The Effect Of Socio-Technical Enablers On Knowledge Sharing Behaviour Among Academician In Iran With Social Network Ties As A Moderator

Nowadays, knowledge management (KM) is recognised as an important capability that opens the key to competitive advantage for many practitioners and academicians. Researchers have argued the most important part of KM is that individuals are the main mover of knowledge creation in an organization. Knowledge sharing behaviour is an essential part of KM. Nowadays, recognised by business as a potential source of competitive advantage. The development of any society, in economic, cultural, social, and political dimensions, influences its human resources. Education is recognised as a major factor in human resource development. Universities are the supreme creator of knowledge, innovation and proficiency, taking on the vital role developing human capital as the base of societal growth and development. In this role, it is important that university research responds to the changing modern day environment. This thesis addresses the issues of knowledge sharing behaviour as a promising area of study and has the capability to provide vital benefits to higher education institutions. The study tries to identify key enablers (organizational environment, individual factors and information technology usage) to knowledge sharing behaviour and the outcomes (intellectual output) of these practices. In addition, the study examines the effects of social network ties as a moderator between knowledge sharing behaviour and intellectual output. Data collected through the mailed survey

On-the-Go Dining in America: Comparing Convenience, Service Quality, and Satisfaction in QSR Versus Gas Station Food

Purpose The objective of this multi-group study is to examine the influence of service quality and convenience on customer satisfaction in quick service restaurants (QSRs) versus gas stations. Design/methodology/approach Data were collected online from 552 participants in the USA and analyzed using partial least square structure equation modeling (SmartPLS). Findings Service quality and convenience are strong predictors of customer satisfaction in both QSR restaurants and gas station food outlets. In addition, this study concluded significant differences between QSRs and gas stations in terms of these relations. Research limitations/implications This study makes a significant contribution to the foodservice and consumer behavior literature by examining the influence service quality and convenience on the customers’ dining experience and satisfaction. Moreover, this study has several practical implications for foodservice practitioners and foodservice marketers. Self-selection to take the online questionnaire is considered one of this study’s limitations. Practical implications Restaurant managers could benefit from the outcome of this study by utilizing their limited resources on improving their customers’ satisfaction and restaurants profitability. Social implications Through the evaluation of how customers value service quality and convenience in QSRs, this study aims to provide a clear insight on how to improve the customer experience in both QSRs and gas stations. Originality/value This multi-group study is unique as it compares the perceptions of two groups of diners regarding restaurant dining attributed to QSRs and gas stations in the USA

Meditation Time in the Classroom: Mindfulness Dosage and Undergraduate Psychological Distress

Objectives: The present study examined the differences in participants’ individual psychological distress over four points in time while they received instructions on a guided mindfulness meditation practice differing in practice time between the two groups (20 minutes or 5 minutes). The study took place in an undergraduate yoga course at a large metropolitan university in the Southeastern United States. Data were collected over the four points in time during one continuous semester using the Outcome Questionnaire-45.2 (OQ-45.2) (Lambert et al., 2004; Tabet et al., 2019). Methods: The purpose of this 15-week quantitative study was to compare the differences in individual psychological distress among 74 students split into two treatment groups. The first treatment group received a 20-minute body scan based on Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) treatment per session. The second treatment group received a 5-minute body scan treatment per session. Results and Conclusion: Using a repeated measures ANOVA, the researchers examined how mindfulness meditation practice affected psychological distress between the 5-minute and 20-minute sessions. The results showed that as the meditation sessions progressed, the interaction of subscales of distress by mindfulness meditation sessions was not statistically significant. However, the results showed there were significant main effects for symptom distress level, F(1) = 10.34, p = 0.02; interpersonal relations, F(1) = 14.61, p \u3c 0.01; and social role performance, F(1) = 4.33, p = 0.04, which decreased significantly. In conclusion, the main effect was statistically significant; the difference in distress is related to whether a person meditated at all. That is, meditate once and you will likely feel reduced distress of some level

Effect of Different Levels of Pelleted Poultry Manure and Chemical Fertilizer on Fodder Quality and Maize (Zea mays L.) Grain Yield

Introduction Maize (Zea mays L.) ranks first in terms of forage production among forage plants by producing about 490 million tons of fresh and silage forage in the world. Chemical fertilizers are used to increase crop yields and provide human food, but reduce soil organic matter content and, in the long run, pose a serious environmental risk, resulting in contamination of arable soils and surface and groundwater. Organic manures reduce the harmful effects of chemical fertilizers by producing humus and increasing the activity of the soil microbial community. Utilization of non-chemical resources such as farmyard manure in combination with chemical fertilizers can lead to soil fertility and increase yield and crop quality because combined fertilizer systems can provide most of the plant's nutritional needs by increasing the absorption efficiency of nutrients in crops. Considering the importance of organic manures and their combination with chemical fertilizers, this experiment was conducted in order to investigate the effects of different levels of poultry manure, chemical fertilizer, and their combination on yield, yield components, and maize forage quality. Materials and Methods The research was carried out in the research farm of Kurdistan University located in Dehgolan County, Kurdistan Province, Iran in the crop year 2017-2018. The experiment was performed in the form of randomized complete blocks with three replications. Experimental treatments included different levels of pelleted poultry manure in combination with chemical fertilizers: Figure 2. T1: no fertilizer (control), T2: 1250 kg of poultry manure + zero kg of recommended chemical fertilizer, T3: 1250 kg of poultry manure + 25% of the recommended chemical fertilizer, T4: 1250 kg of poultry manure + 50% recommended chemical fertilizer, T5: 2500 kg of poultry manure + zero kg of recommended chemical fertilizer, T6: 2500 kg of poultry manure + 25% of recommended chemical fertilizer, T7: 2500 kg of poultry manure + 50% Recommended chemical fertilizer, T8: 5000 kg of poultry manure + 0 kg of recommended chemical fertilizer, T9: 5000 kg of poultry manure + 25% of recommended chemical fertilizer, T10: 5000 kg of poultry manure + 50% of chemical fertilizer Recommended, T11: 100% recommended chemical fertilizer. In this experiment, traits such as plant height, 1000-seed weight, biological and grain yield, seed nitrogen, starch, oil contents and forage quality were measured. Results and Discussion The results of the analysis of variance showed that the plant height, grain yield, biological yield, grain nitrogen, starch and oil contents, and oil yield were affected by fertilizer treatments at a probability level of 1%. The index harvest of maize was significant at the level of 5% probability. The number of plants per square meter and 1000-seed weight were not affected by fertilizer treatment. The highest plant height (241.2 cm), number of ears per plant (1.2 ears), 1000-seed weight (26.99 g.m-2), seed yield (12.76 tons per hectare) and biological yield (26.42 tons per hectare) were observed in the treatment of 5000 kg of plated chicken manure + 50% of the recommended chemical fertilizer. The highest percentage of fodder silage protein (12.58%) and silage ash (10.32%) was observed in the treatment of 2500 kg of plated chicken manure + 50% of the recommended chemical fertilizer. The highest percentage of insoluble fibers in neutral detergent was observed in the T6 and T8 treatments, and the lowest percentage of insoluble fibers in neutral detergents was observed in the T10 treatment. The highest and lowest percentages of insoluble fibers in acidic detergent were in the T2, T4, and T3 treatments, respectively. According to the results of the present experiment, the combination of chemical fertilizer with different amounts of chicken manure has reduced the consumption of chemical fertilizers, and in addition to saving on the consumption of fertilizer and the resulting costs, the harmful effects on the environment have also been reduced, and the condition of the soil in terms of fertility in the long term, the percentage of soil organic matter will improve. Conclusion  The results of the experiment showed that combined fertilizer treatments were superior compared to pure chemical fertilizer and pure poultry manure treatments, improved the yield and yield components of maize and caused a reduction in chemical fertilizers consumption. Chemical fertilizer treatment provided acceptable yield only at high levels

The effect of four weeks high-intensity interval training (HIIT) on the content of AKT1, mTOR, P70S6K1, 4EBP1 proteins in the Left ventricular muscle tissue of the heart obese rats with type 2 diabetic

Purpose: The pathway for a Rapamycin target in mammals (mTORC1) is one of the important pathways for protein synthesis in the heart, and diabetes can lead to disorder of this pathway. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of four weeks high-intensity interval training (HIIT) on the content of AKT1, mTOR, P70S6K1, 4EBP1 proteins in the left ventricular muscle tissue of the heart obese rats with type 2 diabetic.Methods: In this experimental study, 16 Sprague-Dawley male rats (with mean weight of 300 ± 20 gr) were selected and after induction of diabetes by STZ and nicotinamide was randomly assigned into two groups: diabetic training and diabetic control. The experimental group performed HIIT training for four weeks’ accordance with the training program for four weeks, while the control group did not have any training program. Independent t-test was used to analyze the data.Results:  There was no significant difference change the total form content of the AKT1 proteins (p=0.56), mTOR (p=0.50), P70S6K1 (p=0.99) and 4E-BP1 (p=0.32) in the training group compared to the control group; Also, the HIIT training did not significantly changed the phosphorylated form content of AKT1ser473 (p=0.25), mTORser2448 (p=0.74), P70S6K1Thr389 (p=0.37) and 4E-BP1Thr37/46 (p=0.38) proteins in the training group compared to the control group.Conclusion: HIIT training has not significantly changed the total and phosphorylated form content of the AKT1, mTOR, P70S6K1, 4EBP1 proteins in the left ventricle of heart tissue obese rats with type 2 diabetic

Global burden of 369 diseases and injuries in 204 countries and territories, 1990–2019: a systematic analysis for the Global Burden of Disease Study 2019

Background: In an era of shifting global agendas and expanded emphasis on non-communicable diseases and injuries along with communicable diseases, sound evidence on trends by cause at the national level is essential. The Global Burden of Diseases, Injuries, and Risk Factors Study (GBD) provides a systematic scientific assessment of published, publicly available, and contributed data on incidence, prevalence, and mortality for a mutually exclusive and collectively exhaustive list of diseases and injuries. Methods: GBD estimates incidence, prevalence, mortality, years of life lost (YLLs), years lived with disability (YLDs), and disability-adjusted life-years (DALYs) due to 369 diseases and injuries, for two sexes, and for 204 countries and territories. Input data were extracted from censuses, household surveys, civil registration and vital statistics, disease registries, health service use, air pollution monitors, satellite imaging, disease notifications, and other sources. Cause-specific death rates and cause fractions were calculated using the Cause of Death Ensemble model and spatiotemporal Gaussian process regression. Cause-specific deaths were adjusted to match the total all-cause deaths calculated as part of the GBD population, fertility, and mortality estimates. Deaths were multiplied by standard life expectancy at each age to calculate YLLs. A Bayesian meta-regression modelling tool, DisMod-MR 2.1, was used to ensure consistency between incidence, prevalence, remission, excess mortality, and cause-specific mortality for most causes. Prevalence estimates were multiplied by disability weights for mutually exclusive sequelae of diseases and injuries to calculate YLDs. We considered results in the context of the Socio-demographic Index (SDI), a composite indicator of income per capita, years of schooling, and fertility rate in females younger than 25 years. Uncertainty intervals (UIs) were generated for every metric using the 25th and 975th ordered 1000 draw values of the posterior distribution. Findings: Global health has steadily improved over the past 30 years as measured by age-standardised DALY rates. After taking into account population growth and ageing, the absolute number of DALYs has remained stable. Since 2010, the pace of decline in global age-standardised DALY rates has accelerated in age groups younger than 50 years compared with the 1990–2010 time period, with the greatest annualised rate of decline occurring in the 0–9-year age group. Six infectious diseases were among the top ten causes of DALYs in children younger than 10 years in 2019: lower respiratory infections (ranked second), diarrhoeal diseases (third), malaria (fifth), meningitis (sixth), whooping cough (ninth), and sexually transmitted infections (which, in this age group, is fully accounted for by congenital syphilis; ranked tenth). In adolescents aged 10–24 years, three injury causes were among the top causes of DALYs: road injuries (ranked first), self-harm (third), and interpersonal violence (fifth). Five of the causes that were in the top ten for ages 10–24 years were also in the top ten in the 25–49-year age group: road injuries (ranked first), HIV/AIDS (second), low back pain (fourth), headache disorders (fifth), and depressive disorders (sixth). In 2019, ischaemic heart disease and stroke were the top-ranked causes of DALYs in both the 50–74-year and 75-years-and-older age groups. Since 1990, there has been a marked shift towards a greater proportion of burden due to YLDs from non-communicable diseases and injuries. In 2019, there were 11 countries where non-communicable disease and injury YLDs constituted more than half of all disease burden. Decreases in age-standardised DALY rates have accelerated over the past decade in countries at the lower end of the SDI range, while improvements have started to stagnate or even reverse in countries with higher SDI. Interpretation: As disability becomes an increasingly large component of disease burden and a larger component of health expenditure, greater research and developm nt investment is needed to identify new, more effective intervention strategies. With a rapidly ageing global population, the demands on health services to deal with disabling outcomes, which increase with age, will require policy makers to anticipate these changes. The mix of universal and more geographically specific influences on health reinforces the need for regular reporting on population health in detail and by underlying cause to help decision makers to identify success stories of disease control to emulate, as well as opportunities to improve. Funding: Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. © 2020 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier Ltd. This is an Open Access article under the CC BY 4.0 licens

Global burden of 87 risk factors in 204 countries and territories, 1990–2019: a systematic analysis for the Global Burden of Disease Study 2019

Background: Rigorous analysis of levels and trends in exposure to leading risk factors and quantification of their effect on human health are important to identify where public health is making progress and in which cases current efforts are inadequate. The Global Burden of Diseases, Injuries, and Risk Factors Study (GBD) 2019 provides a standardised and comprehensive assessment of the magnitude of risk factor exposure, relative risk, and attributable burden of disease. Methods: GBD 2019 estimated attributable mortality, years of life lost (YLLs), years of life lived with disability (YLDs), and disability-adjusted life-years (DALYs) for 87 risk factors and combinations of risk factors, at the global level, regionally, and for 204 countries and territories. GBD uses a hierarchical list of risk factors so that specific risk factors (eg, sodium intake), and related aggregates (eg, diet quality), are both evaluated. This method has six analytical steps. (1) We included 560 risk–outcome pairs that met criteria for convincing or probable evidence on the basis of research studies. 12 risk–outcome pairs included in GBD 2017 no longer met inclusion criteria and 47 risk–outcome pairs for risks already included in GBD 2017 were added based on new evidence. (2) Relative risks were estimated as a function of exposure based on published systematic reviews, 81 systematic reviews done for GBD 2019, and meta-regression. (3) Levels of exposure in each age-sex-location-year included in the study were estimated based on all available data sources using spatiotemporal Gaussian process regression, DisMod-MR 2.1, a Bayesian meta-regression method, or alternative methods. (4) We determined, from published trials or cohort studies, the level of exposure associated with minimum risk, called the theoretical minimum risk exposure level. (5) Attributable deaths, YLLs, YLDs, and DALYs were computed by multiplying population attributable fractions (PAFs) by the relevant outcome quantity for each age-sex-location-year. (6) PAFs and attributable burden for combinations of risk factors were estimated taking into account mediation of different risk factors through other risk factors. Across all six analytical steps, 30 652 distinct data sources were used in the analysis. Uncertainty in each step of the analysis was propagated into the final estimates of attributable burden. Exposure levels for dichotomous, polytomous, and continuous risk factors were summarised with use of the summary exposure value to facilitate comparisons over time, across location, and across risks. Because the entire time series from 1990 to 2019 has been re-estimated with use of consistent data and methods, these results supersede previously published GBD estimates of attributable burden. Findings: The largest declines in risk exposure from 2010 to 2019 were among a set of risks that are strongly linked to social and economic development, including household air pollution; unsafe water, sanitation, and handwashing; and child growth failure. Global declines also occurred for tobacco smoking and lead exposure. The largest increases in risk exposure were for ambient particulate matter pollution, drug use, high fasting plasma glucose, and high body-mass index. In 2019, the leading Level 2 risk factor globally for attributable deaths was high systolic blood pressure, which accounted for 10·8 million (95% uncertainty interval [UI] 9·51–12·1) deaths (19·2% [16·9–21·3] of all deaths in 2019), followed by tobacco (smoked, second-hand, and chewing), which accounted for 8·71 million (8·12–9·31) deaths (15·4% [14·6–16·2] of all deaths in 2019). The leading Level 2 risk factor for attributable DALYs globally in 2019 was child and maternal malnutrition, which largely affects health in the youngest age groups and accounted for 295 million (253–350) DALYs (11·6% [10·3–13·1] of all global DALYs that year). The risk factor burden varied considerably in 2019 between age groups and locations. Among children aged 0–9 years, the three leading detailed risk factors for attributable DALYs were all related to malnutrition. Iron deficiency was the leading risk factor for those aged 10–24 years, alcohol use for those aged 25–49 years, and high systolic blood pressure for those aged 50–74 years and 75 years and older. Interpretation: Overall, the record for reducing exposure to harmful risks over the past three decades is poor. Success with reducing smoking and lead exposure through regulatory policy might point the way for a stronger role for public policy on other risks in addition to continued efforts to provide information on risk factor harm to the general public

Global age-sex-specific fertility, mortality, healthy life expectancy (HALE), and population estimates in 204 countries and territories, 1950-2019 : a comprehensive demographic analysis for the Global Burden of Disease Study 2019

Background: Accurate and up-to-date assessment of demographic metrics is crucial for understanding a wide range of social, economic, and public health issues that affect populations worldwide. The Global Burden of Diseases, Injuries, and Risk Factors Study (GBD) 2019 produced updated and comprehensive demographic assessments of the key indicators of fertility, mortality, migration, and population for 204 countries and territories and selected subnational locations from 1950 to 2019. Methods: 8078 country-years of vital registration and sample registration data, 938 surveys, 349 censuses, and 238 other sources were identified and used to estimate age-specific fertility. Spatiotemporal Gaussian process regression (ST-GPR) was used to generate age-specific fertility rates for 5-year age groups between ages 15 and 49 years. With extensions to age groups 10–14 and 50–54 years, the total fertility rate (TFR) was then aggregated using the estimated age-specific fertility between ages 10 and 54 years. 7417 sources were used for under-5 mortality estimation and 7355 for adult mortality. ST-GPR was used to synthesise data sources after correction for known biases. Adult mortality was measured as the probability of death between ages 15 and 60 years based on vital registration, sample registration, and sibling histories, and was also estimated using ST-GPR. HIV-free life tables were then estimated using estimates of under-5 and adult mortality rates using a relational model life table system created for GBD, which closely tracks observed age-specific mortality rates from complete vital registration when available. Independent estimates of HIV-specific mortality generated by an epidemiological analysis of HIV prevalence surveys and antenatal clinic serosurveillance and other sources were incorporated into the estimates in countries with large epidemics. Annual and single-year age estimates of net migration and population for each country and territory were generated using a Bayesian hierarchical cohort component model that analysed estimated age-specific fertility and mortality rates along with 1250 censuses and 747 population registry years. We classified location-years into seven categories on the basis of the natural rate of increase in population (calculated by subtracting the crude death rate from the crude birth rate) and the net migration rate. We computed healthy life expectancy (HALE) using years lived with disability (YLDs) per capita, life tables, and standard demographic methods. Uncertainty was propagated throughout the demographic estimation process, including fertility, mortality, and population, with 1000 draw-level estimates produced for each metric. Findings: The global TFR decreased from 2·72 (95% uncertainty interval [UI] 2·66–2·79) in 2000 to 2·31 (2·17–2·46) in 2019. Global annual livebirths increased from 134·5 million (131·5–137·8) in 2000 to a peak of 139·6 million (133·0–146·9) in 2016. Global livebirths then declined to 135·3 million (127·2–144·1) in 2019. Of the 204 countries and territories included in this study, in 2019, 102 had a TFR lower than 2·1, which is considered a good approximation of replacement-level fertility. All countries in sub-Saharan Africa had TFRs above replacement level in 2019 and accounted for 27·1% (95% UI 26·4–27·8) of global livebirths. Global life expectancy at birth increased from 67·2 years (95% UI 66·8–67·6) in 2000 to 73·5 years (72·8–74·3) in 2019. The total number of deaths increased from 50·7 million (49·5–51·9) in 2000 to 56·5 million (53·7–59·2) in 2019. Under-5 deaths declined from 9·6 million (9·1–10·3) in 2000 to 5·0 million (4·3–6·0) in 2019. Global population increased by 25·7%, from 6·2 billion (6·0–6·3) in 2000 to 7·7 billion (7·5–8·0) in 2019. In 2019, 34 countries had negative natural rates of increase; in 17 of these, the population declined because immigration was not sufficient to counteract the negative rate of decline. Globally, HALE increased from 58·6 years (56·1–60·8) in 2000 to 63·5 years (60·8–66·1) in 2019. HALE increased in 202 of 204 countries and territories between 2000 and 2019

Educating Young Women To Be Global Leaders: A Model

The United Nations Education, Scientific and Cultural Organization estimates that over 40 million girls worldwide are not being given the same opportunity to attend primary schools as boys. The World Academy for the Future of Women (WAFW) leadership preparation program for young women is working to change that statistic and many others regarding the inclusion of women in global society. A survey was conducted to ascertain the knowledge, perceptions, and opinions of the participants who are university students from various schools of study at the university who demonstrate leadership qualities and the facilitators who deliver the leadership content, concerning the WAFW. A key component of the Academy is the eight modules of study which seeks to meet the United Nations Millennium Development Goals (UNMDG). The intent of our study was to gather initial data on the value of the Academy. The majority (93% of respondents) of the responses indicate knowledge of the vision, mission, and goals of the WAFW. The responses overall indicate value in continuing the WAFW; 93% of the respondents knew and believed in the oath they had taken; after completing the modules, almost 88% of the young women believed that they had inner strength would allow them to be global leaders and that WAFW was critical to being successful women. Similarly, 88% of the WAFW members understood how to utilize the problem solving skills they learned to generate new strategies and approaches to solve global problems. We believe this research to be significant as it is supported by World Bank research (2016) that says ‘Empowering women and girls is not only the right thing to do: It’s also smart economics and vital to ending poverty and boosting shared prosperity’—women cannot be empowered if they lack the opportunity for education and leadership knowledge and skills. Without a seat at the global decision making table, gender inequality will remain a global issue