bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Creating ‘safe’ spaces through exclusionary boundaries: Examining employers’ treatment of domestic workers during the COVID-19 pandemic in India
Authors: Kulkarni Vaibhavi , Gupta Namita , Panicker Arohi
Published: September 2024

Our study illustrates how boundary mechanisms exacerbated the marginalization of paid domestic workers in India, after they resumed their employment at the end of the lockdown during the COVID-19 pandemic. We draw upon in-depth interviews with the middle-class employers of these workers to show how the employers renegotiated boundary rules and created bubbles of safe interaction for themselves. We contribute to boundary theory by explaining how pre-existing symbolic boundaries intensify and materialize into social boundaries. Social boundaries often result in unequal access to resources, further increasing disparities. But how do these boundaries get invoked? What forms do they take? So far, we do not have enough empirical research examining the creation and maintenance of social boundaries. This study shows how social boundaries get created and stabilized within gated communities through deployment of material resources, regulations and routinization of boundary tactics. These exclusionary social boundaries are further strengthened by the presence of an external agency, emerging as a new and significant actor in the hitherto private employer–worker relationship. Finally, we note that these boundaries result in normalized differential treatment of domestic workers, thus accentuating the class divide.
The Impact of Education and Employment on Economic Competitiveness: A Comparative Analysis of South African Provinces
Authors: John Moyin , Sathiya Susuman A.
Published: September 2024

This study examines the economic competitiveness of South Africa’s nine provinces in terms of job creation and the role of education in enhancing economic development. Utilizing data from the 2010–2019 Quarterly Labour Force Survey and GDP Quarterly Estimates per Region Reports, regression and correlation analyses were conducted. Results revealed a significant correlation between education, economic competitiveness and employment in Western Cape, Gauteng, Mpumalanga and Limpopo. These results highlight the importance of investing in education. By prioritizing educational investments in provinces where significant positive correlations have been observed, targeted interventions can effectively drive regional economic development and job growth.
Understanding communication and stakeholder learning process affecting sustainability in multi-stakeholder platforms: The case of a Learning Alliance in Vietnam
Authors: Quilloy Reianne M , Flor Rica Joy , Flor Benjamina Paula G
Published: September 2024

A Learning Alliance (LA) is a multi-stakeholder approach widely used by research organizations to provide a platform for technology or innovation adoption. It heavily relies on communication among varied and interacting stakeholders with shared interests. Thus, it is important to understand how these interactions play a role in forming and sustaining the network. Using the case of a LA in Can Tho province, Vietnam, we analyzed the communication processes generated in the interactions through document analysis of project materials, focus group discussions, key informant interviews with the LA facilitators, and observation notes from eight LA events. Findings reveal that communication underlies network development and maintenance. It facilitated the alignment of stakeholders’ interest and reorganization of roles, particularly when stakeholders played an intermediary role in facilitating the LA. The network also explored inclusive strategies to upgrade the rice value chain. However, challenges arose due to communication breakdown related to the strategic positioning of the LA in the broader innovation system. Furthermore, with the network's reliance on the lifespan of bilateral projects led by research institutions, hindered its long-term success. While LA foster negotiated change and inclusivity, more reflections are needed on mechanisms for local uptake, deliberate planning, and enhancement of communication roles to support the learning processes of a LA so that the network can be intentional in pursuing desired change addressing emergent challenges.
Promotive Factors Within Neighborhood, Family, and School Contexts for Adolescents Living in an Urban, High-Burden Community
Authors: Garthe Rachel C. , Gorman-Smith Deborah , Kim Shongha , Yoon Soohyun , Mwima Simon , Cosey-Gay Franklin N.
Published: September 2024

Adverse outcomes associated with living in urban, high-burden communities can be reduced by strengthening promotive factors—processes that promote positive development or resilience. Utilizing the social development strategy, we examined promotive factors (perceptions of safety, attachment, rewards and opportunities for prosocial involvement) across neighborhood, family, and school, in relation to mental health and violence outcomes. Participants were 1,744 adolescents (50% female, 91% Black) from an urban, high-burden community in Chicago. Latent profile analyses found four groups of promotive factors. Thirty-seven percent of youth were in a profile with high levels of promotive factors, reporting the lowest levels of mental health symptoms and violence. As youth moved towards average or low levels of promotive factors in one or multiple contexts, they reported worse mental health and violence. These results have important implications, specifically for high-burden communities, highlighting the need to strengthen promotive factors in comprehensive prevention efforts and mental health care.
Psychology of religion and spirituality in Jewish contexts: A synthetic review
Authors: Stein Laura B , Sandage Steven J
Published: September 2024

Jewish spirituality and religion include dynamics that are different from other traditions and have important implications for relational forms of spirituality. Certain approaches to relational Judaism (e.g. Mussar) have offered insights for understanding the folk psychology of relational spirituality in Jewish contexts but have not generated empirical research. Existing research in the psychology of Jewish religion and spirituality draws on several theoretical frameworks and has generated helpful findings. In this synthetic review, we foreground the role of theory in psychological research and offer a brief review of several theoretical frameworks used in research on the psychology of Jewish religion and spirituality (cognitive-behavioral, psychodynamic, cultural psychology of religion, and positive psychology). The relational spirituality model (RSM) is summarized as a conceptual framework that could be useful for future research in this area. We use the RSM as a heuristic organizing framework to review several lines of prior empirical research on the psychology of Jewish religion and spirituality that fit within the RSM domains of spiritual dwelling, seeking, and struggles. The final section outlines future directions in research in this area based on the RSM, with particular attention to dimensions of diversity (e.g. gender, sexual orientation), diverse contexts of Jewish spirituality, Jewish spirituality in relation to both mental health suffering and flourishing, and historical trauma. We also highlight the need for research on Jewish spiritual development in communal settings (e.g. congregations, seminaries) to provide a deeper understanding at both individual and communal levels, and interdisciplinary integration with Jewish theology.
Political Giving by Retired U.S. General and Flag Officers
Authors: Snyder Neil
Published: September 2024

Why do retired U.S. General and Flag Officers (GOFOs) donate to political causes? I argue that retired GOFOs likely sort between nondonors, partisan donors, and corporate political action committee donors. Using a novel data set of all former members of the Joint Chiefs of Staff and former Combatant Commanders from 1979 to 2022 and drawing on data from the Federal Election Commission, I examine the conditions associated with increased likelihood of GOFO political giving. The results suggest that the majority of retired GOFOs are nongivers. However, retired GOFOs are more likely to donate to Republicans than to Democrats, and GOFOs are more likely to donate to Republicans during U.S. presidential elections. I find strong partisan trends in GOFOs’ political giving, and the results provide new insights into the conditions under which retired American GOFOs take domestic political action.
A Modified Epiglottis-Tongue Root Flap for Postoperative Laryngeal Stenosis in a Cancer Patient with a History of Radiotherapy
Authors: Wang Dejuan , Jiang Zheng , Fan Lixiao , Yang Xin , Zhao Pengwei , Chen Fei , Liu Jun
Published: September 2024

Introduction: Cricohyoidoepiglottopexy (CHEP) has emerged as a promising surgical technique for treating laryngeal stenosis, offering a low rate of restenosis and a high rate of successful decannulation. However, postoperative radiation therapy can complicate open surgery for some patients due to radiation-induced cellular and tissue damage. This damage can make adequate exposure or mobilization of the larynx challenging. Case Summary: A 71-year-old male, who had undergone a partial laryngectomy 3 years prior, developed laryngeal stenosis and difficulty plugging after 35 rounds of radiotherapy. Initially, CHEP was planned, but intraoperatively, it was found that traditional CHEP would result in excessive anastomotic tension. To prevent complications, we designed an epiglottis-tongue root flap for laryngeal function reconstruction. The patient experienced no restenosis and was successfully extubated. Discussion: By separating the preepiglottal space and mobilizing the base of the tongue to construct the epiglottis-tongue root flap, modified CHEP can achieve laryngeal function reconstruction in patients postradiotherapy. It is essential to conduct a comprehensive evaluation of the patient’s overall condition, degree of stenosis, tongue-to-tongue root status, and cervical tissue adhesion before surgery.
Organization Design: Current Insights and Future Research Directions
Authors: Joseph John , Sengul Metin
Published: September 2024

We review the research on organization design from 2000 to 2023, inclusive. We identify four major approaches to organization design in the contemporary literature: configuration, control, channelization, and coordination. We discuss the key streams of research that characterize each of these approaches, as well as three emerging areas of research: AI and organizational decision-making, flat organizations, and multiple goals. Beyond the specific contributions of individual papers and streams of work, our review makes a number of high-level observations across approaches. We identify patterns that characterize this body of work, the methods used, open questions for future research, and a discussion of organization design as a theory. Collectively, these observations define the state of organization design research and may provide scholars with a foundation for future research.
Putting the Politics Into Corporate Political Activity: A Variance Decomposition Analysis of Firm–Government Interactions Across Political Contexts
Authors: Mui Rachel , Abdurakhmonov Mirzokhidjon , Hill Aaron D. , Ridge Jason
Published: September 2024

Despite the wealth of theorizing about the relationship between business and government, research on corporate political activity (CPA) has yet to comprehensively consider how political context (e.g., party ideology and the degree of united or divided party government control) may shift the salience of how CPA materializes across industry-, firm-, and executive-level factors, which can shed light on the level of effects that appear to matter more (or less). To advance our understanding, we conducted a variance decomposition analysis on U.S. public firms (2001–2019), exploring the relative effect of each level on firm (lobbying expenditures and campaign contributions) and government actions (government contracts), and parsing our sample based on whether key government branches are Democrat- or Republican-controlled. We generally found that firm effects explain the most variance, followed by industry, while executive effects explain the least. However, this pattern shifts notably when considering political context across our sample period. As such, our findings have important implications for future CPA research and theorizing.
Community College Library Services: Meeting Students Where They Are
Authors: Terrile Vikki C.
Published: September 2024

Academic libraries have long been called the heart of their campuses. As priorities have shifted away from print collections and other repository services, college libraries have expanded their services to be welcoming spaces that support students’ sense of belonging and meet a wide range of needs. This is perhaps especially true of community college libraries, with the understanding that our students have unique needs, strengths, and challenges. This paper explores how academic libraries, including community college libraries, are contested spaces, with challenges to their physical footprint, pressure to innovate, and administrative ambivalence. Although the future of libraries in higher education is often focused on technological innovation, community college libraries are responding to the challenges they face with changing service models that meet students where they are and support the whole person. Additionally, the paper uses the Queensborough Community College’s library as a case study on addressing students’ basic needs and wellness during and after the COVID-19 pandemic closures. Embracing a campus-wide call to support students’ sense of belonging, the QCC library recognized that even amidst budget cuts that shortened service hours and left vacant library faculty positions unfilled, the library was still open more than any other service on campus.
Social support moderates the link between chronic peer victimization in school and later cortisol secretion
Authors: Brendgen Mara , Ouellet-Morin Isabelle , Cantave Christina Y. , Vitaro Frank , Dionne Ginette , Boivin Michel
Published: September 2024

Using a genetically informed design based on twins, this study tested the association between chronic peer victimization from ages 12 to 17 and later cortisol secretion at age 19 and the moderating effect of social support in this regard. These associations were examined while also considering the effects of genetic factors and concurrent victimization experiences at age 19. Participants (148 monozygotic [MZ] and 227 dizygotic [DZ] twin pairs; 56% girls) reported on their peer victimization and social support from the mother, father, and best friend from ages 12 through 17. At age 19, they reported on victimization in college, at work, and in romantic relationships and provided a hair sample for cortisol measurement. Growth mixture modeling identified three victimization trajectories: low (34%), moderate (55%), and high (11%). Biometric modeling showed that a high trajectory of peer victimization in adolescence predicted lower cortisol levels compared with a low trajectory, but only at very low levels of friends’ support. Parental support did not moderate this association and no sex moderation was found. These results highlight not only the potential disruptive influence of chronic peer victimization on hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis functioning but also the buffering role of friendship when facing such adverse social experiences.
Clearing Up Confusion: The effect of outlier similarity on IPO underpricing
Authors: Gouvard Paul , Durand Rodolphe
Published: September 2024

Prior research demonstrates that audiences tend to converge in their valuations of firms similar to preexisting category prototypes or exemplars. Much less is known of the influence of salient outliers, specific firms that receive market-wide attention due to their extreme, ambiguous performance, on audiences’ valuations. We argue that outlier similarity, by contrast with prototype similarity, leads to divergent valuations among individual investors. We explore this insight in the context of initial public offerings (IPOs). In this context, converging valuations among investors lead to limited information asymmetry concerns and hence reduced underpricing on the first day of trading of an issuing firm. Hence, we expect that prototype similarity leads to lower underpricing while outlier similarity leads to higher underpricing. We test our hypotheses using a sample of 2,488 United States IPOs from 1996 to 2015, measuring prototype and outlier similarity through a natural language processing technique applied to nearly 160,000 financial documents. We find that in low-tech industries, where prototypes are informative about category members, prototype similarity reduces underpricing, but not in high-tech industries. Additionally, we find that outlier similarity increases underpricing, especially for more recent outliers. This paper contributes to the literature on market valuation and market categories, and advances research on meaning and culture using new text-based computational methods.
Exploring the Psychosocial Experiences of Within the Family Adoptees: An initiative for Mental Well-Being
Authors: Afzal Saima , Aurooj Amna , Emmanuel Shalmee
Published: September 2024

This qualitative research delves into the exploring the psychosocial experiences of adoptees within their adoptive families, with a focus on their mental well-being. The study employed an Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis approach to explore the psychosocial experiences of within-family adoptees in relation to mental well-being. The research involved six participants who were engaged in semi-structured interviews. The analysis revealed master themes and generated sub-themes through coding method. Five master themes were communication barriers, assistance, identity crisis, general societal attitudes, and emotional disturbance that contributed to a deeper understanding of the mental well-being for adoptees and shed light on various psychosocial aspects within the family context. The research sheds light on the various emotional, relational, and identity-related aspects that influence adoptees’ mental health within the family context. The findings contribute to a deeper understanding of adoptees’ needs and suggest implications for supporting their overall well-being.
Why Has Migration Research So Little Impact? Examining Knowledge Practices in Migration Policy Making and Migration Studies
Authors: Natter Katharina , Welfens Natalie
Published: September 2024

Scientific and expert knowledge on migration is often disregarded in policy making and plays only a minor role in public debates - despite the massive growth and institutionalization of migration research in recent years. This article interrogates the limited impact of migration research(ers) by examining knowledge practices in both policy making and academia. We first look “outwards” at migration policy making. Revisiting and integrating the hitherto separate scholarship on knowledge use and knowledge production, we identify the main mechanisms that characterize knowledge practices of policy actors, such as individual and institutional self-preservation, issue politicization, or unequal power dynamics. We then mobilize these insights to look “inwards” at our own knowledge practices in migration studies, showing that similar mechanisms shape how migration scholars produce and use knowledge. In particular, we identify a fragmentation of migration studies into ever-more fine-grained sub-fields, each with their own knowledge practices and impact strategies - and with little dialogue across them. In fact, rather than acknowledging their complementarity, these sub-fields tend to delegitimize each other's knowledge and efforts to achieve socio-political change. We argue that such “academic tribalism” creates a self-sabotaging dynamic that undermines the field's wider credibility and impact. Ultimately, we hope that this paper empowers migration researchers to act upon this diagnosis and inspires a collective discussion on how to foster more mutually-reinforcing knowledge practices that strengthen the field's role in political debates and public life.
Preliminary findings on the influence of the presence of others’ eyes on food intake
Authors: Santa Risa , Miyamoto Mana , Shibuya Kenichi
Published: September 2024

Background: The presence of others’ eyes has been shown to influence food evaluation. Aim: The purpose of the present study was to investigate whether the presence of others’ gaze would lead to a reduction in food intake in accordance with social norms. Methods: In this study, we enlisted the participation of 30 volunteers. During the experiment, participants had the opportunity to consume noodles freely as much as they wanted while viewing one of the three images: (1) featuring a person with open eyes (Open condition), (2) depicting a person with closed eyes (Closed condition), and (3) displaying an image devoid of a person (None condition). Results: Food consumption in each condition was 460.00 ± 20.97 g for the Open condition, 515.57 ± 22.97 g in the Closed condition, and 505.03 ± 21.05 g in None condition. The condition had a statistically significant main effect ( F = 4.656, p = .013). The Least-Square means analysis revealed that food consumption in the Open condition was significantly lower than in the other two conditions (Closed and None conditions) (Closed − Open: t = 2.872 [95% CI: 16.844–94.289], p = .006; None – Open: t = 2.328 [95% CI: 6.311–83.756], p = .023). There was no significant difference in food consumption between the Closed and None conditions (Closed − None: t = 0.545 [95% CI: −28.189–49.256], p = .588). Conclusion: The results of the present study suggest that the presence of others’ eyes would reduce food intake in accordance with social norms.
Acetabular morphology variations in a Hispanic population
Authors: Torres-Lugo Norberto J , Mangual-Perez Danny , Deliz-Jimenez David , Lopez-Alonso Andrea , Guzman-Gutierrez Jose , Claudio-Marcano Alexandra , Colon-Negron Edgar , Davila-Parrilla Ariel
Published: September 2024

Background

Rotational abnormalities of the hip have been implicated in the etiology of diseases, such as hip dysplasia, osteoarthritis, and femoroacetabular impingement. Despite the extensive literature on hip morphology, there is a gap in knowledge regarding variations in the Hispanic population.

Purpose

To describe the bony anatomy variations of the acetabulum in a Hispanic population.

Material and Methods

This is a cross-sectional study. We studied 182 computed tomography (CT) images in patients aged older than 21 years, who had undergone pelvic CT for any condition, except hip fracture. Measurements of acetabular version, anterior and posterior acetabular sector angles (AASA/PASA) and horizontal acetabular sector angles (HASA) were made. Acetabular variations were then compared to weight and sex data.

Results

The mean acetabular anteversion was greater in women ( P < 0.001). Women exhibited a greater PASA ( P < 0.05); however, men had a greater AASA ( P < 0.05). Underweight individuals had a smaller PASA ( P < 0.01) and HASA ( P < 0.05) than individuals with a normal weight.

Conclusion

The Hispanic hip is morphologically similar to other populations previously reported in the literature; however, Hispanic men have less coverage of the femoral head by the posterior acetabular wall when compared to women of the same ethnicity. These abnormalities have a direct impact on management and surgical approach in patients treated for femoroacetabular impingement and hip dysplasia.
Standardized bone marrow assessment, risk variables, and survival in dogs with myelodysplastic syndrome and acute myeloid leukemia
Authors: Meredith Anna M. , Beeler-Marfisi Janet , Berke Olaf , Mutsaers Anthony J. , Bienzle Dorothee
Published: September 2024

Myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS) and acute myeloid leukemia (AML) are heterogeneous neoplasms of hematopoietic stem cells that are challenging to diagnose, differentiate, and prognosticate. Cytogenetic and mutational analyses are useful in humans but unavailable for dogs, where diagnosis and classification still rely largely on hematologic and morphologic assessment. The objectives of this study were to apply a classification scheme to myeloid neoplasms and to assess outcome in relation to predictor variables. Keyword search of a laboratory database, application of sequential exclusion criteria, and consensus from 3 reviewers yielded 70 cases of myeloid neoplasia with hematology results, and cytologic (11), histologic (14), or both (45) types of marrow specimens. Based on blast percentage and morphology, 42 cases were classified as MDS and 28 as AML. Dogs with MDS had significantly lower body weights, hemoglobin concentrations and blood blasts, and higher red blood cell size variability and platelet numbers than dogs with AML. Estimates of median survival using Kaplan-Meier curves for dogs with MDS and AML were 384 and 6 days, respectively ( P < .001). The instantaneous risk of death for dogs with MDS was approximately 5× lower than that of dogs with AML. Significant predictor variables of survival were body weight, white blood cell count, platelet count, and percent blood blasts ( P < .05). Hazard ratios (HRs) derived from best-fitting Cox regression models were 1.043, 0.998, and 1.061 for increased neutrophils, decreased platelets, and increased blood blasts, respectively. Findings from this study suggest that hematologic and morphologic variables are useful to predict outcomes in myeloid neoplasia.
Towards achieving a sustainable academic library: Users' awareness and perceptions in a developing country
Authors: Tanzin Musfica , Atikuzzaman Md.
Published: September 2024

This study aims to ascertain how academic library users perceive the conversion of their library into a sustainable one and how aware they are of library sustainability. A structured questionnaire was utilized to collect data from users of a central public university library in Bangladesh using a quantitative approach. Results revealed that though the majority of users were aware of the sustainable library concept, they did not believe their library was sustainable. However, they expressed a desire to learn more and actively participate in eco-friendly activities at the library. The majority of users believed that the library would have an eco-friendly and healthy indoor and outdoor environment if such a renovation were to occur. Technological obstacles were the major barriers to such transformation identified by the users. Finally, the study provides recommendations for addressing the issues raised and promoting a long-term, user-friendly atmosphere for academic libraries in Bangladesh.
Extended Floor Field Cellular Automata Model for Pedestrian Emergency Evacuation Considering Panic Emotion
Authors: Cao Bingxin , Li Yongxing , Chen Yanyan , Yang Xiaoxia , Yuan Zhilu
Published: September 2024

Panic emotion appears frequently in an emergency evacuation, affecting evacuation efficiency and pedestrian safety. Individual diversity in emotion propagation causes pedestrians to behave differently. To better describe the emotion propagation in the movement of pedestrians, we analyze the characteristics of the emotions of different pedestrians in emergencies. Considering pedestrian heterogeneity, we divide pedestrians into three types (conservative, moderate, and radical) according to the strength of the expression of individual emotions. Based on an analysis of the characteristics of the three types of pedestrian, an improved susceptible-infected-recovered (SIR) model is built to describe the pedestrian emotion propagation process. In addition, a conflict avoidance method that considers pedestrian speed is proposed to demonstrate pedestrian motion more realistically. Based on this foundation, a cellular automata (CA) model that integrates emotion propagation and conflict avoidance techniques is employed to replicate the process of pedestrian emergency evacuation. The simulation results suggest that a higher proportion of pedestrians with initial panic emotions and a radical behavior type leads to a prolonged evacuation time. Many pedestrians in emergency evacuations gather at the exit in a short time (approximately 37 time steps), the density then reaches a high-level (approximately 5.5 pedestrians/m2) for a period of time, and the duration increases with the increase in the number of pedestrians. Methods for guiding pedestrians to evacuate in a rational manner are worthy of promotion and research.
How High-Performing Personal Support Workers Set and Maintain Boundaries When Providing Care: A Case Study in Ontario, Canada
Authors: Kalles Elizabeth A. , King Emily C. , Holyoke Paul
Published: September 2024

Personal support workers (PSWs) provide a large proportion of in-home care services for Canadians. PSWs must negotiate with clients and their family on how prescribed care is delivered. How PSWs set and maintain professional and personal boundaries during care is poorly understood, and failure to manage boundaries can expose both PSWs and clients to risk. High-performing PSWs ( n = 9) and supervisors ( n = 4) within an Ontario, Canada, home care agency were engaged in workshops ( n = 3) to identify field-tested strategies and tactics for identifying, managing, and supporting PSW boundaries. A boundary-management framework was generated, including types of boundary challenges; decision-making principles (e.g., consider the purpose of home care); response strategies (e.g., work with the client on an alternative solution); and tactics for action (e.g., use proactive reminders). Supervisory and organizational supports (e.g., enabling “shop-talk”) were identified. The framework can inform teaching and practice materials for PSWs in Canada and other countries.
Examining the Impact of the Design-Thinking Intergenerational Service-Learning Model on Older Adults’ Self-Care Behaviors and Well-Being
Authors: Tseng Jeffrey T. , Kuo Tsuann , Huang Chih-Kun , Chang Ling-Hui , Hsu Yu-Jung , Wang Ying-Wei , Hsiao Hsin-Yi
Published: September 2024

The Design-Thinking Intergenerational Service-Learning Model (DTISLM), rooted in the biopsychosocial model, aims to empower older adults to improve their chronic-disease management behavior through tailored programs addressing their specific healthcare needs. This study, conducted in Taiwan, used a convenience sampling method ( n = 172) to evaluate the impact of DTISLM on Taiwan’s adult day center participants’ perception of self-care behaviors, feelings of happiness, depression, and perceived social support using pretest–posttest surveys. The results indicated a significant enhancement in participants’ perception of self-care behaviors, reduction in depression score, and improvements in perceived social support following the completion of the program. The findings underscore the efficacy of applying a design-thinking framework in an intergenerational context. Future studies should investigate how the DTISLM can be scaled to various demographics and healthcare settings to enhance its applicability and understand its long-term effects.
Understanding Nurse Retention at a Mental Health and Addictions Facility During a Dual Pandemic
Authors: Rafferty Alyssa , Haase Kristen , Gagnon Michelle , Havaei Farinaz
Published: September 2024

Background

The COVID-19 pandemic exposed nurses to new and more severe workplace stressors; exposure to these workplace stressors has exacerbated nurse turnover. Nurses working in mental health and substance use (MHSU) have also experienced the unique stressor of the overdose crisis in British Columbia (BC). MHSU nurses have been at the forefront of working to manage these dual emergencies. There is limited evidence related to the compounding effect of COVID-19 and the overdose crisis on nursing turnover. Understanding the unique conditions that MHSU nurses are currently experiencing and what factors influence a nurse's intention to stay in or leave a healthcare facility is essential in developing strategies to minimize turnover and maximize retention.

Purpose

To explore the factors that affect nurse turnover while working through the dual emergencies within a MHSU facility in BC, Canada.

Methods

A qualitative descriptive approach with an inductive, descriptive thematic analysis guided this quality improvement project.

Results

Findings were grouped into two main themes: reasons for leaving and reasons for staying. Reasons for leaving included workplace safety, seeking new opportunities, lack of support, and being short-staffed. Reasons to stay encompassed connections with clients, leaders and colleagues, support from colleagues and leaders, and feeling valued, safe, and heard.

Conclusions

Perceived personal safety and protection from workplace violence were found to increase the likelihood of intent to leave and turnover among nurses. Further, psychosocial safety and connection among nurses and health leaders were found to decrease the likelihood of turnover.
When Fulfilling a Professional Obligation Causes Moral Distress: A New Evaluative Approach
Authors: Kim Daniel T. , Shelton Wayne , Breslin Linda , Applewhite Megan K.
Published: September 2024

Purpose

The term ‘moral distress’ was coined by Andrew Jameton to name the anguish that clinicians feel when they cannot pursue what they judge to be right because of institutional constraints. We argue that moral distress in critical care should also be addressed as a function of the constraints of ethics and propose an evaluative approach to the experience considering its implications for professional identity.

Method

We build on a selective review of the literature and analyze a paradigmatic example of moral distress, namely, clinicians who feel compelled to perform procedures on patients that seem futile. Such cases are commonly cited by clinicians as among the most morally distressing.

Results

Our analysis shows that (1) physicians’ experiences of moral distress can stem not only from toxic workplace cultures and institutional constraints on their time and resources for patient care but also from the limits of ethical reasoning and (2) an emotion-based evaluative approach to analyzing moral distress is needed to address its hazards for professional identity.

Conclusion

We propose a new evaluative approach to moral distress with implications for professional identity and the need for institutional education and support.
Effect of Extended Prone Positioning in Intubated COVID-19 Patients with Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome, a Revision Letter
Authors: Ferrière-Steinert Santiago , Acevedo de la Barra Maximiliano , Neman Alexandra , Vergara Cerón Tamara , Cornejo Rodrigo A. , Gajardo Abraham I.vn J.
Published: September 2024

The systematic review and meta-analysis performed by Kang et al about the effect of extended prone positioning in intubated COVID-19 patients with ARDS presents valuable findings on the effectiveness and safety of extended prone positioning, but also raises several concerns which require clarifications. The inclusion of observational studies without any control group, the use of crude rather than adjusted estimates in key variables from observational studies, an error in data extraction from randomized clinical trials, and the employment of odds ratios rather than risk ratios, may mislead interpretations of the aforementioned intervention.
Application of self-assembled antibacterial nanofiber loaded oriented artificial skin in infected diabetic-related wound regeneration
Authors: Yang Jie , Li Shengyun
Published: September 2024

Diabetic patients develop wounds that exhibit delayed healing, prolonged inflammatory responses, and slower epithelialization kinetics compared to non-diabetic patients. Diabetic foot ulcers(DFUs) affect approximately 18.6 million people worldwide. The presence of a high glucose microenvironment in DFUs results in the significant accumulation of bacterial infection and advanced glycation end products (AGEs). To solve this, a self-assemble antibacterial nanofiber(ANF) loaded oriential artificial skin (ANF@OAS) was introduced in this research, which is consisted of L/D-phenylalanine derivatives coupled the natural antimicrobial peptides. The ANF@OAS can effectively reduce AGEs production and suppress multiple resistant bacteria. Additionally, the ANF@OAS can suppress infection and stimulate wound healing in infected diabetic mice.
Very High Warfarin Dosing Requirements in a Patient With Tuberculosis and a Pulmonary Embolism: A Case Report
Authors: Mize Marcus , Baker Carrie , Bowers Riley D.
Published: September 2024

Purpose: To describe a case of significantly increased warfarin requirements in a patient receiving rifampin for the management of tuberculosis. Summary: A 76-year-old male was admitted due to altered mentation, cough, and weight loss. He was diagnosed concurrently with tuberculosis and a pulmonary embolism. Given the profound effect of rifampin on CYP450 enzymes, direct oral anticoagulants were avoided and warfarin therapy was selected. Management was further complicated by a gastrointestinal bleed during admission, history of cancer, and low body weight. After several weeks of daily international normalized ratio monitoring, a stable regimen of 14 mg of warfarin daily was established, allowing for the patient’s safe discharge. Practice Implications: This report underscores the significance of tailored treatment plans, vigilant monitoring, and interdisciplinary collaboration which are necessary to navigate the complexities associated with these medications and optimize patient outcomes.
Fatigue life analysis of a composite materials structure using allowable strain criteria
Authors: Turbin Nikolay , Shelkov Kirill , Ivanov Yuri , Chashin Nikolay
Published: September 2024

In the current research, a method for estimation of the durability of a structure based on an integrated calculation of static and fatigue strength according to the criterion of allowable strain is presented. The proposed technique is demonstrated for the upper stringer panel of the wing design. In the course of calculations, several combinations of design service objectives, levels of allowable strains, and levels of cyclic stresses were considered. As a result, the relative values of stiffness degradation and the required safety ratios of static strength were obtained.
Hybrid-triggered H∞ control for Markov jump systems with quantizations and hybrid attacks
Authors: Chen Yunjun , Dong Bolin , Li Xiehuan
Published: September 2024

The hybrid-triggered quantized H∞ control problem is investigated for discrete-time Markov jump systems (MJSs) under hybrid cyber attacks. A novel hybrid-triggered mechanism obeying Bernoulli distribution between the time-triggered mechanism and the adaptive event-triggered mechanism is introduced. The triggered condition considers the average value between current measured output and latest triggered output to avoid the unnecessary triggered data released. Meanwhile, a quantizer is adopted to optimize the data transmission rate and an observer-based controller is designed to resist the impact of deception attacks and aperiodic DoS attacks on the system. Utilizing Lyapunov stability theory and iterative methods, sufficient conditions are obtained to ensure that the closed-loop MJSs are asymptotically mean-square stable with H∞ performance. Then, an algorithm for gain matrices and triggered matrices is given. Finally, the effectiveness and availability of the proposed method are verified by a numerical example and a DC motor model.
Designing fractional-order ramp controller with explicit formulas using non-integer plant parameters
Authors: Meena Rammurti , Chakraborty Sudipta , Chandra Pal Vipin , Mehta Utkal
Published: September 2024

This paper aims to achieve two goals. First, the tracking problem with a ramp-type setpoint and disturbance is addressed, where classical methods provide steady-state error. Second, the available fractional-order controller designs in the literature are based on complex calculations. This paper presents a design scheme that employs a target loop-based controller, allowing users to compute tunable parameters without approximation or assumption. The control structure is capable of handling both the step and ramp signals. The main advantage of the proposed design is that it can be analytically tuned using the maximum sensitivity and phase-margin specifications of choice. Explicit relationships are established for the new fractional-order ramp controller (FoRC) parameters to facilitate tuning. The numerical investigations revealed improved servo and regulatory responses compared to recently published strategies. The design controller ensures stability and zero steady-state error as the ramp input increases. Furthermore, hardware verification demonstrates the scheme’s superior performance on a two-tank level loop, even with the influence of disturbances and modeling variations.
Addressing diversity, equity, and inclusion in library and information science curriculum: Looking back and to the future
Authors: Burress Rene , Li Xiaofeng , Hebert Holly S.
Published: September 2024

This study emphasizes the importance of library and information science (LIS) educators drawing insights from practitioners’ lived experiences, particularly considering perspectives of former students’ experiences when navigating the Master of Library Science (MLS) curriculum. Acknowledging the constructivist underpinnings of learning, with a focus on Schema Theory, is imperative for LIS faculty to learn more about how students perceived their past curriculum. Challenges occur when students lack the necessary schemata to comprehend unfamiliar concepts, particularly in areas like diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI). Given the lack of diversity amongst the faculty population in LIS, faculty must navigate this discrepancy, recognizing the potential mismatch between their own life experiences, those of their student body, and the diverse patrons of varying genders, races, sexualities, income levels, locations, and abilities that libraries and librarians aim to serve. To address this, educators should not only activate existing student schema but also guide them in constructing new schemas, especially when delving into unfamiliar DEI topics. This study employed an explanatory sequential mixed methods design, involving 190 participants who responded to a survey. Additionally, 26 participants completed interviews. Following Creswell and Plano Clark’s approach, this design allowed for a quantitative phase to gather data, followed by a qualitative phase to further contextualize the quantitative results. The findings offer valuable insights into DEI education and the challenges faced by LIS educators in promoting meaningful learning experiences to prepare students to work with all library patrons.
Discrimination at Health Center: Experiences of Tribal Women and Midwives in Jharkhand, India
Authors: Nayak Kumari Vibhuti
Published: September 2024

The pivotal concern of this study is to investigate how age, social status, language, and cultural background interact to affect women’s control over and susceptibility to disrespect during birth setting in Jharkhand, India. Women, particularly, belonging from tribal community were directly impacted by disrespect during birth settings, which happens during pregnancy, labor, and the first few weeks following delivery. Hence, the article aims to uncover the effects of disrespect during birth setting on patient’s trust in birth setting facilities and health care teams. Besides, this study also adds to challenge the culture of silence that currently surrounds this issue. The study was conducted in the Sisai block of Jharkhand’s Gumla district, where focus group discussion (FGD) with the assistance of 18 public health midwives (PHMs) and 24 individuals with prior parturition experience were involved. The qualitative data was categorized and analyzed using an intersectional framework, which facilitated the identification of significant themes and patterns. The results show that power dynamics and repressive institutions associated with gender, ethnicity, social, linguistic, and cultural inequality were intertwined with disrespect during birth setting, especially with tribal women. In conclusion, the standard of birthing treatment in India needs to be improved, especially in tribal regions.
How Important are Commodity Terms of Trade Shocks in Explaining Government Tax Revenue Fluctuations? Evidence from Ethiopia
Authors: Nuru Naser Yenus
Published: September 2024

Using a new database of commodity terms of trade and identifying country-specific commodity export and import price shocks separately, this article mainly aims to examine the importance of commodity export and import price shocks in explaining government tax revenue fluctuations using Ethiopia as an example over the sample period 1980–2019. This article employs a structural vector autoregressive model and forecast error variance decomposition analysis to address this objective. The results show that commodity export and import price shocks account for around 48% of government tax revenue fluctuations. While commodity export price shocks contribute to around 37% of fluctuations in government tax revenue, commodity import price shocks account for only 11% of government tax revenue fluctuations. These findings are discussed in terms of their policy implications.

JEL Classification C32, F41, F44
Decent work and work fulfilment: The mediating role of work engagement and the moderating role of psychological ownership
Authors: Olckers Chantal , Koekemoer Eileen
Published: September 2024

This study explores the well-being (engagement) and work fulfilment of 628 blue-collar workers as outcomes of decent work, based on the Psychology of Working Theory and its target group. It takes a positive preventative approach and demonstrates the motivational role of work engagement and psychological ownership in contributing to the work fulfilment of blue-collar workers experiencing decent work. Data was collected from a South African-owned trailer manufacturing company. The results show a positive relationship between decent work and work fulfilment, with work engagement mediating this relationship. Additionally, psychological ownership positively moderates the relationship between decent work and work engagement. This study adds insights into the underlying mechanism (work engagement) that elucidates how decent work relates to work fulfilment. This study sheds light on how decent work contributes to work fulfilment through work engagement. Furthermore, suggesting that this relationship is stronger for blue-collar workers with higher levels of psychological ownership.