Prevalence and Associated Factors of Internet Addiction Among Male Students of Jubail University College, Saudi Arabia

This study aims to determine the associated factors and prevalence of Internet addiction among Jubail University College – Male Branch students. Descriptive cross-sectional method was applied. 171 students participated. Self-administered survey questionnaire was the data-gathering instrument. Young's Internet Addiction Test was used to determine the level of internet usage. Factors associated with high internet consumption are accessibility, boredom, isolation, and extreme weather condition. Covid-19 pandemic changed the way respondents consume internet. It also changed the respondents' sleeping pattern and increases the average internet usage per day. Though the internet played a vital role during Covid-19 pandemic, it also increases the dependency of students on it. Higher number of moderate level internet addiction has been found among respondents. Therefore, it is encouraged that JUC should design a program to address the current situation.

Assessing perceptions of pedestrian-focused intervention in a car-dependent European island

Apart from the numerous social, economic, and environmental impacts of car dependence, the time people spend sitting in motorised vehicles has been identified as a sedentary behaviour that can negatively impact people's physical and psychological health. The climate breakdown and the COVID-19 pandemic have continued to expose the fragility and vulnerability of the urban environment and the imminent need for response, management, and radical re-thinking through innovation, especially within the transport sector. The incidence of the COVID-19 pandemic has also reiterated the need for urban centres to re-establish a sense of community, extend the benefits reaped from reduced motorised transport usage and boost small/medium-size businesses through the provision of active travel spaces. This paper investigates the role of pedestrian-focused intervention to encourage walking rather than car use for short-distance trips, within the context of the car-dependent small island state of Malta. The research includes the use of semi-structured interviews with a broad range of stakeholders to develop a virtual platform for citizen participation. The platform is an interactive space for participants to identify barriers that discourage walking and explore and evaluate options that encourage walking as a mode of transport. A discussion of preliminary findings sheds light on the impact of pedestrian interventions that encourage active travel and contribute policy-relevant outcomes based on the perceptions and direct feedback from citizens and stakeholders alike. © 2023 The Authors. Published by ELSEVIER B.V.

Assessment Processes of Dependency Situations in Spain: The Role of Social Work

The paper analyses the processes of assessment of situations of dependency in Spain and the role of Social Work in them. The study provides new information, trying to detect possible influences of Covid-19 on these processes and analysing existing territorial disparities. From an intentional documentary search, information was subsequently collected from the General Directorates or Sub -directorates, or the autonomous Institutes of social services through an ad hoc questionnaire, obtaining responses from the universe of analysis units (17 autonomous communities). Said information was organized into three categories of analysis: mandatory nature of the social report in the assessment of situations of dependency;place of application of the DAS and the SRS;and professional profiles of the teams for assessing dependency situations. The results show, among other results, the existence of very different interprofessional teams, the application of the scale in divergent contexts, and the different relevance of the social report in the processes. In conclusion, the need to deepen the inclusion of the social report and the professional figure of Social Work in the assessment processes is evident by contributing to the improvement of the coordination of objectives, processes, and resources.

Conditional dependence structure and risk spillovers between Bitcoin and fiat currencies

This paper investigates the extreme dependence and risk spillovers between Bitcoin and the currencies of the BRICS and G7 economies. We find time-varying dependence between Bitcoin and all currencies. Moreover, when analysing risk spillovers from Bitcoin to currencies, we find that Bitcoin exercises significant power over most currencies, with the South African rand and Brazilian real holding both the highest downside and upside risk before and during the COVID-19 pandemic period, respectively. When considering risk spillovers from currencies towards Bitcoin, the Japanese yen exhibits the highest downside spillovers. Importantly, we find asymmetric spillovers between extreme upward and downward movements. • We study dependencies between Bitcoin and the currencies of the BRICS and G7 economies. • We find time-varying dependence between Bitcoin and all of the fiat currencies. • Bitcoin exercises significant power over most of the considered currencies. • We find asymmetric spillovers between extreme upward and downward movements. [ FROM AUTHOR] Copyright of Emerging Markets Review is the property of Elsevier B.V. and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full . (Copyright applies to all s.)

Earth's magnetic field spatial-temporal changes in relation to the SARS-CoV-2 virus spreading

The results of a study on the possible connection between the spread of the SARS-CoV-2 virus and the Earth's magnetic field based on the analysis of a large array digital data for 95 countries of the world are presented. The dependence of the spatial SARS-CoV-2 virus spread on the magnitude of the BIGRF Earth's main magnetic field modular induction values was established. The maximum diseases number occurs in countries that are located in regions with reduced (25. 0-30. 0 μT) and increased (48. 0-55. 0 μT) values, with a higher correlation for the first case. The spatial dependence of the SARS-CoV-2 virus spreading on geomagnetic field dynamics over the past 70 years was revealed. The maximum diseases number refers to the areas with maximum changes in it, both in decrease direction (up to - 6500 nT) and increase (up to 2500 nT), with a more significant correlation for countries located in regions with increased geomagnetic field. © 2022 EAGE. All Rights Reserved.

Digital interventions for substance use disorders in young people: Rapid review

This rapid review provides an overview of recent literature on the nature of digital interventions for young people in terms of technologies used, substances and populations targeted, and theoretical or therapeutic models employed. A keyword search was conducted using MEDLINE and other databases for 2015-2021. Following a title/ and full-text screening of articles and consensus decision on study inclusion, data extraction proceeded using an extraction grid. Data synthesis relied on an adapted conceptual framework (Stockings et al., 2016) that involved a three-level treatment spectrum for youth substance use (prevention, early intervention, and treatment). The review identified 43 articles describing 39 digital interventions. Most were early interventions (n = 28), followed by prevention (n = 6) and treatment (n = 5). Of the five technologies identified, web-based interventions (n = 14) were most common. Digital interventions have mainly focused on alcohol use (n = 20), reflecting limited concern for other substance use and co-occurring use. Yet the rise in substance use and related harms during the Covid-19 pandemic highlights a critical need for more innovative substance use interventions. Technologies with more immersive and interactive features, such as VR and game-based interventions, call for further exploration. Only one intervention was culturally tailored and purposefully designed for gender minority youth, and another was geared to young men. As well, most interventions used a personalized or normative feedback approach, while a harm reduction approach guided only one intervention. The incorporation of culturally tailored interventions and harm reduction approaches may promote uptake and stronger engagement with digital interventions amongst youth.

Structural Breaks in Interactive Effects Panels and the Stock Market Reaction to COVID-19

Dealing with structural breaks is an essential step in most empirical economic research. This is particularly true in panel data comprised of many cross-sectional units, which are all affected by major events. The COVID-19 pandemic has affected most sectors of the global economy;however, its impact on stock markets is still unclear. Most markets seem to have recovered while the pandemic is ongoing, suggesting that the relationship between stock returns and COVID-19 has been subject to structural break. It is therefore important to know if a structural break has occurred and, if it has, to infer the date of the break. Motivated by this last observation, the present article develops a new break detection toolbox that is applicable to different sized panels, easy to implement and robust to general forms of unobserved heterogeneity. The toolbox, which is the first of its kind, includes a structural change test, a break date estimator, and a break date confidence interval. Application to a panel covering 61 countries from January 3 to September 25, 2020, leads to the detection of a structural break that is dated to the first week of April. The effect of COVID-19 is negative before the break and zero thereafter, implying that while markets did react, the reaction was short-lived. A possible explanation is the quantitative easing programs announced by central banks all over the world in the second half of March.

The Earthquake Disaster in Turkiye: A Review from Child and Adolescent Psychiatry Perspective

The earthquake has long-lasting various mental and behavioral effects on children and adolescents. The aim of this review was to discuss the nature and extent of psychiatric problems, management options, and the process of organizing psychological interventions for affected children. Individuals show a range of physically, emotionally, and cognitively healthy responses that can help them cope with the aftermath of a disaster. Psychiatric symptoms such as acute stress reactions, post-traumatic stress disorder, depression, anxiety disorder, increased risk of suicide, sleep disorders, substance use disorders, and psychotic disorders may develop in some children. Comorbidities and sub-clinical syndromes are also common. There are many risk factors and protective factors in the development of mental disorders. Close follow-up of children at high risk and interventions for psychosocial support may prevent the development of mental disorders. It is very important to start the intervention at the earliest period. The psychological impacts of young disaster victims can be addressed by skilled local volunteers, medical professionals, and educators in primary health care programs. With the nation's overall social and economic recovery, children can recover more quickly from traumatic experiences.Copyright © 2023, Duzce University Medical School. All rights reserved.

Cannabis-Induced Catatonia in a 15-Year-Old Male: A Case Report

Introduction: Catatonia is a syndrome of primarily psychomotor disturbances most common in psychiatric mood disorders but that also rarely has been described in association with cannabis use. Case Presentation: A 15-year-old White male presented with left leg weakness, altered mental status, and chest pain, which then progressed to global weakness, minimal speech, and a fixed gaze. After ruling out organic causes of his symptoms, cannabis-induced catatonia was suspected, and the patient responded immediately and completely to lorazepam administration. Discussion(s): Cannabis-induced catatonia has been described in several case reports worldwide, with a wide range and duration of symptoms reported. There is little known about the risk factors, treatment, and prognosis of cannabis-induced catatonia. Conclusion(s): This report emphasizes the importance of clinicians maintaining a high index of suspicion to accurately diagnose and treat cannabis-induced neuropsychiatric conditions, which is especially important as the use of high-potency cannabis products in young people increases.Copyright © 2023, State Medical Society of Wisconsin. All rights reserved.

Research into Alcohol-Dependent Persons in Treatment during the Covid-19 Pandemic. Part Two- the Role of the Pandemic and Its Consequences

Introduction: The aim of the study was to de-termine the influence of experiences, both personal , those occurring during therapy, of the COVID-19 pandemic on mental perfor-mance of alcohol dependent people receiving treatment.Material and methods: The 2021 study includ-ed 454 people (351 men and 103 women) completing therapy in various treatment centres in Poland. The tools comprised the Scale of Pan-demic-Related Difficulty, the Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9), the Generalized Anx-iety Disorder (GAD-7), the Penn Alcohol Crav-ing Scale (PACS), the Suicidal Behavior Ques-tionnaire-Revised (SBQ-R), the International Trauma Questionnaire (ITQ), the Life Satisfac-tion Scale (SWLS), the Working Alliance Inven-tory-Short Revised (WAI-SR).Results: Among the participants, the women ex-perienced many more associated difficulties , anxiety than the men in the pandemic. During treatment, 13% of respondents have relapsed, with this being more likely among those reporting re-stricted access to therapy. Difficulties at home and in close relationships were strongly associated with symptoms of depression and anxiety. Patients with COVID-19 symptoms were characterised by a high-er degree of psychopathological severity compared to those who did not. No differences were found be-tween those who received the entire therapy "face to face", those who participated remotely and those who received a combination of the two models.Discussion: The experience of a pandemic by those in therapy did not appear to be strong-ly influenced by its course. The greatest neg-ative effects concerned domestic difficulties and problems with close relationships. How-ever, women, those who displayed COVID-19 symptoms and those who lost their jobs during the pandemic period demonstrated worse men-tal performance.Conclusions: Remaining in therapy may have played a protective role in patients with alcohol dependence during the pandemic.

The Bank of Japan's exchange traded fund purchases: a help or hindrance to market efficiency?

We examine the impact of the Bank of Japan's exchange traded fund (ETF) purchases on two aspects of market efficiency—long-range dependence and price delay—of the TOPIX and Nikkei 225 indices. An increase in ETF purchases results in lower long-range dependence for both indices while the impact on the price delay varies according to index and measure. A sub-period analysis shows that the impact on market efficiency varies over time, with the dominant pattern being a delayed harmful effect, followed by a positive impact and thereafter a negative effect. The implications of these findings are discussed.

Doing your own research and other impossible acts of epistemic superheroism

The COVID-19 pandemic has been accompanied by an "infodemic” of misinformation and conspiracy theory. This article points to three explanatory factors: the challenge of forming accurate beliefs when overwhelmed with information, an implausibly individualistic conception of epistemic virtue, and an adversarial information environment that suborns epistemic dependence. Normally we cope with the problems of informational excess by relying on other people, including sociotechnical systems that mediate testimony and evidence. But when we attempt to engage in epistemic "superheroics” - withholding trust from others and trying to figure it all out for ourselves – these can malfunction in ways that make us vulnerable to forming irrational beliefs. Some epistemic systems are prone to coalescing audiences around false conspiracy theories. This analysis affords a new perspective on philosophical efforts to understand conspiracy theories and other epistemic projects prone to collective irrationality.

A Machine Learning Approach Reveals Distinct Predictors of Vaping Dependence for Adolescent Daily and Non-Daily Vapers in the COVID-19 Era.

Since 2016, there has been a substantial rise in e-cigarette (vaping) dependence among young people. In this prospective cohort study, we aimed to identify the different predictors of vaping dependence over 3 months among adolescents who were baseline daily and non-daily vapers. We recruited ever-vaping Canadian residents aged 16-25 years on social media platforms and asked them to complete a baseline survey in November 2020. A validated vaping dependence score (0-23) summing up their responses to nine questions was calculated at the 3-month follow-up survey. Separate lasso regression models were developed to identify predictors of higher 3-month vaping dependence score among baseline daily and non-daily vapers. Of the 1172 participants, 643 (54.9%) were daily vapers with a mean age of 19.6 ± 2.6 years and 76.4% (n = 895) of them being female. The two models achieved adequate predictive performance. Place of last vape purchase, number of days a pod lasts, and the frequency of nicotine-containing vaping were the most important predictors for dependence among daily vapers, while race, sexual orientation and reporting treatment for heart disease were the most important predictors in non-daily vapers. These findings have implications for vaping control policies that target adolescents at different stages of vape use.

Factors Affecting Initiation and Retention of Medication-Assisted Recovery (MAR) within a Pilot Pharmacist-Involved Practice Model at a Federally Qualified Healthcare Center (FQHC) during the COVID-19 Pandemic.

BACKGROUND: During the COVID-19 pandemic, opioid-related overdose deaths increased. Although Medication-Assisted Treatment or Recovery (MAT or MAR) is available, initiation and retention rates vary. The goal of this study was to evaluate clinical, demographic, and Social Determinant of Health factors affecting MAR initiation, on-time initiation of medications, and successful retention in the program. The secondary goal was to evaluate the impact of a novel interprofessional practice model incorporating pharmacists. METHODS: A retrospective analysis was conducted using electronic health record data from a pilot MAR Program initiated within a California Federally Qualified Healthcare Center. RESULTS: From September 2019 to August 2020, 48 patients enrolled into the program. On-time initiation of medications occurred in 68% of patients and average program retention was 96.4 ± 95.8 days. Patients currently using opioids (p = 0.005) and those receiving supportive medications (p = 0.049) had lower odds of on-time MAR initiation. There were no statistically significant factors associated with successful retention in the program. The number of visits with members of the interprofessional team did not significantly affect on-time initiation or successful retention. CONCLUSIONS: Current opioid use and receipt of supportive medications were associated with lower on-time medication initiation. Further studies are warranted to explore additional factors which may affect initiation and retention.

How do governmental wage subsidies enhance SME resilience in the COVID-19 pandemic?

PurposeCoronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has had a tremendous negative effect on the economies around the world by infusing uncertainty into supply chains. In this paper, the authors address two important research questions (RQs): (1) did COVID-19 wage subsidies impact small and medium enterprises (SMEs) to become more flexible towards the SMEs' business customers and (2) can such flexibility be a source for greater resilience to the crisis? As a result, the authors investigate the relationship between governmental wage subsidies and SMEs' flexibility norms towards the SMEs' business customers (study 1). The authors further uncover when and how flexibility towards existing customers contributes to SME resilience (study 2).Design/methodology/approachThe authors frame the inquiry under the resource dependence theory (RDT) and behavioural additionality principle. The authors use survey methodology and test the assumptions in study 1 (n = 225) and study 2 (n = 95) on a sample of SMEs from various business-to-business (B2B) industries in Croatia.FindingsOverall, in study 1, the authors find that SMEs that receive governmental wage subsidies have greater flexibility norms. However, this relationship is significantly conditioned by SMEs' competitive profile. SMEs that strongly rely on innovation are more willing to behave flexibly when receiving subsidies, whereas SMEs driven by branding do not. Study 2 sheds light on when flexibility towards existing customers increases SME resilience. Findings show that flexibility norms are negatively related to resilience, but this relationship is becoming less negative amongst SMEs with lower financial dependence on the largest customer.Originality/valueThis study extends RDT in the area of firm-government relationships by showing that wage subsidies became a source of power for the Government and a source of dependency for SMEs. In such cases, the SMEs receiving those subsidies align with the governmental agenda and exhibit higher flexibility towards the SMEs' customers. Drawing arguments from behavioural additionality, the authors show that this effect varies due to SMEs' attention and organisational priorities resulting from different competitive profiles. Ultimately, the authors showcase that higher flexibility norms can contribute to resilience if the SME restructures its dependency by having a less-concentrated customer base.

Job insecurity and survivor workplace behavior following COVID-19 layoff

PurposeThis study aims to investigate the impact of job insecurity (JI) on employee work performance (WP) and service innovation behavior (SIB). It further examines the mediating role of affective commitment (AC) and the moderating role of organizational cynicism and financial job dependence (FJD). Design/methodology/approachBy using a three-wave approach, the hypotheses were tested by collecting data from 473 full-time employees and their supervisors in the Thai hotel industry. FindingsThe results demonstrated that JI negatively affected WP and SIB. AC mediated these relationships. FJD moderated these relationships such that at high levels of job dependence, the negative relationships were weaker. Research limitations/implicationsHuman resource managers may reduce the negative effects of JI by creating a supportive and caring work environment through open communication. They may communicate openly with employees about the challenges the organization is facing, and involve them in planning, decision-making and implementation to mitigate the negative effects of JI. They may also provide training and development opportunities to help employees build their skills and increase their value to the organization. Originality/valueResearch on the behavioral consequences of JI is scant in the hospitality sector. Drawing on job-demand resource theory, this study attempts to fill this gap.

Two years of COVID-19. Impacts on accessibility of a mental health service for immigrants and individuals in socio-economic difficulties

We extend our previous investigation of the effects of prehydrodynamic evolution on final-state observables in heavy-ion collisions [38] to smaller systems. We use a state-of-the-art hybrid model for the numerical simulations with optimal parameters obtained from a previous Bayesian study. By studying p-Pb collisions, we find that the effects due to the assumption of a conformal evolution in the prehydrodynamical stage are even more important in small systems. We also show that this effect depends on the time duration of the pre-equilibrium stage, which is further enhanced in small systems. Finally, we show that the recent proposal of a free-streaming with subluminal velocity for the pre-equilibrium stage, thus effectively breaking conformal invariance, can alleviate the contamination of final-state observables. Our study further reinforces the need for moving beyond conformal approaches in pre-equilibrium dynamics modeling, especially when extracting transport coefficients from hybrid models in the high-precision era of heavy-ion collisions.

Assessment of the Contribution of Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises to the Output of the Cities of Republican Significance in Kazakhstan

Small and medium-sized enterprises (SME) development in the regions of Kazakhstan is characterised by substantial imbalances. The cities of republican significance - Nur-Sultan and Almaty - are leading in terms of SME performance indicators. However, the quantitative development of such enterprises in these cities does not always lead to a corresponding increase in their contribution to output. Meanwhile, literature lacks studies on this relationship and its causal analysis necessary to provide scientific substantiation of the state policy to support SME development in regions. The present article aims to assess the contribution of SMEs to the output of the cities of republican significance and find solutions to the problems hindering business development. It is hypothesised that there is a weak linear correlation between the number of operating SMEs and output in Nur-Sultan and Almaty. The study utilised the Pearson correlation method, comparative and causal analysis. The presence of a positive correlation between the number of operating SMEs and the production output in the studied regions was confirmed, although, according to the correlation coefficient value, this relationship is weak. The suboptimal structure of the SME sector, as well as the low labour productivity in small enterprises are the key reasons for the weak correlation. Recommendations to stimulate the activities of SMEs were formulated based on the analysis of hindering factors (including inefficient government support). It is concluded that the reduction of the SME sector due to the COVID-19 pandemic in some way positively affected the market, since ineffectively functioning entities were eliminated. Thus, the state should focus on the targeted support and directly stimulate strong players capable of self-renewal. The research results can be useful to the state and local authorities to create measures to support SMEs and regional business regulation policy.

Path dependence or steps for major reforms? Pandemic-related social protection measures in ten OECD countries

This article examines with empirical evidence the social protection measures implemented in response to the COVID-19 pandemic in ten welfare states in the Global North. We analysed the potential similarities and differences in responses by welfare regimes. The comparative study was conducted with data from 169 measures, collected from domestic sources as well as from COVID-19 response databases and reports. In qualitative terms, we redeveloped Hall's theory on the distinction between first-, second- and third-order changes. In accordance with the path-dependence thesis, we show systematically that the majority of the studied changes (91%) relied on a pre-pandemic tool demonstrating flexibility within social security systems. The relative share of completely new instruments was notable but modest (9%). Thematically, the social protection measures converged beyond traditional welfare regimes, particularly among the European welfare states. Somewhat surprisingly, the changes to social security systems related not just to emergency aid to mitigate traditional risks but, to a greater extent, also to prevent new risks from being actualised.

Limbic platform capitalism: understanding the contemporary marketing of health-demoting products on social media

The purposive design, production and marketing of legal but health-demoting products that stimulate habitual consumption and pleasure for maximum profit has been called 'limbic capitalism'. In this article, drawing on alcohol and tobacco as key examples, we extend this framework into the digital realm. We argue that 'limbic platform capitalism' is a serious threat to the health and wellbeing of individuals, communities and populations. Accessed routinely through everyday digital devices, social media platforms aggressively intensify limbic capitalism because they also work through embodied limbic processes. These platforms are designed to generate, analyse and apply vast amounts of personalised data in an effort to tune flows of online content to capture users' time and attention, and influence their affects, moods, emotions and desires in order to increase profits. Social media are central to young people's socialising, identities, leisure practices and engagement in civic life. Young people actively appropriate social media for their own ends but are simultaneously recruited as consumers who are specifically targeted by producers of limbic products and services. Social media platforms have seen large increases in users and traffic through the COVID-19 pandemic and limbic capitalism has worked to intensify marketing that is context, time and place specific, driving online purchases and deliveries of limbic products. This has public health implications that require immediate attention as existing regulatory frameworks are woefully inadequate in this era of data-driven, algorithmic marketing.