Abstract
To systematically understand the evolution of health tourism in China, the present study visually analyzes the theme evolution and frontiers of Chinese health tourism research on the basis of the China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI) database through bibliometric analysis. The findings reflect the existence of diverse clustering themes in health tourism research, and the formation time of each theme is different. The findings also indicate that the change in the theme is led by government policy. Theoretically, the findings of the present study can, on the one hand, contribute to the health tourism literature by comprehensively exploring and summarizing the themes and topics of health tourism development in China since its appearance (i.e., 1981), and, on the other hand, provide references for future health tourism exploration directions. Findings of the present study can provide references for effective future development directions of the health tourism industry.

Introduction

Along with the outbreak of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, people have been paying more attention to health [1]. Consumers are more willing to pay attention to health risks, such as COVID-19-related health issues, and would like to participate more in health tourism. For example, a recent study [2] proved the moderating role of risk communication for health tourism to improve the physical and mental health of people affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. With the effective control of the pandemic in different countries and regions, the tourism industry may have more opportunities for health tourism development [3]. For instance, one recent study reflected the great needs of diversified provision of health tourism packages for different consumer groups [4]. As a result, it is expected that after the pandemic, tourists’ travel behavior may be changed [5], and the expected changes may require tourism destination organizations to be more responsible for the health concern of consumers [6]. Hence, a comprehensive overview of health tourism is conducive to explore current research gaps in order to identify future research directions and ultimately contribute to the development of the health tourism industry.

Conclusions

Theoretically, this study is expected to make meaningful contributions. First, this paper makes up for the lack of international understanding of China’s health tourism sector by reviewing health-related papers from the database in China, thereby helping to better develop Chinese and international academic and industrial cooperation. Second, on the basis of bibliometric results, this study takes policies into consideration, and analyzes the driving forces of China’s healthy tourism development in a more in-depth manner, helping to predict its future development more accurately. Third, through the analysis of the development process of China’s health tourism, the study provides a reference for the development of health tourism for other countries and regions.

Practically, this study is expected to bring some practical implications for the government and the market. First, for the government, the results found that academia has been fruitful in health tourism-related policy formulation and feedback. As such, a government can take academic research results into consideration when formulating health tourism-related policies. Second, for the destination market, the results found that the trend of health tourism is often related to government policies. Therefore, when developing resources related to health tourism, destination organizations can refer to the government’s macro policies to grasp the general direction.

Abstract

     Becoming a parent is a challenging transition, and stress factors may arise. This scoping review aims to map, from the literature, the structure, potential barriers, and facilitators to be considered when conducting a parenting programme for parents of children up to 3 years old. It followed the JBI methodology and included studies with parents of children up to 3 years old (Participants), studies about parenting programme structure, its potential barriers, and facilitators (Concept) in the healthcare or community setting (Context). Qualitative and/or quantitative study designs and grey literature publications between 2016 and 2021 were eligible. The search was performed in three stages in CINAHL Plus with Full Text, MEDLINE with Full Text, and PubMed databases. It was also conducted in OpenGrey, ProQuest, Portuguese Open Access Scientific Repository, and Google Scholar. Fourteen articles were selected. The following aspects were identified regarding parenting programmes: benefits; structuring elements to be considered; facilitating factors and possible barriers to its development, and measurement instruments to assess the programme. Parenting programmes are important ways to contribute to a healthy, sustainable, and resilient society. It should be adapted to individuals, groups, and communities. They add value to parents, children, and society and should be carefully adapted to the group’s needs.

Introduction

     Healthy development during childhood promotes vigorous adulthood, contributing to a productive and sustainable society. A family household is where children establish first relationships, attachment, and continuous interaction, learn to trust and become acquainted with basic social rules [1]. However, it is also where most child abuse occurs, often caused by a parent [2–6]. This toxic stress impact on the early years triggers adverse adulthood outcomes and shortens life expectancy [7–10].

     Different kinds of stress can be induced: positive, tolerable, and toxic. The first is a normal part of healthy functioning; the second is more intense and long-lasting but can be buffered by supportive relations allowing the nervous system to get back on track; toxic stress arises from prolonged adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) such as reiterated abuse, chronic neglect, exposure to violence, or accumulated economic hardship in the family [8].

     Parents and family are those closest to the child and are expected to be the best caregivers [11]. However, cumulative toxic stress can occur without appropriate parental support, which may cause development disruption [12] and promote morbidity before adulthood and early death [8,12].

Conclusions

     This study provides an overview of parenting programmes, and the results guide several recommendations for the future. The results of this article may help public health professionals to plan evidencebased parenting programmes with better outcomes for families, children, and society. These results will guide professionals in constructing more sustainable and effective parental programmes.

      Considering the various benefits, such as increased parent competence, self-efficacy, lower parental stress, lower depression symptoms, and child behaviour problems, implementing parental programmes is an added value for parents, children, and society. However, professionals should be aware of the barriers identified in this study (related to distance strategies and individual needs) and carefully adapt any programme to individual, group or community needs.

     Parenting programmes are important ways to contribute to a healthy, sustainable, and resilient society. They benefit parents by reducing signs of stress and depression and increasing their self-efficacy and social behaviour, which leads to positive changes in childcare. In addition, they bring benefits to the parent–child relationship by relieving social pressure from parents, allowing a focus on the relationship with the child as an individual. Finally, parenting programmes also positively affect society through knowledge sharing, networking, and support so that children can grow up in healthy environments and maximise their full potential.

Abstract

     The understanding of cultural heritage as a growing issue in contemporary security has been described as a heritage-security nexus recognising the protection of cultural heritage as a cross-sectoral topic. It represents an urgent issue in international security politics and in the related field of heritage studies. This article shows how the protection of cultural heritage has found its way into rhetoric relating to security politics, thus placing it on political agendas. This development has had an important impact on the academic field of heritage studies. Therefore, this article seeks to identify the linkage between cultural heritage and security threats and the recognition of it as a new theme in academia during the last two decades. The study argues for a newly defined research field that combines heritage studies with security studies in academic fields such as political science and international relations. Finally, this article argues that the academic field of heritage studies, as well as the heritage institutions and related organisations, needs to have a critical approach to the securitisation process. Involved parties need to consider the intentions and causes of the securitising actors and how they usually benefit from security policies.

Introduction

     Conflict dynamics worldwide have shifted from state-on-state conflicts organised around the geopolitics of national borders and territories to increasingly focusing on cultural references and identity politics orientated towards cultural values. The understanding of cultural heritage as a growing issue in contemporary visions of security can be described as a heritage-security nexus (Rosén 2022). This nexus indicates a mixture of policy areas that used to be relatively separate and calls for a more cross-sectoral approach to addressing security issues related to cultural heritage. To understand this development and enable us to respond adequately to its challenges, this article examines how the discursive construction of cultural heritage destruction as a security threat has strengthened the link between heritage and security within research and in contemporary global politics.

Conclusion

     In this article, the development of the cross-sectoral linkage between cultural heritage and security has been identified. The overview of key events and situations has shown how the tactical value of cultural heritage was exploited in the First and Second World War. This led to the creation of heritage institutions and conventions which established the concept of cultural heritage in the international community, thus using cultural heritage as a soft power platform and as a tool for creating international legal instruments. In the post-Cold War period, influenced by the conflicts in the Balkans and later in Afghanistan, the deliberate destruction of cultural heritage and framing of the destruction of cultural heritage as ‘crimes against humanity’, alongside the reactions and condemnation by international society, defined cultural heritage as an intrinsic concept in human security. Cultural heritage protection was connected to goals of peacebuilding, conflict resolution, tolerance and reconciliation – elements similar to a broader peace and security agenda. The organisation of the field of heritage protection shifted and caused a mixture of sectors to interact around protection. It escalated after the seizure of Palmyra, strengthening the position of cultural heritage in diplomatic relations and in the international community. This caused a number of states as well as regional and international organisations to deploy legal instruments and policy interventions which positioned the role of heritage in global politics and as a political security issue. Resultatively, cultural heritage protection is becoming a transnational security issue in contemporary world politics and armed conflicts. Since the 2000s, this has led to a growing development of a concrete linkage between cultural heritage and security. The purpose of cultural heritage protection has increasingly been connected to the security and protection of society and its people. In that way, securing a society and a population’s cultural heritage has found its way into the political rhetoric, placing it in international relations, framed as heritage diplomacy. It has become an actor in human security and thus a matter of politics for security communities and security policy strategies.

Abstract

     The main objective of this research is a working example of how a hybrid methodology combining traditional methodologies and mobile devices can be used to contribute to the literature on mobile learning in teaching English as a second language. This work was carried out because, in many Latin American countries, students are taught English as a second language throughout their primary and secondary education. However, at the end of their studies, most students are unable to communicate with other people in English, let alone with native speakers. Moreover, it must be taken into account that nowadays English is the most widely used language in international communications, business transactions, finance and science. The professional who knows how to communicate in English has a positive differentiator in his or her professional profile and can easily access more relevant positions in any institution. For this purpose, a review of different methodologies for teaching oral expression in English has been carried out. Metrics have also been used to choose an effective mobile application to reinforce English speaking. These analyzed methodologies have been combined with the use of a mobile application to propose a hybrid methodology that contemplates an eight-week class guide. Due to the characteristics of mobile learning, this work can help to motivate students in their learning and in improving their communicative skills in the English language. High school teachers can use this methodology as an innovation in their educational programs.

Introduction

     In many countries in Latin America, students are taught English as a second language (L2) throughout their primary, secondary, and higher education. However, at the end of their studies, the vast majority of students are unable to communicate with others in English, even less with native English speakers [1].

     English is a universal language; it is the most learned language worldwide as an L2 [2]. Learning this language allows people to have access to more complete education and greater interaction with a huge amount of academic information [3]. In addition, it is fundamental to access new cultures, travel around the world and achieve personal and work goals [2]. It is for this reason that, nowadays, being able to communicate correctly in this language has become a necessary skill. Currently, there are multiple ways to learn English (courses, educational platforms, MOOCs, web apps, and mobile apps). However, the characteristics of mobile learning, the high penetration of mobile devices, and their use among students have allowed this tool to become one of the most used as a support for L2 teaching [4].

Results and analyses

     Studies, research, and this proposal provide information on how MALL apps can be used, in this case Duolingo, as a digital tool that contributes significantly to the improvement of oral proficiency in the English language. There are a variety of applications for L2 learning. However, using educational content as a basis, when choosing an educational application, it is important to consider the following points:

Pedagogical coherence
Feedback and self-correction
Motivation
Usability
Customization
Sharing

    In addition, due to the needs of our students and the experience of the teachers, it was concluded that Duolingo is the exact application to meet the proposed objective. There are multiple factors that can affect English language learning in high school students. That is why this proposal aims to help students improve oral communication without the barriers of fear and shyness, including a good command of vocabulary, pronunciation, fluency and comprehension of the English language. In recent years, multiple initiatives have been generated using mobile applications for education. Duolingo has been one of the most downloaded applications for this purpose. However, the work presented here defines a methodological guide that involves traditional teaching and mobile technology to improve and motivate learning in high school students.

Abstract

As innovative technologies spread, the role of means of interaction with customers in the digital environment is growing. Virtual reality technologies are becoming one of the most promising tools for significantly expanding customer interaction in the context of digital transformation. The purpose of this article is to analyze the brand strategies of the leading companies and show the possibilities of using virtual reality technology and the concept of the metaverse for brand formation and promotion. We also aim to assess the prospects and formulate recommendations on the use of the digital environment in brand management strategies. To achieve the set goal, several tasks were completed. The authors analyzed the experience of using the digital environment for interacting with customers and studied the influence of VR, AR, MR, and XR technologies on brand management. Additionally, the possibilities of using the metaverse concept for brand management was defined. In this work, general scientific theoretical and empirical research methods were applied. The study furthers the theoretical foundations of brand management in the digital environment via innovative branding technologies that support an increase in the competitive performance of companies.

Introduction

As information and communication technologies develop, the digital environment forces enterprises to rethink their strategic goals, transforming both the business itself and the methods of doing business. The use of digital technologies in marketing offers completely new value propositions and ways to promote the business [1].

Traditionally, promotion (communicative mix), as an element of marketing mix, combines various types of marketing communications, including advertising, direct marketing, public relations, etc. They are used to inform the target audience about the merits of a product, service, brand, or idea. Promotion is aimed at generating interest, raising awareness, increasing sales, or building brand loyalty [2]. The development of digital technologies has changed almost all the classic communication instruments and ways of obtaining information. Social networks, instant messengers, video hosting (e.g., YouTube, TikTok), and video conferencing tools (e.g., Zoom, Discord) are becoming more popular. Print media, TV, and radio channels are going digital and introducing online versions.

Conclusions

The analysis of the brand strategies of the leading companies showed quite ample opportunities for using the technologies of virtual, augmented, and mixed reality and the concept of the metaverse for the formation and promotion of brands.

New technologies and platforms, growing connections between communication channels, force companies to constantly seek and summarize best practices, working with customers and other stakeholders through various communication systems.

Branding in a virtual environment can often be challenging, but the benefits far outweigh the drawbacks. Therefore, virtual branding opportunities should be used to the maximum to gain competitive advantages.

Abstract

National policymakers are now faced with the challenge of implementing the UN 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and achieving the scopes envisioned through its 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) worldwide. Diversity discrimination and social inequalities often responsible for sociopolitical uncertainty are at the heart of the agenda. Increasingly, corporations are pushed to take a public stance on controversial issues, promoting social improvements through their power to lead social change. This phenomenon is known in the academic literature as brand activism (BA). Many companies, for example, are exposing themselves to the need to cope with the equality gap that still exists on aspects such as gender, race and age, especially those operating in the beauty and personal care industry. The purpose of this paper is to explore how BA is being used as a driver for equality and inclusion, supporting the achievement of the related SDGs 5 and 10. Through a comparative analysis of the two inclusive brands Dove and L’Oréal, this study aims to capture BA under different corporate strategies in terms of stated values, initiatives and digital communication. Both theoretical and managerial perspectives are offered in the study, which emphasizes that different activist approaches can be successful, provided strong and consistent values are adhered to. The findings of this research show that although the two brands use different activist approaches, one more communicative and the other less so, both are successful because they reflect authentic and consistent values that are considered positively by consumers. Therefore, the study questions the dominant view that BA authenticity is linked to marketing, placing greater emphasis on prosocial corporate practices over communication.

Introduction

The introduction in 2015 of the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in the United Nations 2030 Agenda changed the voluntary and philanthropic nature that characterized corporate social responsibility (CSR), soliciting companies to reach certain thresholds towards sustainable development. Moving beyond the scope of the traditional “three-pillar” (Planet–People–Profit) approach to sustainable development [1], the SDGs’ integrated framework (made up of 169 targets and 232 unique indicators), leads businesses from being reactive to stakeholders’ mandates to assuming a proactive commitment, aware of their potential in influencing sustainable development trajectories. Business participation is considered as an imperative proponent in affecting both public and private sector attitudes, as well as mobilizing collective change in markets and societies towards shared well-being [2,3]. Some companies are engaged in socially responsible initiatives related to their businesses or benefiting their communities, while others have advanced their commitment by supporting controversial causes related, or not, to their core business [2]. In fact, large companies are increasingly taking public positions on controversial issues that plague the planet at both the global and local levels, hoping to sway public opinion. Several brands have played this activist role through their campaigns, such as Nike [4], Patagonia [5], Gillette [6] and Unilever [7], supporting both environmental and controversial prosocial issues such as racial inequality, toxic masculinity, gender minority rights, etc. This phenomenon is recognized in the academic literature as BA. BA has the potential to create ‘win-win-win’ situations that simultaneously benefit companies, consumers and society [8]. Actually, some empirical studies have shown that corporate commitment and investments in activism determine a positive influence on marketing outcomes and guarantee a competitive advantage for the business in terms of purchase intentions, brand equity and corporate reputation [9]. The main reason why BA has become more widespread in recent years is the increased expectations of consumers who, unlike in the past, are beginning to ask not what is being sold but who is selling it [10]. According to Accenture (2019) [11]’s global research, 62% of customers expect companies to take a stand on social issues, the failure of which could mean companies will pay the price; 53% of consumers likely to complain if they are unhappy with the brand’s words or actions, 47% will switch to other brands and 17% may never come back. For this reason, some brands have started to pay more attention to meeting consumers’ expectations, strengthening the consumer–brand relationships through alignment with their values.

Results

Table 1 presents the results of the cross-analysis of the cases. This section shows the main similarities and contrasts between the brands that emerged from the comparison of the three macro sections (themes): values, initiatives and communication.

Comparative Analysis on the Theme ‘Values’
The brand purpose of Dove is as follows: ‘Let’s change beauty. We believe beauty should be a source of confidence, and not anxiety. That’s why we are here to help women everywhere develop a positive relationship with the way they look, helping them raise their self-esteem and realise their full potential’. The brand purpose of L’Oréal is as follows: ‘Create the beauty that moves the world. Our goal is to offer each and every person around the world the best of beauty in terms of quality, efficacy, safety, sincerity and responsibility to satisfy all beauty needs and desires in their infinite diversity’. Thus, both Dove and L’Oréal have at the heart of their purposes the concept of beauty, to be read as a source of confidence, especially for women. Some of the common starting points detected are the same, such as ‘empowerment’, ‘self-confidence’, ‘self-care’ and obviously ‘beauty’. Dove pushes a lot on the concept of ‘authentic beauty’, to be valued in its uniqueness and diversity, fighting unrealistic standards of beauty. L’Oréal, on the other hand, with the expression ‘best of beauty’ intends to pursue an inclusive, responsible, innovative beauty, focusing strongly on the quality, efficacy and safety of its products. The different core themes help us understand the different approaches to the activism of the two brands. The keywords ‘body positivity’, ‘self-esteem’, ‘youth’ and ‘expertise’ tracked in Dove emphasize the brand’s willingness to be active towards young women by supporting them to grow in harmonious relationship with their bodies. As for the keywords that characterize L’Oréal, however, the following can be noted: ‘gender equality’, ‘feminine/feminist’ and ‘sisterhood’, indicating greater activism in defending and enhancing the role of women in society that are all encompassed, for 50 years, in the militant tagline (as they defined it) ‘you’re worth it’.

Abstract

Stakeholder-based brand is increasingly recognized as a measure for corporate sustainability, although the knowledge in this area is relatively unknown. Through a systematic review approach, the present study explores the global knowledge base on sustainability and brand. The most influential authors and documents are identified, followed by a discovery of the intellectual structure of the sustainability and brand knowledge base with five schools of thought. First, the Customer Attitudes and Behavior school refers to behavioral studies (one of the common approaches in sustainability studies). Second, the Tourism Marketing school represents the popular context of sustainability studies that mainly relates to hospitality, destination marketing, and fashion brand management. Third, the Brand Strategy school refers to corporate strategy concerning brand that is widely used to measure corporate sustainability performance such as brand equity. Fourth, the Societal Marketing school provides insights into the marketing strategy that leads a firm to achieve competitive advantages under concerns about finite resources and rising environmental and social costs. Finally, the Advanced Quantitative Analysis school reveals an approach that is mainly used when conducting sustainable marketing studies. A model on sustainability brand is then derived, adopting the grounded theory approach. Future research opportunities are also identified and discussed to continuously advance the scholarship in this specific area.

Introduction

Competitiveness through tangible practical benefits is no longer viable in today’s cut-throat business environment. For this reason, a company’s brand—which is viewed as providing both practical and intangible benefits—is essential to its long-term viability. Corporate brand is being valued more and more due to the increasing interest about business sustainability. Given the impact it has on the attitudes and behaviors of consumers, the corporate brand eventually affects the financial performance of the company. It stands for business strength and reputation in the marketplace [1,2]. The collective value of a brand or brand equity is a crucial component that describes a company’s performance as perceived by its stakeholders [3]. It responds to the idea that a company’s stakeholders should look at how well the company performs in terms of sustainability and how well its stakeholder-focused strategies and practices work [4]. According to research that was carried out in the past [5,6], one of the most critical factors that determines a company’s reputation is how its social performance is seen by the public or stakeholders. This increases brand equity. According to Avery and Bergsteiner [7], corporate sustainability should be achieved by building a strong brand and reputation. Similar to this, several studies have discovered that CSR results in brand equity and business reputation and that a positive reputation can result in long-term profitability and consistently higher performance [8]. In addition, a corporation can benefit from cause-related activities [9] by enhancing the position of the brand, increasing favorability for the brand, raising the volume of the revenues, boosting loyalty among customers, and creating strong bonds with alliances and social organizations.

Brand equity, according to Aaker [10], increases the firm’s worth through boosting marketing campaigns’ efficiency and effectiveness, as well as customer loyalty, prices and profit margins, brand expansion, trade leverage, and competitiveness. Whilst others have claimed that brand equity is determined by the added value that the brand name brings to a product (e.g., [7]), Aaker [10] defines brand equity as a collection of brand assets and liabilities associated with the brand’s name and symbol. The value provided by a service or product may be reduced or increased as a result of this grouping. Undoubtedly, a company’s perceived reputation should reflect both its past and future actions and, in comparison to its rivals, should reflect the firm’s total appeal to all significant stakeholders [11]. Additionally, some scholars [12,13] have claimed that brand equity is determined by the overall value that a brand offers to one of its primary goods. The brand equity model includes associations with the brand, a user’s impression of the product’s quality, and other proprietary aspects of the brand in addition to brand loyalty, brand name awareness, and perceived brand quality [14]. Building a powerful brand involves considering all of these aspects as part of the process [15,16,17].

Conclusions

Through the systematic review approach, the present review has provided the answers to the five research questions. First, we identify the most influential authors and documents regarding sustainability brand. The top four influential scholars in the specific sustainability brand knowledge base are: Gupta, Suraksha; Gupta, Shuchi; Kumar; Kantabutra. Accordingly, their eight documents are the most influential documents in this specific knowledge domain. Second, we discover the topical foci and most popular topics that scholars in the sustainability and brand literature are interested in. Some of the most recent topics are brand, brand loyalty, brand image, brand equity, and buying intention.

Third, we reveal the intellectual structure of the sustainability and brand knowledge base by identifying five schools of thought in the knowledge domain. First, the Customer Attitudes and Behavior school refers to behavioral studies (one of the common approaches in sustainability studies). Second, the Tourism Marketing School represents the popular context of sustainability marketing studies that mainly relate to hospitality, destination marketing, and fashion brand management. Third, as in the Brand Strategy school, the brand strategy such as brand equity is widely used to measure corporate sustainability performance. Fourth, the Societal Marketing school provides more insights into the marketing strategy that leads the firm to achieve competitive advantages under the concern about finite resources and rising environmental and social costs. Finally, the Advanced Quantitative Analysis school reveals an approach that is mainly used when conducting sustainable marketing studies.

Abstract

Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is the most common neurodegenerative disease in the world. It is classified as familial and sporadic. The dominant familial or autosomal presentation represents 1–5% of the total number of cases. It is categorized as early onset (EOAD; <65 years of age) and presents genetic mutations in presenilin 1 (PSEN1), presenilin 2 (PSEN2), or the Amyloid precursor protein (APP). Sporadic AD represents 95% of the cases and is categorized as late-onset (LOAD), occurring in patients older than 65 years of age. Several risk factors have been identified in sporadic AD; aging is the main one. Nonetheless, multiple genes have been associated with the different neuropathological events involved in LOAD, such as the pathological processing of Amyloid beta (Aβ) peptide and Tau protein, as well as synaptic and mitochondrial dysfunctions, neurovascular alterations, oxidative stress, and neuroinflammation, among others. Interestingly, using genome-wide association study (GWAS) technology, many polymorphisms associated with LOAD have been identified. This review aims to analyze the new genetic findings that are closely related to the pathophysiology of AD. Likewise, it analyzes the multiple mutations identified to date through GWAS that are associated with a high or low risk of developing this neurodegeneration. Understanding genetic variability will allow for the identification of early biomarkers and opportune therapeutic targets for AD.

Introduction

Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is a neurodegenerative disease and represents the most common form of dementia (60–80% of all cases of dementia) [1]. At present, an estimated 50 million people worldwide suffer from some form of dementia; however, as a result of the increase in life expectancy rates, it is expected that by 2050, 139 million people worldwide will suffer from some type of dementia [2,3], which will cause major socioeconomic and health system impacts [4].

AD is characterized by chronic and acquired memory impairment and cognitive deficits in domains, such as language, spatio-temporal orientation, and executive capacity, as well as behavior alterations, all of which lead to progressive loss of personal autonomy [5]. Histopathologically, AD is characterized by two pathognomonic hallmarks (Figure 1) [6]: (1) the intracellular deposition of abnormally phosphorylated Tau protein that promotes the formation of neurofibrillary tangles (NFTs) in the cerebral cortex and subcortical gray matter (Figure 1a); and (2) extracellular aggregates of Amyloid-beta peptide (Aβ) fibrils in the form of neuritic plaques (NPs; Figure 1b). In this context, it has been postulated that endogenous “damage signals”, such as Aβ oligomers, could cause the activation of microglial cells with the consequent release of proinflammatory cytokines, which would trigger signaling cascades in neurons causing hyperphosphorylation and the aggregation of Tau protein. This protein is released when neurons die, triggering microglial cell activation and, therefore, becomes a cyclic pathological process that culminates in neurodegeneration [7,8]. Therefore, both NPs and NFTs are involved in several neuronal processes and ultimately trigger neuronal death [9,10], synaptic alteration, oxidative stress, mitochondrial disturbance, neuroinflammation, alterations in the permeability of the blood–brain barrier (BBB), and neu

Impact of GWAS on Understanding Alzheimer’s Disease

rom 2005 to the present, multiple genetic studies have tracked most of the genes that conform to the human genome. These genetic studies are known as Genome-wide Association Studies (GWAS) and their objective is to associate certain genes with multiple pathologies or disorders [145,146]. Until 2007, only mutations in the APOE-ε4 allele were reliably associated with increased susceptibility to LOAD. Nonetheless, to date, multiple analyses have been performed with GWAS technology, demonstrating many possible genes associated with LOAD (Table 2). Targeted genetic approaches and next-generation sequencing studies have also identified several low-frequency genes that are associated with a relatively high risk of developing AD, therefore providing insight into the pathogenesis [5]. GWAS have associated more than 40 risk alleles with AD, identifying variants that trigger neurodegeneration, such as lipid metabolism, inflammation, innate immunity, Aβ production and clearance, and endosomal vesicle recycling (as shown in Table 1 and Figure 2) [147,148]. In particular, GWAS have also allowed us to identify those genes related to the development of both EOAD and LOAD [14]

Abstract

Background
Task sharing is an implementation strategy which increases access to services by training and supporting treatment delivery by nonspecialists. Such an approach has demonstrated effectiveness for depression and other mental health outcomes; however, few studies in high-income countries have examined nonspecialist providers’ (NSPs) perspectives of the acceptability, feasibility, and appropriateness of delivering mental health interventions. We examine qualitative reports of NSPs experiences delivering a brief structured behavioral intervention for depression (called “Do More, Feel Better” [DMFB]) to adults aged 55 and older.

Methods
All NSPs (N = 4, 100%) who delivered DMFB participated in a focus group to probe their perceptions of the acceptability, feasibility, and appropriateness of both the intervention and their delivery experience as NSPs. Two coders analyzed the qualitative data from focus groups using codebook thematic analysis.

Results
NSPs perceived the intervention and delivery experience to be acceptable, feasible, and appropriate. Qualitative results provided insight into specific barriers and facilitators which may be important to consider when planning to implement task sharing. Themes that emerged from qualitative data included supervision being highly acceptable and feasible, appropriateness of the intervention for NSPs, and the feasibility of tailoring the intervention to patient participants. NSPs also expressed difficulty managing emotional investment in patients’ success and providing therapy during a pandemic and racial violence in the US.

Conclusions
Our results can inform future implementation and sustainment of task sharing interventions to expand access to care.

Introduction

In 2019, approximately one-fifth of American adults (20.6%) had a diagnosable mental health disorder [1]. Of those, less than half received any mental health services [1], meaning that 23 million adults were left untreated. Prevalence of common mental health conditions among older adults in the United States (US) mirrors that of the larger population with nearly one-third of this group living with symptoms of depression, yet relatively few receiving treatment [2]. Provider shortage is a leading cause of the mental health treatment gap in the US, with estimates that 7000 more providers are required to meet the need for services [3]. The unmet need for providers equipped to work with older adults is particularly stark [4].

A number of innovative methods to increase access to mental health treatment have been developed and applied to help close this treatment gap. These methods typically break away from the prevailing mental health model of receiving psychotherapy or pharmacotherapy from trained mental health professionals one-on-one in a clinical setting [5]. Task sharing, in which nonspecialist providers (NSPs) with no prior formal training as mental or physical health specialists are trained to effectively deliver treatment for mental or physical health conditions, is a promising implementation strategy which reduces the existing treatment gap by increasing the number of treatment providers [6,7,8]. The notion of expanding the healthcare workforce is not new; earlier writings on this issue outline the use of nonspecialists to perform essential medical tasks, often in the context of low- and middle-income countries (LMIC) [9] or in the case of nurses providing primary care health services as a substitute for physicians in high-income countries (HIC) [10]. The expanded use of such a workforce rose to prominence in addressing the HIV/AIDS crisis in sub-Saharan African and elsewhere [11] and has since been used successfully worldwide to deliver a variety of mental and physical health treatments across a range of populations, effectively reducing symptoms of depression, perinatal depression and anxiety, posttraumatic stress disorder, and alcohol use disorder [12,13,14,15].

Conclusion

This study is unique for several reasons. First, it is one of few studies in the US which used trained bachelor-level NSPs as the primary providers of treatment. Second, to our knowledge, is the first study exploring NSPs’ perceptions delivering evidence-informed treatment for depression in the US. Lastly, it is one of few studies to investigate NSPs’ perspectives on delivering a mental health treatment via telehealth during the COVID-19 pandemic. As seen in other global mental health contexts, task sharing for common mental health conditions is a potential option to increase access to services and maximize resources in the US. In this preliminary study in Washington State, bachelor’s-level NSPs perceived acceptability, feasibility, and appropriateness of a brief, structured behavioral treatment delivered to individuals with depressive symptoms. Future work holds promise for leveraging such a NSPs workforce to scale up mental health services.

Abstract

     In the literature, studies have evidenced the efforts adopted by firms to develop digital technology with the hope of achieving sustainable decisions and competitive performance. However, studies have yet to provide an extensive explanation of the mechanisms used by firms in their digital technology adoption to impact and enhance value, particularly among small and medium enterprises (SMEs). In this regard, accounting information has served as a fundamental basis for business decision-making and the extensive use of digital technology has paved the way for the efficiency and effectiveness of accounting functions in modifying information relating to such functions. More specifically, a digital accounting system (DAS) enables the reporting and processing of large transaction amounts and generates the data required for analysis. However, despite these advantages, SMEs have been slow in their adoption and usage of DASs. Accordingly, this study drew upon resource-based view theory and the technology-organization-environment framework to propose an integrated model for examining the determinants and impact of using DAS among SMEs. The proposed model encapsulates the use and performance aspect of DAS. The study utilized a self-administered survey questionnaire as the primary data collection instrument. Data from 183 SMEs in Jordan were analyzed using partial least squares-structural equation modeling. The findings reveal that compatibility, organizational readiness, top management support and government support all had significant effects on DAS usage, which, in turn, had a positive and significant effect on DAS performance. With regard to the moderating effects, COVID-19 was found to have a moderating role on the DAS usage–DAS performance relationship. The study findings explain the way firms can enhance their DAS use to obtain optimum performance, thereby contributing to the literature on the antecedents and effects of using current information technology/information systems. The study recommends that the government of Jordan prepare and carry out a campaign concerning the importance of DASs for SMEs.

Introduction

     Businesses have been largely affected by the COVID-19 pandemic, which has forced them to transform their processes and rethink business elements and technology use to remain sustainable while at the same time adapting to changing guidelines and current procedures [1]. Organizational leaders and managers have found COVID-19 to be disruptive, world changing and the ultimate test of their decision-making; this notion holds true for political leaders, senior business management, healthcare operational-level managers and the like. Evidently, the pandemic is the biggest challenge so far when it comes to making decisions in a manner that is timely and accurate [2,3]. For businesses, COVID-19 has led to the emergence of novel challenges in how to handle the repercussions brought on by the crisis and how to make decisions for efficiently and effectively managing the pandemic. Decision-making and system usage comprise the top challenges, which if ignored could lead to catastrophic outcomes [4,5].

Since 2020, researchers such as Lohapan [6], Ainasrallah and Saleem [7] and Hasbolah et al. [8] have indicated the use of technology, such as digital accounting systems (DAS), in addressing difficult and uncertain situations brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic all over the world. Technology use is actually deemed one of the top strategies that businesses can adopt [9,10]. In a world where the COVID-19 pandemic is viewed as a reason to develop and use appropriate technology, demand is met by businesses through their use of effective and up-to-date technology [11,12]. This has resulted in novel business models, online businesses and e-commerce platforms [12]. The pandemic has also led to the promotion and upgrade of technology and automation infrastructure systems such as the DAS infrastructure [13].

Conclusions

     The objectives of the current study were to investigate the drivers of DAS adoption and the role of DAS adoption on the performance of system, as well as the moderation influence of COVID-19 on the relationship between DAS adoption and performance. The low adoption level and performance found in prior research motivated the present study. The low level of adopting DAS and system value were also found to explain weak IMPACT (performance). This empirical research presents a distinguished contribution by examining the role of DAS adoption in enhancing system impacts and value.

     The topic of DAS adoption in the Jordanian context is becoming more important, particularly considering the agenda of the Jordanian government in moving toward a contemporary and digital business environment. The effective usage of DAS is critical for every business in every industry. With the purpose of accomplishing effective adoption, SMEs must consider the potential drivers that might influence the adoption processes, given that several digital systems have failed owing to a low-level of usage.

     Almost a majority of hypotheses proposed have an impact on the use of DAS. Furthermore, this plays a significant role in enterprises’ decision to implement DAS. DAS has undoubtedly been beneficial to organizations that have implemented it, including reducing labor costs, saving time, providing useful information to leaders and improving professional qualifications. In almost all cases, they are satisfied with the quality of services provided by DAS. Those respondents to the survey who are willing to utilize all resources and encourage their employees to work with DAS are positive indicators for the Jordanian economy. Furthermore, DAS has proven to be a superior technology for managing large amounts of data. DAS will therefore become more widely used in the future. As a result of the complex COVID situation, many office workers, especially those in the accounting, auditing and management departments, are required to work from home. As a result, they are unable to communicate directly with each other. Additionally, organizations must maintain and protect data at all times. As a result of this trend, the use of DAS is on the rise.

Definition

     This entry delves into the parenting literature and reveals the complexities, perspectives, and multiple expressions of parenting challenging childhood behavior that distress or negatively impact the parent-child relationship so that we can better understand how to support families who are struggling to cope. The entry specifically focuses on the period of transition to school for children aged five to eight years. This transition can illuminate vulnerabilities previously hidden as children attempt to navigate the demands of their unfamiliar environment, meaning that parents can experience distress and emotional challenges. The entry explores the various expressions of relationally challenging behavior and comments on the intersectionality and reciprocity of explicit and implicit expressions of affect such as frustration and anxiety. To gain context, the entry examines common antecedents associated with relationally challenging behavior, such as academic comparison, forming friendships, hidden neurodiverse development, neglect, attachment dysfunction, and family conflict. Qualitative literature enriches understanding and identifies problems such as parental distress related to social stigma and minority stress and reveals specific struggles, including stress, related to homeschooling children with special educational needs, homeschooling during the recent pandemic, single parenting, grandparenting, parenting neurodiverse children, and the triangulated tensions that exist between the parent, the child, and the school. Holding in mind these diverse and context-orientated perspectives, this entry examines research that evaluates helpfulness and illuminates deficiencies of popular structured parent programs. Lastly, the entry identifies and illuminates the need to know more about the ways in which parent programs work, and it is anticipated that this new knowledge will help practitioners to better respond to the complexities of need and expectations of families who struggle to cope with relationally challenging behavior.

General Introduction

     This entry first offers a brief overview of the central theories that support parenting programs, parenting, and the ways that parenting and children’s development and adjustment relate.

     Parental socialization recognizes parents as an all-important force in the socialization process, shaping and molding the values and behaviors of the child [1], and the centrality of the parent as mediator, interpreter, reflector, and moderator of the child’s internal cognitive and emotional state of mind cannot be underestimated [2]. Parents are seen as influencers, guides, teachers, and indirect socializers in their capacity as role models, supported by social learning theory [3], and as social managers, taking charge of the child’s social experiences. Parental socialization informs and educates infants and young children in societal norms, expectations, rules, and values that influence behavior. Children learn how to socialize within this early familiar framework, which helps them adjust to societal norms and expectations. Furthermore, parents are seen as moderators to the risk effects that deprived neighborhoods, poverty, and adverse life events have on children’s emotional and behavioral development [4]. This process is guided using a combination of parental styles and practices, such as authoritative parenting, which is associated with a securely attached relationship with the main caregiver [5,6].

Conclusions

     This entry highlights the breadth and diversity of the parent caregiver population that parenting programs endeavor to help. Structured parenting programs tend to offer a generalist approach that integrate strategies from social learning, behaviorism, and attachment that endeavor to assist parents in managing and coping with a wide range of relational childhood challenging behaviors. Whilst evidence repeatedly demonstrates that parenting programs work, with positive measurable outcomes for both child behaviors and parental stress, studies have tended to rely on parent reports, whilst future research should aim to include the experiences of all involved. The reviewed literature enriches understanding and identifies problems such as parent distress related to social stigma and minority stress and reveals specific struggles, including stress relating to homeschooling children with special educational needs and during the recent pandemic, as well as single parenting, grandparenting, parenting neurodiverse children, and the triangulated tensions that exist between the parent, the child, and the school. Holding in mind these diverse and contextorientated perspectives, this entry illuminates deficiencies of popular structured parenting programs and has identified a need to know more about the ways in which parenting programs work. It is anticipated that this reviewed knowledge will help practitioners to better reflect on the complexities of needs and expectations of families who struggle to cope with relationally challenging behavior.

Abstract

     Background: The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has continued for more than two years, and the impact of this pandemic on mental health has become one of the most important research topics in psychiatry and psychology. The aim of the present study was to assess psychological distress in adolescents across five countries (Sweden, Morocco, Serbia, Vietnam, and the United States of America) during the COVID-19 pandemic. Methods: Using nonparametric analyses we examined the impact of COVID-19 on distress, measured by the Brief Symptom Inventory, in a sample of 4670 adolescents. Results: Our results showed that the association between the COVID-19 impact and psychological distress in adolescents’ lives was positive and moderate in Morocco and Serbia, positive and weak in Vietnam and the United States of America, and negative and weak in Sweden. We also found that female adolescents reported higher distress levels than male adolescents. Conclusions: COVID-19 impacted adolescents and their psychological distress differently depending on their residence.

Introduction

     The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has continued for more than two years, and the impact of this pandemic on mental health has become one of the most important research topics in psychiatry, psychology, and public health. Specifically, cumulative results have led most researchers to believe that the COVID-19 pandemic and its associated restrictions, such as social distancing and lockdown, have created unprecedented hazards for mental health globally [1,2,3,4,5,6]. For instance, in a systematic review of 19 studies with a total sample of 93,569 adults from eight countries, (i.e., China, Denmark, Iran, Italy, Nepal, Spain, Turkey, and the United States of America [USA]), Xiong et al. [6] reported varying rates of symptoms of anxiety (6.33% to 50.9%), depression (14.6% to 48.3%), post-traumatic stress disorder (7% to 53.8%), and stress (8.1% to 81.9%) and high rates of psychological distress (34.43% to 38%). Providing further evidence for the negative impact of COVID-19 restrictions on the general population, other researchers have found increased rates of symptoms associated with psychiatric conditions, such as depression, anxiety, panic, and many others [7,8,9,10,11,12].

     In addition to these recent studies on adult health, many researchers have investigated the effects of COVID-19 restrictions on children and adolescents, as they are more vulnerable to environmental stress and often have a more limited understanding of stressful situations and fewer strategies than adults to cope with sudden changes [13,14,15,16,17,18,19,20,21,22,23]. For instance, Meherali et al. [19] reviewed 18 studies with a total number of 20,150 children and adolescents from five countries, (i.e., Australia, Canada, China, Italy, and the USA) and concluded that COVID-19 restrictions had a great impact on the mental health of children and adolescents, causing anxiety, depression, disturbances in sleep and appetite, and impairment of social interactions. In addition, a review by Panda et al. [24] identified anxiety, depression, irritability, boredom, inattention, and fear of the COVID-19 pandemic as predominant psychological problems among children and adolescents.

Conclusions

     The present study examined the impact of COVID-19 on psychological distress among 4670 adolescents from five countries across four continents (Sweden, Morocco, Serbia, Vietnam, and the USA). We found that American and Moroccan adolescents were impacted the most by the COVID-19 pandemic and reported the highest levels of distress, whereas Vietnamese adolescents were the least affected by COVID-19 and had the lowest levels of distress. Furthermore, we also found that the COVID-19 impact correlated positively with psychological distress in all countries except Sweden. Finally, we found that female adolescents had higher COVID-19 impact scores and reported more psychological distress than male adolescents.

Abstract

Recently, the defense industry in South Korea has been regarded with strong suspicion since a company responsible for producing parts for the aviation sector is being investigated for cost irregularities. Many people are concerned about these issues and the government is distrustful of defense industries. If the current situation continues, the defense industry market in South Korea (henceforth “South Korea”) will be hard to maintain. The South Korean government will have to rely on importing from abroad instead of buying products in the local market. This study looked at the sustainability of earnings management adopted in the defense industry of South Korea, exploring options for the government to maintain the scheme’s soundness. In particular, we used Kothari’s discretionary accrual as a proxy of earnings management and OLS method to analyze the relationship between them. The results are as follows. Firstly the firms with a high percentage of defense sales showed significant discretionary accruals; the higher the profit, the more likely it was that earnings adjustments were made; secondly, firms that had been certified by the government for defense cost-management were proven to be effective, because the earnings management activities were low compared to those of firms that did not have the defense cost-management certification; lastly, based on the accounting rules for the cost of defense products, it was found that significant results confirming defense firms were exercising their influence, through earnings management, on the improvement of the government system.

Introduction

In South Korea, defense scandals have recently become problematic [1]. The company that produces parts for the aviation sector is being investigated for cost irregularities. There is mounting suspicion that illegal costs in the defense industry are rising. Many people are concerned about these issues and the government is distrustful of defense industries. If the situation continues, the defense industry market in South Korea will be hard to sustain. Preventing earnings management in the defense industry is thought to be the first step to achieving transparency to help strengthen South Korean military power. The South Korean government will need to rely on importing instead of buying products in the local market. In this study, the relationship between the characteristics of domestic defense firms and earnings management in South Korea were examined.

We studied the unique cost structure of the defense industry, which compensates for profits based on the costs incurred, and examined the cost-management certification system in terms of the share of defense sales, the political cost hypothesis, and the characteristics of defense firms arising from the asymmetry of cost information between the government, which is the consumer, and the defense industry, which is the supplier.

Conclusions

This study aimed to examine the earnings management behavior of firms in the defense industry in South Korea and find a solution for the government to reduce the earnings management. The results of the study are as follows.

First, firms with higher defense product sales increased their degree of earnings management. This differs from the study by Kim et al. [13] that showed that the higher the reliance on the defense industry is, the lower the reported profit is recorded. That is, for defense firms, a profit-centered system does not produce only one result, but creates different earnings management systems that can increase and/or reduce reported profit.

Second, the defense industry cost-management system, which shares cost management information about defense firms, was examined in relation to earnings management. We found that the level of earnings management was lower for the companies with the certified system than those without the system. This can be interpreted in two ways. Firstly, for a company that has the certified defense cost-management system, due to the information asymmetry between the government and the company about the decrease in costs after the implementation of the system, the level of earnings management decreased; secondly, the firms with the certified system have already received the cost-related certification from the government because they did not engage in earnings management activities. Of these two interpretations, the latter is valid because the system for cost control in defense firms has been in effect since 2012. However, because there is not enough data (4 firms in 2012, 9 in 2013, and 12 in 2014), the effectiveness of the test could not be measured.