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Background: International and migrant students face specific challenges which may impact their mental health, well-being and academic outcomes, and these may be gendered experiences. The purpose of this scoping review was to map the literature on the challenges, coping responses and supportive interventions for international and migrant students in academic nursing programs in major host countries, with a gender lens. Methods: We searched 10 databases to identify literature reporting on the challenges, coping responses and/or supportive interventions for international and migrant nursing students in college or university programs in Canada, the United-States, Australia, New Zealand or a European country. We included peer-reviewed research (any design), discussion papers and literature reviews. English, French and Spanish publications were considered and no time restrictions were applied. Drawing from existing frameworks, we critically assessed each paper and extracted information with a gender lens. Results: One hundred fourteen publications were included. Overall the literature mostly focused on international students, and among migrants, migration history/status and length of time in country were not considered with regards to challenges, coping or interventions. Females and males, respectively, were included in 69 and 59% of studies with student participants, while those students who identify as other genders/sexual orientations were not named or identified in any of the research. Several papers suggest that foreign-born nursing students face challenges associated with different cultural roles, norms and expectations for men and women. Other challenges included perceived discrimination due to wearing a hijab and being a 'foreign-born male nurse', and in general nursing being viewed as a feminine, low-status profession. Only two strategies, accessing support from family and other student mothers, used by women to cope with challenges, were identified. Supportive interventions considering gender were limited; these included matching students with support services' personnel by sex, involving male family members in admission and orientation processes, and using patient simulation as a method to prepare students for care-provision of patients of the opposite-sex. Conclusion: Future work in nursing higher education, especially regarding supportive interventions, needs to address the intersections of gender, gender identity/sexual orientation and foreign-born status, and also consider the complexity of migrant students' contexts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Since the early 90s, patient navigation programs were introduced in the United States to address inequitable access to cancer care. Programs have since expanded internationally and in scope. The goals of patient navigation programs are to: a) link patients and families to primary care services, specialist care, and community-based health and social services (CBHSS); b) provide more holistic patient-centred care; and, c) identify and resolve patient barriers to care. This paper fills a gap in knowledge to reveal what is known about motivators and factors influencing implementation and maintenance of patient navigation programs in primary care that link patients to CBHSS. It also reports on outcomes from these studies to help identify gaps in research that can inform future studies.Methods: This scoping literature review involved: i) electronic database searches; ii) a web site search; iii) a search of reference lists from literature reviews; and, iv) author follow up. It included papers from Canada, the United States, the United Kingdom, Australia, New Zealand, and/or Western Europe published between January 1990 and June 2013 if they discussed navigators or navigation programs in primary care settings that linked patients to CBHSS.Results: Of 34 papers, most originated in the United States (n = 29) while the remainder were from the United Kingdom, Canada and Australia. Motivators for initiating navigation programs were to: a) improve delivery of health and social care services; b) support and manage specific health needs or specific population needs, and; c) improve quality of life and wellbeing of patients. Eleven factors were found to influence implementation and maintenance of these patient navigation programs. These factors closely aligned with the Diffusion of Innovation in Service Organizations model, thus providing a theoretical foundation to support them. Various positive outcomes were reported for patients, providers and navigators, as well as the health and social care system, although they need to be considered with caution since the majority of studies were descriptive.Conclusions: This study contributes new knowledge that can inform the initiation and maintenance of primary care patient navigation programs that link patients with CBHSS. It also provides directions for future research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although seafood is considered to be an important part of a balanced diet, many national food consumption surveys suggest that seafood is not consumed in sufficient amounts. As consumers are moving to diversify their diet from animal-based protein, it is important to understand the factors influencing consumption of marine foods. This review aims to assess the characteristics of seafood consumers as well as the influences on seafood consumption in Europe, USA, Canada, Australia and New Zealand. Systematic search strategies were used to identify relevant journal articles from three electronic databases (PubMed, Web of Science and Embase). Three searches were carried out and identified 4405 unique publications from which 121 met the criteria for the review process. The reviewed studies revealed that seafood consumers were more likely to be older, more affluent and more physically active and were less likely to smoke compared with non-seafood consumers. Sex and BMI did not appear to have a directional association with seafood consumption. The most commonly reported barriers to seafood consumption were cost, followed by sensory or physical barriers, health and nutritional beliefs, habits, availability and cooking skills. The most commonly reported influences were beliefs about the contribution of seafood to health, environmental influences and personal preferences. Based on the findings of this review, future intervention strategies to increase seafood consumption may need to consider affordability and education in terms of health, nutrition and cooking skills. More research is needed to explore the effectiveness of specific interventions at increasing the consumption of seafood. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background WHO estimates that seasonal influenza epidemics result in three to five million cases of severe illness (hospitalisations) every year. We aimed to improve the understanding of influenza-associated hospitalisation estimates at a national and global level. Methods We performed a systematic literature review of English- and Chinese-language studies published between 1995 and 2020 estimating influenza-associated hospitalisation. We included a total of 127 studies (seven in Chinese) in the meta-analysis and analyzed their data using a logit-logistic regression model to understand the influence of five study factors and produce national and global estimates by age groups. The five study factors assessed were: 1) the method used to calculate the influenza-associated hospitalisation estimates (rateor time series regression-based), 2) the outcome measure (divided into three envelopes: narrow, medium, or wide), 3) whether every case was laboratory-confirmed or not, 4) whether the estimates were national or sub-national, 5) whether the rates were based on a single year or multiple years. Results The overall pooled influenza-associated hospitalisation rate was 40.5 (95% confidence interval (CI) = 24.3-67.4) per 100 000 persons, with rates varying substantially by age: 224.0 (95% CI = 118.8-420.0) in children aged 0-4 years and 96.8 (95% CI = 57.0-164.3) in the elderly aged >65 years. The overall pooled hospitalisation rates varied by calculation method; for all ages, the rates were significantly higher when they were based on rate-based methods or calculated on a single season and significantly lower when cases were laboratory-confirmed. The national hospitalisation rates (all ages) varied considerably, ranging from 11.7 (95% CI = 3.8-36.3) per 100 000 in New Zealand to 122.1 (95% CI = 41.5-358.4) per 100 000 in India (all age estimates). Conclusions Using the pooled global influenza-associated hospitalisation rate, we estimate that seasonal influenza epidemics result in 3.2 million cases of severe illness (hospitalisations) per annum. More extensive analyses are required to assess the influence of other factors on the estimates (e.g. vaccination and dominant virus (sub)types) and efforts to harmonize the methods should be encouraged. Our study highlights the high rates of influenza-associated hospitalisations in children aged 0-4 years and the elderly aged 65+ years. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: It is widely acknowledged that there is a global divide on health care and health research known as the 10/90 divide. Methods: A retrospective survey of articles published in the BMJ, Lancet, NEJM, Annals of Internal Medicine & JAMA in a calendar year to examine the contribution of the developing world to medical literature. We categorized countries into four regions: UK, USA, Other Euro-American countries (OEAC) and (RoW). OEAC were European countries other than the UK but including Australia, New Zealand and Canada. RoW comprised all other countries. Results: The average contribution of the RoW to the research literature in the five journals was 6.5%. In the two British journals 7.6% of the articles were from the RoW; in the three American journals 4.8% of articles were from RoW. The highest proportion of papers from the RoW was in the Lancet (12%). An analysis of the authorship of 151 articles from RoW showed that 104 (68.9%) involved authorship with developed countries in Europe or North America. There were 15 original papers in these journals with data from RoW but without any authors from RoW. Conclusions: There is a marked under-representation of countries in high-impact general medical journals. The ethical implications of this inequity and ways of reducing it are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Migrant families' transnational ties (i.e., connections to their countries of origin) may contribute to their hardships and/or may be a source of resiliency. A care approach that addresses these transnational ties may foster a positive identity and give coherence to experiences. We conducted an integrative review to determine what is known about transnational ties and the care of migrant families during pregnancy, postpartum and early childhood.Methods: We searched 15 databases to identify literature reporting on a health or social program, service, or care experience of migrant families during pregnancy up to age five in a Western country (i.e., Canada, US, Australia, New Zealand or a European country). Information regarding if and how the service/program/care considered transnational ties, and care-providers' perceptions of transnational ties, was extracted, analyzed and synthesized according to transnational 'ways of belonging' and 'ways of being'.Results: Over 34,000 records were screened; 69 articles were included. Care, programs and services examined included prenatal interventions (a mhealth app, courses, videos, and specialized antenatal care), doula support, maternity care, support groups, primary healthcare and psycho-social early intervention and early childhood programs. The results show that transnational ties in terms of 'ways of belonging' (cultural, religious and linguistic identity) are acknowledged and addressed in care, although important gaps remain. Regarding 'ways of being', including emotional, social, and economic ties with children and other family members, receipt of advice and support from family, and use of health services abroad, there is very little evidence that these are acknowledged and addressed by care-providers. Perceptions of 'ways of belonging' appear to be mixed, with some care-providers being open to and willing to adapt care to accommodate religious, cultural and linguistic differences, while others are not. How care-providers perceive the social, emotional and economic ties and/or the use of services back home, remains relatively unknown.Conclusion: Significant knowledge gaps remain regarding care-providers' perceptions of transnational 'ways of being' and whether and how they take them into account, which may affect their relationships with migrant families and/or the effectiveness of their interventions. Continued efforts are needed to ensure care is culturally safe for migrants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Vitamin D deficiency (25-hydroxyvitamin D; 25(OH)D) is at epidemic proportions in western dwelling South Asian populations, including severe deficiency (<12⋅5 nmol/l) in 27-60% of individuals, depending on season. The paper aimed to review the literature concerning vitamin D concentrations in this population group. Research from the UK and Europe suggests a high prevalence of South Asians with 25(OH)D concentration <25 nmol/l, with most having a 25(OH)D concentration of <50 nmol/l. In Canada, South Asians appear to have a slightly higher 25(OH)D concentration. There are few studies from the United States, South Africa and Australasia. Reasons for vitamin D deficiency include low vitamin D intake, relatively high adiposity, sun exposure avoidance and wearing of a covered dress style for cultural reasons. Possible health effects of deficiency include bone diseases such as rickets and hypocalcaemia in children and osteomalacia in adults. Vitamin D deficiency may also increase the risk of other chronic diseases. Increased fortification of food items relevant to South Asian groups (e.g. chapatti flour), as well as increased use of vitamin D supplements may help reduce this epidemic. Introducing culturally acceptable ways of increasing skin exposure to the sun in South Asian women may also be beneficial but further research is needed to assess the effectiveness of different approaches. There may be a need for a South Asian specific vitamin D dietary intake guideline in western countries. To conclude, vitamin D deficiency is epidemic in South Asians living in western countries and there is a clear need for urgent public health action. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this study is to investigate the effects of countries' development level in sports medicine, exercise and sports performance on their success in Olympic Games. Within this purpose, 1027 papers that were published between 2010 and 2018 in the journal of Sports Medicine, of which impact factor was 7.074 in 2017, were examined in analytical and correlational terms considering the first author and total author numbers. Pearson Correlation was utilized to find out the relationships between the papers from various countries and their success at Olympic Games. Regarding the number of medals won by the countries in the 2016, 2012 and 2008, Olympic Games were found significantly correlated with the number of first author (r = 0.73) and total author (r = 0.74).

The COVID-19 crisis has led to widespread temporary school closures and a deep economic recession. School closures have threatened children's ability to learn and later return to school well prepared. The impact of the economic recession is going to be even more devastating: first for students, but also for the ability of some Catholic schools to maintain their enrollment and remain sustainable financially in countries where they do not benefit from government support. This paper, the first in a set of two, looks at some of the likely impacts of the COVID-19 crisis on Catholic Schools in developed countries with a particular focus on the United States, a country not only hard hit by the crisis but also where Catholic schools are especially vulnerable to downturns. While Catholic schools may be able to respond to the immediate challenge of school closures among others through distance learning options, their ability to maintain enrollment during the economic downturn is less clear. How schools will respond to the twin challenges of ensuring learning during school closures and beyond, and remaining affordable for families at a time of economic stress, may affect whether they are able to maintain their comparative advantage. A key aim of the paper is to make Catholic school teachers and leaders aware of some of the discussions on how to respond to the crisis, and provide links to online resources that may be useful. [For Part II of the series, see EJ1278501.]

The premise of this brief opinion piece is that the fundamental paradigm of education appeared with Plato. It is that there is a co-location in time and space of learners, teachers, and resources. The absence of any of these elements can lead to shortcomings in the meaning of the term "to be educated". Recent events such as COVID-19 demonstrate that the paradigm is subject to challenge but that its premises are firmly established. It is recognised that there are complex philosophical and theoretical arguments surrounding distance education debates. It is not possible in a short article like this to canvass all the possible philosophical positions that affect education. Pointers to these debates are referenced in the article. For the purpose of this article, "philosophy" is taken to mean that department of knowledge or study that deals with ultimate reality, or with the general causes and principles of things. More narrowly, it is the study of general principles of some particular branch of knowledge, experience, or activity--in this case, distance education or flexible learning. "Theory" is taken to mean a scheme or system of ideas or statements held as an explanation or account of a group of facts or phenomena.

The article examines several papers relating to public policy schools and programs around the world. According to the author, the paper focused on six emerging programs that had representatives present, including four that usefully supplemented the conference paper's survey of broad trends in Canada, Europe, Australia and New Zealand. In addition, the programs examined have complex relationship with the demand side of policy education. Furthermore, a table showing a descriptive overview of some of the programs discussed is offered.

Background: The substantial increase in the complexity of breast cancer care in the last few decades has resulted in significant improvements in survival rates and also in the quality of life of breast cancer survivors. However, across Europe there are variations in outcomes and access to the latest techniques. Whilst much of this variance is due to differences in health economies between European member states, training variation may also play a part. Training in breast cancer surgery varies greatly across Europe, not only in its basal discipline (general surgery, gynaecology or plastic surgery) but also in the length of training and whether there is any requirement for specialist training. Several countries have been leading the way in training breast specialist surgeons (the USA, the UK, Australia and New Zealand) with dedicated 1- or 2-year fellowships either within or in addition to standard training. Access to such training is limited and consequently many women in Europe are still treated by generalists, potentially denying them access to the best care. This paper reviews the issues surrounding training provision in breast surgery and some of the challenges which need to be addressed to improve the current situation. Summary: Breast surgery training in Europe is of variable quality and duration, which may result in variations in the quality of care received by patients with breast cancer. Specialist training standards are urgently required which should be adopted by all European member states. Excellent models are available in the USA, the UK and Australia and New Zealand on which to base this training. Key Messages: The quality of training in breast surgery needs to be upgraded and harmonised across Europe. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to investigate which firm-level antecedent – resource-based capability or inter-organizational coordination – contributes to a firm's supply chain management (SCM) focus. Design/methodology/approach – A conceptual framework of antecedents of SCM focus and several research hypotheses posit that for a thorough understanding of the behavior of an organization in the supply chain, it is necessary to consider two sets of antecedents simultaneously. Hypotheses are tested using confirmatory factor analysis and multiple linear regression on a set of survey data collected in the USA, Europe and New Zealand. Findings – The analysis of survey data validates the major premise that inter-organizational coordination plays an important role in explaining the SCM focus of a firm. Research results validate the positive relationships between the proposed antecedents and a firm's SCM focus. Research limitations/implications – Although the research design incorporates extensive literature reviews, it does not capture every aspect of complex inter-organizational coordination. Future efforts should establish a valid, reliable instrument to measure the underlying constructs. Practical implications – This study shows that a firm possesses inimitable internal resource-based capabilities and external coordination mechanisms that are unique to each firm. Each of the resource-based capabilities helps to integrate the various internal functional areas within an organization to increase efficiency and reduce waste. The external coordination mechanisms help a firm to link its processes seamlessly with upstream and downstream supply chain members. The paper also shows that product innovation is the only resourced-based capability that predicts SCM focus when inter-organizational coordination mechanisms are considered. Originality/value – The paper contributes to the extant literature by integrating the traditional resource-based view of a firm with inter-organizational coordination to examine crucial factors that precede a firm's SCM focus. Both perspectives have considerable merit, so for a thorough understanding of a firm's SCM focus, it is necessary to consider these factors simultaneously. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sedentary behaviour (SB) has emerged as a potential risk factor for metabolic health in youth. Knowledge on the determinants of SB in youth is necessary to inform future intervention development to reduce SB. A systematic review was conducted to identify predictors and determinants of SB in youth. Pubmed, Embase, CINAHL, PsycINFO and Web of Science were searched, limiting to articles in English, published between January 2000 and May 2014. The search strategy was based on four key elements and their synonyms: (a) sedentary behaviour, (b) determinants, (c) types of sedentary behaviours, (d) types of determinants. The full protocol is available from PROSPERO (PROSPERO 2014:CRD42014009823). Cross-sectional studies were excluded. The analysis was guided by the socio-ecological model. 37 studies were selected out of 2654 identified papers from the systematic literature search. Most studies were conducted in Europe (n = 13), USA (n = 11), and Australia (n = 10). The study quality, using the Qualsyst tool, was high with a median of 82 % (IQR: 74-91 %). Multiple potential determinants were studied in only one or two studies. Determinants were found at the individual, interpersonal, environmental and policy level but few studies examined a comprehensive set of factors at different levels of influences. Evidence was found for age being positively associated with total SB, and weight status and baseline assessment of screen time being positively associated with screen time (at follow-up). A higher playground density and a higher availability of play and sports equipment at school were consistently related to an increased total SB, although these consistent findings come from single studies. Evidence was also reported for the presence of safe places to cross roads and lengthening morning and lunch breaks being associated with less total SB. Future interventions to decrease SB levels should especially target children with overweight or obesity and should start at a young age. However, since the relationship of many determinants with SB remains inconsistent, there is still a need for more longitudinal research on determinants of SB in youth. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Results of international achievement surveys such as the Programme in International Student Assessment have consistently reported an achievement gap between immigrant and non-immigrant student populations around the world. This paper unpacks this persistent achievement gap by examining key characteristics that influence the performance of first- and second-generation immigrant students as well as the policies and practices that are associated with enhanced educational outcomes. A multi-layered framework is proposed to help policymakers juxtapose key characteristics of their immigrant students' achievement against individual, family, school, community, and host society characteristics and policies. The discussion also underscores the importance of connecting this multi-layered framework with other important sectors within governments such as those responsible for the economy, health, social protection, and immigration. This paper also examines limitations with current large-scale data sets and the implications for research and policy analysis.

Background: Tuberculosis (TB) is a communicable disease that is a major cause of death and one of the leading causes of death worldwide. Currently, there is no analyzed data to examine the financial profile of TB by country, continent, and year; this article analyzed TB prevention, diagnosis, and treatment financial profile during the last two decades. Methods: Original research, reviews, and governmental databases are analyzed to present the financial profile of TB. Results: Analyzed data showed Europe (23137.133), Asia (20137.073), and Africa (15237.973) had the most allocated funds (US $ million), and Oceania (236.702), and America (4745.043) had the lowest allocated fund (US $ million) during 2006–2021. Additionally, the allocation of funds (domestic funds, global funds, and grants [excluding global funds]) in different countries and proper planning for TB eradication has caused that in the last two decades, the slope of the confirmed cases and deaths graph line is negative. Conclusion: The number of confirmed cases and deaths reported globally is decreasing. The trend lines showed that the assigned funds are increasing, indicating that the TB eradication plan can be apprehended soon. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose - The purpose of this paper is to examine the effects of information sharing capability on buyer-supplier relationships and firm performance. It is proposed that information sharing capability, the integration of a firm's information/decision systems and business processes with those of supply chain partners, is an antecedent of collaborative buyer-supplier relationships, defined in terms of supply chain and relationship architecture. Further, it is proposed that these relationships positively impact a firm's market and financial performance. Design/methodology/approach - This research uses multiple linear regression to analyze a set of survey data from the USA, Europe and New Zealand. Findings - Results demonstrate positive relationships between information sharing capability and buyer-supplier relationships, and between relationships and performance. Research limitations/implications - Information sharing capability and buyer-supplier relationships are complex, multi dimensional constructs. While this research highlights their role in driving performance, further study is required to more fully capture their impact and to understand the implications for situational factors such as industry sector and transaction type. Practical implications - Results from the study provide academics and policymakers with insights into key information sharing constructs related to the development of buyer-supplier relationships. These provide guidance in developing the infrastructure to support such relationships. Originality/value - This study adds to the extant literature by examining the dimensions of information sharing related to buyer-supplier relationships and performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose - The purpose of this paper is to determine attitudes towards the advertising of certain controversial products/services and reasons for being offensive across four different countries, Malaysia, New Zealand, Turkey and the UK. Design/methodology/approach - This was achieved by analyzing the responses to a questionnaire that was distributed to a convenience sample of university students in the four countries. A total of 954 were sampled for this study. The results indicated that geography is not a major determinant of attitudes, and that religious and historical factors play a very important role. Findings - Of the 17 products presented, 11 resulted in similar answers for New Zealand and the UK, and seven were similar for Malaysia and Turkey. However, it was apparent that the two countries mostly populated by Muslims had some differences as Malaysia has a multicultural society that must make some allowances for other ethnic groups. It also appears that racism and racist images are of concern to all those sampled. Originality/value - The opening up of regional markets and the development of regional and global media, such as satellite television and the internet, will mean that marketers will try to take advantage of the associated benefits of a standardized approach to advertising and promotional activities. For those involved in international marketing, it is important that they are aware of possible differences and cultural sensitivities when entering a new market or undertaking a standardized mass-media campaign across a region, whether it be Australasia or Europe. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Student learning outcomes assessment examines whether programs cover the material stated in their learning goals, whether students are learning the material, and the impact on student retention, graduation, post-graduation outcomes, and institutional accreditation, with the aim of providing faculty with data that can be used to help programs evolve or improve. While there is a plethora of research regarding effective methods of assessment used in the United States, little has been written regarding cross-national comparisons of assessment methodologies. This paper examines the current state of assessment in several nations and regions, and draws parallels in practices across countries. A literature search using the term "outcomes assessment" yielded 228 articles, of which, only 35 described practices outside the United States. Generally, searches on the terms "outcomes assessment" and "global" tend to return studies of outcomes assessment of teaching about global issues as it is practiced in the United States, rather than results about outcomes assessment practices used in other countries.

Tanning beds have been classified as carcinogenic to humans. As a result, many countries have enacted laws regulating the use of commercial tanning beds, including bans for minors. However, there is no international overview of the current legal status of access restrictions for minors that provides details on their specific design regarding age limits and possible exceptions to the statutory regulation. Therefore, we performed a comprehensive web search of current tanning bed legislation for minors on the three continents North America, Australia, and Europe. Our findings regarding the existence and concrete design of access restrictions are presented graphically, using maps. We found a wide variety of different legislations. In Australia, a total ban on tanning beds exists, while in New Zealand, tanning bed use is banned for minors. In Europe, about half of the countries have implemented a strict ban for minors. In North America, we found differences in the age limit for access restrictions between the states, provinces, and territories for those regions that implemented a ban for minors. In the United States, some states have rather "soft bans" that allow use by minors with different types of parental consent. The patchwork in legislation calls for harmonization. Therefore, our comparison is an important starting point for institutions such as the World Health Organization or the European Commission to advance their goals toward a harmonization of tanning bed legislation in general and for minors in particular. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this article's companion paper, flexible approaches for conceptual hydrological modeling at the catchment scale were motivated, and the SUPERFLEX framework, based on generic model components, was introduced. In this article, the SUPERFLEX framework and the "fixed structure" GR4H model (an hourly version of the popular GR4J model) are applied to four hydrologically distinct experimental catchments in Europe and New Zealand. The estimated models are scrutinized using several diagnostic measures, ranging from statistical metrics, such as the statistical reliability and precision of the predictive distribution of streamflow, to more process-oriented diagnostics based on flow-duration curves and the correspondence between model states and groundwater piezometers. Model performance was clearly catchment specific, with a single fixed structure unable to accommodate intercatchment differences in hydrological behavior, including seasonality and thresholds. This highlights an important limitation of any "fixed" model structure. In the experimental catchments, the ability of competing model hypotheses to reproduce hydrological signatures of interest could be interpreted on the basis of independent fieldwork insights. The potential of flexible frameworks such as SUPERFLEX is then examined with respect to systematic and stringent hypothesis-testing in hydrological modeling, for characterizing catchment diversity, and, more generally, for aiding progress toward a more unified formulation of hydrological theory at the catchment scale. When interpreted in physical process-oriented terms, the flexible approach can also serve as a language for dialogue between modeler and experimentalist, facilitating the understanding, representation, and interpretation of catchment behavior. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The possible effect on avifaunas of a hypothetical future warmer climate has recently caused much speculation, frequently ill-founded. On the other hand the actual effects of past warmer interglacials on avifaunas have strangely enough attracted no interest. This paper is an effort to remedy this, by reviewing the avifaunas of the previous interglacial (MIS 5e, 117-130 Ka BP). This interglacial was significantly warmer than the present one, about 2°C in the North Temperate zone and 5°C or more in the Arctic, and may have been the warmest interval since the Pliocene. Most of the known Last Interglacial avifaunas are from the temperate parts of North America and Europe. The scarcity of avifaunas from other areas are due both to a scarcity of Pleistocene avifaunas in general and to rudimentary Quaternary chronologies, which makes it difficult to date faunas older than the last glaciation. In North America. the largest collections are from California and Florida. The Californian faunas are similar to modem faunas, both for seabirds and landbirds, while the Florida faunas contain a number of extralimital Central American and South American species. A small fauna from Arctic Canada (Old Crow Basin) is also similar to modern faunas. In Europe, several faunas from Central Europe differ little from extant faunas in the same areas, while faunas from Great Britain contain some southern (Iberian) species. Material from the southern hemisphere is very limited, and consists of one small fauna from New Zealand which is similar to modern faunas from the same area. The only LIG avifauna that shows dramatic differences from present-day conditions is from southwestern Egypt. This area is now extreme desert but had a rich Afrotropical avifauna during LIG. presumably due to a northward expansion of the African Monsoon. In general it seems that a temperature rise of the order of 2°C does not have a very dramatic impact on temperate avifaunas, while in the tropics changes in precipitation patterns may be more important than temperatures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The purpose of this study is to investigate the cross-cultural training (CCT) provided to European expatriate executives in New Zealand, and consequently add to the knowledge for human resource management in the Australasian region. Design/methodology/approach: The present qualitative research study is based on open-ended and in-depth interviews with 30 European expatriate executives who had been residing in New Zealand for the past year or more. Findings: The results indicate that at least some CCT was provided to all interviewees; however, the training content seemed to be strongly centered around professional work, with little focus on the culture of the host country. Moreover, there was no follow-up to the pre-departure CCT and very few expatriates in the sample received any training in New Zealand. Similarly, the family is considered a fundamental factor for the success of expatriates; however, in the sample, neither spouses nor children received any training before or after their arrival in New Zealand. Research limitations/implications: The research is limited by the sample small size. The study's inconclusive highlights the need for further research to explore the influences of local residents, colleagues and neighbors on expatriates' adjustment. Similarly, further studies are also required to ascertain the effectiveness of CCT in helping support expatriates' performance and adjustment in New Zealand. Practical implications: The present study suggests that opportunities do exist for multinational companies (MNCs) to better prepare their expatriates for assignments by integrating more effectively issues related to cultural awareness into their CCT. Specifically, experimental CCT methods that emphasize the host country's culture are most valuable. The CCT technique should be tailored to the cultural distance between the host nation and expatriates' country of origin and to the nature of their assignment. Originality/value: Given the existence of many MNCs in New Zealand, it is surprising that the issue of CCT in this context has received little research attention. The current study endeavors to address this gap. This paper hopes that the findings may also be useful for consultants and human resource managers in MNCs who are involved in preparing expatriates for foreign assignments in Australasia, especially New Zealand.

Due to the popularity of sport, the need to have sport management programs that properly train practitioners is justified (Pedersen & Thibault, 2014). However, with 505 sport management bachelors programs worldwide ("Degrees in Sports," n.d.) housed in various academic units, there is little consistency within the field of study. This paper strives to explore the field of sport management and to better understand sport management faculty members' perceptions of the discipline. Grounded in Foucault's (1971) theory of discourse, total of 154 sport management faculty members worldwide participated in the study. The data revealed there is a lack of consistency within the field regarding faculty members' perceptions of sport management. This study offers a vital, first step in an empirical examination of a critical phenomenon in the sport management academy.

The meta-analysis described in this paper evaluated the relationships between 11 types of leadership practices and 7 organizational, teaming, leader, and employee outcomes. A main focus of analysis was whether the leadership practices were differentially related to the study outcomes. Studies were eligible for inclusion if the correlations between leadership subscale measures (rather than global measures of leadership) and outcomes of interest were reported. The random effects weighted average correlations between the independent and dependent measures were used as the sizes of effects for evaluating the influences of the leadership practices on the outcome measures. One hundred and twelve studies met the inclusion criteria and included 39,433 participants. The studies were conducted in 31 countries in different kinds of programs, organizations, companies, and businesses. Ninety-six percent of the practice-outcome effect sizes were statistically significant where approximately half of the relationships were moderated by organizational types (for-profit, not-for-profit, education, healthcare, government, etc.). Results indicated that the 11 types of leadership practices were differentially related to the study outcomes even in the presence of considerable between study heterogeneity. Implications for leadership development are described.

The article focuses on the fertility transition in Ireland during 1880-1911. The decline in Irish marital fertility was neither uniform nor universal. Between 1881 and 1911, there were increases in Counties Galway, Mayo, Roscommon and Donegal, while the decline in several other counties was small. Cohort parity analysis (CPA), a fertility measure devised by researcher Paul David and his research associates, provides a means of inferring the extent and timing of birth control within marriage from distributions of married women by number of children born. A key aspect of CPA is the extent to which married couples resort to contraception in order to "space" births. Ireland has played an important part in the development of CPA, because David and his colleagues believe that the rural Irish of 1911 provide a suitable model, not only for urban Ireland in 1911 and the United States around the turn of the century, but also for Western Europe, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand, from the mid-nineteenth through the early twentieth centuries.

The overarching assumption within popular approaches to global learning is that it takes place either in classrooms at home or in the case of study abroad, in experiential learning environments overseas. Policies and programs are carefully crafted to respond to particular institutional goals and objectives towards internationalization. These objectives have increasingly aligned with broader neoliberal reforms within universities that focus on the student as a global consumer. This places those responsible for designing and implementing international programs in a precarious position, often having to straddle a widening divide between critical educator and travel agent. While efforts are made to create programs that allow students to engage cross-culturally, internationally, and in meaningful ways, there also exists immense pressure to do so in the shortest amount of time and for the least amount of money. As more study abroad offices become self-funded, or financially self-sustaining, this often means prioritizing programs that are the most attractive to the student "consumer" as opposed to the student "academic." This competition between study abroad as academic endeavor and study abroad as business is illustrated in the bifurcation of the study abroad literature. One strand of the literature focuses squarely on the student experience, which includes questions of students' motivation for studying abroad and/or what they have gained from the experience. These studies often emphasize students' personal growth and development, their increased cross-cultural competence and understanding, as well as their changing conception of global citizenship. The second category of study abroad literature focuses on "best practices" and policies for the implementation of study abroad programs. This includes work on student and faculty recruitment strategies, program design, monitoring and evaluation tools, safety and risk management as well as re-entry programming for newly returned study abroad participants. What is largely missing from both sets of literature is an exploration of the global learning that takes place before a study abroad program begins; what are students learning about the world and their place within it when they visit a study abroad office website, thumb through a promotional pamphlet or attend a program recruitment event? To the knowledge of the author there has been no explicit acknowledgement in the study abroad literature of the hidden curriculum that presents itself through what she refers to as institutional study abroad portfolios (ISAPs), that is, the compilation of study abroad programs that a university promotes to its students that take place in particular locations focusing on specific academic disciplines. In this paper the author will argue that in looking at ISAPs as a unit of analysis we can uncover political complexity that is often obfuscated both by more macro level policy analysis (i.e. internationalization strategy) as well as more micro-level program evaluation.

Teacher agency (TA) has been increasingly supported as an influential factor for teacher professional learning, school improvement and sustainable educational change. Previous studies, however, feature a variety of discrepancies in their conceptualisation and approaches to examining teacher agency. A systematic review is essential to map the field, refine our understanding of the concept and inform relevant stakeholders of useful insights for policy making and further research. After being screened against a number of inclusion criteria, 104 empirical studies were selected to be included in this review. Thematic analysis was adopted for the data analysis of these papers. Findings indicate an imbalance in geographical, theoretical, methodological and thematic distributions in previous studies. Six major themes were identified from the literature: (1) TA enactment, (2) the role of teacher cognition, (3) influential factors, (4) implementing professional development interventions, (5) TA outcomes and (6) TA change trajectory. TA can be extrapolated in terms of its source, enactment and outcomes. Teachers' capacities, implementation strategies, and contextual factors jointly determine the achievement of their professional agency. A conceptual framework for accounting teacher agency holistically is proposed and implications for relevant stakeholders are discussed.

A thematic content analysis of the seven issues (35 papers and two editorials) of the "International Research in Early Childhood Education" ("IRECE") journal published by Monash University in Melbourne, Victoria was conducted to explore the themes over its five years of publication. Publications were grouped into defined data chunks by year and Leximancer was used to discover concepts and themes. Five dominant themes emerged: children/s; childhood; learning; parent/s and teacher/s. Pathway analyses were then conducted to more fully understand and describe each theme. Data were used to visually represent the most frequently appearing terms to form a tag cloud, which in turn contributes to the development of a "folksonomy" for the journal. Finally, mentions of geographic regions were also explored which positively reflected on international focus of the journal.

In this work, the results of the analysis on total electron content (TEC) data before, during and after the geomagnetic storm of 8 September 2017 are reported. One of the responses to geomagnetic storms due to the southern vertical interplanetary magnetic field (Bz) is the enhancement of the electron density in the ionosphere. Vertical TEC (VTEC) from the Center for Orbit determination in Europe (CODE) along with a statistical method were used to identify positive and/or negative ionospheric storms in response to the geomagnetic storm of 8 September 2017. When analyzing the response to the storm of 8 September 2017 it was indeed possible to observe an enhancement of the equatorial ionization anomaly (EIA); however, what was unexpected was the identification of a local TEC enhancement (LTE) to the south of the EIA (∼40 ∘ S, right over New Zealand and extending towards the southeastern coast of Australia and also eastward towards the Pacific). This was a very transitory LTE that lasted approximately 4 h, starting at ∼ 02:00 UT on 8 September where its maximum VTEC increase was of 241.2 %. Using the same statistical method, comparable LTEs in a similar category geomagnetic storm, the 2015 St. Patrick's Day storm, were looked for. However, for the aforementioned storm no LTEs were identified. As also indicated in a past recent study for a LTE detected during the 15 August 2015 geomagnetic storm, an association between the LTE and the excursion of Bz seen during the 8 September 2017 storm was observed as well. Furthermore, it is very likely that a direct impact of the super-fountain effect along with traveling ionospheric disturbances may be playing an important role in the production of this LTE. Finally, it is indicated that the 8 September 2017 LTE is the second one to be detected since the year 2016. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: We sought to examine strength of primary care service delivery as measured by selected process indicators by general practitioners from 31 European countries plus Australia, Canada, and New Zealand. We explored the relation between strength of service delivery and healthcare expenditures. Background: The strength of a country’s primary care is determined by the degree of development of a combination of core primary care dimensions in the context of its healthcare system. This study analyses the strength of service delivery in primary care as measured through process indicators in 31 European countries plus Australia, New Zealand, and Canada. Methods: A comparative cross-sectional study design was applied using the QUALICOPC GP database. Data on the strength of primary healthcare were collected using a standardized GP questionnaire, which included 60 questions divided into 10 dimensions related to process, structure, and outcomes. A total of 6734 general practitioners participated. Data on healthcare expenditure were obtained from World Bank statistics. We conducted a correlation analysis to analyse the relationship between strength and healthcare expenditures. Findings: Our findings show that the strength of service delivery parameters is less than optimal in some countries, and there are substantial variations among countries. Continuity and comprehensiveness of care are significantly positively related to national healthcare expenditures; however, coordination of care is not. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives:We previously found large variations in general practitioner (GP) hypertension treatment probability in oldest-old (>80 years) between countries. We wanted to explore whether differences in country-specific cardiovascular disease (CVD) burden and life expectancy could explain the differences. Design:This is a survey study using case-vignettes of oldest-old patients with different comorbidities and blood pressure levels. An ecological multilevel model analysis was performed. Setting:GP respondents from European General Practice Research Network (EGPRN) countries, Brazil and New Zeeland. Subjects:This study included 2543 GPs from 29 countries. Main outcome measures:GP treatment probability to start or not start antihypertensive treatment based on responses to case-vignettes; either low (<50% started treatment) or high (≥50% started treatment). CVD burden is defined as ratio of disability-adjusted life years (DALYs) lost due to ischemic heart disease and/or stroke and total DALYs lost per country; life expectancy at age 60 and prevalence of oldest-old per country. Results:Of 1947 GPs (76%) responding to all vignettes, 787 (40%) scored high treatment probability and 1160 (60%) scored low. GPs in high CVD burden countries had higher odds of treatment probability (OR 3.70; 95% confidence interval (CI) 3.00–4.57); in countries with low life expectancy at 60, CVD was associated with high treatment probability (OR 2.18, 95% CI 1.12–4.25); but not in countries with high life expectancy (OR 1.06, 95% CI 0.56–1.98). Conclusions:GPs’ choice to treat/not treat hypertension in oldest-old was explained by differences in country-specific health characteristics. GPs in countries with high CVD burden and low life expectancy at age 60 were most likely to treat hypertension in oldest-old.Key Points • General practitioners (GPs) are in a clinical dilemma when deciding whether (or not) to treat hypertension in the oldest-old (>80 years of age). • In this study including 1947 GPs from 29 countries, we found that a high country-specific cardiovascular disease (CVD) burden (i.e. myocardial infarction and/or stroke) was associated with a higher GP treatment probability in patients aged >80 years. • However, the association was modified by country-specific life expectancy at age 60. While there was a positive association for GPs in countries with a low life expectancy at age 60, there was no association in countries with a high life expectancy at age 60. • These findings help explaining some of the large variation seen in the decision as to whether or not to treat hypertension in the oldest-old. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Background and purpose: The purpose of this work is to summarize cardiovascular magnetic resonance (CMR) research trends and highlights presented at the annual Society for Cardiovascular Magnetic Resonance (SCMR) scientific sessions over the past 20 years. Methods: Scientific programs from all SCMR Annual Scientific Sessions from 1998 to 2017 were obtained. SCMR Headquarters also provided data for the number and the country of origin of attendees and the number of accepted abstracts according to type. Data analysis included text analysis (key word extraction) and visualization by 'word clouds' representing the most frequently used words in session titles for 5-year intervals. In addition, session titles were sorted into 17 major subject categories to further evaluate research and clinical CMR trends over time. Results: Analysis of SCMR annual scientific sessions locations, attendance, and number of accepted abstracts demonstrated substantial growth of CMR research and clinical applications. As an international field of study, significant growth of CMR was documented by a strong increase in SCMR scientific session attendance (> 500%, 270 to 1406 from 1998 to 2017, number of accepted abstracts (> 700%, 98 to 701 from 1998 to 2018) and number of international participants (42-415% increase for participants from Asia, Central and South America, Middle East and Africa in 2004-2017). 'Word clouds' based evaluation of research trends illustrated a shift from early focus on 'MRI technique feasibility' to new established techniques (e.g. late gadolinium enhancement) and their clinical applications and translation (key words 'patient', 'disease') and more recently novel techniques and quantitative CMR imaging (key words 'mapping', 'T1', 'flow', 'function'). Nearly every topic category demonstrated an increase in the number of sessions over the 20-year period with 'Clinical Practice' leading all categories. Our analysis identified three growth areas 'Congenital', 'Clinical Practice',and 'Structure/function/flow'. Conclusion: The analysis of the SCMR historical archives demonstrates a healthy and internationally active field of study which continues to undergo substantial growth and expansion into new and emerging CMR topics and clinical application areas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The New Zealand to be discovered in the popular media of nineteenth-century Europe is surprising: foremost because it is scarcely present. Other British colonies like those in North America and Australia were much-loved subjects for popular exotic pictorial inventions, for example in illustrations to Karl May novels, product advertising, posters for world exhibitions and the so-called ethnological expositions, or successful journals like Die Gartenlaube in Germany. Images of the islands and their inhabitants are noticeable by their absence in product advertising in Europe. Likewise Maori appear to have not featured at the ethnological expositions, though they do appear considerably in scientific and scholarly publications. Hence, the essay makes the case that in this context high and popular culture are frequently not clearly distinct from one another in the nineteenth century: the scientific and scholarly literature served an extremely broad circle of interested persons in a bourgeoisie hungry for knowledge. The oil paintings of the academic Gottfried Lindauer, for example, were shown at the Colonial and Indian Exhibition of 1886 in London side by side with ethnographic artefacts and a recreated Māori habitat in the New Zealand Court. Thus, the overall image of the islands conveyed in the Exhibition matched the contemporary taste of indulging in excessive impressions at such expositions. Textual descriptions and interpretations of what was seen also heavily featured in the press, while a few successful novels painted a picture of the typical 'New Zealander'. The picture Europe had got of the British colony New Zealand in the nineteenth century was richly faceted, albeit not particularly differentiated. The essay aims to describe these various facets and, moreover, identify how they depended on their popularity in the different media. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: There is a paucity of data from randomized controlled treatment trials in childhood arterial ischaemic stroke. Our objectives were to identify and plan a trial through use of a Delphi consensus process.Method: The Delphi panel consisted of Australian, New Zealand, and European paediatric neurologists with interests in childhood stroke. Four rounds were conducted using a REDCap (Research Electronic Data Capture) Web-based application: the first consisted of open-ended questions; the second evaluated agreement for the most important trial; the third and fourth reached consensus on design.Results: Forty-seven out of 66 neurologists answered the first round. Eight areas of research for important and feasible trials were identified. In the second round, 43 paediatric neurologists ranked the three highest rated trials: (1) aspirin versus aspirin plus steroids in focal arteriopathy (n=31); (2) heparin versus aspirin (n=6); and (3) heparin versus aspirin versus modern anticoagulation (n=6). The third and fourth surveys reached consensus among 43 out of 44 respondents on design of the highest ranked trial, and allowed agreement on inclusion/exclusion criteria, clinical/neuroimaging data, and treatment protocols.Conclusion: The Delphi consensus process is an efficient method of identifying and planning paediatric stroke trials. An international, multicentre trial is now in preparation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Part of the visits to emergency departments (EDs) is related to complaints that may well be treated in primary care.Objectives: (i) To investigate how the likelihood of attending an ED is related to accessibility and continuity of primary care. (ii) To investigate the reasons for patients to visit EDs in different countries.Methods: Data were collected within the EU Seventh Framework project Quality and Costs in Primary Care (QUALICOPC) in 31 European countries, Australia, New Zealand and Canada. The data were collected between 2011 and 2013 and contain survey data from 60991 patients and 7005 GPs, within 7005 general practices.Outcome Measure: whether the patient visited the ED in the previous year (yes/no). Multilevel logistic regression analyses were carried out to analyse the data.Results: Some 29.4% had visited the ED in the past year. Between countries, the percentages varied between 18% and 40%. ED visits show a significant and negative relation with better accessibility of primary care. Patients with a regular doctor who knows them personally were less likely to attend EDs. Only one-third of all patients who visited an ED indicated that the main reason for this was that their complaint could not be treated by a GP.Conclusions: Good accessibility and continuity of primary care may well reduce ED use. In some countries, it may be worthwhile to invest in more continuous relationships between patients and GPs or to eliminate factors that hamper people to use primary care (e.g. for costs or travelling). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study is the first on the genetics of invasive populations of one of the most widely spread land mollusc species known in the world, the "Brown Snail" Cornu aspersum aspersum. Deliberately or accidentally imported, the species has become recently a notorious pest outside its native Mediterranean range. We compared the spatial structure and genetic variability of invasive (America, Oceania, South Africa) versus native populations using five microsatellite loci and mitochondrial (Cyt b and 16S rRNA) genes as a first step towards (i) the detection of potential source populations, and (ii) a better understanding of mechanisms governing evolutionary changes involved in the invasion process. Results based on multivariate analysis (Discriminant Analysis of Principal Components), Bayesian statistical inference (Clustering, Approximate Bayesian Computation) and demographic tests allowed a construction of the introduction pathways of the species over recent centuries. While emigrants originated from only one of the two native lineages, the West one, the most likely scenario involved several introduction events and "source switching" comprising (i) an early stage (around 1660) of simultaneous introductions from Europe (France, Spain) towards Oceania (New Zealand) and California, (ii) from the early 18th century, a second colonization wave from bridgehead populations successfully established in California, (iii) genetic admixture in invasive areas where highly divergent populations came into contact as in New Zealand. Although these manmade pathways are consistent with historical data, introduction time estimates suggest that the two putative waves of invasion would have occurred long before the first field observations recorded, both in America and in Oceania. A prolonged lag period as the use of an incorrect generation time could explain such 100-150 years discrepancy. Lastly, the contrasting patterns of neutral genetic signal left in invasive populations are discussed in light of possible ways of facing novel environments (standing genetic variation versus new mutation). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]