Digital Commons Network^™

Pigs And The City, Sayd Randle

Asian Management Insights

Urban greening requires a re-look at sharing space with animals and nature.

1. There are several challenges when balancing urban development with ecological sustainability, as seen in Singapore’s struggles with human-wildlife interactions like wild boars entering populated areas.

2. Opinions on managing wildlife diverge between calls for stricter population control and concerns over habitat loss. This shows the need for balanced approaches that cater to both humans and ecology alike.

3. Cities like Houston, Barcelona, and Hong Kong offer different models for human-wildlife management, showing that local contexts shape approaches to achieving peaceful coexistence with urban wildlife.

Volume 7, Issue 2 Table Of Contents

SAIPAR Case Review

No abstract provided.

Cran V. Mtc Ltd And Others (Sa 822022) 2024 Nasc 6 (13 March 2024), Dunia P. Zongwe

SAIPAR Case Review

This piece focuses on the Namibian Supreme Court's decision concerning the Communications Regulatory Authority of Namibia's (CRAN) discretionary powers to levy regulatory fees. The judgment upholds the constitutionality of the amended Section 23 of the Communications Act of Namibia, which provides guidelines for setting these fees. The commentary commends the Court's sophisticated understanding of regulatory governance, balancing legislative oversight with administrative expertise. However, it also points out inefficiencies in the current fee-setting mechanism, particularly the lack of collaborative input from stakeholders and the risk for potential regulatory costs being pased on to consumers in an already oligopolistic market. Legislative reforms …

Coca-Cola Beverages Africa (Pty) Ltd V. Competition Commission And Another [2024] Zacc 3, Dunia P. Zongwe, Adolf N. Gariseb

SAIPAR Case Review

This article examines the South African Constitutional Court's decision on the public interest considerations in merger control, specifically concerning employment effects. The case involved Coca-Cola's retrenchments post-merger and the Competition Commission's notice of apparent breach. The Court's ruling clarifies the review standards for regulatory enforcement of merger conditions and the causal link required between a merger and subsequent employment decisions. The commentary highlights the paradox in South Africa's competition law, emphasising employment protection, though well-intentioned, may constrain economic flexibility. It argues that this employment-centric approach can lead to inefficiencies, diminish consumer welfare, and obscure market competitiveness as a public interest.

Editorial Note, O'Brien Kaaba, Madrine Mukabili, Emmanuel Nyambe

SAIPAR Case Review

No abstract provided.

Adjudication Of Presidential Term Limits In Zambia: A Comment On Michelo Chizombe V. Edgar Chagwa Lungu And Others 2023/Ccz/0021, O'Brien Kaaba

SAIPAR Case Review

This piece examines the Zambian Constitutional Court's decision on former President Edgar Lungu's eligibility to contest future presidential elections. The Court ruled Lungu ineligible, based on the application of Article 35 of the Constitution of Zambia, which was in force during his first term. The authors highlight the national significance of this case, particularly its impact on the 2026 presidential elections and its potential to reshape opposition politics. The commentary further explores the power of an apex court to depart from its own precedents, affirming the Constitutional Court's inherent jurisdiction to do so under exceptional circumstances, aligning with practices in …

Innocence Lost: The Dangers Of Life Imprisonment For Children At Whose Pleasure: D.B. (A Juvenile) V. The People [2024] Zmca 339 (18 December 2024), Samantha Smit, Louis Koen

SAIPAR Case Review

This piece examines the Zambian Court of Appeal's decision to overturn a life imprisonment sentence imposed on juvenile offenders, replacing it with detention ‘at the President's pleasure.’ The commentary explores the legal implications of this discretionary sentence, drawing parallels with similar controversies in other African jurisdictions, particularly Kenya, where such sentences have been criticized for undermining constitutional rights and the doctrine of separation of powers. The authors argue that ‘detention at the President's pleasure’ can effectively amount to an indefinite sentence, raising concerns about the uncertainty of imprisonment duration for child offenders. They suggest that the Zambian court missed an …

Sydney Mwansa V. Director Of Public Prosecutions (Appeal No. 276/2012) (Dpp) And Non-Conviction Based Forfeiture Orders: A Case Comment, Muna Ndulo

SAIPAR Case Review

This piece critically analyses the Zambian Court of Appeal's decision regarding a non-conviction-based forfeiture order. The Court allowed the appeal, insisting on the need to identify a specific offence and establish a clear connection between the offence and the tainted property. The author argues that this decision is legally flawed as it misconstrues the fundamental principle of non-conviction forfeiture, which does not require proof of a criminal conviction or a specific offence. The commentary emphasises that unexplained wealth, where authorities show a disparity between legitimate earnings and accumulated assets, should be sufficient to trigger forfeiture, with the burden of proof …

Lsab Minutes November 2024, Shawna Battle, Maryke Barber

WRL: Library Student Advisory Board Minutes

No abstract provided.

Spatiotemporal Evolution And Driving Forces Of The Externality Value In Rice Production: A Study Of 30 Provinces In China From 2000—2021, Rongji Zhou, Lizhuang Luo, Sibin Wu

Management Faculty Publications

Research on the indirect value of rice production has primarily focused on ecosystem service functions, with less emphasis on externalities. This article conducts an innovative evaluation of the externality value of rice production and its significant impact on the ecological transformation of grain production. Utilizing the Chinese panel data on rice production from 2000 to 2021, the study applies methods such as the functional value approach, hotspot analysis, and spatial autocorrelation, in conjunction with geodetectors and geographically weighted regression, to assess the externality value of rice production. It further analyzes the spatiotemporal evolution and driving factors of these externalities. Findings …

Investigating The Effect Of Microwave Pretreatment On Bastnasite Grinding For Comminution Energy Reduction And Rare Earth Recovery, Kaveh Asgari, Qingqing Huang, Rick Q. Honaker, Edward Sabolsky

Chemical and Materials Engineering Faculty Publications

This study explored the impact of microwave pretreatment on the grinding efficiency of bastnaesite ore using a stirred mill. Bastnaesite ore was prepared using a staged crushing and sieving process, followed by microwave pretreatment in a specially designed microwave furnace system. Representative samples of the crushed ore underwent stirred mill grinding, with power draw measurements recorded and adjusted to reflect only the specific energy input required for grinding. Particle size distribution was analyzed periodically using laser particle size analysis. In addition, a Box–Behnken design was used to statistically assess the effects of various parameters on the results, ensuring a robust …

Accuracy Of Imaging Of Bi-Rads 4 Subcategorizations In Breast Lesion Diagnosis: Radiologic-Pathologic Correlation, Hadeel A. Ghunaim, Rana E. Alatawi, Walaa M. Borhan, Tareef S. Daqqaq, Ayman S. Alhasan, Mervat M. Aboualkheir, Reem M. Elkady

Saudi Medical Journal

Objectives: To correlate breast imaging-reporting and data system (BI-RADS) category 4 lesions with histopathology results to assess the accuracy of subcategorization. Methods: A retrospective study was carried out from September 2021 to June 2022. A total of 247 breast lesions were reviewed categorized as BI-RADS 4 using ultrasound (US) and digital mammography. Feature analysis of the lesions were obtained using BI-RADS terminology and assigned to subcategories (4A, 4B, and 4C). Pathological analysis was carried out on tissue obtained through US-guided core biopsy. A p -value of <0.05 was considered significant. Results: Of the 247 lesions, 135 were categorized as subcategory 4A, 68 as 4B, and 44 as 4C. Overall, 41 (16.6%) had malignant lesions, while 206 (83.4%) had benign lesions. The mean age of the patients with benign versus malignant lesions was (43.18±14.02 vs. 51.24±14.15 years; p <0.001). Mean size of benign versus malignant lesions was (1.93±1.65 vs. 3.82±3.89 cm; p <0.001). Findings were compared with histopathology, and the positive predictive value fell within the reference range for subcategories 4C (>70%). High reliability was observed between the 2 readers, with a weighted Cohen’s Kappa …

Efficacy Of Warmup Using A Flexible Bar To Increase Countermovement Jump, Benjamin J. Snyder, Anthony Caterisano, Evan P. Dimaggio, Jackson D. King

Open Access Fund Publications

Preparation of athletes to begin a competition or enter mid-competition with the ability to reach peak performance immediately may be partly dependent on the efficacy of the warmup protocol. Previous research on flexible barbells reported significant differences in muscle activation when compared to steel barbells. The manufacturers of handheld flexible bars with a combined weight of 3.63 kg claim that using them immediately before competition helps increase power and jump height. The purpose of the study was to determine the effects of maximal jumping with handheld flexible bars on maximal jump parameters in Division-I American collegiate football players. Participants completed …

Donald Griffin, Sentience, And Animal Research Ethics, John Gluck

Animal Sentience

Recollection of early encounters with Donald Griffin’s pioneering work on animal awareness, provoking intense, often hostile academic responses, later forgotten.

Characterization Of Health And Safety Resources For Athletes With Sickle Cell Trait At Ncaa Institutions, Susan W. Yeargin Ph.D., Atc, Lat, Courtney M. Meyer Ph.D., Rebecca M. Hirschhorn, Abbi D. Lane, Shawn M. Arent Ph.D., Cscs*D, Fissn, Facsm, Fnak, Clint R. Haggard

Faculty Publications

Yeargin, SW, Meyer, CM, Hirschhorn, RM, Lane, AD, Arent, SM, and Haggard, CR. Characterization of health and safety resources for athletes with sickle cell trait at NCAA institutions. J Strength Cond Res 38(11): 1967-1973, 2024 - The purpose of this study was to report the prevalence of student-athletes with sickle cell trait (SCT), determine which screening practices are most commonly used, describe the health and human performance services provided to athletes, and ascertain if differences between National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) designations or divisions exist. A cross-sectional survey design was used to query healthcare administrators regarding SCT resources at their …

An Overview Of K-12 Capital Infrastructure And Investment In Tennessee And Other States, Tennessee. Comptroller Of The Treasury.

Office of Research and Education Accountability

No abstract provided.

Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, Cannabis Use, And The Endocannabinoid System: A Scoping Review, Jennie Ryan, Mitchell Fruchtman, Andrea Sparr-Jaswa, Amy Knehans, Brooke Worster

Department of Medicine Faculty Papers

There is emerging evidence that the endocannabinoid system (ECS) plays a significant role in the pathophysiology of many psychiatric disorders, including attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Increasing evidence suggests that a number of neurobiological correlates between endogenous cannabinoid function and cognitive dysfunction are seen in ADHD, making the ECS a possible target for therapeutic interventions. Cannabis use and cannabis use disorder are more prevalent in individuals with ADHD, compared to the general population, and there is growing popular perception that cannabis is therapeutic for ADHD. However, the relationship between cannabis use and ADHD symptomology is poorly understood. Further understanding of …

Dean's Research Newsletter, November 2024, Neil W. Schluger

SOM Dean's Research Newsletter

No abstract provided.

Community Perspectives Of Heat And Weather Warnings For Pregnant And Postpartum Women In Kilifi, Kenya, Adelaide Lusambili, Veronique Filippi, Britt Nakstad, Julian Natukunda, Cathryn Birch, John Marsham, Nathalie Roos, Peter Khaemba, Sari Kovats

Institute for Human Development, East Africa

Background: Extreme weather is a recognised risk factor for stillbirth and preterm birth, disrupts women’s access to healthcare during pregnancy and childbirth, and negatively affects the care of newborns. Reliable and accessible heat and weather warning systems are key in alerting individuals to undertake protective measures. There is a notable gap in understanding how women and caregivers in rural East Africa perceive and utilize weather information. We investigated community members’ heat and weather warning information-seeking behaviour, identified available sources, assessed their reliability and utility, and examined their influence on behaviour.

Settings: Our research was conducted in rural Kilifi County in …

University's Eac Report Card Posted, Staff Report

University of Mississippi News

OXFORD, Miss. – The University of Mississippi is once again making its Education Achievement Council report card available to the public.

Mental Fatigue And Self-Care In Informal Oncology Caregivers: A Descriptive Mixed Methods Study, Megan Wayne

MUSC Theses and Dissertations

Purpose:

This dissertation study aimed to enhance understanding of informal caregiver wellbeing by exploring the presence of mental fatigue, the relationships among mental fatigue, self-care, and informal oncology caregiver quality of life (QOL), and determining whether differences exist in self-care engagement and QOL between caregivers who report high and low levels mental fatigue.

Problem:

Healthcare is becoming increasingly reliant on informal caregivers for the management and care of individuals with serious illnesses such as cancer. Previous research has shown that informal caregivers routinely experience many negative effects as a result of providing care including decreased mental health and …

Risk Transmission And Hedging Strategies Between Chinese Stock Market And Major Trading Partners Along The Belt And Road In Covid-19 Scenario, Hongjun Zeng, Abdullahi D. Ahmed

American Business Review

This paper focuses on the multi-scale spillover and time-varying dependence of Chinese stock market and its important trading partners along the Belt and Road around the COVID-19 crisis. We use multiple methods - the DY (12) and BK (18) connectedness approaches that investigate dynamic and frequency connectedness; the wavelet coherence and the time-varying CoVaR to examine the connection between price lead lags and systemic risk spillovers. Our empirical results show spillovers to be asymmetric, and short-term spillovers dominating. Meanwhile, the level of spillover in the system increased sharply after the COVID-19. In the medium and long-term frequency domains, wavelet coherence …

Revisiting The Productivity Paradox: What Is Next For The Brics And European Banking Systems?, Navendu Prakash, Shveta Singh, Seema Sharma

American Business Review

Information technology is a critical driver of productivity growth in modern economies. However, there has been no convincing explanation for the observed discrepancy in the literature, increasing suspicion on whether IT can improve institutional performance in contemporary banking markets. The fallacy of productivity adds credence to Robert Solow’s dictum, “You can see the computer age everywhere except in productivity statistics”. We employ two extensive bank-level datasets of 5,794 institutions across 37 nations to estimate the total factor productivity (TFP) payoffs from IT in BRICS and European markets. A DEA-based, Malmquist productivity index quantifies TFP change and its respective components. Findings …

The Relevance Of Demographic Similarity And Factuality In Social Influencer Communication Culture – A Comparison Between Hedonic And Utilitarian Conditions, Walter Von Mettenheim, Klaus-Peter Wiedmann

American Business Review

This work identifies differences in the success factors of influencers given consumers’ consumption goals (hedonic vs. utilitarian). Although practitioners have complained about the lack of know-how regarding this issue, research on the topic remains scarce. Hypotheses on the differing relevance of the demographic similarity of influencers and consumers and of the factuality of influencers’ communication are verified through an empirical investigation. The scenario is consumers’ selection of a hotel for (1) a holiday (hedonic consumption goal) or (2) a professional/university seminar (utilitarian consumption goal). The results are analyzed by structural equation modeling and multigroup analysis. We generate some surprising results. …

Asymmetric Uncertainty Around Earnings Announcements: Evidence From Options Markets, Sumit Saurav, Sobhesh Kumar Agarwalla, Jayanth R. Varma

American Business Review

We use the Indian stock options market to study the evolution of uncertainty and asymmetric uncertainty around earnings announcements (EAs). We find that uncertainty (implied volatility) and asymmetric uncertainty (options skew) increase monotonically before the EA day and decrease after EA. Options volume (relative to spot and to futures) also exhibits similar behavior, suggesting that informed investors prefer options markets to spot and futures markets. Both options skew and put-to-call volume ratio can predict the sign of the EA surprise one day before EA, indicating that price discovery and information assimilation happen in the options market.

Shifting Under Pressure: Timing Practices Within Regulatory Information Disclosure Programs, Vinit Desai

American Business Review

Research examines the process through which regulatory agencies and other powerful third parties publicly disseminate information about organizations in order to reduce the information asymmetry between those organizations and their dispersed or less powerful stakeholders. These disclosure programs are presumed to work by mobilizing stakeholders to pressure organizations for change. Prior studies focus on organizations’ resistance to that external pressure, often drawing from theories of institutional forces and organizational legitimacy. Instead, the present study examines the public disclosure process itself, and adapts research on organizational learning and collective attention focus to develop new theory regarding how organizations may selectively time …

How Does Industrial Agglomeration Drive High-Quality Green Development In China? New Evidence From A Financial And Manufacturing Co-Clustering, Miaomiao Tao, Stephen Poletti, Mingyue Selena Sheng, Emilson Silva, Xuefeng Shao

American Business Review

We examine the effect of financial and manufacturing co-clustering on high-quality green development in China’s 30 provinces from 2005 to 2020. The nexus between financial and manufacturing co-clustering and high-quality green development has been comprehensively investigated from linear and non-linear perspectives. We find that financial and manufacturing co-clustering significantly fosters high-quality green development. Mechanism analysis shows that formal environmental regulation has a significant negative moderating effect on high-quality green development, whereas informal environmental regulation plays a significantly positive moderating role. However, empirical results only show the mediation effect of formal environmental regulation in the incentive role of financial and manufacturing …

What Do Quasi-Experiments Tell Us About The Response Of Banks And Their Depositors To Natural Disasters?, James R. Barth, Kang-Bok Lee, Yeosong Yoon

American Business Review

Over the past two decades, more than 11,000 U.S. counties have been impacted by natural disasters. This study investigates how banks and their depositors respond to such events using a difference-in-difference-in-differences (DDD) methodology combined with coarsened exact matching (CEM). Analyzing 1.3 million observations from 1999 to 2017, we find that natural disasters lead to a significant increase in deposit rates but do not affect the volume of deposits. Our findings suggest that banks raise deposit rates to counteract the potential withdrawal of funds, thereby maintaining stable deposit levels. This research provides new insights into the causal dynamics of deposit supply …

How And When Leaders’ Self-Sacrifice Backfires: Examining The Impact On Subordinate Unethical Pro-Organizational Behavior, Madhurima Mishra, Koustab Ghosh, Dheeraj Sharma, Smriti Anand

American Business Review

Self-sacrificial leadership has generally been studied in terms of its beneficial effects on organizations. However, recent research has challenged this notion by highlighting that leaders’ self-sacrifice can also produce dysfunctional outcomes for leaders and their followers. The present study draws on social identity theory and extends this novel perspective by examining whether self-sacrificial leader behaviors can inadvertently encourage unethical pro-organizational behavior (UPOB) among subordinates. The study further explores the mediating role of organizational identification and the moderating role of followers’ unethical tolerance and ethical organizational climate. Using time-lagged data from 271 employees, results confirm that leaders’ self-sacrifice is indirectly related …

Antecedents And Outcomes Of Big Data Adoption In Supply Chain: A Meta-Analytic Investigation, Alok Raj, Rajeev Ranjan Kumar, Anand Jeyaraj

American Business Review

This paper aims to provide a comprehensive understanding of the big data–performance relationship based on the existing empirical evidence. Using a meta-analysis approach, big data adoption (BDA) related 446 effect sizes reported in 133 prior empirical studies were gathered from 118848 informants in more than 30 countries. Results confirm ten significant antecedents and eight outcomes of BDA based on identified literature. We further estimate the heterogeneity based on subgroup analysis by considering two types of moderators as (a) economic regions (developed vs developing), and (b) type of industry. We find that organizations in developed countries adopt big data largely due …