Human cadaver dissection remains a core and preferred method of anatomical instruction at most low- and middle-income health professional training institutions. Dissection, which is both traumatic and stressful, sets ...Human cadaver dissection remains a core and preferred method of anatomical instruction at most low- and middle-income health professional training institutions. Dissection, which is both traumatic and stressful, sets the tone of the students’ responses to later and or similar stressful learning opportunities like the post-mortems or care for terminally ill patients. Partial least squares structural equation modelling was used to determine the effect of the students’: personality, perception of the learning environment, learning approach, and effect of the environment on the student, on undergraduate health professional student’s activity in the human cadaver dissection room. This was a secondary analysis of previously collected data from a cross sectional survey of undergraduate health professional students. We found that personality type and perception of the environment had a positive effect on dissection room activity. Approach to learning and being affected by the dissection room experience (impact), had a negative effect on dissection room activity. All the above effects on dissection room activity were not significant. This study showed that personality, perception of the learning environment, learning approach and effect of the environment on the student, had effects on undergraduate health professional student’s activity in the human cadaver dissection room. The modelled effects are opportunities for educational interventions aimed at increasing student activity in the dissection room.展开更多
Purpose:This paper aims to examine how the adoption decision of the internet banking in North Cyprus would be affected based on the following dimensions;the technology features,the personal characteristics,the social ...Purpose:This paper aims to examine how the adoption decision of the internet banking in North Cyprus would be affected based on the following dimensions;the technology features,the personal characteristics,the social environment and the expected risk.Design/methodology/approach:A self-administered survey was conducted with 291 participants responded to it.The partial least square approach of the structural equation modeling(PLS-SEM)is employed to investigate the direct effects of the proposed factors on the adoption decision.Additionally,the mediation test is used to examine indirect effects.Findings:Results showed that even though the participants appreciated the benefits of the online banking as the perceived usefulness factor exerts the greatest direct effect,they would rather use clear and easy-to-use websites,adding to that their assessments of the usefulness of these services are significantly influenced by the surrounding people’s views and prior experience.This is demonstrated by the total effects of the perceived ease of use and the subjective norm factors,which are greater than the direct effect of the perceived usefulness factor since both of these factors have significant direct and indirect effects mediated by the perceived usefulness factor.The negative impact of the perceived risk factor is weak compared to the previous factors.While the personal innovativeness factor showed the weakest effect among the proposed factors.展开更多
Purpose: General linear modeling (GLM) is usually applied to investigate factors associated with the domains of Quality of Life (QOL). A summation score in a specific sub-domain is regressed by a statistical model inc...Purpose: General linear modeling (GLM) is usually applied to investigate factors associated with the domains of Quality of Life (QOL). A summation score in a specific sub-domain is regressed by a statistical model including factors that are associated with the sub-domain. However, using the summation score ignores the influence of individual questions. Structural equation modeling (SEM) can account for the influence of each question’s score by compositing a latent variable from each question of a sub-domain. The objective of this study is to determine whether a conventional approach such as GLM, with its use of the summation score, is valid from the standpoint of the SEM approach. Method: We used the Japanese version of the Maugeri Foundation Respiratory Failure Questionnaire, a QOL measure, on 94 patients with heart failure. The daily activity sub-domain of the questionnaire was selected together with its four accompanying factors, namely, living together, occupation, gender, and the New York Heart Association’s cardiac function scale (NYHA). The association level between individual factors and the daily activity sub-domain was estimated using SEM?and GLM, respectively. The standard partial regression coefficients of GLM and standardized path coefficients of SEM were compared. If?these coefficients were similar (absolute value of the difference -0.06 and -0.07 for the GLM and SEM. Likewise, the estimates of occupation, gender, and NYHA were -0.18 and -0.20, -0.08 and -0.08, 0.51 and 0.54, respectively. The absolute values of the difference for each factor were 0.01, 0.02, 0.00, and 0.03, respectively. All differences were less than 0.05. This means that these two approaches lead to similar conclusions. Conclusion: GLM is a valid method for exploring association factors with a domain in QOL.展开更多
Although various Climate-Smart Agricultural(CSA) practices are promoted to safeguard agricultural production and food security in the Global South,their adoption remains limited.This study conducted a cross-sectional ...Although various Climate-Smart Agricultural(CSA) practices are promoted to safeguard agricultural production and food security in the Global South,their adoption remains limited.This study conducted a cross-sectional survey using a semi-structured questionnaire between March and April in 2023,with a sample of 231 smallholder farmers covering 5 villages(Purbo Karpara,Rampasa,Monohor Pur,Boro Isubpur,and Char Alapur) in Haor wetlands of Bangladesh.Then,this study examined smallholder farmers' adoption intention of floating farming practice in Haor wetlands of Bangladesh based on an extended Theory of Planned Behaviour(TPB) model.The result demonstrated moderate predictive power of the proposed model,where farmers' attitude,subjective norm,knowledge of floating farming practice,perceived behavioural control,and institutional accessibility jointly explained 11.50% of the total variance in adoption intention,with subjective norm and perceived behavioural control showing significant impact on smallholder farmers' adoption intention.However,key barriers reported by smallholder farmers included unavailability of resources,limited access to modern farming practices,input and credit unavailability,insufficient access to training,and limited access to market system.These findings indicated that improving smallholder farmers' access to extension services and credit facilities,raising awareness,providing training,and guaranteeing access to accurate and timely climate information and early warning systems could significantly improve their adaptive capacity.This study contributes to socio-psychological understanding of smallholder farmers' pro-environmental behaviour and emphasises the need for context-specific interventions to support sustainable livelihoods and resilient agri-food systems in climate-vulnerable regions.展开更多
This paper focuses on the indicators of soil and litter health, disturbance, and landscape heterogeneity as a tool for prediction of ecosystem sustainability in the northern forests of Iran. The study area was divided...This paper focuses on the indicators of soil and litter health, disturbance, and landscape heterogeneity as a tool for prediction of ecosystem sustainability in the northern forests of Iran. The study area was divided into spatial homogenous sites using slope, aspect, and soil humidity classes. Then a range of sites along the disturbance gradient was selected for sampling. Chemical and physical indicators of soil and litter health were measured at random points within these sites. Structural equation modeling(SEM) was applied to link six constructs of landscape heterogeneity, three constructs of disturbance(harvest, livestock, and human accessibility), and soil and litter health. The results showed that with decreasing accessibility, the total N and organic matter content of soil increased and effective bulk density decreased. Harvesting activities increased soil organic matter. Therefore, it is concluded that disturbances through harvesting and accessibility inversely affect the soil health. Unexpectedly, it was found that the litter total C and C:N ratio improved with an increase in the harvest and accessibility disturbances, whereas litter bulk density decreased. Investigation of tree composition revealed that in the climax communities, which are normally affected more by harvesting activities, some species like Fagus orientalis Lipsky with low decomposition rate are dominant. The research results showed that changes in disturbance intensity are reflected in litter and soil indicators, whereas the SEM indicated that landscape heterogeneity has a moderator effect on the disturbance to both litter and soil paths.展开更多
Understanding the complex mechanisms underlying agricultural space urbanization is essential for sustainable land management.This study identified the spatiotemporal characteristics of the agricultural space urbanizat...Understanding the complex mechanisms underlying agricultural space urbanization is essential for sustainable land management.This study identified the spatiotemporal characteristics of the agricultural space urbanization from 2000 to 2020 in China’s Yangtze River Economic Belt(YREB)using a kilometer-grid-based approach.By employing the partial least squares structural equation modeling method,the intricate drivers of agricultural space urbanization were investigated.The results revealed that from 2000 to 2020,agricultural space urbanization in the YREB covered an area of 28,198 km^(2),accounting for 84.5%of the total increase in urban space.The partial least squares structural equation modeling analysis revealed regional variations in agricultural space urbanization dynamics.In the western YREB,where urbanization is in its initial stage,natural conditions play a weak and indirect role,whereas policy incentives and socioeconomic growth are equally significant in driving agricultural space urbanization.In the eastern YREB,where urbanization is more saturated,the agricultural space urbanization is less constrained by natural factors,showing a high synergy with socioeconomic development.Conversely,in the central Yangtze River Economic Belt,policy influences surpass socioeconomic factors,whereas unfavorable natural conditions and agricultural development act as key drivers of agricultural space urbanization.This study suggests that enhancing agricultural space urbanization quality requires strengthening region-specific policies,providing targeted support for remote areas,rebalancing policy orientation in rapidly urbanizing regions,and establishing a comprehensive evaluation system to ensure policy rationality.展开更多
在气候变化背景下,模拟土壤侵蚀的时空演变特征并探讨其与气候因子之间的响应,对于应对气候变化和防灾减灾具有重要意义。现有研究主要聚焦于气候变化、坡度及植被恢复等因素对黄土高原土壤侵蚀的影响,但较少同时考虑各驱动因子之间的...在气候变化背景下,模拟土壤侵蚀的时空演变特征并探讨其与气候因子之间的响应,对于应对气候变化和防灾减灾具有重要意义。现有研究主要聚焦于气候变化、坡度及植被恢复等因素对黄土高原土壤侵蚀的影响,但较少同时考虑各驱动因子之间的相互作用及其对土壤侵蚀的直接与间接影响。基于气象站点、土地利用/土地覆被和土壤质地等数据,采用Theil⁃Sen Median趋势和Mann⁃Kendal检验对气候因子的时空变化特征进行了分析,利用InVEST(Integrated Valuation of Ecosystem Services and Tradeoffs)模型模拟了1990年、2000年、2010年和2020年黄土高原土壤侵蚀的时空分布,并通过最优参数地理探测器和偏最小二乘结构方程模型在考虑自然因子和植被因子的基础上,重点对气候因子对土壤侵蚀的影响强度和路径进行分析。结果表明:气候因子时空变化具有阶段性和区域性,降水量在1990—2000年以-55.96 mm/10a的速率下降,而2000—2020年以53.99 mm/10a的速率上升;研究期内年降水量、降水强度指数、大雨日数、强降水量、平均气温和最低气温的增长率分别为26.15 mm/10a、0.26 mm d^(-1)10a^(-1)、0.56 d/10a、15.21 mm/10a、0.32℃/10a和0.40℃/10a。从空间上看,1990—2000年降水量减少区域为86.36%,而2000年以后增加区域达97.42%;2000—2020年,极端降水指标在整个研究区基本为增加;气温上升区域主要分布在东、西部,气候变化呈现明显的暖湿化趋势且降水的极端性增强。1990—2020年,黄土高原土壤侵蚀模数呈现先减少再增加趋势,2020年土壤侵蚀量为2.19亿t。最优参数地理探测器分析显示,坡度、降水和植被覆盖是土壤侵蚀的主要驱动因素,其中降水量对土壤侵蚀的解释力从1990年的0.11在2020年增至0.18。结合偏最小二乘结构方程模型分析结果,温度主要通过影响降水间接影响土壤侵蚀,降水和自然因子对土壤侵蚀有直接正贡献,而植被因子对土壤侵蚀有直接负贡献,但2020年比2010年降低0.02。因此,在气候暖湿化和降水极端化趋势下,其对土壤侵蚀的影响不可忽视,在未来的土壤侵蚀防控和可持续发展中,需将气候适应和区域发展相结合,以应对未来气候变化的挑战。展开更多
文摘Human cadaver dissection remains a core and preferred method of anatomical instruction at most low- and middle-income health professional training institutions. Dissection, which is both traumatic and stressful, sets the tone of the students’ responses to later and or similar stressful learning opportunities like the post-mortems or care for terminally ill patients. Partial least squares structural equation modelling was used to determine the effect of the students’: personality, perception of the learning environment, learning approach, and effect of the environment on the student, on undergraduate health professional student’s activity in the human cadaver dissection room. This was a secondary analysis of previously collected data from a cross sectional survey of undergraduate health professional students. We found that personality type and perception of the environment had a positive effect on dissection room activity. Approach to learning and being affected by the dissection room experience (impact), had a negative effect on dissection room activity. All the above effects on dissection room activity were not significant. This study showed that personality, perception of the learning environment, learning approach and effect of the environment on the student, had effects on undergraduate health professional student’s activity in the human cadaver dissection room. The modelled effects are opportunities for educational interventions aimed at increasing student activity in the dissection room.
文摘Purpose:This paper aims to examine how the adoption decision of the internet banking in North Cyprus would be affected based on the following dimensions;the technology features,the personal characteristics,the social environment and the expected risk.Design/methodology/approach:A self-administered survey was conducted with 291 participants responded to it.The partial least square approach of the structural equation modeling(PLS-SEM)is employed to investigate the direct effects of the proposed factors on the adoption decision.Additionally,the mediation test is used to examine indirect effects.Findings:Results showed that even though the participants appreciated the benefits of the online banking as the perceived usefulness factor exerts the greatest direct effect,they would rather use clear and easy-to-use websites,adding to that their assessments of the usefulness of these services are significantly influenced by the surrounding people’s views and prior experience.This is demonstrated by the total effects of the perceived ease of use and the subjective norm factors,which are greater than the direct effect of the perceived usefulness factor since both of these factors have significant direct and indirect effects mediated by the perceived usefulness factor.The negative impact of the perceived risk factor is weak compared to the previous factors.While the personal innovativeness factor showed the weakest effect among the proposed factors.
文摘Purpose: General linear modeling (GLM) is usually applied to investigate factors associated with the domains of Quality of Life (QOL). A summation score in a specific sub-domain is regressed by a statistical model including factors that are associated with the sub-domain. However, using the summation score ignores the influence of individual questions. Structural equation modeling (SEM) can account for the influence of each question’s score by compositing a latent variable from each question of a sub-domain. The objective of this study is to determine whether a conventional approach such as GLM, with its use of the summation score, is valid from the standpoint of the SEM approach. Method: We used the Japanese version of the Maugeri Foundation Respiratory Failure Questionnaire, a QOL measure, on 94 patients with heart failure. The daily activity sub-domain of the questionnaire was selected together with its four accompanying factors, namely, living together, occupation, gender, and the New York Heart Association’s cardiac function scale (NYHA). The association level between individual factors and the daily activity sub-domain was estimated using SEM?and GLM, respectively. The standard partial regression coefficients of GLM and standardized path coefficients of SEM were compared. If?these coefficients were similar (absolute value of the difference -0.06 and -0.07 for the GLM and SEM. Likewise, the estimates of occupation, gender, and NYHA were -0.18 and -0.20, -0.08 and -0.08, 0.51 and 0.54, respectively. The absolute values of the difference for each factor were 0.01, 0.02, 0.00, and 0.03, respectively. All differences were less than 0.05. This means that these two approaches lead to similar conclusions. Conclusion: GLM is a valid method for exploring association factors with a domain in QOL.
基金Ghent University,Belgium,for providing the research support for this study。
文摘Although various Climate-Smart Agricultural(CSA) practices are promoted to safeguard agricultural production and food security in the Global South,their adoption remains limited.This study conducted a cross-sectional survey using a semi-structured questionnaire between March and April in 2023,with a sample of 231 smallholder farmers covering 5 villages(Purbo Karpara,Rampasa,Monohor Pur,Boro Isubpur,and Char Alapur) in Haor wetlands of Bangladesh.Then,this study examined smallholder farmers' adoption intention of floating farming practice in Haor wetlands of Bangladesh based on an extended Theory of Planned Behaviour(TPB) model.The result demonstrated moderate predictive power of the proposed model,where farmers' attitude,subjective norm,knowledge of floating farming practice,perceived behavioural control,and institutional accessibility jointly explained 11.50% of the total variance in adoption intention,with subjective norm and perceived behavioural control showing significant impact on smallholder farmers' adoption intention.However,key barriers reported by smallholder farmers included unavailability of resources,limited access to modern farming practices,input and credit unavailability,insufficient access to training,and limited access to market system.These findings indicated that improving smallholder farmers' access to extension services and credit facilities,raising awareness,providing training,and guaranteeing access to accurate and timely climate information and early warning systems could significantly improve their adaptive capacity.This study contributes to socio-psychological understanding of smallholder farmers' pro-environmental behaviour and emphasises the need for context-specific interventions to support sustainable livelihoods and resilient agri-food systems in climate-vulnerable regions.
文摘This paper focuses on the indicators of soil and litter health, disturbance, and landscape heterogeneity as a tool for prediction of ecosystem sustainability in the northern forests of Iran. The study area was divided into spatial homogenous sites using slope, aspect, and soil humidity classes. Then a range of sites along the disturbance gradient was selected for sampling. Chemical and physical indicators of soil and litter health were measured at random points within these sites. Structural equation modeling(SEM) was applied to link six constructs of landscape heterogeneity, three constructs of disturbance(harvest, livestock, and human accessibility), and soil and litter health. The results showed that with decreasing accessibility, the total N and organic matter content of soil increased and effective bulk density decreased. Harvesting activities increased soil organic matter. Therefore, it is concluded that disturbances through harvesting and accessibility inversely affect the soil health. Unexpectedly, it was found that the litter total C and C:N ratio improved with an increase in the harvest and accessibility disturbances, whereas litter bulk density decreased. Investigation of tree composition revealed that in the climax communities, which are normally affected more by harvesting activities, some species like Fagus orientalis Lipsky with low decomposition rate are dominant. The research results showed that changes in disturbance intensity are reflected in litter and soil indicators, whereas the SEM indicated that landscape heterogeneity has a moderator effect on the disturbance to both litter and soil paths.
基金Fellowship Program of the CPSF,No.GZC20231970National Natural Science Foundation of China,No.41871182。
文摘Understanding the complex mechanisms underlying agricultural space urbanization is essential for sustainable land management.This study identified the spatiotemporal characteristics of the agricultural space urbanization from 2000 to 2020 in China’s Yangtze River Economic Belt(YREB)using a kilometer-grid-based approach.By employing the partial least squares structural equation modeling method,the intricate drivers of agricultural space urbanization were investigated.The results revealed that from 2000 to 2020,agricultural space urbanization in the YREB covered an area of 28,198 km^(2),accounting for 84.5%of the total increase in urban space.The partial least squares structural equation modeling analysis revealed regional variations in agricultural space urbanization dynamics.In the western YREB,where urbanization is in its initial stage,natural conditions play a weak and indirect role,whereas policy incentives and socioeconomic growth are equally significant in driving agricultural space urbanization.In the eastern YREB,where urbanization is more saturated,the agricultural space urbanization is less constrained by natural factors,showing a high synergy with socioeconomic development.Conversely,in the central Yangtze River Economic Belt,policy influences surpass socioeconomic factors,whereas unfavorable natural conditions and agricultural development act as key drivers of agricultural space urbanization.This study suggests that enhancing agricultural space urbanization quality requires strengthening region-specific policies,providing targeted support for remote areas,rebalancing policy orientation in rapidly urbanizing regions,and establishing a comprehensive evaluation system to ensure policy rationality.
文摘在气候变化背景下,模拟土壤侵蚀的时空演变特征并探讨其与气候因子之间的响应,对于应对气候变化和防灾减灾具有重要意义。现有研究主要聚焦于气候变化、坡度及植被恢复等因素对黄土高原土壤侵蚀的影响,但较少同时考虑各驱动因子之间的相互作用及其对土壤侵蚀的直接与间接影响。基于气象站点、土地利用/土地覆被和土壤质地等数据,采用Theil⁃Sen Median趋势和Mann⁃Kendal检验对气候因子的时空变化特征进行了分析,利用InVEST(Integrated Valuation of Ecosystem Services and Tradeoffs)模型模拟了1990年、2000年、2010年和2020年黄土高原土壤侵蚀的时空分布,并通过最优参数地理探测器和偏最小二乘结构方程模型在考虑自然因子和植被因子的基础上,重点对气候因子对土壤侵蚀的影响强度和路径进行分析。结果表明:气候因子时空变化具有阶段性和区域性,降水量在1990—2000年以-55.96 mm/10a的速率下降,而2000—2020年以53.99 mm/10a的速率上升;研究期内年降水量、降水强度指数、大雨日数、强降水量、平均气温和最低气温的增长率分别为26.15 mm/10a、0.26 mm d^(-1)10a^(-1)、0.56 d/10a、15.21 mm/10a、0.32℃/10a和0.40℃/10a。从空间上看,1990—2000年降水量减少区域为86.36%,而2000年以后增加区域达97.42%;2000—2020年,极端降水指标在整个研究区基本为增加;气温上升区域主要分布在东、西部,气候变化呈现明显的暖湿化趋势且降水的极端性增强。1990—2020年,黄土高原土壤侵蚀模数呈现先减少再增加趋势,2020年土壤侵蚀量为2.19亿t。最优参数地理探测器分析显示,坡度、降水和植被覆盖是土壤侵蚀的主要驱动因素,其中降水量对土壤侵蚀的解释力从1990年的0.11在2020年增至0.18。结合偏最小二乘结构方程模型分析结果,温度主要通过影响降水间接影响土壤侵蚀,降水和自然因子对土壤侵蚀有直接正贡献,而植被因子对土壤侵蚀有直接负贡献,但2020年比2010年降低0.02。因此,在气候暖湿化和降水极端化趋势下,其对土壤侵蚀的影响不可忽视,在未来的土壤侵蚀防控和可持续发展中,需将气候适应和区域发展相结合,以应对未来气候变化的挑战。
