The impact of COVID-19 prevention and control measures on residential burglary hotspots: A case study of the core urban areas of Beijing

In order to analyze the impact of COVID-19 prevention and control measures on the hotspots of residential burglary, the data of crimes that occurred during the First Level Response period of Major Public Health Emergencies in Beijing in 2020 and the same period in 2019 were collected, and the changes of hotspots during the two periods were compared by using kernel density estimation and predictive accuracy index. Consequently, the environmental features such as street network, point of interest (POI) diversity, crime locations, and repeat victimization in significantly varied hotspot areas were investigated. The results show that: 1) After the outbreak of the pandemic, the occurrence of residential burglary in the core urban areas of Beijing dropped significantly, and daily occurrence of crimes during the First Level Response period in 2020 decreased by 66.8% compared with the same days in 2019. 2) The eight major hotspots that existed in 2019 apparently declined during the corresponding days in 2020, five of them basically disappeared, and three hotspots weakened. 3) The declined hotspots were generally clustered around traffic hubs, areas with high diversity of POIs, clustered crimes, and repeat victimizations. 4) Home isolation and social restriction strategies implemented during the First Level Response period reduced the opportunities of offenders, and the real-name inspection adopted in public places increased the exposure risk of offenders, which are the main reasons for the hotspots decline during the pandemic. This work has some implications for crime prevention and police resources optimization during the pandemic. © 2023, Editorial office of PROGRESS IN GEOGRAPHY. All rights reserved.

Farmers' willingness to stabilize the land contract relationship facing the upcoming expiry of land contracts

On the verge of the expiry of land contracts, it is theoretically and practically important to explore the willingness and motivations of farmers to stabilize the land contract relationship, with regards to protecting their land contract rights, addressing potential contradictions during the land contract extension, and maintaining the stability of contracted land. Using China Land Economic Survey Data in 2020, this paper explores the impact of differences in areas per capita of household contracted land on farmers' willingness to stabilize land contract relationship. The findings show that most farmers support the stability of land contract relationship;the smaller areas per capita of contracted land are occupied by households than the average in the village, the weaker of the farmers' willingness to stabilize the land contract relationship. The difference between the areas per capita of contracted land ownership of a household and the average in the village has a greater impact on the willingness to stabilize land contract relationship for middle-and low-income farmers, while the development of land transfer market does not increased the willingness. Affected by the COVID-19 pandemic, the land plays a more important role of employment security, which reduces farmers' willingness to stabilize the land contract relationship. Furthermore, the promotion of socialized agricultural service has also mitigated the willingness of farmers o stabilize the land contract relationship.

Investigation of high school students' motivation for physical activity participation and eating attitude levels during the COVID-19 period

The aim of this study is to determine the motivation of high school students to participate in physical activity and their eating attitude levels during the COVID-19 period as well as to examine the relationship between the two variables. In addition, it was also determined whether the motivation for participate in physical activity and eating attitudes differ according to gender, weekly exercise, spending time with technology, family communication times, and participation in exercise during and before the pandemic. A total of 576 high school students, including 406 girls and 170 boys, participated in the study. "Motivation Scale for Participation in Physical Activity (MSPPA)", "Eating Attitude Test (EAT-40)" and "Personal Information Form (KBF)" were used as data collection tools. Data were evaluated using correlation, multiple linear regression, MANOVA and t-test analysis techniques. It was concluded that the motivation of the students to participate in physical activity was moderate, and they did not have eating disorders. It was observed that physical activity motivation did not predict eating attitude, but there were positive and low relationships between sub-factors in relational dimension. According to gender, it was determined that the eating attitudes of female students were more positive than male students. It has been found that the motivation to participate in physical activity is higher for those who exercise before and during the pandemic than those who do not. Consequently, it can be said that during the COVID-19 process, high school students' motivation to participate in physical activity is at a moderate level, and their eating attitudes are generally not at the level of behavioral disorders.

Multi2Claim: Generating Scientific Claims from Multi-Choice Questions for Scientific Fact-Checking

In automated scientific fact-checking, machine learning models are trained to verify scientific claims given evidence. A major bottleneck of this task is the availability of large-scale training datasets on different domains, due to the required domain expertise for data annotation. However, multiple-choice question-answering datasets are readily available across many different domains, thanks to the modern online education and assessment systems. As one of the first steps towards addressing the fact-checking dataset scarcity problem in scientific domains, we propose a pipeline for automatically converting multiple-choice questions into fact-checking data, which we call Multi2Claim. By applying the proposed pipeline, we generated two large-scale datasets for scientific-fact-checking: Med-Fact and Gsci-Fact for the medical and general science domains, respectively. These two datasets are among the first examples of large-scale scientific-fact-checking datasets. We developed baseline models for the verdict prediction task using each dataset. Additionally, we demonstrated that the datasets could be used to improve performance measured by weighted F1 on existing fact-checking datasets such as SciFact, HEALTHVER, COVID-Fact, and CLIMATE-FEVER. In some cases, the improvement in performance was up to a 26% increase. The generated datasets are publicly available. © 2023 Association for Computational Linguistics.

Internal migration during COVID-19 pandemic: an analysis through the lens of social organisations

In March 2020, a large number of people moved from cities to their homes in rural areas, and a few months later, many returned to cities. These journeys were undertaken not only during the COVID-19 pandemic against the advisory of governments and public health experts, but the circumstances of travel were also under extreme hardship. How may we understand this intense response by people? By drawing on the migration theory and the roles of social ties or social organisation, we can better explain peoples' reactions during this pandemic. Notably, we find non-material values, such as the dignity of labour or responsibilities to family, are significant to decision -making, and there is a desire not to compromise on these values. Further, our analyses find that the distinction between pre-disaster and post-disaster situations may not be helpful.

COVID-19 pandemic and comfort food consumption based on gender in a Brazilian sample: which variables are related to this behavior?

PurposeThis study aims to identify comfort food (CF) consumption and its associated factors during the pandemic period. The study also involves an online survey conducted five months after the quarantine started in Brazil. Design/methodology/approachData on lifestyle, eating habits and anthropometric data were collected before and during the pandemic, and the differences in these habits were analyzed. Univariate and multivariate logistic regression models were performed to identify predictors of CF consumption by gender. FindingsA total of 1,363 individuals were included in the sample, with a median age of 31 years old, of whom 80.3% were women. Since individuals were free to respond about the food consumed without predetermined categories, it was possible to carry out a faithful assessment of the occurrence of this behavior. At the same time, allowing the subjectivity and symbolism inherent to the concept of CF to be embraced. CF consumption was present for 54%, with "sweets" being the most mentioned group by both genders. The factors associated with CF consumption in women during the pandemic were increased snacking, increased bread, candies and alcoholic beverage intake, increased time spent at work, worsened sleep quality, reduced meals, perceived stress (PS), emotional eating (EE), age and increased frequency of meat intake. In men, the predictors for CF consumption were remote full-time work/study, PS, EE and early waking time. For both genders, CF consumption during the pandemic period was associated with PS and EE. Originality/valueThis study provides an important overview of the possible contributions of the pandemic on behaviors and food choices related to the consumption of CF in Brazilians. This information is valuable to support further studies to investigate and treat the impacts of the pandemic on lifestyle, eating habits and behavior, mental health and other factors in the postpandemic period.

Bringing order to Petra's tourism economy

The popularity of Petra, Jordan, as a tourist destination has surged among international visitors since the 1980s. This has led to the tourism sector's emergence as a major source of income for indigenous communities living adjacent to the ancient city's ruins. Rapidly expanding visitor numbers and business activity-both licensed and unlicensed-exposed the need for government to play an active role in organizing Petra's tourism industry. Drawing upon a thematic analysis of interviews I conducted in three tourism-reliant, tribal communities in Petra's vicinity in 2022, this case study examines relations between the Petra Development and Tourism Region Authority (PDTRA) and indigenous stakeholders in the local economy. Focusing on the period extending from 2019-just before the COVID-19 pandemic's onset-to 2022, I explore local perspectives towards PDTRA policies impacting indigenous work in the tourism sector. I find that legality, size, and internal organization of stakeholder groups affect their capacity to influence political decisions that impact their lives and livelihoods.

Exploring the influence of self-efficacy and autonomy on outdoor recreation behaviors during the COVID-19 pandemic

Outdoor Recreation (OR) provides the benefits of physical activity and traditional leisure placed in an outdoor environment. Motivation, self-efficacy, and autonomy can increase depending on the physical and social environment. This study explored the relationship between self-efficacy and autonomy on OR behaviors and identified barriers and facilitators to OR during the COVID-19 pandemic. Survey information was collected from 995 U.S. adults (93.6% white, 64.0% female) regarding OR behaviors, changes in OR during COVID-19, and OR self-perceptions. Significant positive correlations existed between autonomy and self-efficacy (r = 0.138, p < 0.01), and self-efficacy and pre/post pandemic OR behaviors 2020 (r = 0.158, p < 0.01), (r = 0.129, p < 0.01) respectively. Qualitative data implied barriers and facilitators to OR as: social, mental health, and increased or changed OR/physical activity. Implications from this research are beneficial to OR and health professionals to promote overall physical and mental well-being for OR participants.

Recreational travel behavior and COVID-19: insights from expected utility and the theory of planned behavior

Understanding what factors play a role in people's decisions to travel during a pandemic is important to public health officials and to stakeholders in the travel and tourism industry in the United States (US) and worldwide. This study examines factors influencing people's decisions to cancel/postpone recreational travel within the US amidst the COVID-19 pandemic. Our conceptual framework extends the Expected Utility model, commonly used in economics to model decisions under risk and uncertainty, to incorporate subjective norms and perceived behavioral control from the Theory of Planned Behavior. Our results suggest that risk perceptions, subjective norms, and concerns over transmitting COVID-19 to others play a significant role in the decision to cancel and postpone recreational travel. Results also suggest that perceived behavioral control may be less relevant to travel decisions when traveling involves elevated health risks.

The Determinants of Positive Food Procurement Practices in COVID-19 Affected Communities: A Cross-Sectional Study Conducted in Chiredzi Zimbabwe

The coronavirus pandemic has led to diminished income, which threatens nutrition security. Cash transfer programs increase the resilience of poor and vulnerable households by giving them an improved ability to obtain food and healthcare, which lead to nutrition security. However, the provision of cash does not necessarily translate to ideal behaviours, such as procuring nutritious foods. This study investigated the determinants of procurement of legumes and animal source foods amongst potential beneficiaries of a cash transfer project. We conducted a barrier analysis study in Chiredzi, Zimbabwe. Structured interviews were administered to 90 purposively sampled respondents (45 doers and 45 non-doers). The study investigated the four most common behavioural determinants, perceived self-efficacy, perceived social norms, perceived positive consequences and perceived negative consequences. Non-doers were 1.89 times more likely to state that receiving social assistance would make it easier to procure legumes and animal source foods for household consumption. Non-doers were 2.05 times more likely to state that the ability to barter their own possessions for legumes and animal source foods would make it easier to purchase the items for household consumption. Doers were 4.5 times more likely to report that relish comprising of animal source foods or legumes and pulses was tastier than other relishes. Doers were 12 times more likely to report that most people approve of purchasing animal source foods and legumes for household consumption. Doers were 3.23 times more likely to identify friends and relatives as the members of the community that approved of this behaviour. We identified three determinants of the procurement of legumes and animal-source foods, namely, perceived self-efficacy, social norms and perceived positive consequences. Cash transfer projects provide a first step to achieving nutrition security in the new normal but must be delivered with a context-specific behaviour change intervention. © The Editor(s) (if applicable) and The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Switzerland AG 2023.

Comparison of Methods of Assessment and Results of Traditional Osce with Electronic-Osce

Introduction: The onset and rise of COVID-19 and its sudden progression to a worldwide pandemic lead medical and dental institutes to change their way of teaching and conducting assessments to distance learning as compared to the previously applied conventional approaches. Teaching and assessment during this era have changed vastly, earlier it was solely traditional/live Objective Structured Clinical Examination (OSCE) but due to the current circumstances electronic/online OSCE (E-OSCE) method was introduced. In Pakistan also, Pakistan Medical Council (PMC) and the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Pakistan (CPSP) conducted online exams so that the scheduled exams do not get delayed. Aim(s): The main objective of this paper is to measure the reliability of an E-OSCE and to compare it with the traditional OSCE. Methodology: This was a cross-sectional study which got conducted at the Rawal Institute of Health Sciences, Islamabad. Traditional OSCEs and E-OSCEs were conducted with 71 participants including final year students and house officers. Each OSCEs had 10 stations, including one interactive station in traditional OSCE. Students' scores in both the OSCEs were collected and paired t-test was used to compare the mean scores at p<0.05. Result(s): Total number of house officers were 27 and final year students were 44. The scores of 71 participants were collected. The difference between mean scores of house officers' traditional OSCE and E-OSCE was statistically significant (p=0.000). The difference between final year students traditional OSCE and E-OSCE was also statistically significant (p=0.020). Finally, the overall difference between traditional OSCE and E-OSCE was also statistically significant (p=0.000) Practical implication: The main objective of this study was to assess the reliability of an E-OSCE and to compare whether the electronic method of conducting OSCE is more reliable than the traditional method of conducting OSCE. Conclusion(s): Despite limitations and the biases, the results of E-OSCE proved to be better than traditional OSCE. Further research needs to be conducted on E-OSCE to control the factors causing biases and limitations.Copyright © 2023 Lahore Medical And Dental College. All rights reserved.

Report on the Condition of Education 2023. NCES 2023-144

The "Report on the Condition of Education" is a congressionally mandated annual report from the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES). Using the most recent data available (at the time this report was written) from NCES and other sources, the report contains key indicators on the condition of education in the United States at all levels, from prekindergarten through postsecondary, as well as labor force outcomes and international comparisons. There are core indicators that are updated every year and spotlight indicators that provide in-depth analyses on topics of interest to education agencies, policymakers, researchers, and the public. At the broadest level, the Condition of Education Indicator System is organized into five sections: family characteristics;preprimary, elementary, and secondary education;postsecondary education;population characteristics and economic outcomes;and international comparisons. The Report on the "Condition of Education 2023" encompasses key findings from the Condition of Education Indicator System. The full contents of the Indicator System can be accessed online through the website or by downloading PDFs for the individual indicators. [For "The Condition of Education 2023": At a Glance, see ED628291. For the "Report on the Condition of Education 2022. NCES 2022-144," see ED619870.]

The Feasibility and Impact of a Computer-Aided Genetics Education Module in an Obstetrics Clinic: A Randomized Controlled Trial

BackgroundRapid advances in prenatal genetic testing highlight the need for technology-based tools to assist in informed decision-making.PurposeThis study evaluates the feasibility, acceptability, and efficacy of a Computer-Aided Genetics Education Module (CAGEM) as an e-counseling tool and decision aid in a busy obstetric clinic among a socially disadvantaged patient population.MethodsA randomized controlled trial with patients randomized (1:1) to receive the intervention in addition to standard of care or standard of care only. Participants responded to pre- and posttest questionnaires.ResultsAlthough limited in recruitment by the COVID-19 pandemic, this tool scored 81.0% acceptability and 91.0% feasibility among 88 participants. No statistically significant difference was detected between the overall improvement in knowledge scores and the total posttest knowledge scores among the intervention and control groups. However, the intervention group scored significantly higher on the posttest questions regarding NIPT interpretation (61.7 +/- 49.1 vs 80.9 +/- 39.8, p = .049), Down syndrome (78.7 +/- 41.4 vs 93.6 +/- 24.7, p = .016), and inheritance of recessive conditions (59.6 +/- 49.6 vs 91.4 +/- 28.2, p < .001). The intervention group also showed a greater improvement in knowledge scores for inheritance of recessive conditions (31.9 +/- 8.1 vs 0 +/- 7.8, p = .006) and a protective effect in knowledge scores for Down syndrome (0 +/- 6.1 vs -17.1 +/- 6.0, p =.049).DiscussionCAGEM may be a feasible and acceptable e-counseling tool and decision aid, especially when compared to standard of care prenatal counseling. Although overall knowledge did not show significant improvement, CAGEM showed promise in enhancing knowledge acquisition for certain genetic education topics, showing that technology-based tools may be beneficial in informed consent. Future iterations may be revised to improve clarity, especially around invasive testing methods, race congruency, and insurance coverage.Translation to Health Education Practice: This study's method creates a model for Health Educators to design and evaluate technology-based tools for improving informed decision-making around prenatal genetic testing. Tools like CAGEM may be utilized to improve patient education prior to prenatal appointments and thus serve as an adjunct to provider counseling. Specifically, CAGEM addresses multiple NCHEC Responsibilities and Competencies including #1.1.2, 1.3.2, 1.3.4, 4.2.9, and 6.4.3.

International Trade Fairs and Inter-Firm Knowledge Flows: Understanding Patterns of Convergence-Divergence in the Technological Specializations of Firms

Against a backdrop of economic uncertainty caused by a shift toward protectionism and the COVID-19 pandemic among other issues, this book suggests that international trade fairs (ITFs) represent a vital source of economic dynamism that can support national and regional economies by creating opportunities for firms to access new markets, network with key actors in their industry or value chain, and tap into valuable external knowledge flows regarding new technologies and innovations. Author Rachael Gibson argues that ITFs have become crucial nodes in the global political economy, driving global economic dynamics and mediating differences between capitalist economies regarding their technological and institutional practices and conditions. In this way, ITFs represent a decisive mechanism by which distinct national patterns of technological specialization may converge or diverge. Trade fairs represent important platforms for networking, interactive learning, and knowledge exchange because they foster intense interactions among actors despite spatial boundaries. ITFs also tend to be organized according to a specific technological or industry focus, which means that they can facilitate interactions between firms from different capitalist varieties. Through the diffusion of state-of-the-art knowledge, ITFs may, thus, serve as drivers of economic globalization, challenging the continuation of distinct capitalist varieties by enabling cross-system convergence regarding the technological specializations of firms. Yet, it is clear that countries have retained competitive advantages in specific industries and that full convergence has not taken place. This book explores this puzzle. © The Editor(s) (if applicable) and The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Switzerland AG 2022.

Computerized intelligence and mathematical models for COVID-19 management: a short communication

The onset of COVID- 19 pandemic has resulted in the transition from the conventional face to face health care strategies to computerized approaches, considering distances, the importance of quarantine, and early diagnosis and management. As far as the rapid management of the infection is concerned, telemedicine has been introduced as a beneficial approach. The use of telemedicine is thought to decrease the risk of cross contamination. Moreover, it provides the access to the health care for remote locations. The health care staff can use the computational analyses to get rapid access to the accurate epidemiological and laboratory data. The risk assessment provided by the mathematical models seems beneficial for decision-making in regards to the prognosis and management. We aimed to explore the breakthrough of telemedicine regarding the pandemic, also attempting to describe the related problems and challenges.

COVID-19 and Intentions to Study Abroad: Evidence from Overseas University Applications to the UK

Purpose: The purpose of this study is to investigate how COVID-19 impacted overseas students' decision to apply for an undergraduate degree at UK universities. Design/methodology/approach: This study compares the number of university applications from overseas students in summer and autumn 2020 with those in the period 2011-2019. Multivariate analysis techniques are used. Findings: The results show that the pandemic has led to a drop in university applications from foreign students by 11-14%. Such decline has been driven by a reduction in the number of applicants from high-income countries as opposed to those from middle-lower income countries. Two explanations may account for this finding. First, students from affluent countries, compared to those from poorer countries, may be more likely to find a good alternative to the UK where to carry out their studies (including their home country). Second, the option of deferring study abroad plans due to the pandemic may be more affordable for applicants from high-income countries. Originality/value: While understanding how COVID-19 has impacted international student mobility is an emerging issue in the literature, not only are there few studies providing evidence on this, but these are based on qualitative analysis. This paper uses quantitative methods that allow to separate the effect of COVID-19 from that associated with other factors affecting the flow of international students.

What is a digital nomad? Definition and taxonomy in the era of mainstream remote work. (Special Issue: Leisure, knowledge work and the digital nomadism.)

Digital nomadism gradually expanded during the 2010s. Since the COVID-19 pandemic, remote work (a prerequisite to digital nomadism), suddenly became mainstream. In this new context the term digital nomadism is increasingly used in ways that are broader or different to its original conception. This paper reviews scientific literature and draws on the author's ethnographic fieldwork to create an updated classification of contemporary digital nomadism that acknowledges the broad spectrum of individuals, groups, communities, identities, and imaginaries labelled with the term digital nomad. The paper updates the definition of digital nomadism and provides a new taxonomy which subdivides the digital nomad model into five distinct types: freelance digital nomads;digital nomad business owners;salaried digital nomads;experimental digital nomads and armchair digital nomads. It also proposes that six key variable themes should be applied to these classifications. These are: autonomy over mobility;homebase practices;domestic vs. transnational travel;legal legitimacy;work-life balance and coworking space usage. The taxonomy and the variable themes are proposed as a roadmap for future research and as a tool so researchers and policymakers can more accurately evaluate real-world examples of digital nomad context, motivation, practice, and impact.

Person-Environment Fit: Implications for Vocational Students' Career in the Era of Crisis

Person-environment fit theory (PE-fit) theory emphasises a match between a person's attribute (P) and the workplace environment (E). However, a differential predictions hypothesis emphasises the different contributions of personal and environmental inputs to outcomes. Higher education students in Hong Kong (N = 380) completed a survey on their personal interest (P) and the contemporary threatening environment (E) (fear of pandemic, social unrest, international disputes) related to tourism-related outcomes (intent to join tourism, lifelong commitment, leadership, and anxiety) during COVID-19. Structural equation modelling found that P strongly predicted Intent, Lifelong, and Leadership, whereas E strongly predicted Anxiety, supporting the differential predictions hypothesis. PE-fit (P × positive E) predicted Intent in addition to the prediction of P, supporting the PE-fit hypothesis. The findings imply the different merits of PE-fit and differential predictions hypotheses for various vocational outcomes, and the importance of reinforcing students' interest to launch their career in challenging times. © 2023, The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Singapore Pte Ltd.

'Why now' for AFLW? Providing a new affirmative narrative for women's football in the post-COVID world

As with many other male-dominated sports, for over a century of its history, Australian Rules Football organizations resisted and undermined women's participation in the game. The first league for women footballers commenced in Victoria in 1981. Since then, the growth in women's participation has been substantial, and in 2017, a professional women's Australian Football League (AFLW) commenced. The next phase of the participation of women in football is approaching, and heralds an opportunity for women to (re)gain power within the sport. In October 2019, thirty percent of women players rejected the proposed Collective Bargaining Agreement from the Australian Football League (AFL), with the underlying sentiment of wanting a stronger voice in the vision for the future of their game. This paper examines how changing participation rates in community football can transform the narrative of women's football from one of subsidized welfare to women players being necessary for the survival of football.

A cross sectional study of the parent's willingness to vaccinate children of age group between 5-12 years against COVID-19

Introduction: The emerging respiratory illness caused by SARS-CoV-2 has posed the threat to human life across the globe. Various physical measures applied to curb the spread of the virus in initial phase of pandemic but high level of immunity by vaccination is an effective strategy to reduce the morbidity and mortality. To achieve this parent's willingness is important for vaccination of children. Objectives: To study the parent's willingness and associated factors to vaccinate the children with Covid-19 vaccine. Material & Methods: The cross sectional study conducted in the month of July 2022. A confidential interview of 300 parents visited to OPD was taken. Information obtained about socio-demography, routine immunization and comorbidity in children, parents COVID-19 vaccination, COVID-19 infection and hospitalization in family members and willingness for children's covid-19 vaccination. Results: Out of 300 parents around 253(84.3%) parentswere willing, 10(3.3%) not willing and 37(12.3%) not sure about children's vaccination. hospitalization of family members, parental vaccination against Covid-19, vaccination of siblings > 12 years, parents having 1- 2 children were significantly associated with willingness. Conclusion: Counselling of parents to relieve the anxiety is needed, communicating clear information about vaccination and expected side effects of the vaccine, provision of reliable source of information like family physician, health care workers.