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Firms from a variety of industries regularly partner with Formula One racing teams to achieve marketing objectives on an international scale. The sponsored properties offer signals of brand foreignness/localness, country of origin, and the potential for highly visible achievements. Firms enter and exit brand partnerships with some of the world's most famous athletes and iconic teams, yet the partnership decision-making process remains opaque, particularly concerning the impact of geographic origin and team performance among other criteria, including macroeconomic conditions and brand-related factors. This study contributes a quantitative model that analyzes 53 years of data encompassing more than 3,000 sponsorships across six continents. The findings improve understanding of brand partnership continuity/dissolution by explicating a shared nationality effect and a link with sponsored organizational performance that is robust across three distinct eras of Formula One. In doing so, the study contributes to theory by completing the sponsorship performance cycle and distilling partnership limits with regard to brand foreignness. The theory and quantitative analyses are buttressed by interviews with brand decision-makers, excerpts from which also shape the discussion of managerial applications. Implications include efficiencies in partner prospecting that enhance the likelihood of enduring brand relationships in sponsorship-linked international marketing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abundant consumer data has made decision-making more complicated, rather than simple, for marketers. This raises an important question about which variables in the data contain reliable information for retailers to predict future consumer purchase value (CPV) to guide strategic decisions. The authors address this question by exploring the variables "distinctive choice of brand country of origin" (DBCOO) and "country of origin diversity" (COO diversity) as analytical tools to extract insights from consumer purchase data. Building on signaling theory, the authors theorize and empirically test that DBCOO and COO diversity in a consumer's purchase history can signal, and therefore help predict, CPV. Moreover, the authors explore high-involvement product categories and purchase frequency as boundary conditions to develop a comprehensive framework of COO signals as strategic analytical tools. They find that DBCOO in a consumer's purchase history indeed increases CPV and that this relationship is enhanced for high-involvement product categories but moderated curvilinearly by purchase frequency. Moreover, they find that the COO diversity–CPV link is positive but interacts negatively with both moderators. This allows retailers to successfully distinguish high- from low-CPV consumers and thus enables them to manage the marketing mix and resources more effectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Over the last decade there has been significant interest in international expansion of emerging market firms (EMFs) due to their distinctive patterns compared with developed market firms (DMFs). In this article, the authors develop an analytical model to generate prescriptive insights for pricing strategies when EMFs enter new foreign markets. Grounded in the international marketing and organizational learning literatures, the model accounts for local and multinational competition, the influence of country-of-origin effects, and the role of organizational learning in foreign markets. The results suggest that when an EMF enters a host market with a local competitor, it could generate higher profits even when charging a lower price than the local competitor. Additionally, the authors find that DMFs enjoy greater profitability than EMFs in foreign markets as a result of positive country-of-origin effects. Finally, the authors propose and validate the use of organizational learning as a process EMFs can use to surmount the negative impact of country-of-origin effects and achieve greater profitability than DMFs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The fast-growing middle class in emerging markets is leading luxury brands to adopt an affordable luxury (aka "masstige") approach to reach the mass market. However, academic research in this promising area is scarce. Focusing on China, the world's largest emerging market, this research shows a novel pattern of masstige brand consumption: Instead of always preferring foreign masstige brands (e.g., Coach) as implied in previous international marketing literature, consumers in emerging markets prefer domestic masstige brands (e.g., Goldlion) when their personally oriented motives are made salient. In contrast, consumers prefer foreign masstige brands when their socially oriented motives are made salient. This stems from domestic masstige brands better manifesting self-focused intangible attributes (i.e., the actual value to please oneself), whereas foreign masstige brands are superior in other-focused intangible attributes (i.e., the symbolic value to impress others). Three studies using a multimethod approach provide converging results that support this phenomenon. The findings bring significant contributions to the literature and offer actionable implications for managers, including positioning and price promotion strategies for masstige brands in emerging markets. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Some U.S. firms have women directors and executives, while many do not. We seek to explain this heterogeneity. Using U.S. Census data from 1900, we find that U.S. counties with populations originating from countries with stronger gender-egalitarian beliefs have more women in the labor market and in STEM occupations, and lower gender-pay gaps. Firms headquartered in such counties have more women executives and directors. When firms move to more gender-egalitarian counties, the representation of women on board increases. Our findings are consistent with the idea that inherited beliefs about gender roles impact the labor market and corporate leadership. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper proposes a refined method for calculating age-specific prevalence rates of Female Genital Mutilation/Cutting (FGM/C) to enhance the accuracy of estimates calculated using Yoder and Van Baelen's Extrapolation-of-FGM/C-Countries-Prevalence-Data method. Previous studies, particularly in the United States, have faced limitations, including the failure to disaggregate prevalence data by age and overlooking historical trends. To address these limitations, this study outlines a comprehensive seven-step approach. Using Ethiopia as a case study, prevalence rates were calculated and aligned with target migrant population data. This involved adjusting age cohorts, extrapolating prevalence to younger age groups, and considering historical trends. Results demonstrate significant differences compared to previous estimates, indicating overestimation of girls at risk of FGM/C in some studies. The proposed method offers a standardized approach applicable beyond the United States, potentially improving estimates globally. By providing nuanced prevalence data, this method contributes to better understanding the true prevalence of FGM/C in migrant populations. This same method can also be used to predict future trends in FGM/C and other practices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Much research confirms that the country of origin of migrants (refugees), as well as their religion, determines the approach of the destination country society to newcomers. It affects the conditions of receiving the acceptance of a legal stay and possible support. Double standards are the main results of this intersection. The study aimed to present the research results on the securitization processes implemented in Poland as a response to two migration crises related to the influx of migrants and refugees from MENA countries and Ukraine. Proposed by Rita Floyd, a just and unjust securitization approach has been implemented in the analysis of securitization movements undertaken by Polish governments in 2015–2023. Critical discourse analysis (CDA) has been used to analyze securitization done by politicians in response to expectations of the society. The results confirm that although in the case of both described influx of securitization of migrants has been implemented, not in all cases it was a response to an existential threat. Migration from MENA countries was securitized much more often than from Ukraine and, at the same time, in most cases, it was unjust securitization. Those results confirm that the country of origin determines the securitization process as well as their justification. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Originally established as an alternative to deportation after a failed asylum application, Assisted Return programmes have increasingly become a significant factor in the asylum procedure. By analysing an extensive body of case law from German courts, this article demonstrates how these programmes are primarily used to argue that life-threatening deprivation upon return is too unlikely to warrant international protection. Only a few courts contend that these programmes do not sufficiently protect against deprivation. This disagreement stems from conflicting assessments of the programmes’ effectiveness and differing interpretations of the timing of future harm. The prevalent requirement that harm must be imminent upon return aligns with the judicial expectation that asylum seekers are responsible for availing themselves of return assistance, bringing about their own ‘deportability’. It also leads to inadequate fact-finding regarding the actual effects of Assisted Return programmes. Monetary support through return programmes is thus considered as an alternative to protection, or at least facilitates its rejection. Given the original purpose of the programmes to increase the number of returnees among rejected asylum seekers, this demonstrates how policy measures have effects beyond their initial scope, and how judges indirectly implement policy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Resettled refugees face physical and mental health challenges including the violence and trauma of their displacement. Once resettled in the U.S. refugees face difficulties accessing healthcare. This qualitative study explored refugees' experiences with barriers and facilitators to accessing healthcare. Thirty-four resettled refugee adults from five different countries of origin participated in focus groups. Study results identified logistical and language barriers to accessing healthcare, experiences with discrimination and fear, and the role of integration in promoting access and satisfaction with healthcare. Implications are provided for improving access to healthcare for refugees in the U.S. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Research questions: As football fever in China has encouraged youngsters to participate in football activities, the perceived quality of youth football service and players' level of satisfaction are essential to be investigated. Beside the country-of-origin's (COO) moderating effect on perceived service quality in determining satisfaction between two types of academies (local-oriented vs. overseas-oriented) has yet to be examined. Therefore, the COO's moderating effects were examined through a multigroup invariance analysis. Research methods: Data were collected from two youth football academies in China. A measurement scale, specifically designed for youth football participation, was employed to examine the proposed relationships. A multi-group invariance analysis was used to investigate the COO's moderating effect. Results and findings: Seven out of ten hypotheses, among service quality, satisfaction and membership renewal intention were supported. The results from bootstrapping supported the indirect effects of satisfaction in six relationships between service quality and membership renewal intention. The relationship between service quality and satisfaction was partially moderated by the COO. Implications: This study empirically contributes to the understanding of the relationships among service quality, satisfaction and behavioural intention in youth football participation. Practically, strategic implications are provided for practitioners in managing and improving players' football participation experience. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The phenomenon of remittances is the subject of intense debate among politicians, researchers, and academics. This is because it touches on a multitude of human, economic, and financial aspects. This paper empirically investigates the empirical relationship between political systems and remittances in order to understand how changes in political systems in the home and host countries affect remittances. By using the gravity model of bilateral remittance flows for 101 sending countries and 92 developing receiving countries for the period 2010–2017. Findings indicate that strengthening democratic processes in countries of origin leads to more remittances. This result is most pronounced in low‐income countries. However, democracy in host countries has a negative effect on remittances. These findings are robust to the different techniques and specifications used. Strengthening democratic institutions in low‐income countries can attract more financial flows. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: This study aims to learn how a three-way interaction moderation model is used to analyse the role of country-specific characteristics, in the form of the implementation of Sharia law and legal origin in a particular country, in the choice of sukuk type. Design/methodology/approach: The firm profitability and firm leverages of sukuk issuer are used as the firm characteristics that can influence the choice of sukuk type between Mudharaba sukuk, Ijara sukuk and Murabaha sukuk. The research sample of 545 global sukuk issuances, obtained from the IIFS database, includes the issuance of Mudharaba sukuk, Ijara sukuk and Murabaha sukuk from ten sukuk issuer countries all over the world. Findings: The research results show that the probability of choosing Mudharaba and Ijara sukuk is found in issuers sukuk with a high firm leverage, while the probability of choosing Murabaha sukuk is found in issuers sukuk with a high firm profitability. A three-way interaction moderation model is used in this research to explain that sukuk issuers in countries that implement Sharia law and adopt a legal origin common law system will have a higher choice of Mudharabah and Ijarah sukuk types if the firm's leverage is high. If the firms' profitability is high, then the sukuk issuer prefers Murabaha sukuk. Research limitations/implications: The use of firm's characteristic variables is based solely on trade-off theory and pecking order theory. Also, limitations on the implementation of Sharia law in countries that do not provide opportunities for countries that apply a mixed law system. Practical implications: The role of Sharia law and common law legal origin is proven, through a three-way interaction model, to strengthen the interaction of the firm leverage and choice of Mudharaba sukuk. Social implications: Legal certainty for Islamic financial institutions is created in the context of ease of investing in sukuk. Flexibility in the structure is also one of the factors that encourage the development of market acceptance of sukuk. The right structure of the sukuk can be used for specific target markets. Originality/value: There has been no study carried out on a three-way interaction moderation model used to analyse the role of country-specific characteristics. The role of Sharia law and common law legal origin is proven, through a three-way interaction model, to strengthen the interaction of the firm leverage and choice of Mudharaba sukuk. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Social networks are a battlefield for political propaganda. Protected by the anonymity of the internet, political actors use computational propaganda to influence the masses. Their methods include the use of synchronized or individual bots, multiple accounts operated by one social media management tool, or different manipulations of search engines and social network algorithms, all aiming to promote their ideology. While computational propaganda influences modern society, it is hard to measure or detect it. Furthermore, with the recent exponential growth in large language models (L.L.M), and the growing concerns about information overload, which makes the alternative truth spheres more noisy than ever before, the complexity and magnitude of computational propaganda is also expected to increase, making their detection even harder. Propaganda in social networks is disguised as legitimate news sent from authentic users. It smartly blended real users with fake accounts. We seek here to detect efforts to manipulate the spread of information in social networks, by one of the fundamental macro-scale properties of rhetoric—repetitiveness. We use 16 data sets of a total size of 13 GB, 10 related to political topics and 6 related to non-political ones (large-scale disasters), each ranging from tens of thousands to a few million of tweets. We compare them and identify statistical and network properties that distinguish between these two types of information cascades. These features are based on both the repetition distribution of hashtags and the mentions of users, as well as the network structure. Together, they enable us to distinguish (p − value = 0.0001) between the two different classes of information cascades. In addition to constructing a bipartite graph connecting words and tweets to each cascade, we develop a quantitative measure and show how it can be used to distinguish between political and non-political discussions. Our method is indifferent to the cascade's country of origin, language, or cultural background since it is only based on the statistical properties of repetitiveness and the word appearance in tweets bipartite network structures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Research on migrant youth makes two longstanding assumptions: that they are immobile following their own or their parents’ migration and that their resource environments are confined to their country of residence. Recent investigations of transnational youth mobility question both assumptions, showing that migrant youth – including the first and second generations – are highly mobile, and that their mobility has multiple impacts on their lives. This paper seeks to add to this growing literature by conceptualising as ‘transnational resources’ the perspectives, values, knowledge, and skills that migrant youth gain from their mobility between their countries of origin and residence and which become meaningful in various aspects of their multi-local (or what we call transnational) lives. Drawing on ethnographic data with 81 young people who are mobile between Ghana and three European countries (Belgium, Germany, and the Netherlands), we analyse the three main transnational resources we identified – enhanced sense of self, adaptability, and future outlook. Engaging the dual analytical lenses of temporalities and trajectories, we show both how transnational resources are gained through embodied mobility experiences and how they become meaningful in migrant youth’s lives across time and space. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

People's knowledge about their representatives is important because it informs about the quality of democracy and can predict future political behaviours. In spite of this, we know little about why migrants (do not) know who their representatives are. This article seeks to address this gap in the literature and explains the migrants’ subjective knowledge about parliamentarians. The study uses individual data from an original survey conducted in June-July 2022 among 1,058 Romanian migrants. The strongest predictors for knowledge are linked to political parties and participation, while the transnational ties and the intention to return have no effects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Why is it so exceedingly difficult for host states to return irregular migrants to their countries of origin? Emphasizing the importance of including the viewpoints of both origin and destination countries, this article argues that there is a ‘power switch’ in the politicized practice of returning migrants from North to South: whereas immigration spells power and control on the destination side, in return processes, the command is reversed, with the Southern state functioning as gatekeeper. Based on interviews with Norwegian, Ethiopian and EU officials placed in Ethiopia, this article focuses on the bilateral return migration corridor between Norway and Ethiopia. Referencing the emerging constructivist strand of international relations studies of migration, we map and analyze the interplay and effects of converging and diverging interests and norms at the local, national, and international levels. The study reveals that while certain norms constrain the deportation of failed asylum seekers and migrants in both countries, there are several conflicting interests and norms between Norway and Ethiopia regarding return. Norway actively promotes return to protect its asylum regime and social welfare system, while Ethiopia benefits from diaspora remittances, seeks to avoid criticism from politically important diaspora communities and stresses national norms of state sovereignty. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Scientific colonialism (sensu Galtung, 1967) has grown in interest for the last decades in all scientific disciplines, including Palaeontology. In particular, Raja et al. (2022) showed that the Paleobiology Database (PBDB) was mostly based on research investigations from and/or in higher-income countries (i.e., the Global North). This scientific practice, better known as "parachute science", often implies a transfer of material from their country of origin (in the Global South) to another country of collection (in the Global North). We show that this global pattern can also be observed at a lower taxonomic scale by focusing on Stylophora, an extinct class of echinoderms. Based on a database gathering the 129 stylophoran holotypes including information of their year of description, country of origin, country of collection and author affiliation, we show comparable results to those of Raja et al. (2022). Indeed, 85% of stylophoran species originated from the Global North. Transferred material represents 17% of the holotypes and none of the corresponding publications included local collaboration. We detail the most highlighting example of parachute science, the duo Morocco-France, to understand the consequences of the colonial history between these two countries in the scientific practice of French researchers in Morocco, as well as the solution brought by Moroccan researchers and government. These results, while not surprising, mean that scientific colonialism is indeed observed not only in global databases, but also in our daily work. Researchers from the Global North then can act to decolonize their problematic practice to rebalance knowledge producing to build a true Global Research Community. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The adoption of diaphragm and lung ultrasound (DLUS) by physiotherapists, physical therapists, and respiratory therapists ("therapists") to examine and assess the diaphragm and lungs continues to grow. The aim of this updated scoping review is to re-explore and re-collate the evidence around the adoption of DLUS by therapists. Methods: This scoping review followed the PRISMA-ScR guidelines. Data sources searched included AMED, EmCare, CINAHL, Embase, Medline, PubMed and Pedro. Grey literature sources were searched alongside communication with leading authors in the field. The Participants, Concept and Context (PCC) approach was employed to formulate the research question. A charting form was developed and piloted to extract: title, authors, year of publication, country of origin, professional group involved (population), lung or diaphragm ultrasound (concept), evaluation method, educational, clinical or research setting (context), subject/disease/patient group, sample size, study design and professional group performing DLUS. Results: 133 studies met all inclusion criteria, an increase of 107 new studies compared to the original scoping review searches 7-years ago. Studies were included from 17 new countries and included 17 new participant populations. Lung ultrasound saw the largest increase in study number with education and implementation emerging as a new area of investigation. Full list of included studies is provided in Supplementary File 1. Conclusion: The number of DLUS studies involving therapists continues to show international growth with studies investigating an increasing range of participant populations. Published studies now include research on DLUS adoption, implementation, and utility amongst all three of the therapy professions who use DLUS. The potential of DLUS and its direct impact on patient outcomes still needs to be explored further. However, DLUS remains a novel and innovative imaging technique in the hands of physiotherapists, physical therapists, and respiratory therapists as its utility continues to grow in various research, clinical and educational settings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The European migration control regime claims to strife for 'orderly' and safe conditions of migration, yet systematically generates the opposite. This paper explores the role of informality in creating solutions to enable control and produce order in the European migration control regime by examining two areas of border policy characterised by high degrees of regulation and contestation : the implementation of the Dublin III Regulation (2013) and transnational negotiations over readmission agreements between European states and deportable people's assumed countries of origin. We focus on Sweden and Switzerland, two countries perceived as having high degrees of 'formality' in their migration control regimes, and draw on ethnographic material generated between 2015 and 2018 in Swiss and Swedish migration control agencies. We demonstrate the central role of informality in making formal regulations 'work'. The Dublin Regulation necessitates tacit toleration of informality to be enforced, and readmission agreements rely on informal, transnational politics that neither follow migration law nor respectthe rights and lives of people on the move. The article underscores the importance of debunking the myth of an 'orderly' migration control regime, informality is what makes European migration control 'work', often to the detriment of people on the move. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aims to investigate the prospective associations between four types of perceived discrimination (country of origin, race and ethnicity, sexual orientation, and weight) and the development of manic symptoms in a diverse, nationwide sample of adolescents aged 9–14 years in the U.S. We analyzed prospective cohort data from the Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development Study (N = 7466; ages 9–14 years at Year 1 or 2 in 2017–2020; 48.5 % female; 39.4 % racial/ethnic minority). Multiple zero-inflated negative binomial analyses were conducted to examine the associations between Year 1 or 2 discrimination (by country of origin, race and ethnicity, sexual orientation, weight, sum score), and Year 3 manic symptoms (7 Up Mania scale), adjusting for covariates (age, sex, race and ethnicity, household income, parental education, sipping alcohol, puffing tobacco, anxiety symptoms, depressive symptoms, Year 1 manic symptoms, and study site). After adjusting for covariates, perceived discrimination based on country of origin (incidence rate ratio [IRR] = 1.46; 95 % confidence interval [CI] 1.15–1.86), sexual orientation (IRR = 1.36; 95 % CI 1.21–1.53), race and ethnicity (IRR = 1.28; 95 % CI 1.13–1.46), weight (IRR = 1.21 95 % CI 1.09–1.34), and sum scores (IRR = 1.18 5 % CI 1.12–1.24), were significantly associated with higher manic symptoms. Perceived discrimination based on country of origin, race and ethnicity, sexual orientation, weight, and sum scores, are prospectively associated with greater manic symptoms in adolescents. These findings underscore the need for targeted interventions to address discrimination and associated psychological impacts. Efforts to reduce discrimination and to support affected adolescents are important components of comprehensive mental health care and public health strategies. • We studied discrimination and manic symptoms in early adolescents. • We analyzed prospective cohort data over two years. • Sexual orientation and weight discrimination were associated with manic symptoms. • Racial and country of origin discrimination were associated with manic symptoms. • Discrimination sum score was associated with manic symptoms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

AbstractPurposeMethodResultConclusionThis study aims to explore the current practices and challenges faced by speech-language pathologists in three Southeast Asian countries (Malaysia, Indonesia, and Vietnam) in assessing and treating multilingual children with developmental language disorder.A survey was designed and administered to 110 speech-language pathologists across Malaysia, Indonesia, and Vietnam. The survey contained 60 questions on current practices and knowledge of existing resources for assessing and treating multilingual children with developmental language disorder. Data were analysed to identify relationships between practices and demographic variables including country of origin, years of service, and speech-language pathologists’ multilingual status.Current practices reveal little knowledge and/or use of standardised tests for developmental language disorder across countries, but relatively high self-perceived competence when working with multilingual clients for Indonesia and Malaysia. However, several challenges were perceived across the board in practice with multilingual children, including socioeconomic challenges (i.e. costs involved for families and social status), insufficient training on the relevant topics, and limited access to appropriate tools and resources in their current practice.Findings suggest the need for training and appropriate assessment tools to ensure the adoption of evidence-based service delivery for multilingual caseloads, minimising misclassification of developmental language disorder and boosting confidence levels in speech-language pathologists in Southeast Asia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Previous research suggests that migrants develop binational identities – a sense of belonging to both their country of origin and of settlement. These identities, in turn, are determined by the way they are treated by the majority population of the receiving society. This article aims to contribute nuance to these understandings of binational identities and experiences of origin-based discrimination in migrants by bringing in a further perspective: transnationalism. In particular, we suggest that transnational family ties and practices increase migrants' sense of belonging to their country of origin and additionally moderate the impact of origin-based discrimination on the sense of belonging to the country of origin and settlement. We test these hypotheses based on a representative survey among the migrant population in Germany. While findings confirm the hypothesis regarding a direct relationship between transnational family ties and practices and sense of belonging, the moderation hypothesis was not confirmed. Instead, by tendency the relationship is more pronounced among participants without transnational family ties and practices. Findings highlight the importance of the transnational perspective to further contextualize the relationship of origin-based discrimination to binational identities among migrants, thus to investigate the role of social context in binational identity formation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article studies how trust in institutions is shaped among immigrants, considering the level of democracy in the countries of both origin and destination. Democracy is relevant to institutional trust as this system provides citizens with better performance, procedures and accountability. Immigrants use a 'dual frame of reference' when asked the extent to which they trust public institutions. They use their experiences in their countries of both origin and destination. Therefore, the difference between the levels of democracy in these two contexts may affect their trust in the institutions of the destination country. This article also considers the role of the length of time immigrants have lived in the host country and the age at which they migrated. Longer stays may make immigrants more similar to native citizens in their scepticism about institutions, while early-age migration may limit experience in the country of origin. To test these arguments the study applies a 'double comparative design' to data from the European Social Survey and the V-Dem project, and finds that trust in public institutions increases as immigrants move from less to more democratic countries, depending on their length of stay and age at migration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Sweetpotato is a vegetatively propagated crop cultivated worldwide, predominantly in developing countries, valued for its adaptability, short growth cycle, and high productivity per unit land area. In most sub-Saharan African (SSA) countries, it is widely grown by smallholder farmers. Niger, Nigeria, and Benin have a huge diversity of sweetpotato accessions whose potential has not fully been explored to date. Diversity Arrays Technology (DArTseq), a Genotyping by Sequencing (GBS) method, has been developed and enables genotyping with high-density single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in different crop species. The aim of this study was to assess the genetic diversity and population structure of the West African sweetpotato collection using Diversity Arrays Technology through Genotyping by Sequencing (GBS). Results: 29,523 Diversity Arrays Technology (DArTseq) single nucleotide polymorphism markers were used to genotype 271 sweetpotato accessions. Genetic diversity analysis revealed an average polymorphic information content (PIC) value of 0.39, a minor allele frequency of 0.26, and an observed heterozygosity of 10%. The highest value of polymorphic information content (PIC) (0.41) was observed in chromosomes 4, while the highest proportion of heterozygous (He) (0.18) was observed in chromosomes 11. Molecular diversity revealed high values of polymorphic sites (Ps), theta (θ), and nucleotide diversity (π) with 0.973, 0.158, and 0.086, respectively, which indicated high genetic variation. The pairs of genetic distances revealed a range from 0.08 to 0.47 with an overall average of 0.34. Population structure analysis divided the 271 accessions into four populations (population 1 was characterised by a mixture of accessions from all countries; population 2, mostly comprised of Nigerian breeding lines; population 3 contained exclusively landraces from Benin; and population 4 was composed by only landraces from West African countries) at K = 4, and analysis of molecular variance (AMOVA) based on PhiPT values showed that most of the variation was explained when accessions were categorized based on population structure at K = 4 (25.25%) and based on cluster analysis (19.43%). Genetic distance showed that group 4 (which constituted by landraces of Niger and Benin) was genetically distant (0.428) from groups 2 (formed by 75% of breeding lines of Nigeria), while group 1 was the closest (0.182) to group 2. Conclusions: This study employed 7,591 DArTseq-based SNP markers, revealing extensive polymorphism and variation within and between populations. Variability among countries of origin (11.42%) exceeded that based on biological status (9.13%) and storage root flesh colour (7.90%), emphasizing the impact of migration on genetic diversity. Population structure analysis using principal component analysis (PCA), Neighbor-Joining (NJ) tree, and STRUCTURE at K = 4 grouped 271 accessions into distinct clusters, irrespective of their geographic origins, indicating widespread genetic exchange. Group 4, dominated by landraces (95%), showed significant genetic differentiation (Nei's Gst = 0.428) from Group 2, mainly comprising breeding lines, suggesting their potential as heterotic groups for breeding initiatives like HEBS or ABS. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article "Editorial: D. Wagner and V. Mesa" from Educational Studies in Mathematics reflects on the year 2024, highlighting the publication of 82 articles in nine issues across three volumes, including a special issue on Race, Racism, and Racialization in Mathematics Education. The editorial team discusses the representation of countries in the journal and acknowledges efforts to improve diversity and inclusion in the field. The journal has seen a steady increase in manuscript submissions since 2004, with a notable growth in research methods and theories used in mathematics education research. The editorial team emphasizes the importance of high-quality research contributions, sound methodologies, and diverse international contexts in published manuscripts. [Extracted from the article]

We use structural modeling to address the allocation process of a microcredit provider granting loans to a heterogeneous pool of applicants. Our theoretical model accounts for technology, risk preferences, and information asymmetry. We test the model with a hand-collected database that includes detailed information on the applicants of a microcredit institution funding European micro-enterprises. Non-parametric Bayesian methodology is used to unpack between-group differences in approval probabilities associated with gender and country of origin and identify (demand-side differences), while differences in unexplained approval probabilities would suggest supply-side biases. The empirical analysis shows that applicants coming from outside of the European Union tend to be more productive than EU-born citizens. They also enjoy a higher approval probability, except for applicants from Latin America, which appear to be riskier borrowers. This result suggests that the microcredit provider treats immigrants fairly. By contrast, the higher productivity and the lower risk of female entrepreneurial projects is only partially compensated by easier access to credit. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Unlike the mandatory information that must be provided on a food supplement label, health claims are voluntary. This study assesses the regulatory compliance of omega-3 fatty acid (ω-3-FA) supplement label claims. Of the 97 supplements, 76 (78.4%) carried verbal claims referring to active substance, of which 68 (89.5%) were claims specific to ω-3-FA. According to the European Union Health Claims Registry, 107 claims listed on 59 supplements were authorized, as opposed to nine unauthorized claims on nine supplements. The degree to which claims aligned with regulatory standards, expressed in terms of scores scaled from 0 to 1, was the highest for supplements intended for pregnant women (1), while, in the case of adults, the mean score was 0.76 ± 0.35, and, in case of children, was 0.85 ± 0.27. Statistical analysis revealed a minor tendency for higher health claim scores to be associated with lower product prices. Furthermore, differences in compliance levels across groups of supplements formed according to the country of origin/sources of ω-3-FA/target populations were explored. The main differences were associated with products from Sweden and Italy/fish oil/supplements for pregnant women. A comparison of the daily intake of ω-3-FA provided by the supplement (based on labeled information) with the intake requirements for supplements with claims referring to ω-3-FA, supported 91 claims, five were unsubstantiated, and 11 were missing required data. Supplements also contained mineral- (19 approved) and vitamin-related claims (73, of which 9 were unauthorized). This study's findings reveal the extent of misuse of labelled information in markets that require pre-market supplement registration. Importantly, the non-compliance of health claims can significantly undermine consumer trust. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Patients often mention distress, anxiety, or claustrophobia related to MRI, resulting in no‐shows, disturbances of the workflow, and lasting psychological effects. Patients' experience varies and is moderated by socio‐demographic aspects alongside the clinical condition. While qualitative studies help understand individuals' experiences, to date a systematic review and aggregation of MRI individuals' experience is lacking. Purpose: To investigate how adult patients experience MRI, and the characterizing factors. Study Type: Systematic review with meta‐aggregation and meta‐synthesis. Population: 220 patients' reported experience of adults undergoing clinical MRI and 144 quotes from eight qualitative studies. Assessment: Systematic search in PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, and PsycInfo databases according to the PRISMA guidelines. For quality appraisal, the Joanna Briggs Institute (JBI) tools were used. Convergent segregated approach was undertaken. Data Analysis: Participant recruitment, setting of exploration, type of interview, and analysis extracted through Joana Briggs Qualitative Assessment and Review Instrument (JBI QARI) tool. Meta‐synthesis was supported by a concept map. For meta‐aggregation, direct patient quotes were extracted, findings grouped, themes and characterizing factors at each stage abstracted, and categories coded in two cycles. Frequency of statements was quantified. Interviews' raw data unavailability impeded computer‐aided analysis. Results: Eight articles out of 12,755 initial studies, 220 patients, were included. Meta‐aggregation of 144 patient quotes answered: (1) experiences before, at the scanning table, during, and after an MRI, (2) differences based on clinical condition, and (3) characterizing factors, including coping strategies, look‐and‐feel of medical technology, interaction with professionals, and information. Seven publications lack participants' health literacy level, occupation, and eight studies lack developmental conditions, ethnicity, or country of origin. Six studies were conducted in university hospitals. Data Conclusion: Aggregation of patients' quotes provide a foundational description of adult patients' MRI experience across the stages of an MRI process. Insufficient raw data of individual quotes and limited socio‐demographic diversity may constrain the understanding of individual experience and characterizing factors. Level of Evidence: 1 Technical Efficacy: Stage 5 [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: There are calls for irradiated food labelling due to a significant need for food safety and extensive procedures to safeguard consumer health. Additionally, there is a strong push from producers for mandatory Country of Origin (COO) labelling. The study examines how the COO and Radura labels influence consumer behaviour and shows the interplay between these influences. Using Attitude-Behavior-Context theory, a conceptual model is proposed and tested to evaluate these factors. The use of multiple labels allows for more choices. How the information presented on labels corresponds to consumers' pre-purchase information search is tested on regular label users. Design/methodology/approach: Structural Equation Modelling (SEM), Generalised Linear Modelling and Cluster Analysis were used to analyse the data on a sample of 322 Australian respondents. Findings: The study revealed that COO labelling had a significant positive relationship with attitudes but a negative relationship with WTP, acting as a suppressed mediator between attitudes and WTP. Interestingly, while knowledge was not found significant, label confidence emerged as a significant factor. Furthermore, the research suggests that regular users may prioritize COO labels over Radura labels. Originality/value: This research contributes novelty by being the first to address the interplay between COO and irradiated labels, complementing the growing body of literature on irradiation labelling. It also offers valuable insights for retail practitioners, providing an understanding that can facilitate the delivery of high-value multiple labels at the point of purchase. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this paper is to explore how Syrian entrepreneurs in Egypt might ensure the inclusion of Egyptian employees in their restaurants in return for gratitude for the good treatment they receive from that country. The empirical sample comprises 54 semi-structured interviews with employees working full-time in restaurants owned by Syrians in Egypt. The findings showed that the previous disappointments and hardships of the refugees shape their way of thinking and behaving. The interviews indicated that Syrian refugees in Egypt return the gratitude they receive from their host country with long working hours, low financial incentives, and second-class treatment for their Egyptian employees. Moreover, the findings also indicated that guaranteeing Syrian entrepreneurs ongoing action resources (access to education, health, the labour market), emancipative values (ongoing tolerance from the host-country citizens) and civic entitlement (laws to secure freedom for Syrian refugees) might result in him or her feeling like the master that the citizens of the host country should please because he has suffered a lot in his country of origin. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: To evaluate the quality, reliability, and popularity of YouTube videos addressing retinoblastoma. Methods: This was a retrospective, cross-sectional, register-based study. A YouTube search was performed using the keyword retinoblastoma and the first 100 videos that came out were included in the study. Duplicate videos, videos that were not in English, and videos that were less than 1 minute were excluded. The number of views, likes, dislikes, comments, video type (uploaded by physicians, uploaded by public or private institution, uploaded by health channel or uploaded by patients), and country of origin were evaluated for all videos. The popularity of the videos was evaluated with the Video Power Index. The quality of the videos was measured using the DISCERN score (DISCERN), Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) benchmark criteria, and Global Quality Score (GQS). Results: Of the 100 videos, 70 videos met the criteria and were included in the study. The mean DISCERN, JAMA, and GQS scores were 42.54 ± 18.77, 2.14 ± 1.03, 2.87 ± 1.42 and 2.99 ± 1.44, respectively. On examining the upload source 18 (25.7%) videos were uploaded by private institutions, 15 (21.4%) videos by physicians, 14 (20.0%) videos by public institutions, 14 (20.0%) videos by health channels, and 9 (12.9%) videos by patients. There was a significant level of agreement between the two commentators evaluating the videos with a power of 91.6% (kappa score: 0.916). Videos uploaded by physicians and public or private institutions had significantly higher DISCERN, JAMA, and GQS scores. Conclusions: The content of YouTube videos regarding retinoblastoma is generally of moderate quality for patients. Increasing the number of videos uploaded by physicians and public or private institutions will increase the quality, reliability, and informative value of the videos. [J Pediatr Ophthalmol Strabismus. 2025;62(1):33–38.] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Government of Indonesia has initiated halal tourism strategies to attract tourists from Muslim countries. The number of tourists coming from Muslim countries has been increasing, yet it remains smaller than that of non-Muslim countries. This study uses a gravity model framework for tourism flows to investigate the effect of Muslim countries on the number of tourist arrivals in Indonesia. Using panel data from 196 countries of origin in Indonesia from 2017–2019, the gravity model for bilateral tourism flow was estimated using the random effect model. The variable religion is represented by the membership of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC). The model also includes standard gravity model variables and institutional factors to control for bilateral tourism flows. The finding suggests that religion does not matter in enhancing international tourist arrivals in Indonesia. Further, tourist arrivals in Indonesia are more influenced by visa-free policies rather than similarities in religion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Based on an analysis of parliamentary debates and party manifestos from 2000 to 2022 in three EU countries of emigration, this article responds to the following question: How emigration is discussed in the political discourse, by whom and why? The research on Poland, Portugal and Romania reveals that parties of the left and right address the societal impacts of emigration whilst simultaneously acknowledging the appreciation of citizens of EU freedoms. Tackling this conundrum, parties call for domestic demarcation for an issue that is partially European. They advocate for state intervention to improve working and living conditions and express concern for the sustainability of the national community responding to demographic changes. The variation amongst the case countries is evident in the dominance of a rightist framing in Central and Eastern Europe, emphasizing state intervention and concerns for the nation, and a leftist framing in Southern Europe, advocating solely for state intervention into the economy. Differently structured party systems and strength of cleavages explain this variation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

ABSTRACT Aims Design Methods Data Sources Results Conclusion Implications for Professional Practice Impact Reporting Method Patient or Public Contribution To present a conceptual definition of transnational healthcare in the context of migrant older adults.This article follows the Walker and Avant concept analysis framework to conduct an in‐depth analysis of transnational healthcare.Databases were searched for scholarly articles using keywords associated with transnational healthcare. The DistillerSR software was employed to screen articles for inclusion in the concept analysis. Titles and abstracts of 390 articles were screened with 50 identified for full‐text screening. Thirty‐seven articles were included to inform the concept analysis.Social Science Citation Index (Clarivate), PsycInfo and CINAHL databases. Search dates: March–May 2024.Defining attributes of the concept include cultural comfort and alignment, perceived quality and trust, integration barriers and experiences of discrimination, use of digital platforms and informal networks, challenges navigating host country health systems. Cases, antecedents, consequences, empirical referents and cultural considerations were used to shape a conceptual definition of transnational healthcare.Transnational healthcare is defined as a practice involving those living outside of their country of origin seeking healthcare from that country of origin through physical or other means.This conceptual definition highlights the importance of understanding healthcare access, quality and continuity of care across national borders.This study addresses gaps in available literature regarding transnational healthcare and its impacts on treatment outcomes, healthcare satisfaction and continuity of care in migrant communities.This article adheres to the PRISMA (2020) reporting guidelines for systematic reviews.No patient or public contribution. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Screening and response for intimate partner violence (IPV) is recommended for women in priority populations and is implemented in health services across diverse jurisdictions. Most women experiencing IPV strongly support screening, however this is untested with refugee women in resettlement contexts. Around one third of refugee women in Australia experience IPV and face multiple post-migration challenges. SAHAR (Safety and Health after Arrival) tested IPV screening using the ACTS tool, brief intervention, and referral with women accessing four settlement support services. Women attending sites during the study period were invited to participate in a three month follow up survey with participation by 321/375 women recruited (86%). Acceptability of IPV screening was assessed against (i) levels of comfort with the IPV screening questions and (ii) strength of agreement/disagreement with settlement services asking women about being frightened, controlled or hurt by their partners. Of participants who recalled the screening, 93% reported being very or moderately comfortable with being asked the questions (89% who had experienced IPV; 94% of those with no IPV identified). For all participants, 84% strongly or somewhat agreed with services asking the questions, with no significant difference in agreement between disclosing and non-disclosing groups. Those with no recall of the questions had lower overall agreement and higher disagreement than those who recalled the questions (88% and 10%). Acceptability was not associated with age, country of origin, household composition, time since arrival or number of prior service visits. Participants identified 'care shown by the worker', 'talking to someone in my own language', 'trust in the privacy of the service', and 'talking to a female worker' as the factors most important for encouraging discussion of IPV. High acceptance of IPV screening by refugee women supports consideration of implementation across settlement services, a key access point for refugee women with diverse needs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

AbstractThis article examines the perspectives of Africans living in Poland on infertility and associated cultural stigmatisation. By situating the discussion within the broader context of African cultural frameworks and the sociocultural dynamics of contemporary Poland, the study investigates how members of this community reconcile their cultural identities with their lived experiences in a European setting. Supported by a review of the literature on gender roles, childbearing and reproductive health issues on the African continent, this study provided insight into the small and diverse African diaspora in Poland. Using in-depth interviews with participants from various African countries, the research explores gender roles, societal pressures, and the impact of stigmatisation on reproductive health perceptions. It also addresses participants’ connections to their countries of origin, and their attitudes towards the adoption and the use of reproductive technologies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Ireland's COVID-19 response combined extensive SARS-CoV-2 testing to estimate incidence, with whole genome sequencing (WGS) for genome surveillance. As an island with two political jurisdictions―Northern Ireland (NI) and Republic of Ireland (RoI)―and access to detailed passenger travel data, Ireland provides a unique setting to study virus introductions and evaluate public health measures. Using a substantial Irish genomic dataset alongside global data from GISAID, this study aimed to trace the introduction and spread of SARS-CoV-2 across the island. Methods: We recursively searched for 29,518 SARS-CoV-2 genome sequences collected in Ireland from March 2020 to June 2022 within the global SARS-CoV-2 phylogenetic tree and identified clusters based on shared last common non-Irish ancestors. A maximum parsimony approach was used to assign a likely country of origin to each cluster. The geographic locations and collection dates of the samples in each introduction cluster were used to map the spread of the virus across Ireland. Downsampling was used to model the impact of varying levels of sequencing and normalisation for population permitted comparison between jurisdictions. Results: Six periods spanning the early introductions and the emergence of Alpha, Delta, and Omicron variants were studied in detail. Among 4439 SARS-CoV-2 introductions to Ireland, 2535 originated in England, with additional cases largely from the rest of Great Britain, United States of America, and Northwestern Europe. Introduction clusters ranged in size from a single to thousands of cases. Introductions were concentrated in the densely populated Dublin and Belfast areas, with many clusters spreading islandwide. Genetic phylogeny was able to effectively trace localised transmission patterns. Introduction rates were similar in NI and RoI for most variants, except for Delta, which was more frequently introduced to NI. Conclusions: Tracking individual introduction events enables detailed modelling of virus spread patterns and clearer assessment of the effectiveness of control measures. Stricter travel restrictions in RoI likely reduced Delta introductions but not infection rates, which were similar across jurisdictions. Local and global sequencing levels influence the information available from phylogenomic analyses and we describe an approach to assess the ability of a chosen WGS level to detect virus introductions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Metabolic dysfunction-associated fatty liver disease (MAFLD) has been used to characterize patients with fatty liver and metabolic dysfunction. The association between MAFLD and chronic kidney disease (CKD) remains undefined. We present high-quality evidence obtained from cohort studies examining if MAFLD leads to an increased risk of CKD. Methods: PubMed, CENTRAL, Embase, Scopus, and Web of Science were searched from the earliest possible date to 17th May 2024 for cohort studies examining the link between MAFLD and CKD. Results: Eight studies with nine cohorts were included. Pooled analysis of all nine cohorts showed that MAFLD was an independent predictor of CKD (HR: 1.38 95% CI: 1.24, 1.53 I2 = 95%). No change in results was noted on sensitivity analysis. We also noted no change in the significance of effect size on subgroup analysis based on study design (prospective or retrospective), country of origin (China, Korea, Japan, or UK), the incidence of CKD in the cohort (> 10% or ≤ 10%) and if the study adjusted for cardiovascular disease, diabetes, hypertension, and smoking status. Further, meta-analysis showed that MAFLD was still a risk factor for CKD in men (HR: 1.38 95% CI: 1.22, 1.56 I2 = 86%), women (HR: 1.51 95% CI: 1.25, 1.82 I2 = 87%), overweight (HR: 1.41 95% CI: 1.20, 1.66 I2 = 89%) and non-overweight cohorts (HR: 1.35 95% CI: 1.20, 1.53 I2 = 9%). Conclusion: MAFLD is an independent predictor of CKD. The association seems persistent irrespective of sex, body mass index, and other CKD risk factors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The anthropogenic influences of historical shipwrecks on the marine environment remain largely uncharacterized, particularly for wrecks located at depths of ~50 meters and lost over 80 years ago. Below 50 meters, the marine environment transitions from the euphotic to the mesophotic zone, where reduced light, significant changes in oxygen levels, and increased pressure may alter microbial communities and metabolic pathways. Understanding these shifts can provide insights into the adaptation and evolution of microorganisms. Sediment samples were collected by a team of divers from nine wreck sites off the coast of Malta, varying in depth from 5 to 100 meters. All sampling was conducted with the consent and authorization of the Government of Malta for the collection of marine genetic resources. Chemical analyses and metabarcoding techniques were employed to assess how shipwrecks influence microbial diversity and community composition in the surrounding sediments. Alpha (α) diversity of microbial communities was higher in sediments adjacent to the shipwrecks compared to those collected over 100 meters away from any wreck site. Across all nine wreck sites, sediment size emerged as the most significant driver of microbial diversity, followed by frame type and the presence of oil leaks. This study demonstrates that shipwrecks, varying in depth, frame type, and country of origin, significantly influence the microbial ecosystems and sediment chemistry of their surrounding environment. The findings suggest that shipwrecks act as focal points for ecological and chemical changes, contributing to the dynamic interactions between historical artifacts and marine ecosystems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: This study aims to examine decision factors for global sourcing, differentiated into transcontinental and continental sourcing to obtain insight into locational aspects of sourcing decisions and global trends. This study analyzed various country perceptions to reveal their influence on sourcing decisions. The country of origin (COO) theory explains why certain country perceptions and images influence purchasing experts in their selection of suppliers. Design/methodology/approach: This study used a two-study approach. In Study 1, the authors conducted discrete choice card experiments with 71 purchasing experts located in Europe and the USA to examine the importance of essential decision factors for global sourcing. Given the clear evidence that location is a factor in sourcing decisions, in Study 2 the authors investigated purchasers' perceptions and images of countries, adding country ranking experiments on various perceived characteristics such as quality, price and technology. Findings: Study 1 provides evidence that the purchasers' personal relationship with the supplier plays a decisive role in the supplier selection process. While product quality and location impact sourcing decisions, the attraction of the buying company and cultural barriers are less significant. Interestingly, however, these factors seem as important as price to respondents. This implies that a strong relationship with suppliers and good quality products are essential aspects of a reliable and robust supply chain in the post-COVID-19 era. Examining the locational aspect in detail, Study 2 linked the choice card experiments with country ranking experiments. In this study, the authors found that purchasing experts consider that transcontinental countries such as Japan and China offer significant advantages in terms of price and technology. China has enhanced its quality, which is recognizable in the country ranking experiments. Therefore, decisions on global sourcing are not just based on such high-impact factors as price and availability; country perceptions are also influential. Additionally, the significance of the locational aspect could be linked to certain country images of transcontinental suppliers, as the COO theory describes. Originality/value: The new approach divides global sourcing into transcontinental and European sourcing to evaluate special decision factors and link these factors to the locational aspect of sourcing decisions. To deepen the clear evidence for the locational aspect and investigate the possible influence of country perceptions, the authors applied the COO theory. This approach enabled authors to show the strong influence of country perception on purchasing departments, which is represented by the locational effect. Hence, the success of transcontinental countries relies not only on factors such as their availability but also on the purchasers' positive perceptions of these countries in terms of technology and price. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To what extent do Greenfield foreign direct investment (FDI) inflows to emerging markets and developing economies drive their tourist inflows? Using a novel dataset on bilateral Greenfield FDI, this study is the first to empirically investigate the impact of bilateral Greenfield FDI on bilateral tourist flows. The analysis is based on a large cross-country dyadic dataset comprising 103 origin countries and 63 destination countries over the period 2003–2017. The findings robustly establish that greater flows of bilateral Greenfield FDI stimulate bilateral tourism flows, and this effect is stronger for country pairs that are linguistically further apart and/or with greater physical distance. These findings are not susceptible to potential endogeneity issues. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To date, discussions on migrants' integration and returnees' reintegration have been kept apart. With the increased salience of return migration, reintegration schemes have gained importance, not only for European countries aiming at preventing further migration after return but also for migrants' countries of origin. However, research on reintegration from the perspective of transnational migration governance is still scarce. This article thus contributes to the advancement of theoretical approaches to return and reintegration policies by showing how core rationales of migrant integration in Europe spill over to the context of reintegration beyond the continent. Drawing from an ethnographic research project on gender, return migration and reintegration in West Africa, we compare the European key actors' perceptions of (re)integration, in the cases of Germany and Switzerland, with those of their counterparts in Guinea and Senegal. Moreover, we touch on how the returnees and their families and communities perceive the key actors' definitions of reintegration. Our results show the different ways in which Eurocentric expectations and rationales of migrant integration come to shape their reintegration support schemes in the countries of return. These include the narrowly defined target groups, the paradigm of ‘promoting and demanding’, which currently gravitates towards the principle of ‘demanding and controlling’, a high priority on economic (re)integration, and accountability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Spoken language processing is of huge interest to cognitive and neural scientists, as it is the dominant channel for everyday verbal communication. The aim of this study is to depict the dynamics of publications in the field of neuroimaging research on spoken language processing between 2000 and 2024. Methods: A bibliometric analysis was conducted to probe this particular subject matter based on data retrieved from Web of Science. A total of 8,085 articles were found, which were analyzed together with their authors, journals of publication, citations and countries of origin. Results: Results showed a steady increase of publication volume and a relatively high academic visibility of this research field indexed by total citations in the first 25 years of the 21st century. Maps of frequent keywords, institutional collaboration network show that cooperations mainly happen between institutions in the United States, the United Kingdom and Germany. Future trends based on burst detection predict that classification, Alzheimer's disease and oscillations are potential hot topics. Discussion: Possible reasons for the result include the aging of the population in developed countries, and the rapid growth of artificial intelligence in the past decade. Finally, specific research avenues were proposed which might benefit future studies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The IRONMAN® (IM) triathlon is a popular multi-sport, where age group athletes often strive to qualify for the IM World Championship in Hawaii. The aim of the present study was to investigate the location of the fastest IM racecourses for age group IM triathletes. This knowledge will help IM age group triathletes find the best racecourse, considering their strengths and weaknesses, to qualify. Objective: To determine the fastest IM racecourse for age group IM triathletes using descriptive and predictive statistical methods. Methods: We collected and analyzed 677,702 age group IM finishers' records from 228 countries participating in 444 IM competitions held between 2002 and 2022 across 66 event locations. Locations were ranked by average race speed (performance), and countries were sorted by number of records in the sample (participation). A predictive model was built with race finish time as the predicted variable and the triathlete's gender, age group, country of origin, event location, average air, and water temperatures in each location as predictors. The model was trained with 75% of the available data and was validated against the remaining 25%. Several model interpretability tools were used to explore how each predictor contributed to the model's predictive power, from which we intended to infer whether one or more predictors were more important than the others. Results: The average race speed ranking showed IM Vitoria-Gasteiz (1 race only), IM Copenhagen (8 races), IM Hawaii (18 races), IM Tallinn (4 races) and IM Regensburg (2 races) in the first five positions. The XG Boost Regressor model analysis indicated that the IM Hawaii course was the fastest race course and that male athletes aged 35 years and younger were the fastest. Most of the finishers were competing in IM triathlons held in the US, such as IM Wisconsin, IM Florida, IM Lake Placid, IM Arizona, and IM Hawaii, where the IM World Championship took place. However, the fastest average times were achieved in IM Vitoria-Gasteiz, IM Copenhagen, IM Hawaii, IM Tallin, IM Regensburg, IM Brazil Florianopolis, IM Barcelona, or IM Austria with the absolutely fastest race time in IM Hawaii. Most of the successful IM finishers originated from the US, followed by athletes from the UK, Canada, Australia, Germany, and France. The best mean IM race times were achieved by athletes from Austria, Germany, Belgium, Switzerland, Finland, and Denmark. Regarding environmental conditions, the best IM race times were achieved at an air temperature of ∼27°C and a water temperature of ∼24°C. Conclusions: IM age group athletes who intend to qualify for IM World Championship in IM Hawaii are encouraged to participate in IM Austria, IM Copenhagen, IM Brazil Florianopolis, and/or IM Barcelona in order to achieve a fast race time to qualify for the IM World Championship in IM Hawaii where the top race times were achieved. Most likely these races offer the best ambient temperatures for a fast race time. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

ABSTRACT This study examines the biopolitical borders of Türkiye. On the one hand, Türkiye deserves attention as a destination country that received millions of Syrian asylum seekers after the outbreak of the war in Syria and hundreds of thousands of migrants from other surrounding countries since the early 2010s. Yet, the country can also be seen as an origin and a transit country since a significant number of citizens and foreigners have been emigrating to Western countries from Türkiye. Recently, the number of educated and highly skilled people from Türkiye migrating to other countries has escalated. Given its unique position as a receiving, transit and origin country, Türkiye merits special investigation into the consequences of migration and border policies on domestic biopolitics. This study differs from existing literature in that it focuses on the biopolitical implications of migration from and to Türkiye. The study shows that even though the biopolitical borders of the country seem inadequate to protect domestic biopolitics, they are still discernible for migrants. Although a large number of Syrians, Afghans and other foreign nationals have crossed the national borders of Türkiye, they still face biopolitical borders. Türkiye's biopolitical borders not only function to establish a hierarchy that subordinates migrants to citizens but also create hierarchies among different migrant groups. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

For many migrants, returning to their country of origin is an important turning point in their migration trajectory. However, whether reverse migration proves successful depends largely on whether returnees are again able to participate in the social, economic, cultural, and political life of their country of origin. This paper draws on 37 biographical interviews conducted with Albanian returnees in three different geographical areas of Albania: Fier, Tirana, and Voskopoja. It aims to capture the diverse strategies the return migrants employed in navigating the labor market upon their return. We examine how the social and human capital the returnees accumulated while abroad shaped their patterns of reintegration into the labor market. We find that the returnees' social capital in the form of social relationships and their human capital in the form of work experience influenced their entrepreneurial activities in their home country. Moreover, we observe that some of the returnees who were able to capitalize on their migration experiences in their host country introduced a new work culture and new products to their home country and offered better quality work than their local competitors. Our findings further indicate that while the returnees' social networks improved their economic prospects, the levels of trust and social responsibility in these networks enabled them to develop and expand their business activities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Observational health research often relies on accurate and complete race and ethnicity (RE) patient information, such as characterizing cohorts, assessing quality/performance metrics of hospitals and health systems, and identifying health disparities. While the electronic health record contains structured data such as accessible patient-level RE data, it is often missing, inaccurate, or lacking granular details. Natural language processing models can be trained to identify RE in clinical text which can supplement missing RE data in clinical data repositories. Here we describe the Contextualized Race and Ethnicity Annotations for Clinical Text (C-REACT) Dataset, which comprises 12,000 patients and 17,281 sentences from their clinical notes in the MIMIC-III dataset. Using these sentences, two sets of reference standard annotations for RE data are made available with annotation guidelines. The first set of annotations comprise highly granular information related to RE, such as preferred language and country of origin, while the second set contains RE labels annotated by physicians. This dataset can support health systems' ability to use RE data to serve health equity goals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sustainable employability refers to an individual's ability to work and maintain employment over a long-term period. Despite significant progress in current research on sustainable employability, improvements are needed in areas such as consistency in definition, research on specific populations, industry-specific challenges, and methodological limitations. The current bibliometric analysis aims to address these areas by systematically studying published articles on sustainable employability from 2014 to 2024. A total of 170 articles on sustainable employability were retrieved from January 2014 to January 2024 using the Web of Science database. Various bibliometric information was collected, including the number of publications, keywords, countries of origin, journal names, research hotspots, national cooperation, and journal citation data. The Netherlands published the highest number of papers on sustainable employability. Additionally, sustainable employability has remained a research hotspot over the past decade. The complexity and multidimensionality of this field highlights the increasing focus on employees' psychological characteristics, work environment, and health management, emphasizing the importance of interdisciplinary collaboration in research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aims to evaluate discrepancies between self-reported and measured height and weight, with a focus on sex differences and group variation among Turkish immigrants living in the Netherlands, Germany, and Türkiye. Data were collected from 478 participants (202 male and 276 female) across these three countries. Both selfreported and measured values for height and weight were recorded and analyzed. Linear regression models were used to investigate the relationship between the differences in reported and measured values and BMI. Results showed significant differences between self-reported and measured height and weight across sexes and origins. Females reported greater height differences than males; Turkish immigrant individuals living in the Netherlands in particular reported their heights as higher than other groups for both sexes (Males: 1.77 cm; Females: 1.79 cm). Similarly, weight discrepancies were more pronounced among females, particularly those from the Netherlands, with a selfreported weight that was -0.68 kg lower than the measured weight. These results suggest a tendency for participants to overestimate height and underestimate weight, with varying patterns based on sex and country of origin. Regression analyses indicated a positive correlation between BMI and the magnitude of discrepancies between selfreported and measured anthropometric values. These findings underscore the importance of considering self-report biases in anthropometric studies and highlight the need for anthropometric measurements in health assessments, particularly when assessing immigrant populations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This research explores the conditions of parents in precarious employment in Italy (European Union) with an emphasis on (but not confined to) mothers from non-European Union countries of origin. The aim is to construct a critical understanding of the material conditions of workers and parents in precarious employment and their everyday struggles to achieve employment and income security, when this income security can be achieved only through the sale of labour-power in gendered and racialised labour markets. Their everyday lives are marked by their conditions of bearers of labour-power and crucially these precarious social conditions produce a pressure which tends to reduce precarious workers' lives to 'bare life'. Bare life is connected to the 'bare minimum' that these participants get in terms of income. This study aims to give a new interpretation to the concept of bare minimum through which precarious parents must arrange their lives. Gendered and racialising processes take place through the struggles around this 'minimum'. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]