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To study the key determinants of chronically high inflation in Iran.

Relying on annual data from 1978 to 2019, the authors employ an Auto-Regressive Distributed Lag (ARDL) model and Error Correction Model (ECM) to study the inflationary effects of monetary and fiscal policies as well as exchange rate swings and sanctions intensification.

The authors find that increase in money supply, depreciation of nominal exchange rate, increase in fiscal deficit and intensification of sanctions are among the key drivers of inflation in Iran. Their impact is profound in the long run, but in the short run only money supply and currency depreciation are significant. Also, when exploring the inflation in different components of Consumer Price Index (CPI), we find robust long- and short-run effects from money supply and exchange rate, while the effects of fiscal deficit and sanctions vary across different components.

The authors contribute to the literature by setting apart the long-vs short-run effects of key variables on inflation in Iran. The authors also employ improved measures of fiscal deficit and sanctions that are shown to be of significance in the long run. Lastly, the authors go beyond the aggregate index and examine the variations in different CPI components.

This study introduces an ecological framework for disabilities meant to provide a new model of viewing and learning about disabilities and special education. This model projects a multi-systemic view of factors that influence a person's life, where people with disabilities are active actors in the development of the world. The increased awareness about interconnectedness, globalization, inter- and trans-disciplinarity, influences on human experience, greening, sustainability, inequality, inequity and lack of opportunities is shifting how people think about potential and growth.

The methodological approach is qualitative, interpretive research.

In disability studies, the Ecological Model of Disabilities helps reframe this uniqueness as part of the spectrum of human experiences. In special education, the Ecoducation Model helps reframe the learning experience.

This research is conceptual, but it is also all-inclusive, rendering itself to a wide application in educational settings.

The Ecoducation Model for Special Education is specific to the education of children and adults with disabilities, and it is directly compatible with the broader Ecological Model of Disabilities. These ecological models can be applied to all levels of the ecological system, and to different ecodemes of population. Nevertheless, the ecological models need to be locally implemented, with general principles tailored to national traditions, laws and resources.

Advocating for the pursuit of individual well-being within the larger society, both models call for practical changes in a multitude of areas, including legislation and policy, training of professional personnel, sufficient financial input in programs designed for the care of children and adults with disabilities, change in societal mentalities to fight discrimination, disempowerment and isolation. Because the scope of ecological frameworks is incommensurate, being both interdisciplinary and transdisciplinary, further research possibilities are countless. The ecological perspective opens the fields of disability studies and special education to new theoretical and empirical possibilities.

Two epistemological models are described as new frameworks in disability studies: the Ecological Model of Disabilities and the Ecoducation Model for Special Education. Both are original models that look into the education and inclusion of the person with disabilities.

The purpose of this paper is to improve autonomous flight performance of a fixed-wing unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) via simultaneous morphing wingtip and control system design conducted with optimization, computational fluid dynamics (CFD) and machine learning approaches.

The main wing of the UAV is redesigned with morphing wingtips capable of dihedral angle alteration by means of folding. Aircraft dynamic model is derived as equations depending only on wingtip dihedral angle via Nonlinear Least Squares regression machine learning algorithm. Data for the regression analyses are obtained by numerical (i.e. CFD) and analytical approaches. Simultaneous perturbation stochastic approximation (SPSA) is incorporated into the design process to determine the optimal wingtip dihedral angle and proportional-integral-derivative (PID) coefficients of the control system that maximizes autonomous flight performance. The performance is defined in terms of trajectory tracking quality parameters of rise time, settling time and overshoot. Obtained optimal design parameters are applied in flight simulations to test both longitudinal and lateral reference trajectory tracking.

Longitudinal and lateral autonomous flight performances of the UAV are improved by redesigning the main wing with morphing wingtips and simultaneous estimation of PID coefficients and wingtip dihedral angle with SPSA optimization.

This paper originally discusses the simultaneous design of innovative morphing wingtip and UAV flight control system for autonomous flight performance improvement. The proposed simultaneous design idea is conducted with the SPSA optimization and a machine learning algorithm as a novel approach.

This study investigates the correlation between economic development and scientific knowledge production indicators in the BRICS countries from 2000 to 2020, highlighting the importance of human resources, natural resources, and innovation. Addressing a gap in the existing literature, this study aims to contribute significantly to understanding this relationship.

Employing a descriptive statistical approach, this study utilizes GDP and per capita income as economic indicators and scientific data from WoS and SCOPUS databases, focusing on scientific document production and citations per document.

The analysis reveals a strong correlation between economic development and scientific performance within the BRICS nations during the specified period. It emphasizes the interdependence of economic progress and scientific prowess, underscoring that they cannot be considered independently.

However, limitations exist, notably the reliance on specific databases that might not cover the entire scientific output and the inability to capture all factors influencing economic and scientific development.

Understanding this interdependence has crucial originality. Policymakers and stakeholders in BRICS countries can leverage these insights to prioritize investments in human capital development and scientific research. This approach can foster sustainable economic growth by reducing reliance on natural resources.

Drawing on the challenge–hindrance stressor framework and the “too-much-of-a-good-thing” principle, this study examined the curvilinear effects of two emic social challenge stressors (guanxi beliefs and participative decision-making (PDM)) and the moderating effect of an etic social hindrance stressor (perceived organizational politics) on Hong Kong and United States nurses’ job satisfaction.

A quantitative survey method was implemented, with the data provided by 355 Hong Kong nurses and 116 United States nurses. Structural equation modeling was used to examine the degree of measurement equivalence across Hong Kong and US nurses. The proposed model and the research questions were tested using nonlinear structural equation modeling analyses.

The results show that while guanxi beliefs only showed an inverted U-shaped relation on Hong Kong nurses’ job satisfaction, PDM had an inverted U-shaped relation with both Hong Kong and United States nurses’ job satisfaction. The authors also found that Hong Kong nurses experienced the highest job satisfaction when their guanxi beliefs and perceived organization politics were both high.

The results add to the comprehension of the nuances of the often-held assumption of linearity in organizational sciences and support the speculation of social stressors-outcomes linkages.

Managers need to recognize that while the nurturing and development of effective relationships with employees via social interaction are important, managers also need to be aware that too much guanxi and PDM may lead employees to feel overwhelmed with expectations of reciprocity and reconciliation to such an extent that they suffer adverse outcomes and become dissatisfied with their jobs.

First, the authors found that influences of guanxi beliefs and PDM are not purely linear and that previous research may have neglected the curvilinear nature of their influences on job satisfaction. Second, the authors echo researchers’ call to consider an organization’s political context to fully understand employees’ attitudes and reactions toward social interactions at work. Third, the authors examine boundary conditions of curvilinear relationships to understand the delicate dynamics.

The Purpose of this paper is to identify statistical relationships between visual environment and occupant productivity. Visual environment is one of the most important indoor environmental quality (IEQ) parameters, and it directly impacts occupant productivity in offices. The literature outlines the significance of the impact. Still, there is a lack of investigation, statistical analysis and inter-relationships between the independent variables (IEQ factors), especially in the hot and arid climate.

This study presents a research study investigating the effects and shows statistical relationships between IEQ on occupant comfort and productivity. The study was conducted in the Middle East, and data was collected for 12 months. It used the response surface analysis to perform analysis.

This study outlined seven unique relationships highlighting the recommended range, inter-dependencies. Results include that illumination has maximum effect on visual comfort and temperature, daylight having direct influence and relative humidity, wall type next to the seat and kind of workspace also impact visual comfort and productivity. These findings would help to improve occupant comfort and productivity in office buildings. It is recommended to include results and recommendations on design guidelines for office buildings.

This study presents the unique effects of non-visual IEQ parameters on visual comfort and productivity. This investigation also provides a unique method to develop the statistical relationship between various indoor environmental factors and productivity in different contexts and buildings.

The dual epidemic of non-communicable diseases (NCDs) and human immuno-deficiency virus (HIV) in Sub-Saharan Africa has increased substantially in recent years, with cardiovascular disease representing a significant contributor to the regional burden of disease. Very little is known about the cardiovascular health of people deprived of their liberty in the region. The purpose of this study was to collate extant literature on the topic.

A scoping review mapped and described what is known about cardiovascular disease in prison populations in Sub-Saharan Africa. A systematic search of empirical literature with no date limitation was conducted in English. Sixteen studies representing six Sub-Saharan African countries (Cameroon, Nigeria, Guinea, Burkina Faso, Ghana and Ethiopia) were charted, categorised and thematically analysed.

Seven key themes were identified: custodial deaths and autopsy; cardiorespiratory fitness and exercise; cardiovascular disease and elderly people in prison; cardiovascular disease and women in prison; dietary deficiencies; influence of sleep patterns on cardiovascular disease; and other associated risk factors. Most natural deaths at autopsy of custodial deaths were due to cardiovascular disease. Cardiorespiratory fitness was low in prisons, and poor sleep patterns and dietary deficiencies are likely contributors to the burden of cardiovascular disease in prisons. The needs of elderly and female prison populations are ill-considered.

To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this is the first known attempt to scope extant literature on cardiovascular disease in Sub-Saharan African prisons. A strategic focus on the cardiovascular health of people in prison is warranted. Routine monitoring and expansion of existing prison health-care services and integration of NCD services with infectious disease (HIV and tuberculosis) programmes in prisons are required.

Despite extensive discussion of this topic in the life and financial transactions of people, there is a lack of empirical evidence related to challenges and opportunities of digital financial inclusion sustainability in the existing literature. Accordingly, this study aims at investigating the factors that influence the diffusion rate of digital financial services.

In this study, the authors propose an integrated model by synthesising the extended Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology 2 (UTAUT2) with the perceived security and perceived privacy as independent variables, as well as the financial awareness as the moderator variable. The survey was distributed to the potential users of digital financial services rather than the actual users. A total of 270 responses were analysed by a quantitative method of Partial Least Squares-Structural Equation Modelling (PLS-SEM).

The results indicated the significant role of the postulated hypotheses that behavioural intention to use digital financial services platforms is significantly and positively influenced by the subjective norm, performance expectancy, price value, perceived security and perceived privacy, whilst the financial awareness was found to moderate some specified relationships.

There are few studies on this topic for the Arabian context. The information presented in this article can be useful for professionals and researchers, and further, implications of the study are discussed.

The primary objective of this study is to analyze the performance and risk characteristics of portfolios composed of Spanish family businesses (FBs) when sustainability and quality factors are taken into account. By comparing different portfolio compositions against a benchmark, the study aims to provide insights into the impact of these factors on portfolio performance.

This study employs an empirical approach to evaluate the performance and risk of portfolios consisting of Spanish family businesses (FBs) by incorporating sustainability and quality factors. It compares the results of various portfolios against a benchmark, utilizing GARCH models and the extended six-factor model of Fama and French for the period 2018–2023.

The findings reveal that investing in Spanish family businesses (FBs) yields higher returns compared to the index, with portfolios incorporating quality factors demonstrating superior performance. However, the inclusion of sustainability factors negatively affects portfolio performance. These results highlight the significance of considering sustainability and quality factors in portfolio construction and investment decisions.

This study contributes to the existing literature by examining the performance and risk implications of incorporating sustainability and quality factors into portfolios of family businesses. The findings offer valuable insights for investors and managers interested in constructing portfolios or developing financial products that balance risk and return effectively.