The rise in popularity of central bank digital currencies. A systematic review.

Central bank digital currencies (CBDCs) have been growing in popularity since 2018, as worldwide countries explore their impact and implementation options. This article analyzes the state of research around central bank digital currencies and the evolving landscape of CBDCs, and explores emerging areas of research and trends by using the PRISMA method and VOSviewer, with the goal of showing the main opportunities and challenges related to them. AMSTAR, DistillerSR, Eppi-Reviewer, ROBIS, and SRDR were the screening and quality evaluation tools employed for study eligibility criteria, design screening and content selection, text analysis data extraction, methodological quality predictors, and reliable and reproducible evidence assessment. A total of 1024 articles on central bank digital currencies were identified in Scopus and the Web of Science, out of which 747 have been included in the review (documents which were not in English language and not categorized as journal articles were excluded). Through an analysis of the relevant literature, the study categorizes CBDC research into positive, negative and neutral research, with a particular focus on sustainability issues, and conducts a keyword co-occurrence analysis using VOSviewer, following a narrowing down of the relevant articles to be included in the study by applying the PRISMA framework. This generates an overall view for experts and researchers who can use the main analyzed features of CBDCs and adapt them accordingly, taking into account relevant macroeconomic characteristics. The study highlights the need to continue interdisciplinary research, by adapting the research and CBDC characteristics to keep up with the latest technologies and with the shift towards green finance, and explores the elaborate relationship between finance, technology and sustainability.

Communication as a Key Performance Indicator in Employer Branding in the Context of the Social Economy-A Quantitative Study.

Performance measurement refers to the systematic evaluation and analysis of the performance and results of business processes, initiatives, or strategies. This study discusses the crucial role of communication using signaling theory in employer branding in the context of the social economy organization (SEO). The aim is to measure employee satisfaction in concrete terms and to determine the status quo of the communication culture of the organization under investigation in order to develop an employer branding strategy based on the results. The authors use an employee survey as a quantitative research method and limit the data collection to the EU member state of Germany considering the research background. The results provide insights into the specific communication policy in relation to employer branding. The focus here is on (digital) communication. Organizations need to understand how communication strategies directly influence the perception of the employer brand in the social economy. Furthermore, practical implications are derived in order to increase employer attractiveness. Concrete recommendations of action for SEOs should help them be successful in the competition for qualified specialists and talent.

Lessons Learned After 101 Cases of Single-Site Magnetic-Assisted Cholecystectomy in Children.

BACKGROUND / PURPOSE: The aim of this report is to present our experience with a magnetic-assisted single-site cholecystectomy technique ("magnachole") in pediatric patients. METHODS: We performed a retrospective chart review of all patients who underwent magnachole between 2009 and 2019. We evaluated patients' demographics, diagnosis, operative time, complications, conversion rate and length of stay. Additionally, simple lineal regression analysis was conducted to determine if the surgeon's experience, the patient's age at surgery, the patient's gender or the patient's body weight affected operative time. RESULTS: A total of 101 patients were operated during the analyzed period. The mean age at surgery was 12.6 (range 4 to 19) years, and the mean body weight was 53.7 (range 13.5 to 123) kg. The most frequent indication (91%) was symptomatic cholelithiasis. Mean operative time was 85 (range 45 to 240) min. The mean operative time decreased by 22.7 min (p < 0.001, 95% [CI] 10.35 to 35.13) when we compared the first 51 cases to the last 50 cases. Simple lineal regression showed a reduction of 2.6 min in operative time per year. Age at surgery, gender, and weight did not influence operative time. There were no intraoperative complications. Only 1 case required an additional port to complete the operation. There were no conversions to open cholecystectomy. Median length of stay was 26 h (range 10 to 168). CONCLUSION: The magnachole technique is safe and effective, and has become our preferred surgical approach for children who need a cholecystectomy. As expected, the operative time decreased as surgeons gain experience with the technique. The technique is feasible regardless of the patient's body habitus. TYPE OF STUDY: Treatment study. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Level IV.