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In the last decade, the popularity of e-bikes has increased as they have shown potential to relieve congestion and aid the environment. However, with the increase of their popularity, there has been also an increase in their traffic crashes. This study aims to understand factors playing a role in the e-bike crash injury outcomes. The analysis uses 1,351 records of e-bike crashes to estimate random parameters multinomial logit models with heterogeneity in the means and variances of random parameters in four groups. This paper also seeks to provide insights into e-bike crash injury severities across gender (female versus male) and lighting conditions (daytime and nighttime) specific models. Numerous likelihood ratio tests were performed to justify splitting the data. It was found that a variety of factors relating to the weather and road characteristics, crash type, and rider's demographics play a role in crash outcomes. Particularly interesting are findings relating to the rollover crashes increasing the likelihood of severe outcomes as well as gender specific effects with, for example, male riders have a higher probability of severe injuries during peak traffic hours. The findings can be used to support e-bike safety as well as advocate for a more nuanced and inclusive approach relating to e-bike travel. HIGHLIGHTS: Uses comprehensive shared e-bike crash data. Random parameters logit models with heterogeneity in the means and variances are estimated to uncover key contributing factors to e-bike crash injury severities. Significant gender and lighting differences are found, therefore four separate crash severity models are estimated namely: female and male, daylight and nighttime. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Food security is a core global sustainability challenge and priority of the UN Sustainable Development Goals. Events like COVID-19, extreme weather, and global conflicts have significantly impacted food prices, as evidenced by the FAO food price index rising from 95.1 in 2019 to 143.7 in 2022, heightening EU food security concerns. The European Commission responded with a food supply contingency plan. According to Eurobarometer data, our study shows that EU citizens' food security concerns vary by demographic, political, and socioeconomic factors. While men prioritize external factors like climate change, women express greater concern for local social issues, including small farm viability. Age influences the concern focus, with younger people worried about agricultural stagnation, and older individuals recalling past economic crises. Education and income also play roles, with educated and wealthier citizens worried about environmental risks, and less educated, poorer individuals more concerned about socioeconomic impacts. Political leanings and urban/rural divides shape concerns, as well as EU policy dissatisfaction, which links to worries over economic vulnerability and nationalism. Effective EU food security policies require understanding complex factors, stakeholder collaboration, and tailored strategies for diverse needs. Our findings suggest the need for EU policies to incorporate demographic nuances, ensuring food security sustainability across socioeconomic and political spectrums. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Males and females have long shown disparities in body weight and height; yet, the underlying mechanisms influencing growth and development remain unclear. Male and female Zhedong White Geese (ZDW) geese have long been selected for large body size and egg production, respectively. This led to a large difference in body weight between males and females, making them a unique model for studying the effects of sex on growth and development. This study aimed to elucidate these mechanisms by comparing the transcriptomes of muscle and pituitary tissues in male and female ZDW geese to identify the critical genes responsible for the effects of sex on growth performance. Our analysis revealed 1101 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) in leg musculature (507 upregulated, 594 downregulated), 773 DEGs in breast musculature (311 upregulated, 462 downregulated), and 517 DEGs in the pituitary gland (281 upregulated, 236 downregulated) between male and female geese. These DEGs were significantly enriched in gene ontology and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathways associated with endocrine metabolism (e.g., hormonal activities), muscle formation (e.g., sarcomere and myofibril), and bone formation (e.g., bone morphogenesis and cartilage formation). The upregulated genes in males were enriched in KEGG pathways involving nutrient digestion and absorption (vitamin and protein), as well as the secretion of digestive juices (gastric acid and bile). Through protein–protein interaction analyses, we also observed high-density gene networks related to muscle fiber development, calcium ion metabolism, mitochondrial respiratory chain, and bone development. Therefore, our multi-tissue transcriptome analysis provides a deeper understanding of the complex and systematic gender-driven effects on growth and development in geese. IGF1, GHRHR, and NCAPG-LCORL and pathways related to myogenesis might play vital roles in gender differences before hormones exert their effect.

Males and females have long shown disparities in body weight and height; yet, the underlying mechanisms influencing growth and development remain unclear. Male and female Zhedong White Geese (ZDW) geese have long been selected for large body size and egg production, respectively. This led to a large difference in body weight between males and females, making them a unique model for studying the effects of sex on growth and development. This study aimed to elucidate these mechanisms by comparing the transcriptomes of muscle and pituitary tissues in male and female ZDW geese to identify the critical genes responsible for the effects of sex on growth performance. Our analysis revealed 1101 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) in leg musculature (507 upregulated, 594 downregulated), 773 DEGs in breast musculature (311 upregulated, 462 downregulated), and 517 DEGs in the pituitary gland (281 upregulated, 236 downregulated) between male and female geese. These DEGs were significantly enriched in gene ontology and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathways associated with endocrine metabolism (e.g., hormonal activities), muscle formation (e.g., sarcomere and myofibril), and bone formation (e.g., bone morphogenesis and cartilage formation). The upregulated genes in males were enriched in KEGG pathways involving nutrient digestion and absorption (vitamin and protein), as well as the secretion of digestive juices (gastric acid and bile). Through protein–protein interaction analyses, we also observed high-density gene networks related to muscle fiber development, calcium ion metabolism, mitochondrial respiratory chain, and bone development. Therefore, our multi-tissue transcriptome analysis provides a deeper understanding of the complex and systematic gender-driven effects on growth and development in geese. IGF1, GHRHR, and NCAPG-LCORL and pathways related to myogenesis might play vital roles in gender differences before hormones exert their effect. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aims to examine the predictability of satisfaction with life on the basis of subjective happiness, positive and negative affect, psychological disturbance and emotion of gratitude. It also seeks to assess whether the emotion of gratitude is a mediating variable with subjective happiness, affect, and satisfaction with life. Statistical analyses of Pearson's correlation, multiple linear regression tests, and mediation models were conducted on a sample of 1537 Spanish adults, 73.6% were females, 26.4% males, age between 18-88 years old (M = 42.56; SD = 16.29). The emotions of gratitude were found to mediate the relationship between subjective happiness and satisfaction with life and between positive affect and satisfaction with life. Of the variables studied, positive affect is the most related to satisfaction with life, followed by subjective happiness and emotions of gratitude. Male participants are more satisfied with life when they feel the less negative affect. Regarding mediation models, emotions of gratitude mediate the relationship between subjective happiness and satisfaction with life and between positive affect and satisfaction with life. The main difference is that emotions of gratitude are stronger in females than in males. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study contributes to the existing literature on the impact of conference presentations on career progression by quantifying the predictive power of conferences for publication success. Examining outcomes for more than 4000 papers presented at three leading economics conferences over the 2006–2012 period, we find a positive link between conference presentations and the publishing probability in high-quality journals. This impact is most profound for prominent authors and male authors. In contrast, lesser known authors and female authors appear to gain less from conferences. Additionally, participating in major conferences is also associated with improved metrics for other measures of academic success such as the number of citations or abstract views. Further examination shows that annual meetings of the American Economic Association are particularly valuable in these dimensions.

This study contributes to the existing literature on the impact of conference presentations on career progression by quantifying the predictive power of conferences for publication success. Examining outcomes for more than 4000 papers presented at three leading economics conferences over the 2006–2012 period, we find a positive link between conference presentations and the publishing probability in high-quality journals. This impact is most profound for prominent authors and male authors. In contrast, lesser known authors and female authors appear to gain less from conferences. Additionally, participating in major conferences is also associated with improved metrics for other measures of academic success such as the number of citations or abstract views. Further examination shows that annual meetings of the American Economic Association are particularly valuable in these dimensions.

The transcription factor MYC is overexpressed in many human cancers and has a significant causal role in tumor incidence and progression. In contrast, Myc+/− heterozygous mice, which have decreased MYC expression, exhibit a 10–20% increase in lifespan and a decreased incidence or progression of several age-related diseases. Myc heterozygous mice were also reported to have decreased mTOR and IGF1 signaling, two pathways whose reduced activity is associated with longevity in diverse species. Given MYC’s downstream role in these pathways, the downregulation of mTOR and IGF1 signaling in Myc heterozygotes suggests the presence of feedback loops within this regulatory network. In this communication we provide further evidence that the reduction of Myc expression in Myc+/− heterozygous mice provokes a female-specific decrease in circulating IGF1 as well as a reduction of IGF1 protein in the liver. In particular, reduced Myc expression led to upregulation of miRNAs that target the Igf1 transcript, thereby inhibiting its translation and leading to decreased IGF1 protein levels. Using Argonaute (AGO)-CLIP-sequencing we found enrichment of AGO binding in the Igf1 transcript at the target sites of let-7, miR-122, and miR-29 in female, but not male Myc heterozygotes. Upregulation of the liver-specific miR-122 in primary hepatocytes in culture and in vivo in mice resulted in significant downregulation of IGF1 protein, but not mRNA. Reduced levels of IGF1 increased GH production in the pituitary through a well-documented negative-feedback relationship. In line with this, we found that IGF1 levels in bone (where miR-122 is not expressed) were unchanged, consistent with the decreased incidence of osteoporosis in female Myc heterozygotes, despite decreased circulating IGF1.

The purpose of the present study was to profile bullying behaviors in elementary schools in Saudi Arabia. A secondary purpose was to examine differences in bullying behaviors across gender. Participants were 3867 fourth graders who completed surveys during the TIMSS 2019 survey. An 11-item bullying experience scale was utilized with good internal consistency reliability. Data were analyzed using latent class analysis with Mplus 8.9 to identify profiles of bullying experiences. The results indicated the presence of five profiles with levels of low, medium, and high bullying experiences, as well as two profiles with no cyberbullying experiences and medium high and medium low physical and verbal instances of bullying. Gender effects were highly pronounced, with most maladaptive bullying profiles being predominantly male. It is concluded that physical bullying is mainly occupied by males and the levels of cyberbullying are generally low in the elementary school grades. Implications for educational policy can clearly direct the development of support groups and expert counseling for both bullies and victims, staff training for identification and course of action, and the development of standardized school policies when such incidences occur. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Overconfidence and exaggerated evaluation of one's own abilities have been tagged to narcissistic personalities. Notably, prior research related narcissistic traits only with self-estimates of general IQ, although contemporary narcissism models offer the potential to test more specific hypotheses, for instance at the level of multiple abilities. Therefore, we examined associations between agentic, antagonistic, and neurotic narcissism and self-estimated intelligence not only at the level of general IQ, but also at the level of facets: verbal, mathematical-logical, personal, and artistic abilities. Correlation and multiple regression analyses in 264 individuals (53 % female) consistently revealed positive relationships between agentic narcissism and the different measures of SEI. Antagonistic and neurotic narcissism were unrelated to self-estimates of general IQ, verbal, mathematical-logical, and artistic abilities, but linked with lower self-estimated personal ability. Moreover, independent effects of gender emerged. The study illustrates that the relationship between narcissism and SEI goes beyond the obvious, but overly simplistic tag of 'narcissistic self-enhancement'. Future studies could implement even finer grained assessments of different ability domains and address developmental trajectories of self-estimation bias and its relationship to narcissistic traits. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The current study aims to evaluate gender variations in the efferent auditory system functioning in the ANSD population and compare them to normal hearing persons using contralateral suppression of spontaneous OAE (SOAEs). Methods: For the current study, a total of 54 ears were considered prospectively. 27 ears with normal hearing (NH) sensitivity were in group I, while 27 ears with ANSD were in group II. All of the subjects had a regular audiological examination followed by synchronised SOAE recordings with and without broadband noise (in the contralateral ear) at 50 dB SPL and statistical analysis was carried out. Results: Wilcoxon signed rank test revealed a significant decrease in SOAE amplitude with contralateral noise stimulation in NH, while no such trend was observed in ANSD. However, contralateral SOAE stimulation resulted in significant high-frequency shifts for both the ANSD and NH groups in the noise condition. In the comparison of gender effects on SOAE amplitude and frequency shifts using Mann–Whitney, no significant gender differences were seen. The lack of gender differences in SOAE suppression is explained based on global standing wave theory and local oscillator theory. Conclusions: Contralateral effect of noise on SOAE shows frequency shifts, but not amplitude shifts both of which are not affected by gender effects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Despite the knowledge that women engage more frequently in multitasking than men when using media devices, no study has explored how multitasking impacts the brand attitude of this target audience. The investigation of gender effects in the context of media multitasking would not only provide a better understanding of the individual elements which influence brand attitude in media multitasking situations but would also guide marketers in their targeting strategies. Likewise, the investigation of the role of advertising appeals follows the current call to concentrate on the role of advertising in media multitasking situations. To address these research gaps, the current research conducted two experimental studies to offer a new perspective on the impact of gender differences in processing styles (heuristic vs systematic processing) and their interaction with different advertising appeals (rational vs emotional appeals) on brand attitude in media single and multitasking. Study 1 employs an online experiment (gender × viewing situation × advertising appeal). Results demonstrate that media multitasking negatively affects brand attitude, and that women have a lower brand attitude in a media multitasking situation compared to a single tasking situation, while emotional advertisements neither strengthen nor attenuate the negative impact of media multitasking on brand attitude. Study 2 employs a more controlled online experiment (gender × viewing situation × advertising appeal) with a different product category. The results reveal a moderating effect on the influence of media multitasking on brand attitude, as mediated through attention toward the ad. Hence, attention toward the ad has been identified as underlying mechanism. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Virtual worlds have the potential to enable and enhance online learning outcomes. Because learning in threedimensional (3D) designed learning spaces depends on learners' spatial processing abilities, we need to understand how these abilities may affect online learning outcomes. Building on the hunter-gatherer theory of gender difference in spatial abilities, we examined how gender interacts with learning type (directed vs. incidental) to affect learning in virtual world (VR) simulations of objects. Specifically, we theorized that men's and women's spatial abilities would lead to differential outcomes based on the type of learning that the instructor designed. Using a between-subjects 2 x 2 factorial design (directed vs. incidental learning and male vs. female), we found that incidental learning benefitted women and that directed learning benefitted men. Our findings counter the traditional view that males outperform females in learning tasks that engage spatial abilities in a virtual world. We urge educators to consider such gender effects on learning when employing VR simulations of objects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Multiple assessments, including a novel videogame methodology, were used to understand how viewing a Giant Screen film in four different formats affected both science identity associated with liking science and desire to be a scientist, and learning gains on STEM content. Participants were 406 5th graders who were randomly assigned to watch the 45-min film called Amazon Adventure in either a (1) 2D Small Screen, (2) 2D Giant Flat Screen, (3) 3D Giant Flat Screen, or (4) curved Dome condition. The conditions increased in levels of immersivity as listed. In this 4 × 3 design, the first factor was viewing condition and the second was test time including pretests, posttests, and two-month followup on content knowledge tests relating to natural selection. The strongest pattern was seen at the followup time point where the three more immersive conditions (2D Giant Screen, 3D Giant Screen, and Dome) outperformed the Small Screen condition on the science identity measures of liking science and wanting to be a scientist when grown up. Additionally, two of the more immersive conditions performed significantly better at both posttest and followup on the videogame that assessed natural selection and mimicry knowledge. Significant gender effects at followup revealed that females in the two most immersive conditions (3D Flat and Dome) liked science significantly more and wanted to be a scientist more than males when grown. Interestingly, females also played the videogame significantly better than the males at both posttest and followup. These results suggest that increases in the immersivity of a film can have longer term effects on science identity, and those effects are stronger in females. Additionally, as more assessments are being designed in a gamified manner, designers/researchers should keep game-style (i.e., strategy games) and gender interactions in mind. It had not been predicted that the females would outperform the males on the STEM assessment videogame, but deduction games like the one in this study are probably capturing more than knowledge about natural selection, they may be a proxies for general intelligence or g. More research is needed on game type and gender effects during the school-age developmental span.

ObjectiveRecall and recognition memory abilities are known to decline with increasing age, yet much of the evidence stems from studies that used simple measures of total target recall or recognition. The California Verbal Learning Test-Second Edition (CVLT-II) includes a new measure of recall discriminability that is analogous to recognition discriminability. These discriminability measures yield more thorough assessments of recall and recognition by accounting for intrusion and false positive errors, respectively. Research also has shown that women outperform men on verbal episodic memory tests. However, gender differences in recall and recognition discriminability and the age-by-gender interaction on these constructs have not been thoroughly examined.MethodCognitively healthy adults (N = 223) 18-91 years in age completed the CVLT-II. Multiple regression analyses were conducted to examine effects of age, gender, and the age-by-gender interaction on CVLT-II subtypes of recall and recognition discriminability.ResultsDiscriminability scores decreased with increasing age, and women outperformed men. There was an age-by-gender interaction on total, immediate, and free recall discriminability - the negative association between age and scores was stronger in men than in women. Exploratory analyses revealed an inverted U-shaped relationship between age and recall discriminability scores in women.ConclusionsThe present findings support and expand upon the extant literature on aging, gender, and verbal episodic memory, plus describe a novel age-by-gender interaction intrinsic to subtypes of recall discriminability. The findings suggest that methods traditionally used to assess recognition memory function can be used to elucidate age- and gender-related changes in recall ability across the adult lifespan.

We empirically study the relationship between the gender composition and the performance of teams. In our setting, teams of students are incentivized to develop business plans as part of a compulsory course in a business administration program. At first sight, and in line with earlier empirical literature, the gender composition seems to matter. Our article differs in that we have access to a measure of task‐specific individual ability. When controlling for ability, the relation between gender and team performance vanishes, highlighting the importance of controlling for other characteristics in empirical and experimental studies of gender effects. Objective: While various studies document a relationship between the gender composition and the performance of teams, we ask whether such findings may depend on a lack of controlling for other dimensions of heterogeneity among team members. Methods: In our setting, teams of students are incentivized to develop business plans as part of a compulsory course in a business administration program. Our article differs from the literature in that we have access to a measure of task‐specific individual ability. Using ordinary least squares regressions, controlling for year and team size fixed effects, and conducting various robustness checks, we study the association between team performance and team characteristics. Results: At first sight, and in line with earlier empirical literature, the gender composition seems to matter for team performance. However, when controlling for the individual abilities of team members, the relation between the gender composition and team performance vanishes. Conclusion: Our study highlights the importance of controlling for other characteristics in empirical and experimental studies of gender effects, which in our context leads them to disappear. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BACKGROUND: Unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) or drones are becoming popular in both commerce and private usage. Behaviors of novice drone operators are critical to UAV flight safety. OBJECTIVES: This study aims at discovering the perceived difficulty, flight information access frequency, and flight performance of novice drone operators. METHODS: Twenty adults without prior experience joined as human participants. After attending an onsite training, they operated a drone to perform three missions. The subjective rating of mission difficulty, frequency of flight information checked, and time to complete the mission were analysed. RESULTS: The results indicated significance of gender effects on the difficulty experienced by the novices. Females reported significantly higher difficulty ratings than males initially. This gender difference diminished later in their last mission. Frequency of flight information access was negatively correlated with the difficulty experienced by the operators. Operators who checked flight information more often had less difficulty in performing the flight missions. CONCLUSIONS: There were gender effects in the perceived difficulty and flight information access in drone operations for novices. Such information is helpful in drone operator training and drone design considering drone operation safety. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The literature emphasizes the importance of matching the demand and supply of endocrinology and metabolism (EM) specialists. This study analyzed the current status of EM specialists in Taiwan. The gender effects on the workplace of EM specialists were also evaluated. Methods: The number of internal medicine (IM) specialists was obtained from the websites of the Ministry of Health and Welfare. Data about EM specialists were retrieved from the database of the Endocrine Society of the Republic of China (ESROC; Taiwan). Differences in age distribution and workplace levels or locations between female and male EM specialists were analyzed. Results: Since 1988, 809 physicians were certified as EM specialists. The average age of 739 EM specialists (509 male, 230 female) who remained as active members of the ESROC was 49.9 ± 11.1 years. The age distribution (p

Growing up in high-risk environments is detrimental to children's development of attachment security. Parenting behavior is hypothesized to be the mechanism through which risks exert their influence. However, risk influences can vary between individuals by gender. Aim of this study was to explore specific pathways of family risk on early attachment security and additionally examine the transmission via parenting behavior. The sample consisted of 197 children and their primary caregivers. Children's age ranged between 10 and 21 months (M = 15.25, SD = 3.59). Data assessment included 21 distal and proximal family risk factors, children's attachment security, and parental responsivity and supportive presence. Whereas distal risk factors had an adverse effect only on girls' attachment security, proximal risks negatively affected only boys' attachment security. Additionally, patterns of risk factors occurring in our sample were analyzed using an exploratory principal component analysis. Regardless of the child's gender, a low socio - economic status was negatively related to attachment security of all children. Migration and crowding and a high emotional load of the primary caregiver both negatively predicted girls' but not boys' attachment security. However, the attachment security of boys was affected by a negative family climate. Most of the adverse risk effects on attachment security were mediated by parental responsivity and supportive presence so that the transmission of risk occurs through parenting behavior. Results revealed a different susceptibility of family risks for girls and boys. The consideration of a gender-sensitive approach in developmental psychopathology and interventions of developmental child welfare services is recommended. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of the present study was to profile bullying behaviors in elementary schools in Saudi Arabia. A secondary purpose was to examine differences in bullying behaviors across gender. Participants were 3867 fourth graders who completed surveys during the TIMSS 2019 survey. An 11-item bullying experience scale was utilized with good internal consistency reliability. Data were analyzed using latent class analysis with Mplus 8.9 to identify profiles of bullying experiences. The results indicated the presence of five profiles with levels of low, medium, and high bullying experiences, as well as two profiles with no cyberbullying experiences and medium high and medium low physical and verbal instances of bullying. Gender effects were highly pronounced, with most maladaptive bullying profiles being predominantly male. It is concluded that physical bullying is mainly occupied by males and the levels of cyberbullying are generally low in the elementary school grades. Implications for educational policy can clearly direct the development of support groups and expert counseling for both bullies and victims, staff training for identification and course of action, and the development of standardized school policies when such incidences occur.

The impostor phenomenon (IP) refers to the tendency to perceive oneself as intellectually incompetent and to attribute one’s own success to effort-related or external factors, such as fortunate circumstances. The present study (N=209) aimed to contribute to open questions regarding gender differences in the IP and the nomological network of the IP. The results show that the consistently found key correlates of the IP, that is, lower self-esteem and higher neuroticism, could also play a role in explaining why women report higher impostor feelings than men in many studies. Moreover, the results suggest that IP is characterized by the more maladaptive, socially prescribed perfectionism, which is related to the belief that others expect perfection from oneself, whereas self-oriented perfectionism, which is characterized by a critical view on oneself, plays a smaller role in differences in the IP. Finally, a strong association with the sandbagging construct challenges the conceptualization of the IP as a genuine doubt about one’s own competence, because similarly to IP, sandbaggers present themselves negatively to others, but do so for very strategic reasons in order to create a low expectation base in other individuals. Regression analysis was used to assess the incremental value of the personality factors in explaining variance in the IP. It was found that sandbagging and IP are highly related but not interchangeable.

The impostor phenomenon (IP) refers to the tendency to perceive oneself as intellectually incompetent and to attribute one's own success to effort-related or external factors, such as fortunate circumstances. The present study (N =209) aimed to contribute to open questions regarding gender differences in the IP and the nomological network of the IP. The results show that the consistently found key correlates of the IP, that is, lower self-esteem and higher neuroticism, could also play a role in explaining why women report higher impostor feelings than men in many studies. Moreover, the results suggest that IP is characterized by the more maladaptive, socially prescribed perfectionism, which is related to the belief that others expect perfection from oneself, whereas self-oriented perfectionism, which is characterized by a critical view on oneself, plays a smaller role in differences in the IP. Finally, a strong association with the sandbagging construct challenges the conceptualization of the IP as a genuine doubt about one's own competence, because similarly to IP, sandbaggers present themselves negatively to others, but do so for very strategic reasons in order to create a low expectation base in other individuals. Regression analysis was used to assess the incremental value of the personality factors in explaining variance in the IP. It was found that sandbagging and IP are highly related but not interchangeable. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although policy instruments are often conceptualized as technical or neutral tools through which ideas and outcomes are connected, this article focuses on the discursive dimensions of policy instruments in Canada’s eldercare policy to explore their gendered and gendering logics and effects. Using frame analysis, we examine government acts, public reports and policy documents to uncover how different policy instruments at the federal and subnational levels frame caregiving and the caregiver. In doing so, we identify three distinct and contradictory frames – caregiver as resource, caregiver as worker and caregiver as autonomy – and illuminate their effects for gender equality outcomes. By looking at the implementation of eldercare policies in different provinces and across different government levels, we advance a better understanding of the gendered meanings and effects of instruments mixes.

In recent years, there has been growing interest in examining the stimulus pull effects on respondent narratives to the Thematic Apperception Test (Murray, 1943) using standardized coding methods such as the Social Cognition and Object Relations Scale–Global Rating Method (SCORS‐G; Stein, Hilsenroth, Slavin‐Mulford, & Pinsker, 2011; Westen, 1995). The present study expands on prior work by examining sources of variance in SCORS‐G dimensions and card pull effect patterns in an adult clinical sample characterized by high psychiatric comorbidity and clinical severity. A sample of 158 adult psychiatric patients in long‐term residential treatment provided narratives to 10 TAT cards (five of which have not previously been studied for pull effects). Cards 2 and 7BM pulled for significantly more adaptive narratives (positive pull), whereas Card 13MF pulled for more pathological stories (negative pull). Like prior studies, variance in cognitive dimensions of the SCORS‐G was most explained by person effects, whereas the largest source of variance for all other dimensions was best explained by a combination of the card and the person effects on the narrative. Finally, exploratory analyses of card pull effects within different gender groups were conducted. The implications of these findings for performance‐based future studies and possible clinical applications of card pull findings are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Depressive symptoms are known to affect memory efficiency in various populations. More specifically, several studies conducted in patients suffering from schizophrenia have indicated that memory efficiency is affected by depressed mood in female patients and by anxiety in male patients. We investigated, using neuroimaging techniques, whether similar gender-specific associations with subclinical depression and anxiety could be observed in a non-clinical sample. Forty-five healthy Spanish-speaking individuals (23 females) were administered a verbal memory task. Lists of high- and low-frequency words were presented. Immediate free recall was requested after the learning of each list, and a yes/no recognition task was completed during the acquisition of the fMRI data. Regression analyses revealed that higher depression scores in women, and higher anxiety scores in men, were associated with poorer recall. In women, higher depression scores were further associated with decreased cerebral activity in the right temporoparietal junction, left inferior occipitotemporal gyrus, bilateral thalamus, and left anterior cingulate during correct recognition of target words. In men, anxiety scores were not associated with any cerebral activity. Subclinical depression in women appears to affect memory efficiency by impacting cerebral regions specifically recruited for the cognitive demands of the task, as well as cerebral regions more generally involved in arousal, decision-making, and emotional regulation. Anxiety in men might impact the encoding memory processes. The results, although preliminary, suggest that gender differences may need to be taken into account when developing strategies for the cognitive and pharmacological remediation of memory impairment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We quantify differences in attitudes to loss from individuals with different demographic, personal and socio-economic characteristics. Our data are based on responses from an online survey of a representative sample of over 4000 UK residents and allow us to produce the most comprehensive analysis of the heterogeneity of loss aversion measures to date. Using the canonical model proposed by Tversky and Kahneman (1992), we show that responses for the population as a whole differ substantially from those typically provided by students (who form the basis of many existing studies of loss aversion). The average aversion to a loss of £500 relative to a gain of the same amount is 2.41, but loss aversion correlates significantly with characteristics such as gender, age, education, financial knowledge, social class, employment status, management responsibility, income, savings and home ownership. Other related factors include marital status, number of children, ease of savings, rainy day fund, personality type, emotional state, newspaper and political party. However, once we condition on all the profiling characteristics of the respondents, some factors, in particular gender, cease to be significant, suggesting that gender differences in risk and loss attitudes might be due to other factors, such as income differences. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Adequate use of multimodal stimuli plays a crucial role in help forming the sense of presence within a virtual environment. While most of the presence research attempts to engage more sensory modalities to induce a higher sense of presence, this paper investigates the relevance of each sensory modality and different combinations on the subjective sense of presence using a specifically designed scenario of a passive experience. We chose a neutral test scenario of “waiting at a train station while a train is passing by” to avoid the potential influence of story narrative on mental presence and replicated realistic multimodal stimuli that are highly relevant to our test setting. All four stimuli - visual, auditory, vibration, and draught - with 16 possibilities of combinations were systematically evaluated with 24 participants. The evaluation was performed on one crucial aspect of presence – “realness” to reflect user presence in general. The perceived realism value was assessed using a scalometer. The findings of main effects indicate that the auditory stimuli had the most significant contribution in creating the sense of presence. The results of interaction effects suggest the impact of draught stimuli is significant in relation to other stimuli - visual and auditory. Also, the gender effects revealed that the sense of presence reported by female participants is influenced by more factors than merely adding more sensory modalities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Although the human finger is the interface used for the touch process, very few studies have used its properties to provide a description of tactile perception regarding age and gender effects. Age and gender effects on the biophysical properties of the human finger were the main topics of our previous study. Correlating tactile perception with each parameter proved very complex. We expand on that work to assess the static and dynamic touch in addition to the touch gestures. We also investigate the age and gender effects on tactile perception by studying the finger size and the real contact area (static and dynamic) of forty human fingers of different ages and gender. The size of the finger and the real contact area (static and dynamic) define the density of the mechanoreceptors. This density is an image of the number of mechanoreceptors solicited and therefore of tactile perception (static and dynamic). In addition, the touch gestures used to perceive an object’s properties differ among people. Therefore, we seek to comprehend the tactile perception of different touch gestures due to the anisotropy of mechanical properties, and we study two different directions (top to bottom and left to right).

Background: The literature emphasizes the importance of matching the demand and supply of endocrinology and metabolism (EM) specialists. This study analyzed the current status of EM specialists in Taiwan. The gender effects on the workplace of EM specialists were also evaluated.Methods: The number of internal medicine (IM) specialists was obtained from the websites of the Ministry of Health and Welfare. Data about EM specialists were retrieved from the database of the Endocrine Society of the Republic of China (ESROC; Taiwan). Differences in age distribution and workplace levels or locations between female and male EM specialists were analyzed.Results: Since 1988, 809 physicians were certified as EM specialists. The average age of 739 EM specialists (509 male, 230 female) who remained as active members of the ESROC was 49.9 ± 11.1 years. The age distribution (p < 0.001) and workplace location (p = 0.043) were significantly different between male and female EM specialists. Divided by decades, the ratio of female-to-male EM specialists revealed an increasing tendency (p < 0.001). The percentage of EM specialists among IM specialists, certified 2 years previously, declined from 14.0% in 2017 to 7.9% and 8.3% in 2018 and 2019, respectively.Conclusion: The female-to-male ratio of EM specialists increased gradually. Compared to males, female EM specialists were relatively younger, and more of them had clinical practice in northern Taiwan. The percentage of IM specialists becoming EM specialists declined in the last 2 years. The equilibrium between the supply and demand of EM specialists deserves further investigation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Anecdotal media reports suggest that countries led by women politicians have had better outcomes from combating the COVID-19 pandemic. This paper systematizes the evidence by using data on the presence of women heads of state and COVID-19 related infection and death rates in 144 countries. The regression results show that: (1) there is a negative and statistically significant correlation between COVID-19 outcomes and the presence of a woman head of state; (2) there is no evidence that countries led by women responded faster than countries led by men in implementing social distancing measures to "flatten" the infection curve; and (3) countries led by women have a higher rate of universal healthcare coverage than countries led by men; if the countries led by men had comparable levels of investment in a widely available healthcare system, their outcomes from fighting the pandemic would be similar. HIGHLIGHTS Countries with women heads of state report fewer cases and deaths related to COVID-19. These states also have higher rates of universal healthcare coverage. Women's preferences for public spending on healthcare made these countries better prepared for the pandemic. There is no evidence that women leaders were faster to implement social distancing measures. Countries led by men could have similar outcomes with investment in higher healthcare coverage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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The effects of relevant factors related to self-assessment have not been systematically investigated. We explored four factors and their effects on self-assessment and self-efficacy: (1) feedback (with vs without), (2) subject matter (Spanish vs mathematics), (3) year level (K7 vs K10 vs K11), and (4) gender. The participants included 64 secondary education students who self-assessed during a set of Spanish and mathematics activities while being video-recorded. Data came from think-aloud protocols, direct observations, and self-reported instruments. The use of self-assessment strategies and criteria was more frequent and advanced without feedback and in females. There were differences in the self-assessment of Spanish and mathematics. As for year level, results showed more similarities than expected, though the use of advanced strategies and criteria varied across levels. Additionally, none of the factors had significant effects on self-efficacy. This study opens a new avenue for self-assessment research, unveiling the black box of self-assessment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The objectives of this study are to elicit perceptions that Chinese users of English have towards a selection of world English varieties; to determine the effects of speaker gender and visual primes (ethnic faces) on perceptions; and also to reveal how these two factors interact with each other. In the present experiment, 278 respondents were exposed to eight world English varieties. Each accent sample had a female and a male voice version. Chinese students of English were exposed to these recordings, with the presence and absence of average ethnic faces as visual stimuli during the experiment, and requested to complete a questionnaire to reflect on their impressions by means of Likert scales. The results showed a preference for inner circle monolingual standards, and a rejection of outer circle Englishes (for the circles of English classification, see Kachru, 2006). Results also showed a positive perception of respondents towards their own Chinese accent. Ethnic faces visual prime and speaker gender factors, as well as their interaction, also proved to have significant influences on the results. Respondents rated accents significantly more positively when accompanied by ethnic faces. In the case of sole aural stimuli (in the absence of faces visual stimuli) male versions of the accents were observed to obtain significantly better impressions from participants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purposes of this study were to explore gender differences in condom purchasing from condom-vending machines (CVMs) and identify ways to improve CVM promotion. Semi-structured interviews with 42 men and women aged 18–50 years (mean ± standard deviation, 29.1 ± 7.9) and living in or near Florence, Italy, were conducted between May and June 2019. Techniques from expanded grounded theory-guided data analysis allowed for a constant comparative approach to contextualise data and identify emergent themes. Three themes emerged: (1) attitudes and barriers towards CVMs; (2) gender-specific purchasing influences and behaviours; and (3) CVM improvement and promotion. Women and men described varied concerns surrounding CVM purchasing, illuminating reasons for hesitancy. Focussing on CVM quality and improving product offerings were suggested by participants to increase use. Findings offer practical recommendations to guide CVM messaging to increase access to and use of condoms and other personal care items. Men were cited as primary CVM users, expressing practical concerns surrounding CVMs, while, for women, CVM visibility was as much an advantage as a drawback. Reflecting consumer needs via diversified product offerings should be considered a priority for increased CVM use. Working to promote CVMs requires clear messaging that attends to gender norm limitations, details product safety and establishes CVMs as a reliable condom purchase outlet. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Patients with advanced cancer often receive suboptimal end-of-life (EOL) care. Particularly males with advanced cancer are more likely to receive EOL care that is more aggressive, even if death is imminent. Critical factors determining EOL care are EOL conversations or advance care planning. However, information about gender-related factors influencing EOL conversations is lacking. Therefore, the current study investigates gender differences concerning the content, the desired time point, and the mode of initiation of EOL conversations in cancer patients.Methods: In a cross-sectional study, 186 female and male cancer patients were asked about their preferences for EOL discussions using a semi-structured interview, focusing on (a) the importance of six different topics (medical and nursing care, organizational, emotional, social, and spiritual/religious aspects), (b) the desired time point, and (c) the mode of discussion initiation.Results: The importance of EOL topics differs significantly regarding issue (p = 0.002, η2 = 0.02) and gender (p < 0.001, η2 = 0.11). Males wish to avoid the engagement in discussions about death and dying particularly if they are anxious about their end-of-life period. They wish to be addressed regarding the "hard facts" nursing and medical care only. In contrast, females prefer to speak more about "soft facts" and to be addressed about each EOL topic. Independent of gender, the majority of patients prefer to talk rather late: when the disease is getting worse (58%), at the end of their therapy, or when loosing self-sufficiency (27.5%).Conclusion: The tendency of patients to talk late about EOL issues increases the risk of delayed or missed EOL conversations, which may be due to a knowledge gap regarding the possibility of disease-associated incapability. Furthermore, there are significant gender differences influencing the access to EOL conversations. Therefore, for daily clinical routine, we suggest an early two-step, gender-sensitive approach to end-of-life conversations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective The number of women veterans seeking Veterans Health Administration services has substantially increased over the past decade. Neuropsychology remains an understudied area in the examination of gender differences. The present study sought to delineate similarities and differences in men and women veterans presenting for neuropsychological evaluation in terms of demographics, referral, medical conditions, effort, and outcome diagnosis. Method A database collected from an outpatient VA neuropsychology clinic from 2013 to 2019 was analyzed (n  = 232 women, 2642 men). Additional analyses examined younger (n  = 836 men, 155 women) and older (n  = 1805 men, 77 women) age cohorts. Results Women veterans were younger and more educated than men, whereas men had higher prevalence of vascular risk factors. Both groups were most often referred from mental health clinics and memory was the most common referral question. Although men performed worse on performance validity measures, clinicians rated women as evidencing poorer effort on a cumulative rating based on formal and embedded performance validity measures, behavioral observations, and inconsistent test patterns. Older women reported more depressive symptoms than older men and were more commonly diagnosed with depression. Conclusions This exploratory study fills a gap in the understanding of gender differences in veterans presenting for neuropsychological evaluations. Findings emphasize consideration for the intersection of gender with demographics, medical factors, effort, and psychological symptoms by VA neuropsychologists. A better understanding of relationships between gender and these factors may inform neuropsychologists' test selection, interpretation of behavioral observations, and diagnostic considerations to best treat women veterans. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Diminished balance confidence increases the risk of a fall and falls that occur when turning during walking are associated with an eightfold increase in hip fractures compared to when walking in a straight trajectory. Although an effect of aging on turning is revealed, the role of gender during turning is not yet clear.Research Question: How can balance confidence impact turning behavior in younger, middle-aged, and older men and women?Methods: This cross-sectional study included 22 young adults (11 women), 13 middle-aged adults (9 women), and 13 older adults (6 women). Participants ranked their balance confidence using the activities-specific balance confidence (ABC) scale and completed two different turns: Turn1 (around the cone) and Turn2 (turn to sit). Measures obtained for each turn included: turning time, step count, and peak trunk velocities (PTV) in pitch, yaw, and roll.Results: In Turn1, older adults exhibited an increase in turning time and step count relative to younger adults (both p < 0.03). In Turn2, older adults showed an increase in turning time and roll PTV compared to the middle-aged group (both p < 0.02). Lower scores in ABC were significantly correlated with an increase in Turn1 time (p < 0.001) and step count (p = 0.04) in middle-aged and older adults, respectively. Bivariate correlations revealed that women with lower scores on the ABC took more time to complete both turns (both p = 0.01).Significance: Older adults demonstrated longer turning time, more steps, and higher roll PTV while turning that were associated with decreased balance confidence scores. The association between decreased balance confidence and turning kinematics implies a relationship between turning and increased fall risk. These results suggest that testing for fall risk requires tests of activities that are performed outside traditional clinical settings and gait laboratories. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study analyzed the relative importance of different cognitive abilities for solving complex mathematical word problems (CWPs)—a demanding task of high relevance for diverse fields and contexts. We investigated the effects of spatial, verbal, numerical, and general reasoning abilities as well as gender on CWP performance among N = 1282 first-year university engineering students. Generalized linear mixed models unveiled significant unique effects of spatial ability, β = 0.284, verbal ability, β = 0.342, numerical ability, β = 0.164, general reasoning, β = 0.248, and an overall gender effect in favor of male students, β = 0.285. Analyses revealed negligible to small gender effects in verbal and general reasoning ability. Despite a gender effect in spatial ability, d = 0.48, and numerical ability, d = 0.30—both in favor of male students—further analyses showed that effects of all measured cognitive abilities on CWP solving were comparable for both women and men. Our results underpin that CWP solving requires a broad facet of cognitive abilities besides mere mathematical competencies. Since gender differences in CWP solving were not fully explained by differences in the four measured cognitive abilities, gender-specific attitudes, beliefs, and emotions could be considered possible affective moderators of CWP performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this article is to examine and compare the perceptions and effects of the economic crisis on Greek women and men, as well as their resilience actions. Specifically, in this paper, we compare men's and women's perceptions of the economic crisis; secondly, in order to determine the extent of its effect on gender, we consider employment as a key variable, and investigate if and how employment differentiation leads to inequalities between men and women and among women themselves. Finally, we investigate gender resilience to adversity (actions) at both the personal (e.g., everyday behaviour), and the organisational level (e.g. membership in organisations and political participation). Based on data derived from the LIVEWHAT project, the results demonstrate that both men and women have been affected by the economic crisis and have sustained significant losses. Nevertheless, our data show that, among women, it is those in the lower occupational categories who have withstood more severe losses in employment and working conditions. Resilient to adversities, both men and women, albeit in different ways, adjust, accommodate and resist hardships through personal actions, networking and political actions. Our study finally points to the need for the inclusion of gender in any analysis of the impact of crises, as well as in the methods, ways and resources mobilised for resilience.

ORCA.IT, a new online test of online research and comprehension was developed for the Italian population. A group of 183 students attending various types of upper secondary schools in Northern Italy were tested with the new tool and underwent further cognitive and neuropsychological assessment. The different school types involved in the study are representative of the school population in the Italian system, but can also be easily compared with the educational systems of other countries. The new test turned out to have good psychometric properties after accurate item construction and final selection. In particular, Version 1 showed better characteristics than Version 2. Subsequently, comparison with one-way ANOVAs were performed to test whether differences exist between different school types, between groups with and without reading difficulties, and between males and females. Such differences are sometimes reported in the literature, but many remain controversial. Further, Pearson’s bivariate correlations were calculated to analyze associations between scores on the ORCA.IT and cognitive/neuropsychological variables. Finally, a stepwise regression analysis was performed on aggregated scores to identify the predictors of performance on each of the two versions. The test, especially in the most complete version (Version 1), appears to accurately and reliably capture students’ web searching abilities and online reading comprehension. The tool could highlight differences in online search and comprehension ability between students with and without reading difficulties, not penalizing overall performance but allowing very specific weaknesses to be pointed out. Further, it seems to be able to capture differences due to both educational pathways (different school types) and social attitudes (differences between males and females). Most interestingly, it shows to be clearly resting on specific cognitive and neuropsychological abilities, including language, memory, and attentional skills, which explain a large portion of the total variance. Offline text reading comprehension is a crucial predictor of online reading performance, while decoding ability is not. Prior knowledge also influences the results, as expected. The new tool turns out to be rather independent of previous Internet experience and to measure more cognitively grounded processes related to information gathering, processing, and communicating.