bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Does mirabegron have a potential role as a medical expulsive therapy in the treatment of distal ureteral stones? A prospective randomized controlled study
Authors: Samir Mohamed , Awad Ahmed Fouad , Maged Wael Ali
Published: September 2023

Background:

The existence of β3 receptors in the bladder and ureter was documented in many studies on animals and humans, it was documented that relaxation of the lower ureteral segment is achieved by the stimulation of these receptors. Our aim was to assess the efficacy and safety of mirabegron as a medical expulsive therapy (MET) for distal ureteral stones in comparison with silodosin and placebo.

Methods:

One hundred eighty patients with distal ureteral stone of 5–10 mm size were included in our study. They were divided into three groups, and each one consisted of 60 patients. Group I was given silodosin 8 mg, group II mirabegron 50 mg and group III placebo once daily. The treatment was prescribed for all the cases till stone expulsion or a maximum duration of 4 weeks. Primary outcome was the stone expulsion rate (SER). While secondary outcomes were stone expulsion time, side effects of the used drugs, hospital visits number for pain, and amount of analgesic taken.

Results:

We found that the SER was significantly higher in silodosin than mirabegron and placebo groups (61%, 38.6%, and 36.7%, respectively) ( p = 0.013). Also, the stone expulsion interval was significantly shorter in silodosin than mirabegron and control groups ( p < 0.001). While hospital visits number for pain, and amount of analgesic taken were comparable. There was no difference between the studied medications in terms of the adverse effects except for retrograde ejaculation (silodosin = 63.3%, mirabegron = 0%, and placebo = 0%; p < 0.001).

Conclusion:

Mirabegron has no medical expulsive effect. While silodosin improves SER and stone expulsion time. However, retrograde ejaculation was its main side effect and occurred in 63.3% of the male patients. Therefore, more research is needed to discover a more tolerable MET.
The Value Form and the Fetishism of the Commodity
Authors: Nagatani Kiyoshi
Published: September 2023

Based on Uno’s new insight that in the first chapter on the commodity, the value of a commodity is not yet defined as objectified abstract labor, this article first examines the problems in Marx’s value form theory and presents a new understanding of the simple, the expanded, and the general value form, and reformulates the theory of the commodity into a dialectical whole composed of the world of commodities. Second, the article responds to Elena Lange’s critique of Uno’s value theory. Third, the article argues that fetishism of the commodity never originates from alienated abstract labor but from a specific relationship between commodity owners; therefore, the theories of value form and fetishism of the commodity address the common theme. A reformulated theory of the value form should integrate, not omit, the fetishism of the commodity within it.

JEL Classification: B14, B41, D46
An accurate analytical model for stress overload around multiple fiber breakpoints in unidirectional fiber reinforced plastic
Authors: Yu Zhenni , Zhu Fulei , Cheng Yuanqi , Tian Jia
Published: September 2023

Efficient and accurate calculation of stress overload and stress redistribution near the fiber breakpoint is the basis for simulating the tensile damage evolution of unidirectional fiber reinforced plastic (FRP), and it is also the premise for predicting the tensile-tensile fatigue life. In this study, an efficient finite element (FE) model with a large number of fibers was developed based on the FE method to calculate stress concentration factor (SCF) near multiple breakpoints, and the calculation time only takes 3 min on average. The FE model is used to efficiently calculate multiple breakpoints and the stress distribution near the breakpoint considering the interface debonding. Based on the efficient FE model, an analytical model is developed to calculate the stress overload superposition around multiple breakpoints. In this analytical model, the shear stress distribution near the broken fiber elements is established based on the experiment, and the stress redistribution mechanism near the breakpoint in FRP with random distribution of fibers is established. Moreover, the calculation method of stress overload near multiple break points is established, and the FE method is verified.
Somewhere Between a Stopwatch and a Recording Device: Ethnographic Reflections From the Pool
Authors: McNarry Gareth , Allen-Collinson Jacquelyn , Evans Adam B.
Published: September 2023

As has recently been highlighted, despite the prevalence of methodological “confessional tales” in ethnography generally, the challenges of undertaking ethnographic research specifically in institutional sports settings remain underexplored. Drawing on data from a 3-year ethnographic study of competitive swimming in the United Kingdom (UK), here we explore some of the practical challenges of balancing different elements of the researcher’s role when undertaking ethnographic “insider” research in familiar settings. In particular, we consider the difficulties of balancing the role of a doctoral researcher and the chosen research role of a volunteer coach with a competitive swimming program. Employing the anthropological concept of liminality, we also analyze the lived challenges of leaving a highly familiar field and entering a state of liminality, where the researcher was caught on the threshold betwixt and between a return to full-time employment in the former “known” role of coach, and a move forward to embrace a new “unknown” role as a full-time member of academic staff.
Approaches to Charitable Giving and Perceptions of Organizational Effectiveness Among Midlevel Donors
Authors: Halvorsen Cal J. , Lynch Johanna , Brown Sylvia , McTernan Melissa L.
Published: September 2023

For decades, scholars have devoted attention to identifying the giving habits of charitable donors, yet the behaviors of midlevel donors have not been independently considered. This study examined midlevel donors’ approaches to charitable giving and the extent to which they give to effective organizations. Operationalized as giving between U.S.$2,000 and U.S.$20,000 annually, we analyzed descriptive statistics and multivariate probit models of 1,260 midlevel donors using a novel study. We found that respondents were least likely to engage in ad hoc giving and most likely to give to organizations due to personal connections or prior research. However, while caring about a cause or issue was consistently and positively associated with giving to organizations that respondents viewed as effective, efforts to understand the organization’s work and the broader causes or issues were not. Our results suggest that identifying midlevel donors’ chosen causes is the first of several steps to giving to effective organizations.
Beyond Stakeholder Management: Organizational Listening for Nonprofit Stakeholder Engagement
Authors: Fu Jiawei Sophia , Cooper Katherine R. , Woo DaJung , Kwestel Melanie
Published: September 2023

Organizational listening to solicit, consider, and incorporate information and inputs from diverse stakeholders is critical for tackling organizational and societal challenges. Yet, despite the potential benefits of organizational listening, researchers studying stakeholder engagement and communication have focused on how organizations speak to stakeholders while overlooking how organizations listen to stakeholders. Drawing on survey data from a purposive sample of 122 nonprofit organizations (NPOs) in the United States and 40 interviews among these organizations, we explored organizational leaders’ conceptualization of organizational listening, including what, why, to whom, and how NPOs listen. Results also suggested operational capacity was a key factor influencing organizational listening. This study builds on prior stakeholder research to suggest organizational listening as a more holistic approach to stakeholder engagement. The findings have important implications for the research and practice in organizational listening and improving diverse participation and representation in stakeholder engagement, particularly for NPOs and mission-driven organizations.
A facile strategy to improve the strength and toughness of high-performance polymers and recycling by dynamic Ni-coordination crosslinking
Authors: Li Lei , Yuan Rui , Yang Sucheng , Yang Li , Chang Guanjun , Huang Ying
Published: September 2023

It is of great significance to enhance mechanical properties and thermal stability of high-performance polymers. A new coordination polymer film (Ni/PPy) with high tensile strength and excellent heat resistance has been successfully prepared via a palladium-catalyzed C-C coupling reaction. For newly synthesized polymer film, bipyridine is incorporated into polymer chains during the synthesis process and subsequently crosslinked by nickel acetate. More importantly, Ni-coordination can be removed by external pyrophosphate to recover the linear polymer, which endows the polymer with recyclability. This strategy is expected to be an effective means for increasing the mechanical properties and recyclability of high-performance polymer materials.
Simulation-based investigation on ultra-precision machining of additively manufactured Ti-6Al-4V ELI alloy and the associated experimental study
Authors: Manjunath K , Tewary Suman , Khatri Neha , Cheng Kai
Published: September 2023

Additive Manufacturing (AM) has shown excellent research potential for biomedical implants, complex aerofoil structures, military applications, high-pressure cryogenic vessels, and automobile components. The mechanical properties exhibited by the additively manufactured Ti6Al4V ELI alloy components are significantly different from traditionally manufactured Ti6Al4V alloy due to the material anisotropy, orientation of the microstructure, and variation in heat treatments. Among AM techniques, SLM (Selective laser melting) offers unparalleled design flexibility with minimum impurities and high reproducibility. However, post-processing of additive manufactured components is essential due to their poor surface finish and lack of dimensional accuracy. Ti6Al4V ELI (Extra Low Interstitials) alloy is a difficult-to-cut material in Ultra-Precision Machining (UPM) due to its excessive tool wear, hardness, and chemical reactivity. Optimizing machining parameters for better surface finish by UPM is time-consuming and often not economical. Modeling and simulation provide a low-cost approach for the investigation of machining. In this work, a series of cutting experiments have been carried out on additively manufactured Ti6Al4V ELI alloy to study the cutting mechanism during UPM. In addition, Finite Element Model (FEM) is employed to understand the chip formation and cutting forces in UPM with a built-in Johnson-Cook (JC) model and a Johnson-Cook-TANH (JC-TANH) vectorized user-defined material subroutine (VUMAT) model. Cutting forces corresponding to the JC model and JC-TANH are examined with the experimental forces in literature, and the results are found to be fairly close.
An improved disassembly hybrid graph model for selective disassembly sequence planning
Authors: Yin Fengfu , Wang Kai , Wang Xiaodong , Li Lin , Liu Guangkuo , Maani Thomas , Sutherland John W.
Published: September 2023

Disassembly is an inevitable step in the recovery of valuable materials from end-of-life (EoL) mobile phones. Although a Hybrid Graph is one of the prevalent method for disassembly modeling, it cannot accurately describe the subassembly disassembling process. In this paper, an improved disassembly hybrid graph model (IDHGM) for selective disassembly sequence planning is proposed for the limitations of the subassembly disassembling process of EoL mobile phones. The containment, exclusion, and subassembly are considered in view of the close connection of mobile phone parts and the occurrence of interlocking between parts. Based on the different disassembly sequences of the same part, a time cell array is used to calculate the disassembly time. The disassembly sequence is optimized by the ant colony algorithm and disassembly time is set as the optimization objective. “Honor 6” mobile phone was selected as a case study to demonstrate the feasibility of the proposed model. The results show that the disassembly sequence generated by IDHGM takes less disassembly time and can accurately describe the subassembly disassembling process.
Closed-cell aluminum foams with spherically-adjustable pores: Numerical and experimental investigation of effective parameters
Authors: Teimouri Behzad , Yazdani Mojtaba
Published: September 2023

The study investigates the effects of pore diameter, pore spacing, and arrangement on the energy absorption ability of closed-cell aluminum foam. The optimal arrangement of pores for energy absorption was determined using experimental design and the finite element method. Aluminum 6063 with a simple cubic structure was found to be the most efficient at energy absorption, while aluminum 356 with a simple cubic structure was the least effective. As the load rate increased, the effect of the parameter t exceeded that of h in both structures. The response surface method’s proposed model was deemed effective, with the difference between experimental and predicted values around 15%–20%.
Investigations on electromagnetic scattering characteristics of aircraft rudder considering electromagnetic discontinuities
Authors: Gu Yi-ran , Chen Shu-sheng , Gao Zheng-hong , Zhou Lin , Huang Jiang-tao
Published: September 2023

This work investigates the scattering characteristics of the rudder structure of aircraft considering electromagnetic discontinuities through multi level fast multipole algorithm (MLFMA) of the computational electromagnetics. Firstly, the scattering characteristics of the rudder seam and its influence on the omnidirectional radar cross section (RCS) are performed. Based on the traditional high-frequency analysis theory, the source and spatial contribution distribution of seam scattering are further studied. Numerical results demonstrate that the sidewall of the rudder seam is an important scattering source, and the radar absorbing material (RAM) coated on the sidewall of the seam has a good RCS reduction effect. In addition, this work presents the influence of the rudder deflection on the stealth performance, analyzes the effect of the rudder movement of the ordinary aileron and the split drag rudder on the scattering characteristics of the whole aircraft. The common aileron has little effect on the stealth performance of the aircraft, and it only causes scattering peak in the direction opposite to the control surface. However, the split drag rudder has great damage to the opposite direction stealth performance of the aircraft. When its deflection angle is 45°, the mean value of the opposite direction RCS increases by about two orders of magnitude compared with the deflection angle 0° state. The results indicate that the structure of aircraft rudder has a significant impact on the RCS characteristics of the whole aircraft.
Digital poverty in the COVID-19 crisis: Report of the response of a UK further education college library
Authors: Harper Ray
Published: September 2023

The purpose of this article is to summarise the response of an academic library in the UK to digital poverty in the COVID-19 crisis. This focuses on the distribution of laptops and dongles to support learners access online sessions and resources. The article reports from the perspective of the Head of Library Service during the project. The article is a short communication which describes what the Library did to distribute equipment during the COVID-19 crisis, in response to a strategic shift to blended learning. The article highlights the effects of digital poverty on education and learning, and how the distribution of over 600 laptops helped address this in our context. The situation forced the Library to innovate with how it organised collections and to adapt our delivery to different groups. The Library worked to develop new ways to hold the data in a more robust way, in order to improve reporting and intelligence. The article presents evidence from learners on the impact of the project on them. The author acknowledges shortcomings in the initial stages of the project and offers some reflections. This was a complex project in a crisis which showcased the value and impact of a library in a crisis. The article highlights how the initial crisis response became part of business as usual when the crisis had passed.
Factors influencing left ventricular diastolic dysfunction on echocardiography of people living with HIV in Kunming, China
Authors: Pan Shuishui , Bai Jinsong
Published: September 2023

Background

The widespread use of antiretroviral therapy has prolonged the survival of people living with HIV (PLWH). Among these patients, co-existing cardiovascular diseases, particularly left ventricular diastolic dysfunction (LVDD), are receiving increasing attention.

Methods

We recruited 386 patients in the PLWH group and 386 sex- and age (± 3 years)-matched individuals in the HIV-negative group, and used logistic regression to determine the risk factors of LVDD.

Results

Compared to the HIV-negative group, PLWH had a significantly higher prevalence of smoking ( p < .001), alcohol consumption ( p < .001), hypertension ( p = .002), diabetes ( p = .020), and hyperlipidemia ( p < .001) and a lower prevalence of body mass index (BMI) ≥ 24.0 kg/m2 ( p < .001). The prevalence of LVDD on echocardiography was significantly higher in PLWH than in the HIV-negative group (25.9% vs 16.1%, p = .001). The multivariate analysis showed that non-youth (OR = 8.666; 95%CI = 4.310-17.459; p < .001), BMI ≥ 24.0 kg/m2 (OR = 1.992; 95% CI = 1.007-3.939; p = .048), hypertension (OR = 1.888; 95% CI = 1.044-3.415; p = .036), hyperlipidemia (OR = 1.911; 95% CI = 1.068-3.418; p = .029), and HIV infection (OR = 2.003; 95%CI = 1.341-2.992; p = .001) were risk factors for LVDD.

Conclusion

The rate of echocardiographic abnormalities was higher in PLWH. LVDD was associated with non-youth, BMI ≥ 24.0 kg/m2, hypertension, hyperlipidemia, and living with HIV.
The role of advancing fuel injection timing in mitigating the negative impact of exhaust back-pressure on diesel engines’ performance
Authors: Gülmez Yiğit
Published: September 2023

This study investigated the negative impact of exhaust back-pressure (EBP) on diesel engine performance and how it can be mitigated by advancing fuel injection timing (FIT). Experiments were conducted on a diesel engine with various EBP and FIT settings, and the impact of these factors on engine performance was evaluated under a constant load. The results showed that increasing EBP delayed the combustion process, resulted in longer ignition delay periods, and decreased engine efficiency. However, by advancing FIT, these negative effects could be mitigated to some extent. Specifically, advancing FIT led to shorter ignition delay periods, improved combustion rate, and earlier maximum pressure values. The study highlights the potential of controlling FIT as a promising approach to reduce the negative impact of EBP on diesel engine performance and environmental impact. The results of the study have practical implications for diesel engine operators seeking to offset the negative impact of EBP resulting from the integration of waste heat recovery or aftertreatment systems in the exhaust system, which is aimed at improving the efficiency and reducing the environmental footprint of diesel engines.
Biodiesel production by transesterification of low-cost feedstock (waste cooking oil) using mesoporous cubic-MgO nanocatalyst: Optimization using response surface methodology
Authors: Velmurugan Amirthavalli , Warrier Anita R. , Gurunathan Baskar
Published: September 2023

Non-toxic nanoscale metal oxide structures are emerging as potential material in energy and environmental applications because of their enhanced and controllable properties. In this research work, MgO nanoparticles were synthesized by sol–gel method. The calcination temperature and time was optimized at 600°C, 2 hours. The obtained mesoporous MgO nanoparticles (size 15 nm) had a band gap of approximately 3.3 eV. MgO nanoparticles shows a zeta potential value of 17.3 mV, which is considered to be incipiently stable. Biodiesel production was carried out using cubic MgO nanoparticles. Response surface methodology (RSM) and one factor method was employed for the optimization of operating variables. RSM predicts 90% of biodiesel yield at optimal 1% (w/w) of catalyst, 16:1 methanol to oil molar ratio, 65°C of reaction temperature in 42 minutes which is also verified experimentally (89.5%). Biodiesel yield of approximately 92% is obtained using one factor method at higher reaction time of 2 hours, reaction temperature of 60°C with 12:1 methanol to oil molar ratio and 2% (w/w) of catalyst. The hexadecanoic acid, stearic acid, linoleic acid and oleic acid in the waste cooking oil gets transformed into hexadecanoic acid methyl ester, methyl stearate, 9,12-octadecadienoic acid methyl ester and 9-octadecenoic acid methyl ester during transesterification which is inferred from GC–MS spectrum. Transesterification reaction follows pseudo-first-order kinetics. MgO nanocatalyst when reused in the transesterification shows a yield of approximately 90% up to four cycles.
ENSO may have contributed to sea level changes in the Gulf of Thailand during the Late-Holocene
Authors: Jirapinyakul Akkaneewut , Nudnara Worakamon , Punwong Paramita , Nohall Robin , Englong Apichaya , Phujareanchaiwon Chawisa , Yamoah Kweku Afrifa , Choowong Montri
Published: September 2023

The Gulf of Thailand is ideal for studying eustatic sea level fluctuations in Southeast Asia due to its shallow basin and tectonic stability. However, our understanding of how this region’s relative sea level (RSL) has fluctuated over the Holocene epoch is far from complete. In this study, we used lithostratigraphy, loss on ignition, grain size, and pollen analyses to reconstruct the environmental changes in the Sam Roi Yot wetland, which was significantly influenced by seawater intrusion, driven by fluctuations in RSL in the Gulf of Thailand. Therefore, the analyzed pollen records of the sediment core from the wetland reflected variabilities in the RSL in the Gulf of Thailand. Subsequently, we found that after a sea level highstand prior to 4000 cal y BP, the RSL gradually fell with two significant regressions at c. 2950 and 1850–1450 cal y BP before rising at 1450–1050 cal y BP and declining after that. The inconsistency between RSL reconstruction based on our results and the global sea level changes simulated by the Glacial Isostatic Adjustment (GIA) model further suggests that long–term El Niño Southern Oscillations (ENSO) variabilities may have played a significant role in sea level changes in the Gulf of Thailand over the Late-Holocene period. Thus, during extended El Niño or La Niña conditions, the sea level would have been consistently lower or higher than expected from eustatic and isostatic processes alone. Overall, this study emphasizes the importance of considering regional factors such as ENSO to understand sea level changes in Southeast Asia.
Disarticulated ossicles of sea cucumbers from the Campos Basin, Brazil: A new perspective into the discovery of diversity of Holothuroidea (Echinodermata)
Authors: Martins Luciana , Costa Karen Badaraco , Toledo Felipe
Published: September 2023

The study of disarticulated ossicles of recent sea cucumbers from Campos Basin, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, from various Holocene strata, obtained by micropaleontological methods, resulted in the identification of at least eight holothurian taxa, belonging to the five of the seven orders of Holothuroidea: Apodida (Synaptidae, Chiridotidae), Dendrochirotida (Psolidae and Cucumariidae), Holothuriida ( Holothuria), and Molpadiida (Molpadiidae, Eupyrgidae). Our paper endorses the importance of studies of recent fauna based on isolated ossicles for taxonomy, biostratigraphy, and ecology. This study represents the first effort at the study of recent fauna of sea cucumbers based on the analysis of preserved ossicles in marine sediments.
Bias correction in random effects models with sparse binary responses
Authors: Korre Antonia K , Vasdekis Vassilis GS
Published: September 2023

Sparse correlated binary data are frequently encountered in many applications involving either rare event cases or small sample sizes. In this study, we consider correlated binary data and a logit random effects model framework. We discuss h-likelihood estimates and how the computational procedure is affected by sparseness. We propose an adjustment to the fitting process that involves the adaption of the regression calibration method to the estimation of random effects. Using this adjustment, we correct for the bias in the random effects estimates resulting in better properties for the fixed effects estimates of the model. This is supported by the results of the simulation study that was conducted under different sparseness levels. The proposed adjusted h-likelihood estimation approach is also used for the analysis of two real meta-analyses data sets.
Health and social care workers’ professional values: A cross-sectional study
Authors: Pakkanen Piiku , Häggman-Laitila Arja , Pasanen Miko , Kangasniemi Mari
Published: September 2023

Background

Professional values create a basis for successful collaboration and person-centred care in integrated care and services. Little is known about how different health and social care workers assess their professional values.

Research aim

To describe and compare professional value orientation among different health and social care workers in Finland.

Research design

A quantitative cross-sectional study.

Participants and research context

We carried out an online survey of health and social care workers from 8 March to 31 May 2022, using the Finnish version of the Nurses’ Professional Values Scale-3. The data were analysed using descriptive and advanced statistics.

Ethical considerations

Permission was received from all participating organizations and those who completed the survey provided informed consent.

Results

A total of 1823 health and social care workers, representing seven professional groups and students, took part. The overall level of professional values among the participants was relatively high. Commitment to providing patients and clients with equal care was more important than engaging with society and professional responsibilities in the work environment. Professional values were strongest among professionals with higher educational degrees and training in professional ethics. The same was true for workers who received organizational support for ethical practice, were satisfied with their work and had shorter work experience.

Discussion

Our results showed shared professional values among different health and social care workers and students. These results are meaningful for integrated care and services. At the same time, a clear need for strengthening engagement with society and professional responsibilities for developing work environments were identified.

Conclusions

Health and social care workers and students need training in professional ethics and organizational support for ethical practice and work satisfaction to maintain their professional values at different stages of their career.
Analysis of an Entrepreneurial Ecosystem in Northern Haiti to Stimulate Innovation and Reduce Poverty
Authors: Pierre Samuel , Dupénor Jocelin , Kernizan Raymond , Vincent Marc-Donald , Dauphin-Pierre Stéphane , Pierre Jimmy
Published: September 2023

In Northern Haiti, a unique experience has been developed and an innovation hub has been realised; the core of this is a City of Knowledge that is articulated around an entrepreneurial university, the Institute of Science, Technology and Graduate Studies of Haiti (ISTEAH). Spread over seven departments in the country, as its name suggests, ISTEAH is a technological university that seeks to put science and technology at the service of development by training citizens, leaders and innovators who can promote the advancement of the country. Resolutely turning towards entrepreneurship, this university is in the process of setting up an entire entrepreneurial ecosystem centred around an incubator-accelerator to create—with students, graduates and young people from around the country—technological and social enterprises to generate value, create wealth and jobs and support sustainable development. In this article, this experiment and its perspectives are analysed in light of the sustainable development goals.
Existential, Relatedness and Growth Needs that Determine Turnover Intention of Rural CHC Doctors in Tamil Nadu: Structural Equation Model
Authors: Shanmugapriya J. , Mehta Seema , Saxena Tanjul
Published: September 2023

This article explores the motivational needs of doctors to retain in the rural areas by reducing their turnover intention. The study investigates the effect of Existential, Relatedness, and Growth (ERG) dimensions on turnover intention of Community Health Centre (CHC) doctors when they are placed in rural and remote areas of Tamil Nadu. This article discovered and examined the link between ERG needs and turnover intention. The study is based on a cross-sectional analytic study design, wherein primary data were gathered using a structured questionnaire on a five-point Likert scale from 318 doctors and processed through descriptive statistics and structural equation modelling using Smart PLS 3. The element of ‘growth needs’ within the ERG framework has been identified as the most significant predictor of rural CHC doctors’ intention to leave their positions. Therefore, policymakers should focus on developing strategies related to this aspect to retain doctors in rural areas. Additionally, researchers and public health practitioners can employ validated ERG instruments to analyse doctors’ motivation for choosing rural postings in India.
Global Healthcare Infrastructure and Africa in Times of COVID-19: Insights for Sustainable Development and Future Pandemics
Authors: Diop Samba , Asongu Simplice A.
Published: September 2023

This exploratory study aims to assess Africa’s lagging position in global health in relation to some healthcare infrastructure before critically examining the situation of Africa in the light of pressing COVID-19 healthcare infrastructural needs in terms of the number of hospital beds, intensive care units beds and ventilators per 100,000 people. A comparative analysis is provided to showcase which regions are leading in the health facilities in the world in general and Africa, in particular, as well as countries that are lagging in the attendant healthcare facilities. Analytical insights are provided to illustrate that the COVID-19 pandemic has revealed how Africa cannot reach most Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), especially SDG-3 on health and well-being. Moreover, corresponding inferences suggest that the continent is unprepared for future pandemics in terms of health facilities.
Managing Public Health Spending Growth: Public’s Views
Authors: Araújo Nuno , Reis Ana Maria , Borges Ana Pinto , Rosa Álvaro
Published: September 2023

The need to guarantee public health spending sustainability remains on the governments’ agenda, despite constant efforts to improve health sector efficiency and to contain health spending growth. In this paper, we analyse citizens’, managers’ and health professionals’ views concerning the choice of alternative National Health Service (NHS)’ financing sources and the selection of priority areas to be financed from public funds. The main novelty of this study is the auscultation and the evaluation of different stakeholders’ perspectives concerning health spending decisions, namely, health professionals, managers and the general public. An online questionnaire was used to collect data. Methods include descriptive and inferential statistics, a Pareto graph and a factorial analysis. Our results reveal the preferable additional NHS funding sources are lottery and games of chance and the increase in alcohol and tobacco taxes. The respondents defend that priorities should consider the improvement of the population’s health status, namely, considering the universality of access, equity, effectiveness and efficiency, in line with the NHS’ mission. Health professionals are also concerned about disease prevention and health promotion. This paper contributes empirical evidence to support health manager decisions, focusing on rationing decisions and alternative financing sources.
Can Cryptocurrencies be a Safe Haven During the 2022 Ukraine Crisis? Implications for G7 Investors
Authors: Fakhfekh Mohamed , Manzli Yasmine Snene , Béjaoui Azza , Jeribi Ahmed
Published: September 2023

This article attempts to assess the hedging, diversification and safe haven characteristics of gold, Bitcoin and Tether for G7 investors during the political and health crises. For this end, we use the Generalized Autoregressive Conditional Heteroskedasticity-A-Dynamic Conditional Correlation model. The findings prove that gold can be considered as a strong safe haven asset for the G7 investors during the Russia–Ukraine crisis. In contrast, cryptocurrencies fail to retain their safe haven features for Japanese investors during the COVID-19 pandemic. But, they act as diversifier assets for the rest of the G7 stock markets. The computed optimal hedge and hedging effectiveness reveal that Bitcoin displays the best hedging instrument for the United States, British, Japanese and Canadian investors during the Russia–Ukraine crisis whereas gold is considered as the best instrument for German, French and Italian investors.
Digital Transformation and Academicians’ Well-being: A Cross-National Study
Authors: Sharma Sourabh , López-Fernández Andrée Marie , Sharma Megha
Published: September 2023

This research aims to compare the influence of digital transformation on the academicians’ well-being of two developing nations. A conceptual model has been created where three exogenous (independent) constructs of digital transformation have been compared with two endogenous (dependent) constructs of academicians’ well-being in India and Mexico. The impact of ‘Digital Transformation and Innovation’; ‘Digital Transformation and Adversity’; and ‘Digital Transformation and Technological Issues’ has been assessed on ‘Workplace Well-being’ and ‘Adversity and Psychological Well-being’. Six hundred and seventy-seven responses, 375 from India and 302 from Mexico, have been received and used for data analysis. Exploratory factor analysis (EFA) has been used to define exogenous and endogenous constructs. The Multigroup Analysis (MGA) tool of PLS-SEM was implemented to compare the results from both nations. The MGA results explain the significant difference for the impact of ‘Digital Transformation and Adversity (DTA)’ on academicians’ ‘Workplace Well-being (WW)’ and ‘Adversity and Psychological Well-being (APW)’.
The Impact of Remittances on Renewable and Non-renewable Energy Consumption in Jamaica
Authors: Seury Simin , McFarlane Adian , Singh Amanjot
Published: September 2023

Using annual data from 1980 to 2019, we explore the impact of remittance inflows (remittances) on renewable and non-renewable energy consumption in Jamaica. We apply statistically adequate vector error correction and vector autoregression models. There are two primary findings. First, we find that an increase in remittances is associated with a decrease in renewable energy consumption within an error correction model, which suggests a long-run negative relationship between remittances and renewable energy consumption. Second, an increase in remittances is associated with an increase in non-renewable energy consumption in the short run; no cointegrating relationship is detected. One implication of our finding is that Jamaica could strengthen policies that encourage the consumption of renewables while discouraging the consumption of non-renewables. These policies should apply to not only remittance-receiving households but also energy consumers in general to enhance the uptake of renewable energy.
Improving Early Initiation of Breastfeeding in Newborns Delivered at a Tertiary Care Hospital: A Quality Improvement Study
Authors: H Anil , Patel Shradha , Pujara Reshma , Patel Dipen , Nimbalkar Somashekhar
Published: September 2023

Introduction

Neonatal mortality is the major contributor for under five mortality. WHO and UNICEF have mentioned that it is vital to initiate breastfeeding within the first hour of birth for reducing mortality. In India, it has been reported that only 42.7% babies receive breastfeeding within 1 hour of birth, and at our institute, we noticed only 61% of stable babies delivered vaginally received breastfeeding within 1 hour of birth. So, we planned a quality improvement study at our hospital using POCQI (point of care quality improvement).

Aims and Objectives

To increase the early initiation of breastfeeding (EIBF) practice in neonates born through vaginal delivery at or above 36 weeks of gestation from the observed baseline of 61% to >85% over 3 months period.

Methods

The study was conducted in Labor Room of a tertiary care hospital over a period of three months (Dec 2022–Feb 2023) and a sustenance phase from April 2023 to June 2023. A root-cause analysis was done using the fishbone framework focusing on various barriers related to mothers, hospital staff, policy, place, and practices. Based on this, a comprehensive early breastfeeding initiation intervention was planned utilizing Plan-Do-Study-Act (PDSA) cycles.

Results

At the end of the 3 months, we were able to achieve 100% compliance in EIBF from baseline of 61% and same compliance was maintained during sustenance phase. Run charts used for interpretation showed increase in compliance and reduction in time of initiation of breastfeeding.

Conclusion

This study brought out various hurdles to EIBF and demonstrated that it can be improved by using simple quality improvement model.
Training and life satisfaction: a disrupted pathway to better work
Authors: Tregaskis Olga , Nandi Alita
Published: September 2023

Training is identified as a key feature of good quality work. Labour market education and training in the United Kingdom, however, operates within a weak institutional context and state interest is reserved for supply issues. Employer demand for a skilled labour market is constrained and the burden of investment in training is left with the individual. Can adult training in the United Kingdom offer a pathway to better work and life outcomes, particularly for those who are already disadvantaged? Using a longitudinal nationally representative data set, the UK Understanding Society initiative (2010–2020), we identify the effects of different types of training and their intensity on life satisfaction. We assess how the impact of training on life satisfaction is moderated by the socio-demographic characteristics of the learner, namely, employment status, gender, ethnicity and migration status, age and deprivation of the area in which they live.
Designing Simulation to Improve Production Efficiency of Batik Industry
Authors: Kristiana Stefani Prima Dias , Asih Anna Maria Sri , Sudiarso Andi
Published: September 2023

Background

The study deals with evaluating the production system for manufacturing batik, then developing a scenario for improving the system.

Purpose

The study aims to point out the possibilities of computerized simulations in designing, testing, and exploring scenario models of real production plants of Small-Medium enterprises (SMEs).

Method

The research is carried out as a case study, using a simulation approach to achieve the objectives. This study uses three data collection techniques: direct observation, qualitative interviews, and time study. The simulated model of the system is the basis for building improvement strategies.

Results

The simulation model yields more than 70% of the overall process time mainly consisting of idle time and waiting for the operator. It leads to an inefficient production system. Significant differences in processing time and assigning operators to workstations that are unbalanced cause inefficiency. Although most of the time was not efficient, the average utilization of the operator was 63.96%. The system has a good operator’s utility level because the average total utility value is higher than idle time. The operators are also responsible for other tasks that were included in the simulation.

Discussion

The study proves that simulation is a very promising approach that allows industrial owners to mimic the production process and resource assignments within the model. The production efficiency with existing resources can be enhanced with the balancing procedure between the workstations and the operators. The suggested system runs on the concept of assigning operators with lower utility to processes with high WIP queues. The operator can interact with multiple workstations. The proposed model reduces the total time required to produce the batik.

Contribution

The simulation helps the analyzed organization to evaluate the efficiency of the manufacturing process. Changing the parameters in the model can generate new utilization and efficiency for the system.
Narrating Final Memories From Spousal Loss: The Role of Place and Quality of Death
Authors: Mroz Emily L. , Bluck Susan
Published: September 2023

Objective: Personal memories of the death of a spouse can guide bereavement adjustment. Place of death and quality of death are end-of-life factors that are likely to influence death experiences and formation of subsequent personal memories. The current study employs narrative content-analysis to examine how place and quality of death relate to affective sequences present in older adults’ final memories from the death of their spouse. Method: Based on power analyses, 53 older adults were recruited and completed a Final Memory Interview. They also reported place of spouse’s death (ie, in hospital, out of hospital) and quality of death across four subscales. Final memory narratives were reliably content-analyzed (interrater agreements >.70), revealing positive and negative affective sequences, including: redemption, contamination, positive stability, and negative stability. Findings: Experiencing the death of a spouse in hospital was related to narrating final memories with contamination. In terms of quality of death, reporting a less comforting social environment at time of death was related to the presence of redemption in final memories. Reporting that one’s spouse received appropriate medical care related to narrating memories that showed positive stability. Conclusions: Final memories are carried with the bereaved long after their loss. Positive final memories appear to stem from witnessing a comfortable, medically appropriate death outside of a hospital setting. End-of-life 'that is' between care and aligned with patients’ values for place and treatment may be critical for spouses’ formation of constructive final memories and bereavement adjustment.
Barriers Associated With Missed Palliative Care Telehealth Visits
Authors: Samala Renato V. , Farah Paul , Wei Wei , Robbins-Ong Melanie , Lagman Ruth L.
Published: September 2023

Background: The COVID-19 pandemic accelerated the adoption of telehealth in palliative care. While this technology showed efficiencies in healthcare delivery, it also unmasked inequalities affecting the socially disadvantaged. Objective: To identify factors associated with missed telehealth visits. Methods: We reviewed telehealth visits between April 1, 2020 and March 31, 2021 at a palliative care clinic. Disease-related and demographic information were recorded, including residency in community outreach zones (COZ)—zip code clusters known for healthcare underutilization. We categorized patients with at least one missed visit as “any miss” (AM), and those with at least three scheduled visits and missed at least 50% as “pattern miss” (PM). Results: Of 1225 scheduled telehealth (i.e., audiovisual) visits, there were 802 completed, 52 missed initial and 371 missed follow-up encounters. Among 505 unique patients, 363 (72%) were receiving cancer treatment, 170 (34%) had multiple insurance, 87 (17%) lived in COZ, 101 (20%) were AM, and 27 (5%) were PM. Patients in COZ had significantly higher risk of PM vs those outside (OR = 2.56, 95% CI: 1.06-5.78, P = .03). Patients with multiple insurance had significantly higher risk of PM vs those with single or no coverage (OR = 3.06, 95% CI: 1.40-6.93, P = .006). Patients on treatment had significantly higher risk of AM vs those not in treatment (OR = 1.75, 95% CI: 1.05-3.06, P = .04). Conclusion: We identified living in areas with healthcare underutilization, active cancer treatment, and multiple insurance coverage as barriers to telehealth visits. Measures are necessary to attenuate disparities in accessing palliative care via telehealth.
Our Pedagogical Epiphanies: Moments of Clarity in Our Teaching Practice That Created Windows for Change
Authors: Eury Jennifer L. , Hawk Thomas F.
Published: September 2023

In this essay, we offer two personal narratives of how we innovated in our approaches to teaching and learning—our pedagogical epiphanies. The first narrative, triggered by the COVID-19 pandemic, focuses on innovating and moving from the use of a single learning process to the use of a portfolio of learning approaches that align with the learning objectives for the course. The second narrative, triggered by the instructor’s inner dissatisfaction with the level of student preparation and engagement, focuses on innovating and moving from the use of a different case each class session—a surface approach to learning—to the use of two cases for the entire semester and eventually just one—a deep approach to learning. We describe the temporal and experimental character of the caring and innovating relational processes in each narrative, the insights gained across the narratives, and the implications for pedagogical practices and pedagogical research in management education. We ground our narratives in the conceptual literatures on a process-relational ontological view of teaching and learning, pedagogical caring, and innovating. We conclude with our desire to encourage others to embrace their own pedagogical epiphanies.