against human leishmaniasis remains a global health priority for disease control and elimination, mostly in resource-limited settings. This review synthesizes progress in leishmaniasis vaccine platforms including live-attenuated parasites, whole-killed parasites, DNA, protein subunit, peptide-based and chimeric/multiepitope vaccines and their homogenous and heterogenous efficacy. Live-attenuated and whole-parasite vaccines have been accounted to elicit robust cellular immunity but pose safety risks, particularly in immunocompromised hosts. While both second- and third-generation vaccines exemplified by LEISH-F1/F3 polyproteins, elicit strong Th1-biased T cell responses in preclinical models, their efficacy in humans remains limited. However, the highlighted collective efforts are pivotal in steering the rational development of future research using various formulations for multiple management of leishmaniasis through cross-protection. Furthermore, emerging strategies including mRNA platforms, nanoparticle delivery, reverse vaccinology, and immunoinformatics offer promising avenues for accelerating vaccine discovery and advancing the development of novel and effective human vaccines. Full article

Ecological resettlement (ER), or conservation-led displacement, is widely implemented to safeguard biodiversity but often produces complex socio-ecological outcomes. This study assessed the environmental justice (both social and ecological) impacts of ER in Nepal’s Terai Arc Landscape (TAL) using an enhanced (including social, ecological, and environmental aspects) environmental justice (EJ) framework. Data were collected from 240 households across all resettled villages within the Chitwan and Parsa National Parks (NPs) of Nepal through household interviews, key informant interviews, focus groups, and field observations, supplemented by policy reviews, reports, and unpublished documents. Household demographics indicated an average family size of 5.5, gender parity (664 females, 658 males), and diverse caste/ethnic composition (ethnic: 146 households; higher caste: 64; lower caste: 6). Wealth distribution and literacy were uneven, with disparities in land ownership, assets, and social positions. Social and ecological justice outcomes were analysed using chi-square and McNemar tests. We observed a significant difference (p < 0.05) in substantive justice (food, shelter, clothing, and security) attributes before and after the resettlements. Similarly, significant improvements post-resettlement were observed in procedural and recognition justice: participation in decision-making increased from 43% to 62% (χ² = 12.34, p < 0.05). However, recognition of Indigenous knowledge and FPIC rights remained low, with 93% of households reporting inadequate acknowledgment (χ² = 198.5, p < 0.05). Distributive justice indicators, including access to compensation and forest resources, showed mixed outcomes, with 52% reporting fair compensation and 48% citing inequities (p < 0.05). Ecological outcomes also shifted significantly: forest cover decreased in 65% of surveyed areas post-resettlement, while grassland extent increased in 28% (χ² = 27.4, p < 0.05). Water source accessibility declined for 48% of households (χ² = 21.6, p < 0.05), and bushfire incidence decreased by 15% (χ² = 9.8, p < 0.05). Composite scoring revealed strong linkages between social justice deficits and ecological downturn in the resettled areas, suggesting that inadequate participation, recognition, inequitable compensation, and ecological degradation shift the issues from parks to the outside and exacerbate environmental vulnerability. These findings demonstrate that ER can achieve partial ecological objectives inside the parks but often perpetuates social inequities and ecological downturn in the resettled areas, undermining the long-term sustainability of the socio-ecological landscape. The study highlights the critical need to integrate social justice, participatory governance, and ecological monitoring into resettlement planning. Future policies should be grounded in the understanding that conservation effectiveness and social equity are mutually reinforcing, and that ignoring justice dimensions risks undermining both biodiversity outcomes and human wellbeing. Full article

Entrepreneurship aims to contribute significantly to economic development, a trend that has been progressively growing over time. Nonetheless, female entrepreneurs continue to face substantial challenges, including limited access to financial resources and sociocultural barriers. The influence of Entrepreneurial Coaching (EC) offers a valuable perspective for analysing entrepreneurial self-efficacy and business growth. Grounded in Systems Theory, the research examines how EC interventions can bolster the confidence of women entrepreneurs and facilitate adaptive responses to business challenges. Utilising a quantitative, explanatory research design, the study employed convenience and snowball sampling to recruit 257 women entrepreneurs who received coaching. The relationships among EC, the six dimensions of entrepreneurial self-efficacy (ESE), and business growth outcomes were analysed utilising Structural Equation Modelling (SEM). Although seven hypotheses were proposed, only four were supported, whereas three were refuted. The findings show a positive correlation between EC and business growth. The supported hypothesis concerning coping with unexpected challenges, investor relations, and core purpose (value proposition) was accepted. Conversely, hypotheses regarding new product and market development, innovative environments, and the development of critical human resources were not supported. This research extends the existing literature on Entrepreneurial Coaching by demonstrating that the capacity to navigate unforeseen challenges, manage investor relations, and adhere to core purposes is correlated with business growth among women entrepreneurs. Thus, the significance of the study lies in the integration of Entrepreneurial Coaching, Entrepreneurial Self-Efficacy, and Business Growth. Full article

Background: Fire emergency management in healthcare facilities represents a complex challenge, particularly in historic buildings subject to architectural preservation constraints, where progressive horizontal evacuation is objectively difficult. This study analyzes the effectiveness of an evacuation sheet employed by Hospital Policlinico San Martino to improve the speed of evacuating non-self-sufficient patients in these buildings. Methods: This study involved evacuation simulations in wards previously selected based on structural characteristics. Healthcare personnel (male and female, aged between 30 and 55 years) conducted both horizontal and vertical patient evacuation drills, comparing the performance of the S-CAPEPOD^® Evacuation Sheet (Standard Model) with the conventional method (hospital bed plus and rescue sheet). This study focused on the night shift to evaluate the most critical scenario in terms of human resources. Results: The use of the evacuation sheet proved more efficient than the conventional method throughout the entire evacuation route, especially during the first 15 min of the emergency (the most critical period). Indeed, with an equal number of available personnel, the evacuation sheet enabled an average improvement of 50% in the number of patients evacuated. Conclusions: The data support the effectiveness of the device, confirming the theoretical premise that the introduction of the evacuation sheet—also due to its ease of use—can be an improvement measure for the evacuation performance of non-self-sufficient patients, despite limitations related to structural variability and the simulated nature of the trials. Full article