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Article
Publication date: 28 May 2021

Sima Mirzaei Moghadam, Hassan Mahmoodi, Farzaneh Zaheri and Azad Shokri

The aim of this study is to investigate the gender inequalities in perceived stress and the influencing factors in infertile couples in Iranian society.

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Abstract

Purpose

The aim of this study is to investigate the gender inequalities in perceived stress and the influencing factors in infertile couples in Iranian society.

Design/methodology/approach

This cross-sectional study was conducted on infertile couples who were referring to Kurdistan Infertility Diagnosis and Treatment Medical Center in 2019. Demographic and clinical information questionnaire, Newton's Infertility perceived stress questionnaire, Rosenberg's standard self-confidence questionnaire and the multidimensional scale of social support were used. Multiple linear logistic models were also used.

Findings

A total of 560 couples (1,120 people) participated in the study. The average perceived infertility-related stress, self-esteem scores and social support and social-emotional loneliness were 173.95 ± 41.87, 13.99 ± 2.29 and 27.81 ± 7.33, respectively, which were significantly different scores across infertility cause and sex (P < 0.05). Males compared to females had lower perceived infertility-related stress (169.93 ± 42.51 vs 177.97 ± 40.86, P = 0.001) and self-esteem scores (14.33 ± 2.29 vs 13.66 ± 2.24, P < 0.001) and social support and social-emotional loneliness (32.92 ± 9.31 vs 30.94 ± 9.04, P < 0.001). The partners who reported themselves as infertile, compared significantly higher in perceived infertility-related stress than those who reported their spouse being infertile (194.24 ± 35.33 vs 141.90 ± 39.28), lower self-esteem scores (12.77 ± 2.21 vs 13.94 ± 1.56) and social support and social-emotional loneliness score (27.81 ± 7.33 vs 30.11 ± 7.70). Also, after taking potential confounders into account with increase in each score of self-esteem, 12.19 units of stress decreases (P < 0.001, 95% CI: 11.40–12.99) and with increase in each score of social support and social-emotional loneliness, 3.45 units of stress decreases (P < 0.001, 95% CI: 3.28–3.63).

Originality/value

There is perceived stress among infertile couples, and this rate is higher among infertile people and women. Therefore, it seems that specific intervention programs for infertile couples should be implemented based on the results of this study, and their stress levels in a way that self-esteem and support for both partners be increased and the perceived stress among women and infertile individuals be decreased.

Details

International Journal of Human Rights in Healthcare, vol. 17 no. 1
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 2056-4902

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Article
Publication date: 13 April 2022

Abdorrahim Afkhamzadeh, Hassan Mahmoodi, Khaled Rahmani, Simin Mohammadi, Mandana Haghshenas and Obeidollah Faraji

The study aims to determine the relationship between emotional maturity and domestic violence in infertile women.

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Abstract

Purpose

The study aims to determine the relationship between emotional maturity and domestic violence in infertile women.

Design/methodology/approach

The cross-sectional study was conducted on 184 infertile women. Demographic questionnaire, Emotional Maturity Scale and domestic violence questionnaire were used to collect data. The Chi-square test and multivariate logistic regression were used to analyze the data.

Findings

More than 50% of the women in the study experienced domestic violence, and about the same percentage of them had unstable emotional maturity. The total score of domestic violence and its types were significantly related to the women’s emotional maturity (P < 0.001). In multivariate analysis, the significant relationship was found between domestic violence with Spouse's education level (primary/secondary) [OR = 0.25 (0.09–0.66)] and emotional maturity (unstable) [OR = 3.59 (1.83–7.02)].

Social implications

The overall prevalence of infertility in Iran was 7% in 2021. Furthermore, although infertility is a problem among couples, most of its social burden lies with women. In a number of developing countries, as well as in Iran, childbearing is perceived as a social value for married women. Therefore, infertile women are at risk for depression, anxiety, low self-esteem, dissatisfaction and reduced quality of life.

Originality/value

This study found that half of the surveyed women experienced domestic violence. Women’s emotional immaturity, as well as their spouses’ lower education level and type of occupation, were highly correlated with women’s experience of domestic violence. To help prevent domestic violence among couples, there should be couple training classes to improve women’s emotional maturity.”

Details

International Journal of Human Rights in Healthcare, vol. 16 no. 2
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 2056-4902

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Article
Publication date: 6 February 2025

Majid Mahmoodi and Nazar Dahmardeh Ghaleno

The present study aims to examine the influence of environmental quality, renewable energy, non-renewable energy and quality of governance on sustainable development in two panels…

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Abstract

Purpose

The present study aims to examine the influence of environmental quality, renewable energy, non-renewable energy and quality of governance on sustainable development in two panels of 23 Asian and 8 European emerging countries during the 1996–2022 period.

Design/methodology/approach

The present study employed second-generation methods of panel data analysis, which account for cross-sectional dependency and heterogeneity to achieve a more reliable conclusion.

Findings

The augmented mean group and common correlated effects mean group estimation findings exhibit the negative influence of environmental degradation and non-renewable energy on sustainable development, whereas the findings exhibit the positive effect of renewable energy and governance quality on sustainable development.

Practical implications

The findings point out to policymakers and governments the importance of the adoption and implementation of policies to protect the environment, as well as promoting renewable energy incentive policies. Moreover, enhancing governance quality and striving towards good governance is essential for the successful adoption and implementation of energy and environment policies, as well as achieving sustainable development goals.

Originality/value

The present research contributes to the existing related literature in several ways. Adjusted net saving (ANS) is employed as a comprehensive indicator of sustainable development and ecological footprint (EFP) is employed as an exhaustive indicator of the environment’s quality rather than carbon dioxide emissions. In overall, this study is the first, to the best of our awareness, to simultaneously consider ANS, EFP and governance quality for examining the relationship among energy, environmental quality and sustainable development, especially in Asian and European emerging economies.

Details

Journal of Economic and Administrative Sciences, vol. ahead-of-print no. ahead-of-print
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 2054-6238

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Article
Publication date: 31 July 2024

Amani Alqarni

The purpose of this study is to address the limitations of traditional methods for managing intellectual property rights (IPRs) by proposing a blockchain-based solution. By…

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Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this study is to address the limitations of traditional methods for managing intellectual property rights (IPRs) by proposing a blockchain-based solution. By leveraging blockchain technology and smart contracts, the aim is to create a comprehensive ecosystem that offers advantages such as reduced transaction costs, improved transparency, enhanced security and increased liquidity levels for IP assets.

Design/methodology/approach

This paper proposes using blockchain technology to manage intellectual property rights (IPRs) through a smart contract-based ecosystem. It outlines the use of non-fungible tokens (NFTs) on the blockchain to represent IPRs, with smart contracts automating interactions and encoding rules for various processes such as applications, licensing, transfers and royalty distribution. Governance mechanisms, such as decentralized autonomous organizations (DAOs), are employed to allow stakeholders to propose and vote on contract changes, ensuring adaptability. This approach aims to streamline IPR workflows, reduce transaction costs, improve transparency and enhance security.

Findings

The findings of this study suggest that implementing a blockchain-based ecosystem for managing intellectual property rights (IPRs) can lead to various benefits. These include reduced transaction costs, improved transparency, enhanced security, increased liquidity levels for IP assets and streamlined automated processes. The use of non-fungible tokens (NFTs) on the blockchain allows for detailed management, valuation and trading of IPRs. Furthermore, simulation results demonstrate the robustness and efficiency of our proposed ecosystem, outperforming traditional IP management systems in terms of transaction speed and cost-effectiveness. These simulations highlight the practical viability of integrating blockchain technology into IP management workflows.

Practical implications

The practical implications of adopting this blockchain-based ecosystem for managing intellectual property rights (IPRs) are significant. By streamlining processes, reducing transaction costs and improving transparency and security, organizations can expedite the protection and commercialization of their IP assets. Additionally, the increased liquidity levels and accessibility of IP assets to investors and financiers can spur innovation and economic growth.

Originality/value

This paper contributes to the field by proposing a novel approach to managing intellectual property rights (IPRs) using blockchain technology and smart contracts. By leveraging non-fungible tokens (NFTs) on the blockchain, the proposed ecosystem offers a more efficient and transparent way of managing IPRs, reducing reliance on costly and opaque traditional methods. The potential benefits include improved efficiency, transparency, security and collaboration in the management and commercialization of IPRs.

Details

Kybernetes, vol. ahead-of-print no. ahead-of-print
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0368-492X

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Article
Publication date: 7 September 2021

Aisha Javaid, Mian Sajid Nazir and Kaneez Fatima

This paper contributes to the existing literature by extending the empirical work on the relationship between corporate governance and capital structure by analyzing the mediating…

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Abstract

Purpose

This paper contributes to the existing literature by extending the empirical work on the relationship between corporate governance and capital structure by analyzing the mediating role of cost of capital in the non-financial firms listed on the Pakistan Stock Exchange (PSX).

Design/methodology/approach

The sample for this study includes non-financial firms listed on the Pakistan Stock Exchange (formerly Karachi Stock Exchange) for the period of 2004–2016. Based on 1800 firm-year observations, three approaches of panel data analysis are applied for the step-wise analysis of the underlying study. Firstly, Pooled OLS is applied. Secondly, fixed and random effect panel regression followed by the Hausman test to check the unobservable individual heterogeneity of the data. Hausman test indicates that the fixed-effects model is the most appropriate model for the sample panel data.

Findings

The study's findings are that board size, board composition, CEO/Chair duality, institutional ownership and managerial ownership have statistically significant direct effect on the firm's financing decisions. However, CEO/Chair duality, institutional ownership and managerial ownership have significant indirect effect on firm's capital structure decisions. The interesting finding of the paper is on the evidence of mediating role of cost of capital in the nexus of corporate governance and capital structure. Moreover, some conventional determinants of capital structure, including the firm's size, asset structure of the firm, profitability, business risk and growth, are found as determinants of capital structure decisions of the firms.

Research limitations/implications

There are a few limitations to our study which could be addressed by upcoming research. We did not include all the four mechanisms of corporate governance including board structure, audit structure, compensation structure and ownership structure. However, we used only five important attributes including board size, board composition and CEO/Chair duality form board structure, managerial ownership and institutional ownership form ownership structure of corporate governance as our explanatory variables to examine their impact on the capital structure choices of the firms. Future studies may fill this research gap by involving some other attributes of corporate governance and analyzing their effectiveness and impact on value relevant capital structure decisions. Further, due to limited time and resources, we only tested the mediating role of cost of capital, hence, future researchers can analyze the mediating and moderating roles of different variables which may influence the relationship between corporate governance and capital structure choices of the firms.

Practical implications

The study has many valuable guidelines and practical implications for the financial managers of the corporations. Our results will facilitate the policymakers in setting their corporate governance policies and practices and making the value relevant capital structure decisions in compliance with the implications of corporate governance mechanism. In addition, our study provides the empirical evidence in accordance with the argument that good governance practices, particularly the voluntary disclosures by the firm may reduce the information asymmetry which, ultimately, reduces the agency cost and the cost of capital for the firm. However, while deciding the financial policy of the corporations, managers can use our findings in order to assess the effectiveness of corporate governance practices employed by the firm in achieving the optimal capital structure at which the weighted average cost of capital is at its minimum level.

Originality/value

This paper contributes to the literature by investigating the mediating role of the cost of capital in the relationship between corporate governance and capital structure decisions of the firms. This paper provides empirical evidence that corporate governance indirectly affects capital structure decisions through the mediating role of cost of capital.

Details

Journal of Economic and Administrative Sciences, vol. 39 no. 4
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 2054-6238

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Article
Publication date: 29 September 2021

Mohammed El Khomri, Noureddine El Messaoudi, Abdellah Dbik, Safae Bentahar, Abdellah Lacherai, Zahra Goodarzvand Chegini and Amal Bouich

Argan nutshell wood (ANW) has been used in this study as an agricultural solid waste to remove Congo red (CR) from an aqueous solution in single and mixture binary in the presence…

170

Abstract

Purpose

Argan nutshell wood (ANW) has been used in this study as an agricultural solid waste to remove Congo red (CR) from an aqueous solution in single and mixture binary in the presence of methylene blue (MB) or crystal violet (CV).

Design/methodology/approach

The ANW was characterized by Fourier transform infrared and scanning electron microscope analysis. The effect of ANW dose (8–40 gL−1), contact time (0–180 min), pH of the solution (4–11) and CR dye concentration (100–500 mgL−1) on CR adsorption was studied in batch mode and evaluated by kinetic and isotherm models in a single system. In the binary system, the CR removal was studied from a CR + MB and CR + CV mixture with different percentages of dyes, ranging from 0% to 100%.

Findings

The pseudo-second-order and the Langmuir models could best describe the CR sorption onto ANW in a single system. In addition, in the case of the binary system, there is the appearance of a synergistic phenomenon between the CR and the other cationic dyes and the CR adsorption capacity increased until 12.24 mg g-1 and 12.06 mg g-1 in the presence of the MB and CV in the mixture, respectively.

Practical implications

This study demonstrated that ANW prepared can be suggested as an excellent potential adsorbent to remove dyes from wastewaters from single and mixture systems.

Originality/value

This study is original.

Details

Pigment & Resin Technology, vol. 51 no. 5
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0369-9420

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Article
Publication date: 24 May 2022

Ali Zabihi and Reza Mirzaei

The house not only provides shelter and security but also is a reflection of human privacy. One of the important factors involved in house design is privacy. The current research…

301

Abstract

Purpose

The house not only provides shelter and security but also is a reflection of human privacy. One of the important factors involved in house design is privacy. The current research is a case study that examines privacy's evolution in contemporary houses in Kerman using space syntax techniques.

Design/methodology/approach

This study is based on the quantitative approach of space syntax. A total number of 15 houses in Kerman built in three periods of Qajar, Pahlavi and the Islamic Republic, were examined for the space syntax indices using UCL DepthMap. The DepthMap outputs were also analyzed using one-way ANOVA.

Findings

The findings indicated that the arrangement of spaces in houses has altered over time from the 1920s onwards. There is a significant difference between houses of the Qajar, Pahlavi and the Islamic Republic eras, indicating a reduction in the hierarchy of access and reduced privacy in houses in the Islamic Republic.

Research limitations/implications

Numerous factors affect privacy (e.g. confidentiality, interface spaces, quality of openings and visibility). Nevertheless, this study focused on the impact of spatial configuration on privacy. It can be stated that the design of houses from the Pahlavi period was gradually associated with changes in culture and modern architecture, leading to a decrease in privacy.

Originality/value

This study used space syntax to examine the evolution of privacy in contemporary Iranian houses. Since privacy is a substantial issue in the middle east communities, the findings can help designers and relevant organizations consider privacy as much as other comfort factors in the early stages of design.

Details

Open House International, vol. 48 no. 1
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0168-2601

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Article
Publication date: 16 October 2024

Waleed Sweileh

The aim of this study is to conduct an in-depth exploration of the research landscape concerning the impact of social determinants of health (SDH) on the health outcomes of…

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Abstract

Purpose

The aim of this study is to conduct an in-depth exploration of the research landscape concerning the impact of social determinants of health (SDH) on the health outcomes of international migrants.

Design/methodology/approach

Leveraging the extensive Scopus database, this study retrieved a total of 2,255 articles spanning the years 1993–2023. The framework for analysis used the SDH categories outlined by the World Health Organization.

Findings

The research landscape exhibited an apparent increase in the number of publications, but not a net increase in the research productivity. The USA emerged as the leading contributor to research output, with the Journal of Immigrant and Minority Health emerging as the most prolific publication venue, and the University of Toronto ranking as the most prolific institution. The SDH category that received the highest number of publications was the “community and social context”. Migrants from different regions in Asia (East, Central and South Asia) and those from Latin America and the Caribbean region appeared to be the most commonly researched. Highly cited articles predominantly delved into mental health outcomes arising from discrimination and migration policies.

Research limitations/implications

The findings proffer valuable insights for shaping future research endeavors, accentuating the imperative for diversified studies encompassing underrepresented domains, broader health outcomes and the inclusion of migrant populations from different world regions in investigative pursuits.

Originality/value

This study delivers a comprehensive analysis of the research landscape, unveiling critical trends in the realm of SDH and migrant health outcomes.

Details

International Journal of Migration, Health and Social Care, vol. 20 no. 4
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1747-9894

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Article
Publication date: 4 September 2017

Kamel Milani Shirvan, Mojtaba Mamourian and R. Ellahi

The purpose of this paper is to study the optimal conditions of the mixed convection in a ventilated square cavity filled with Cu-water nanofluid using the Taguchi method. The…

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Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to study the optimal conditions of the mixed convection in a ventilated square cavity filled with Cu-water nanofluid using the Taguchi method. The paper aims to discuss diverse issues affecting the said model.

Design/methodology/approach

The numerical solutions of nonlinear coupled equations are developed by means of the Taguchi method. The Taguchi method is used as an effective way to optimize the design process engineering tests.

Findings

The governing equations are discretized using a finite volume method and solved with semi-implicit method for pressure linked equations (SIMPLE) algorithm. The effect of Richardson number (0.01-10), the volume fraction of nanofluid (0-5 per cent), distance of inlet port position from bottom wall of the cavity (0-0.9 H) and distance of outlet port position from top wall of the cavity (0-0.9 H) as effective parameters are analyzed across four levels. This analysis is done for fixed Grashof number 104. The results show that the mean Nusselt number almost decreases by an increase in the Richardson number, volume fraction of nanofluid, position of the inlet port and position of the outlet port. It is found that the cavity with distance of inlet port position from bottom wall of the cavity 0 and distance of outlet port position from upper wall of the cavity 0.9 H at the Richardson number 0.01 and the volume fraction 3 per cent is the optimal design for heat transfer.

Originality/value

As far as the authors know, this model has been investigated for the first time.

Details

International Journal of Numerical Methods for Heat & Fluid Flow, vol. 27 no. 9
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0961-5539

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Article
Publication date: 3 April 2017

Iraj Radad, Hassan Behzadi and Somayeh Zadehrahim

The present research aims to compare information-seeking behaviour of ordinary and elite saffron farmers in Iran.

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Abstract

Purpose

The present research aims to compare information-seeking behaviour of ordinary and elite saffron farmers in Iran.

Design/methodology/approach

The study sample consisted of 375 saffron farmers (295 ordinary and 80 elite saffron farmers) selected using the cluster sampling method. Data were collected by a kind of researcher-made questionnaire.

Findings

The results showed saffron onion, pesticides, cultivators and farmland worker were the main components of saffron farmers’ information-seeking behaviour of both groups. The most important sources of information for both groups included reference to past experience, neighbouring saffron farmers, contact with informants and other family members. The main criteria which affected the behaviour of the two groups on the use of information sources were provided information in local language, native people, clear and intelligible information and low cost. Farmers were also confronted with common problems such as lack of attention to the needs of farmers and insufficient number of technical experts. It was also found that there was no significant relationship between information-seeking behaviour of elite and ordinary saffron farmers and their performance.

Originality/value

Saffron is one of the most important agricultural export products in Iran, and this paper is the first research in this subject. The results can help develop information-seeking behaviour of farmers.

Details

The Electronic Library, vol. 35 no. 2
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0264-0473

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