Ali Nikparast, Jamal Rahmani, Jessica Thomas, Elahe Etesami, Zeinab Javid and Matin Ghanavati
Cataract, or lens opacification, is a major public health burden accounting for more than half of all blindness worldwide. Plant-based dietary indices provide a unique approach to…
Abstract
Purpose
Cataract, or lens opacification, is a major public health burden accounting for more than half of all blindness worldwide. Plant-based dietary indices provide a unique approach to investigating a modifiable risk for age-related cataracts (ARC). The purpose of this study was to investigate the association between plant-based diet indices and risk of ARC.
Design/methodology/approach
This case-control study was conducted on 97 patients with newly diagnosed ARC and 198 healthy people (as a control group) in Iran. Convenience sampling and a food frequency questionnaire were used. Three plant-based dietary indices were used based on the health promoting qualities of food items, the overall plant-based diet index (PDI), healthful plant-based diet index (H-PDI) and unhealthful plant-based diet index (U-PDI) which comprised refined carbohydrates and highly processed foods. The plant-based dietary indices were used to investigate relationships with risk of ARC.
Findings
After adjusting for potential covariates, no significant association between a higher adherence to O-PDI and risk of ARC. As well, a higher adherence to H-PDI was inversely associated with the risk of ARC (OR = 0.35,95%CI:0.16–0.78). In contrast, there was a significant positive association between a higher adherence to U-PDI and the risk of ARC (OR = 3.67,95%CI:1.66 – 8.15).
Originality/value
The findings of this study have underscored the potential impact of the quality of plant-based food selections on the likelihood of developing ARC. Therefore, adopting a plant-based diet that is rich in nutrient-dense plant-based foods while being low in unhealthy options may have the potential to reduce the risk of ARC.
Details
Keywords
Elahe Hosseini, Pantea Foroudi, Slimane Ed-Dafali and Aidin Salamzadeh
The effects of gendered views on employee voice are of great importance for knowledge sharing within public universities. Yet, they are still neglected by current human resource…
Abstract
Purpose
The effects of gendered views on employee voice are of great importance for knowledge sharing within public universities. Yet, they are still neglected by current human resource management and entrepreneurship literature. While strengthening themselves by reinforcing the strengths and opportunities, public universities can generate entrepreneurial opportunities through various knowledge-sharing mechanisms, including social networks and employee voice. This became a crucial lever for public universities to leverage competitive advantages and to support entrepreneurial activities through network knowledge-based sharing. For this purpose, this study aims to examine the various aspects of entrepreneurship via the voice of employees, emphasizing the moderating effect of gender and the mediating role of social networks on the link between employee voice and the entrepreneurial atmosphere of universities.
Design/methodology/approach
The authors collected survey data from a cross-sectional sample of 335 employees engaged in entrepreneurship activities within public universities in an emerging economy context and analyzed the data using partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) with the Smart-PLS software.
Findings
The PLS-SEM analysis found that different dimensions of the university entrepreneurial climate (communication, knowledge sharing and innovative climate) positively impact members’ voices within public universities. This effect is amplified by social networks, which are crucial for spreading knowledge among faculty, thereby fostering a more open and collaborative academic environment.
Research limitations/implications
When acting, the university top management team should encourage the generation and dissemination of entrepreneurial ideas to nurture a dynamic entrepreneurial atmosphere and social involvement, ultimately supporting sustainable competitive advantages through a culture of strategic knowledge sharing. The results have practical implications for university managers, entrepreneurship education actors, administrators, policymakers and entrepreneurial ecosystem actors, by demonstrating how social networks can amplify the dissemination of ideas and entrepreneurial spirit.
Originality/value
This research explores how entrepreneurship and social networks can help faculty members have a stronger influence in academic settings. It also fills in the gaps in knowledge about how human resource management and entrepreneurship can work together to create a more communicative and innovative academic environment. Additionally, this study brings new ideas to existing literature by looking at how gender differences can affect employee voice, particularly emphasizing the importance of women in leadership roles at universities. This study is also the first to delve into how entrepreneurship and social networks, along with gender perceptions, play a role in shaping the voice of employees in a public university.