bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The association of perceived leadership style and subjective well-being of employees in a tertiary hospital in Germany
Authors: Erschens Rebecca , Seifried-Dübon Tanja , Stuber Felicitas , Rieger Monika A. , Zipfel Stephan , Nikendei Christoph , Genrich Melanie , Angerer Peter , Maatouk Imad , Gündel Harald , Rothermund Eva , Peters Martin , Junne Florian
Published: December 2022

Background

Professionals in the healthcare sector are a particularly vulnerable group for occupational strain due to high work-related psychological stress. For the implementation of targeted stress-prevention interventions as an important part of a workplace health management programme for all occupational groups and hierarchy levels, information about the current state of their mental health is mandatory. Hence, this study investigated the association of general well-being and different leadership styles among employees in a German tertiary hospital.

Methods

Via an online survey, 10,101 employees were contacted. The final sample consisted of 1137 employees. Of these, 27.7% described themselves as leaders and 72.3% as followers. Most participants were female (74.8%), more than half were under 41 years old. Besides control variables, general well-being (WHO-5) and leadership style (transactional and transformational, laissez-faire and destructive leadership) were assessed.

Results

Leaders reported higher well-being scores than followers. Physicians without leadership responsibilities had the lowest scores for well-being. Practitioners of both transformational and transactional leadership were associated with higher well-being scores, while those practicing laissez-faire and destructive leadership had lower scores for almost every professional group.

Conclusion

Results highlight the necessity for future multimodal health-preventive leadership interventions feature behavioural and organizational intervention modules specifically tailored to hospital professionals at different hierarchical and functional levels to foster the mental health of employees.
Geospatial epidemiology of hospitalized patients with a positive influenza assay: A nationwide study in Iran, 2016–2018
Authors: MohammadEbrahimi Shahab , Kiani Behzad , Rahmatinejad Zahra , Baral Stefan , Hashtarkhani Soheil , Dehghan-Tezerjani Mohammad , Zare Elahe , Arian Mahnaz , Kiani Fatemeh , Gouya Mohammad Mehdi , Dadras Mohammad Nasr , Karamouzian Mohammad
Published: December 2022

Introduction

Seasonal influenza is a significant public health challenge worldwide. This study aimed to investigate the epidemiological characteristics and spatial patterns of severe hospitalized influenza cases confirmed by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) in Iran.

Methods

Data were obtained from Iran’s Ministry of Health and Medical Education and included all hospitalized lab-confirmed influenza cases from January 1, 2016, to December 30, 2018 (n = 9146). The Getis-Ord Gi* and Local Moran’s I statistics were used to explore the hotspot areas and spatial cluster/outlier patterns of influenza. We also built a multivariable logistic regression model to identify covariates associated with patients’ mortality.

Results

Cumulative incidence and mortality rate were estimated at 11.44 and 0.49 (per 100,000), respectively, and case fatality rate was estimated at 4.35%. The patients’ median age was 40 (interquartile range: 22–63), and 55.5% (n = 5073) were female. The hotspot and cluster analyses revealed high-risk areas in northern parts of Iran, especially in cold, humid, and densely populated areas. Moreover, influenza hotspots were more common during the colder months of the year, especially in high-elevated regions. Mortality was significantly associated with older age (adjusted odds ratio [aOR]: 1.01, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.01–1.02), infection with virus type-A (aOR: 1.64, 95% CI: 1.27–2.15), male sex (aOR: 1.77, 95% CI: 1.44–2.18), cardiovascular disease (aOR: 1.71, 95% CI: 1.33–2.20), chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (aOR: 1.82, 95% CI: 1.40–2.34), malignancy (aOR: 4.77, 95% CI: 2.87–7.62), and grade-II obesity (aOR: 2.11, 95% CI: 1.09–3.74).

Conclusions

We characterized the spatial and epidemiological heterogeneities of severe hospitalized influenza cases confirmed by PCR in Iran. Detecting influenza hotspot clusters could inform prioritization and geographic specificity of influenza prevention, testing, and mitigation resource management, including vaccination planning in Iran.
Have environmental regulations promoted green technological innovation in cities? Evidence from China’s green patents
Authors: Zhang Ming , Xie Wancheng , Gao Wen
Published: December 2022

Under the background of global response to climate crisis and environmental pollution, environmental regulation plays an increasingly important role in green technology innovation. This paper uses data from 280 Chinese cities from 2003 to 2019 to empirically answer the question whether environmental regulation can improve the level of urban green technology innovation. It is found that environmental regulation has a significant positive effect on green technology innovation. Under the heterogeneity of economic geographical region and resource-based city, environmental regulation has positive promoting effect on urban green technology innovation. Heterogeneity results also show that environmental regulation significantly promotes green technology innovation in central and resource-based cities, but does not significantly promote green technology innovation in eastern and western cities and non-resource-based cities. Further research shows that environmental regulation can promote the level of green technology innovation through the two transmission mechanisms of government technology input and foreign direct investment. For the Chinese local government which is implementing the policy of green economic transformation, the formulation of scientific regional environmental policy is beneficial to improve the level of green technology innovation, increase government technology input and optimize the foreign investment environment.
Will China’s audit of natural environmental resource promote green sustainable development? Evidence from PSM-DID analysis based on substantial and strategic pollution reduction
Authors: Li Guofeng , Wu Meng , Sun Ruoyuan
Published: December 2022

Countries around the world have become concerned about their responsibility to protect the environment and resources. In this paper, we established a model of multi-period PSW-DID (weighted propensity score matching- differences-in-differences) to test the effect of China’s audit of natural resource. We found that: (1) local governments had a strategic incentive to reduce pollution, they paid more attention to environmental performance linked to individual promotion than to green innovation and development. (2) Compared with the long-term and complexity of water pollution control, they paid more attention to air pollution treatment. (3) In the long run, the environmental audit was indeed beneficial to the improvement of environmental quality, but the time of taking effect was the second year (one-year lag). (4) In addition, because of the contradiction between the neglect of human capital and the timeliness of environmental supervision, the local government did not show substantial pollution reduction. Therefore, local officials should foster the long-term responsibility consciousness of green innovation and pay more attention to the integration of human capital. The audit of natural resources should establish a long-term mechanism, which could establish a complete accountability system or change off-office audit to interim audit. The construction of audit big data platforms should pay more attention to substantive characteristic data, such as data on population inflow, which is not only a paper score of air pollution. This study can reveal the dilemma of pollution prevention and control in China, urge local governments to promote the rational flow of human resources, improve the innovation level, and achieve substantive pollution control and efficiency enhancement of green development.
Resistencias ambientalistas de mujeres indígenas: El feminismo decolonial latinoamericano y la ecología política feminista
Authors: Soto-Alarcón Jozelin María
Published: December 2022

Este ensayo discute la resistencia ambientalista protagonizada por campesinas mayas para defender su territorio del cultivo de soya transgénica en el sureste mexicano. Primero examino el cuidado de la abeja melipona desde el feminismo decolonial latinoamericano. Después investigo la defensa del pueblo maya centrada en la interdependencia entre “comunes” biofísicos, culturales, sociales y de conocimiento, en el marco de la ecología política feminista. Finalmente destaco la potencia de ambos movimientos: el feminismo decolonial y la ecología política, para configurar el cuidado de no humanos, la autoorganización y realizar “comunes” como alternativas ético-políticas orientadas al “buen vivir.”
Impactos da sojicultura de exportação sobre a biodiversidade do Cerrado
Authors: Queiroz Fábio Albergaria de
Published: December 2022

As complexas relações entre o comércio internacional e o meio ambiente destacam-se, hoje, como um dos assuntos prioritários na agenda internacional. Muito se tem discutido a esse respeito, porém poucas são as respostas concludentes acerca dos impactos ambientais gerados pela crescente prática do livre comércio. Uma análise mais precisa sobre o assunto depende do estudo pontual de cada caso, pois as variáveis envolvidas no processo são muito complexas. Para comprovar esta assertiva, analisou-se o exemplo dos impactos do comércio internacional de soja sobre a biodiversidade do cerrado. Neste caso específico, foi possível comprovar a existência de um vínculo direto entre o aumento dos fluxos comerciais desta commodity e o processo de perda de diversidade biológica no referido bioma.
Coronary Computed Tomography Angiography for Evaluation of Chest Pain in the Emergency Department
Authors: Dahal Suraj , Budoff Matthew J. , Roy Sion K.
Published: December 2022

Coronary computed tomography angiography has emerged as an important diagnostic modality for evaluation of acute chest pain in the emergency department for patients at low to intermediate risk for acute coronary syndromes. Several clinical trials have shown excellent negative predictive value of coronary computed tomography angiography to detect obstructive coronary artery disease. Cardiac biomarkers such as troponins and creatine kinase MB, along with history, electrocardiogram, age, risk factors, troponin score, and Thrombolysis in Myocardial Infarction score should be used in conjunction with coronary computed tomography angiography for safe and rapid discharge of patients from the emergency department. Coronary computed tomography angiography along with high-sensitivity troponin assays could be effective for rapid evaluation of acute chest pain in the emergency department, but high-sensitivity troponins are not always available. Emergency department physicians are not quite comfortable making clinical decisions, especially if the coronary stenosis is in the range of 50% to 70%. In these cases, further evaluation with functional testing, such as nuclear stress testing or stress echocardiogram, is a common approach in many centers; however, newer methods such as fractional flow reserve computed tomography could be safely incorporated in coronary computed tomography angiography to help with clinical decision-making in these scenarios.
Teacher-Preparation Programs and Trauma-Informed Teaching Practices: Getting Students to CHILL
Authors: Bailey Stacy
Published: December 2022

If the recent turbulent times have shown educators anything, it is that we need to be prepared to address our own and our students’ social and emotional needs. However, moments of tension are not the time to start. Rather, students need to be prepared to engage in meaningful ways with skills and competencies. To achieve this state of readiness, teachers can use self-regulation strategies such as the one I call “CHILL.” CHILL is an easy-to-implement five-step process designed to reduce tension in moments of crisis and create the conditions whereby students are prepared to reengage with instruction, both with the teacher and with the class. C is for Calm down, H is for Hear yourself breathe, I is for Investigate your condition, L is for Let yourself know what you need, and the second L is for Let others know what you need. Based on the unique developmental aspects of the adolescent brains, CHILL is designed to support both pre- and in-service teachers as they seek to negotiate tense classroom situations and build skills in self-regulation and resiliency. Importantly, CHILL is a strategy for de-escalation that supports students and teachers in the face of student behavioral challenges.
The Crisis of «Total Sanctions»: Features of Manifestation and Potential Influence in the Mineral and Resource Complex of the Russian Far East
Authors:   Economic Research Institute FEB RAS, Lomakina Natalia
Published: December 2022

The article discusses the key factors of the crisis of «total sanctions» in 2022, the directions of their impact and possible risks for the mineral resource complex of the Far East, and above all for its base industry - the gold mining industry. The features of production dynamics are shown depending on the predominance of certain types of mineral resources in the structure of mining in the region, their connection with the domestic and world markets, and the nature of the impact of market factors. The differences between the impact of the shocks of the crisis of «total sanctions» and the «pandemic» crisis of 2020-2021 on the economic results and structural and dynamic characteristics of the mineral resource complex of the Far Eastern Federal District are revealed. The responses of the sectoral economic system (on the example of gold mining) in the Far Eastern macroregion to several non-economic shocks of the current crisis are studied. Possible changes in the current dynamics of production and investment prospects in the mineral resource complex of the Far Eastern Federal District due to the impact of key factors of the 2020-2022 crises and their results are shown
Assessment of the Differentiation of the Ethnodemographic Factor of Cultural Evolution in the United States: A Regional Study
Authors:   Ryazan State Agrotechnological University Named after P.A. Kostychev, Minat Valery
Published: December 2022

An assessment of the differentiation of the ethnodemographic factor combining the spatial and temporal development of interrelated processes of population movement and ethnodemographic heterogeneity, cultural evolution in the United States of America for the period 1981-2020 in the context of individual territories is carried out. The empirical results obtained indicate an ever-increasing, but multidirectional change in the regional interaction of demographic, ethnic and cultural processes in the space - time continuum of the United States. As a result of the comparative analysis, the conclusion is made about the «American specificity» and at the same time the typicality (in comparison with other countries) of the studied spatial and temporal dynamics of the influence of the ethnodemographic factor on the nature of cultural evolution observed in different groups of US territories over the past 40 years. The presence of a qualitative transition is empirically substantiated - a cultural shift characterized by the achievement of a certain quantitative limit of the linear development of cultural values to democracy, tolerance, freedom, national unity. The noted shift «highlighted» the critical essence (threshold values) of the multidirectional evolution of the American nation over the past 20 years, determined by the predominance of factional or polarization trends in population development, migration, and localization «pressure» on the concentration of carriers of different cultures
Mediální džihád v reflexi představitelů českých muslimů
Authors: Černý Karel , Stehlíková Jiřina
Published: December 2022

This paper focuses on two intertwined research questions, namely, what is the perception of the Czech media coverage of jihad among the Czech Muslim leaders, and what is their perception of the public and media demand for their condemnation of the terrorist attacks perpetrated abroad in the name of Islam and jihad? The paper aims to discuss the research findings in the broader context of the risk of the possible future social exclusion of the as yet well integrated Czech Muslims, as well as in the context of the revised theory of the de-privatization of religion. The qualitative research is based on structured interviews with those Czech Muslim leaders who are close to the organizational cores of Islamic institutions in the Czech Republic. It is analysed using open coding. The Czech media coverage of jihad is seen as demonising the Islamic concept, stereotypically depicting Muslims as aggressors rather than victims, suggesting that although not all Muslims are terrorists, all terrorists are Muslims, decontextualizing the coverage of terrorism, releasing news coverage suggesting the connection between Muslims and v iolence w ithout prior due v erification, and u sing the adjective Islamic as an implicit means of explaining the root causes of the attacks. Informants also claimed that the selective media coverage of the jihadist causes and its extreme interpretations of Islam promote the recruitment of new terrorists and terrorism. There was a consensus among the informants in terms of the critical reflection of the media coverage of the concept of jihad, however not so much for the reasons as for the fact. At the same time, is seems plausible to claim that the Czech Muslims’ distrust of the media is one of the factors leading to a very ambivalent stance on the matter whether they should or should not issue public statements condemning terrorist attacks in the name of jihad. Other factors that lead to this ambivalence include the criticism of Western foreign and military policy leading to the rise of terrorism and the consequent victimising of the West, the alleged double standards of the media and public applied to that policy and to the acts of the so-called Islamic terrorism, the scepticism whether the public condemning of violence in the name of jihad can in fact stop future terrorists, and finally, the feeling that there is no connection between the given Czech Muslim and the terrorists attacks abroad, and thus, they personally carry no responsibility for those attacks and in turn, there is no need to publicly distance themselves from them or even to be publicly sorry for them. The whole media and public discourse on so-called Islamic terrorism can be seen as part of the specific pattern of the de-privatization of religion in the Czech Republic, where Islam was nationalised by nonbelievers, put to the fore of the public sphere, and rose to the top of the media, political, and public agendas. The concept of the privatization of religion is thus problematized in this respect.
Czechs and Slovaks in Svalbard
Authors: Sokolíčková Zdenka , Soukupová Eliška
Published: December 2022

The article is an anthropological study of how Czech and Slovak nationals reflect on their lives, work, and explorations in Svalbard. We ask what kind of Czech and Slovak “presence” in Svalbard can be documented ethnographically, and what can we learn from people’s stories about the context in which their lives unfold. We profile four people as representing modes of relating to Svalbard (the globetrotter, the home-seeker, the pragmatist, and the sportsman), and complement this with a summary of findings distilled from the data created through various methods. Pre–COVID-19 pandemic, there were a few hundred Czechs and Slovaks who travelled to Svalbard every year, thanks to its accessibility, but also because of other reasons: research, tourism, and employment in the service industry. In line with studies contesting delineated identities such as “tourists” or “researchers”, we discuss factors resulting in practical repercussions of visiting and/or settling in Svalbard. Citizenship and residential status, type of employer and work contract, and language competence have implications regarding the living possibilities and personal rights of Czechs and Slovaks in Svalbard. Mapping ethnographically the lives of these people in Svalbard confirms some findings of earlier studies on tourism, transnational identity, and lifestyle mobility. Czechs and Slovaks come to Svalbard attracted by the place’s appeal, which ranges from the Arctic environment and adventure, through tempting job opportunities, to establishing a potential “home” there. Relatively young, educated, skilled, and affluent Czechs and Slovaks in Svalbard develop notions of place and identity shaped both by global processes and local specificities.
Can recognition and respect of forest resource rights save Echuya Central Forest Reserve? A precursor for appropriate collaborative forest management
Authors: Bugabo S.G. , Bitariho R. , Twinamatsiko M.
Published: December 2022

Recognition and respect for tenure and forest resource rights has long been considered essential for policy makers in order to promote forest conservation, and several initiatives have been undertaken to promote recognition and respect for such rights. One such initiative was the introduction
of Collaborative Forest Management (CFM) in Echuya Central Forest Reserve in south-western Uganda. This study used cross sectional and explanatory research designs to assess the influence of recognition and respect for resource rights under CFM for the conservation of Echuya. Results showed
that community members' resource access rights are generally respected by the National Forestry Authority (NFA). Recognition and respect for tenure and forest resource rights have a significant positive influence on forest conservation. However, conspiracy between community members and Government
forestry officials undermined the essence of collaboration. Poverty exhibited by inadequate access to food compelled local community members to violate CFM agreements. Strengthening alternative livelihood support projects among forest adjacent communities is vital in order to support forest
conservation.
A scoping review of distributed cognition in acute care clinical decision-making
Authors: Wilson Eric , Daniel Michelle , Rao Aditi , Torre Dario , Durning Steven , Anderson Clare , Goldhaber Nicole H. , Townsend Whitney , Seifert Colleen M.
Published: December 2022

Objectives

In acute care settings, interactions between providers and tools drive clinical decision-making. Most studies of decision-making focus on individual cognition and fail to capture critical collaborations. Distributed Cognition (DCog) theory provides a framework for examining the dispersal of tasks among agents and artifacts, enhancing the investigation of decision-making and error.

Content

This scoping review maps the evidence collected in empiric studies applying DCog to clinical decision-making in acute care settings and identifies gaps in the existing literature.

Summary and outlook

Thirty-seven articles were included. The majority (n=30) used qualitative methods (observations, interviews, artifact analysis) to examine the work of physicians (n=28), nurses (n=27), residents (n=16), and advanced practice providers (n=12) in intensive care units (n=18), operating rooms (n=7), inpatient units (n=7) and emergency departments (n=5). Information flow (n=30) and task coordination (n=30) were the most frequently investigated elements of DCog. Provider-artifact (n=35) and provider-provider (n=30) interactions were most explored. Electronic (n=18) and paper (n=15) medical records were frequently described artifacts. Seven prominent themes were identified. DCog is an underutilized framework for examining how information is obtained, represented, and transmitted through complex clinical systems. DCog offers mechanisms for exploring how technologies, like EMRs, and workspaces can help or hinder clinical decision-making.
The mechanical properties of lightweight (volcanic pumice) concrete containing fibers with exposure to high temperatures
Authors: Abbu Muthanna , Al-Attar Alyaa. A. , Abd Alrahman Saad , Al-Gburi Majid
Published: December 2022

Fire is considered one of the main risks leading to building collapse. Lightweight concrete comprises a variety of components, each of which has a distinct behavior under the effect of temperature change. A total of 16 concrete mixtures were investigated in this article. A reference mix of concrete comprising simply ordinary Portland cement and ten mixes having varying percentages of fine and coarse lightweight aggregates (pumice), which were replaced gravel and sand by fine pumice and coarse aggregates pumice by 20, 40, 60, 80, and 100%, respectively. In addition, the study focused on the effects of adding fibers to lightweight aggregate concrete mixtures. Polypropylene fibers, carbon fibers, and steel fibers were employed as fiber additions. The binary mixture had higher density than the remaining mixtures containing one substitute. The behavior of six concrete mixes in addition to the reference mix of ordinary concrete after exposure to temperatures 100, 250, 350 and 450°C for 2 h and then cooled in two ways (water and air) as well as examined directly and the results showed that the concrete mixes containing fiber had better behavior compared to other mixtures, especially at high temperature. If left to cool in the air, the lightweight concrete containing volcanic pumice can recover its compression strength after being exposed to high temperatures.
Interpreting the order of operations in a sociophonetic analysis
Authors: Stanley Joseph A.
Published: December 2022

Sociophonetic data analysis involves a pipeline of processing steps to convert a raw spreadsheet of acoustic measurements to interpretable results. While most studies report the steps used in their pipeline, very few explicitly report their order in which those steps were applied. This study analyzes a dataset containing vowel formant data from 53 speakers by processing it 5,040 unique ways, each representing a different permutation of seven processing steps. To analyze the effect that an order has on the overall results, pairs of pipelines that differed only by swapping two adjacent steps were compared. The most important steps in the pipeline were when normalization happened, how outliers were detected, and when good data was excluded. This study illustrates what happens when these steps are rearranged relative to each other in order to justify and recommend the following order of operations: classifying allophones, removing outliers, normalizing, and then subsetting.
Diffusion individueller rechtlicher Verantwortlichkeit beim Einsatz Lernender Systeme
Authors: Beck Susanne
Published: December 2022

KI / Lernende Systeme wirken sich in erheblichem Maß auf die strafrechtliche Schuld aus und verändern die grundlegende Konzeption individueller Verantwortlichkeit. Unabhängig von den dogmatischen Details muss das Strafrecht sich auf diese Veränderungen einstellen, d. h. die Vorstellung individueller strafrechtlicher Verantwortung in diesen Lebensbereichen ist zu hinterfragen und neu zu justieren. Das betrifft die Schuld ebenso wie die Zurechenbarkeit, Nachweisfragen ebenso wie das Strafmaß. Auf diese Entwicklungen gibt es nicht die eine richtige Antwort, sondern verschiedene Antworten je nach konkretem Problemkontext. So ist eine Reduktion strafrechtlicher Verantwortung für bestimmte Aspekte nur ein erster Schritt bei der Lösung der Problematik, da dadurch das gesellschaftliche Bedürfnis nach Verantwortungszuschreibung, Absicherung gegen bestimmte gefährliche Technologien bzw. Technologieeinsätze und Schadensausgleich unbeantwortet bleibt. Hier werden in Zukunft weitergehende Lösungen gesucht werden müssen, die die mit KI / Lernenden Systemen einhergehende Verantwortungsdiffusion nachhaltig einhegen. Eine weitere von vielen wichtigen Antworten, die insbesondere für die am Entwicklungsprozess und den konkreten Entscheidungen beteiligten Menschen wichtig ist, ist der Blick auf ihre individuelle Verantwortung. Insofern ist sicherzustellen, dass die Beteiligten nur rechtlich zur Verantwortung gezogen werden sollten, wenn sie bedeutsame Kontrolle über die konkrete Handlung bzw. die kollaborativ getroffene Entscheidung hatten.
How effective are Chinese media in shaping audiences’ attitudes towards China? A survey analysis in Kenya, Nigeria, and South Africa
Authors: Madrid-Morales Dani , Wasserman Herman
Published: December 2022

Purpose

This paper measures how often audiences in Kenya, Nigeria and South Africa consume Chinese media, and investigates whether a positive relationship exists between the consumption of English language Chinese media and attitudes towards China.

Method

We analyze three waves of survey data collected in 2017/2018, 2020 and 2021 (N = 5876) in Kenya, Nigeria, and South Africa.

Findings

We show that, while Chinese State-owned news media have a growing but limited following, the minority of media users who report getting news from Chinese media have better attitudes towards China than those who don’t.

Implications

Our findings suggest that Beijing’s external communication activities might have the potential to fulfil Beijing’s goal of improving the country’s image overseas, provided that media reached a wider audience.

Value

The paper overcomes the limitations of previous studies on the reception of Chinese external communication practices in Africa (i.e., small sample sizes, failure to differentiate between increased presence and increased impact, and use of indirect rather direct measures of media use to infer possible effects on public opinion).
Minimizing the Risk of Turbine Oil and Turbine Oil System Biodeterioration
Authors: Passman Frederick J.
Published: December 2022

Uncontrolled microbiological contamination in turbine oils can cause damage (biodeterioration) to the oil, system, or both. Because microbes are likely to grow only in locations where water—even traces—can accumulate, best practices for condition monitoring turbine oil systems for microbiological contamination are different than those for routine oil monitoring. In 2020, the Energy Institute (EI) published Guidelines on Detecting, Controlling, and Mitigating Microbial Growth in Oils and Fuels Used at Power Generation Facilities. This paper presents highlights of the turbine oil-related content found in the EI document. It focuses on sample collection, condition monitoring, and remedial actions for minimizing oil and system biodeterioration risks—using a case study to illustrate several of these processes.
Particle Count Testing and Its Impact on True Oil Cleanliness
Authors: Hartlen Kurtis
Published: December 2022

Oil contamination with solid particles causes abrasive wear and can restrict lubricant flow to areas with tight clearances, resulting in unplanned outages and shorter equipment life. Ensuring that clean oil enters a system and remains clean throughout its life is critical. Clean oil supports longer oil and equipment life with less maintenance and downtime. The most common way to measure oil cleanliness is by utilizing a light-extinction method to count particulates. In this method, a lubricant passes by a light source; particles within the lubricant interact with the light and are measured and counted. Alternatively, particles may be physically isolated from a lubricant by means of fine filtration and then measured and counted with the aid of a microscope. Because the number of particles counted are usually high, utilizing a reporting code system such as ISO 4406 is common. Light-extinction testing apparatuses for counting particles are ubiquitous, affordable, fast, and economical. Particle counting using a microscope can be labor-intensive, even when using an automatic microscope to count particles. Automatic particle counting (APC) by light-extinction methods can have drawbacks that influence determining the true cleanliness of a lubricant. APCs cannot differentiate “soft particles” such as air, water, or dispersed additives (such as antifoamants) from solid abrasive particles. Solvent dilution helps to dissolve and dissipate contributions from water and air droplets as well as dissolve (at least partially) dispersed additives. The degree to which soft particles contribute to the overall particle count results may vary depending on the equipment and procedure. This paper reviews multiple particle counting techniques as well as considerations to take into account when utilizing or comparing the different methods. The impact that antifoam additives have on particle counting and the efficacy of solvent dilution to remove antifoam contribution to particle count results are also investigated.
Review of Standards Supporting the Application of Imaging Technology in the Analysis of Lubricating Oils
Authors: Canty Tod , O'Brien Paul J.
Published: December 2022

Imaging technology for particle count and shape analysis continues to develop and gain wide acceptance for use across many industries, including lubricating oils. The performance life of engines and heavy machinery can be optimized with proper care of the oils that lubricate their dynamic components that slide and rub against each other. This paper discusses the currently available ASTM standards that directly apply to the lubricating industry as well as those that provide information in support of the technology. This paper also includes ongoing standard work to move the industry forward.
The Identification of Lubricating Grease Components Using MALDI-TOF
Authors: Rohrbaugh Nathan M. , Kletzing Dylan M.
Published: December 2022

Matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization–time of flight (MALDI-TOF) has historically been used in the pharmaceutical industry as a way of identifying drugs and performing drug metabolism studies. The use of MALDI-TOF analysis on greases can provide detailed information on its chemical makeup and show subtle formulation differences between similar greases where analytical methods, such as Fourier-transform infrared and elemental spectroscopy, are insufficient. MALDI-TOF uses a laser to excite the sample, causing the molecules to ionize and accelerate toward the detector. The amount of time needed to reach the detector indicates the ratio of molecular weight to charge. The detector plots the mass-to-charge ratios (m/z) as a spectrum, and from here the molecules can be identified depending on their m/z and intensity. Grease is made up of a unique combination of base oil, thickener, and additives, optimized for its specific function. Using MALDI-TOF, these differences can be identified and compared between similar greases. By creating a library of greases with various base oils, thickeners, and additives, greases may be compared to known components.
Marine Diesel Engine Oil Condition Monitoring
Authors: Lunt Stuart
Published: December 2022

Diesel engines power the vast majority of the global merchant marine fleet. Both two-stroke and four-stroke designs can be found in the fleet, burning fuels ranging from the heavy residual types to light distillates. The lubricating oils in these engines face many challenges, not least from varying fuel quality and diverse operating conditions. This paper reviews ASTM test methods used by ship owners and operators to monitor the condition of these in-service oils to maintain engine efficiency and optimize running costs. The shipping industry has also recognized the contribution of burning low grade diesel fuel toward climate change and is taking steps to reduce harmful emissions. For example, the International Maritime Organization introduced legislation in January 2020 to reduce the allowable sulfur content of marine fuels from 3.5% to 0.5% (by mass) outside of designated emission control areas, which have even lower limits (0.1%). This has had a significant impact on fuel quality and a consequent effect on engine operation. Routine monitoring of the condition of the lubricating oil in the engine has become even more important following this legislation and is illustrated in this review.
A Comprehensive, Human-Enabled Lubricant and Machine Inspection Strategy for Early Condition Monitoring
Authors: Fitch J. Bennett , Fitch Jim C.
Published: December 2022

The lubricant condition monitoring industry is entering a technology-enabled frontier. Sensor data are more accessible via the industrial Internet of things and scrutinized more closely with the help of artificial intelligence. Meanwhile, human-enabled inspections are often overlooked despite the unmatched capabilities of human inspectors. Like other lubricant condition monitoring strategies, human-enabled inspections need guidance. By developing a set of standards, condition monitoring professionals can ensure the right observations are made and followed with the right corrective actions. Otherwise, these efforts can end up counterproductive and waste resources. A major opportunity with sensor-based condition monitoring is the ability to achieve real-time surveillance of the machine. When subtle unfavorable changes in lubricant condition are noticed quickly, proactive corrective actions can be taken before any incipient machine fails, avoiding costly downtime. Human-enabled inspections, although not continuous in nature, are often just as effective at detecting machine failures early, particularly when performed with the correct frequency and abetted by the human factor. Typical maintenance procedures for inspections are unspecific and poorly defined, with one-line instructions that may simply read “inspect this machine.” These create three inaccurate assumptions: (1) that the inspector is knowledgeable in what to examine, (2) that the inspector knows what inspection tools to use, and (3) that the machine is modified appropriately for the necessary inspections. If detailed standards are not in place, not only could potentially inspectable “alert” conditions go unreported, but there is also no accountability from the inspector about what may have gone unnoticed. This paper presents the suggestions for standardized requirements for human-based inspections. The needs are supported by findings from an extensive study of lubricated equipment identifying the lack of well-equipped machines for routine inspections. The suggestions are supported by the validation of effective measures, such as with improved inspection procedures and machines better equipped for inspections.
Root Cause Studies to Investigate Phosphate Varnish Formation by Thermal Degradation Pathways
Authors: Schomburg K. Cory , Wooton David
Published: December 2022

Varnish formation is a major problem that leads to costly lubricant-related mechanical failure of machinery equipment. Varnish is typically regarded as the organic insoluble matter within a lubricant that can plug filters to cause flow issues or coat equipment parts, forming a contamination layer. Varnish formation within equipment has been attributed to several issues, including oxidation and thermal decomposition within the fluid, electrostatic spark discharge, excessive operational temperatures, contamination ingress, and additive decomposition. In some recent case studies of gas turbine bearings and servo-valve equipment, the formation of a surface varnish coating having high concentrations of phosphate chemistries contributed to the root cause of the equipment failure. A common source of phosphorus in many lubricants is the phosphate antiwear additives that function by actively forming thin surface films (in some cases monolayer) to supply the antiwear or anticorrosion protection. It has been seen that at exceedingly high surface levels of the additive chemistry, the additive itself will deposit acting as the varnish—leading to the question of why/how it is forming in this manner. The thermal stability of the in-service fluid and its antiwear additive were studied herein to understand the thermal-oxidative reaction pathways that could lead to a root cause of the varnish formation within a lubricant. The thermal stress of new and in-service lubricants was investigated using thermal stability and oxidation standards ASTM E2550 and ASTM E1858 to produce a varnish. Qualitative analysis of the varnish layers was then performed by ASTM E1252 using infrared spectroscopy, and the in-service lubricant chemistry was evaluated using ASTM D7418.
Application of ASTM Test Methods Used for Microscopic Particle Inspection and Characterization and Their Practical Digital Documentation
Authors: Shamabanse Kubale , Johnson Bryan
Published: December 2022

Microscopic examination of particles from an external source or due to an active wear condition during machine operation are important condition monitoring tests. Particles are deposited on either glass slides or membrane patch media for examination. Differences in particle deposition techniques can lead to differences in the evaluated examination. These externalities may produce different expert opinion and ultimately evaluations and recommendations. A further complication occurs when the practitioners apply different definitions to the same as this alters the understanding and meaning of the condition. ASTM developed guides to standardize the language of wear particles. The choices made to document the particle examinations pose an additional challenge as microscopic examinations are documented using a variety of reports. Basic report elements include particle size, color, and texture information along with a roll-up summation of the overall severity of the oil or machine condition. Some of this information leads itself to trending which affords the opportunity to assign failure modes or causes. Each of the three primary ASTM standards related to microscopic particle analysis (ASTM D7670, D7684, and D7690) provide portions of the information needed to digitally document and characterize the particles for trend analysis. It seems intuitive that particles extracted and then examined from single samples through any microscopic technique would yield similar observations and conclusions. The requirements from all three ASTM documents were consolidated and combined into a single software platform that allows the use of singular particle definitions and characterizations for 14 identified particle types that use eight standard categories. These categories use as few as four or up to eight of the descriptors. This software tool improves trending capability on a particle type and characteristics and allows consolidation of observation from different sample preparations. Examples of the digital documentation and trending tool will be presented.
“Capitalizing” on Catholic Social Teaching: Seeking Normative Principles for Constructive Social Capital in the Catholic Tradition
Authors: Rugani Marc
Published: December 2022

For decades, the social sciences have been the predominant locus for research on social capital, but there is an overlooked opportunity for constructive engagement with the Catholic Church’s long social tradition. As a self-identified “expert in humanity” (John Paul II 1987, n41), the Catholic Church has much that commends its philosophers and theologians as interdisciplinary partners reflecting on what constitutes true social capital. Such a normative exercise seeks to distinguish authentic and productive social capital instantiated in trust, norms, and networks among persons for the achievement of common goods, rather than perverse and destructive counterfeits that breed mistrust, corruption, and alienation. This paper argues that the four permanent principles of Catholic social doctrine—the common good, solidarity, subsidiarity, and the dignity of the human person—can establish clear, normative principles that social scientists can use as they investigate the social realities that we as human beings in community constitute and actualize.

Each permanent principle provides particular value for grappling with enduring critiques and questions in social capital research. Responding to criticisms of the rent-seeking nature of associations, the Catholic notion of the common good can be used as a heuristic for evaluating whether or not social organizations contribute to or detract from the achievement of comprehensive outcomes for all members within a group without injury to those outside. The concept of solidarity can further enlighten how to interpret and evaluate agency within associations. Furthermore, notions of tradition and subsidiarity respond to critiques that social capital is neither persistent through time nor alienable. Lastly, the principle of the dignity of the human person, in light of the common good, helps to explain why true social capital will not be destructive to the public good, but always constructive and constitutive of communities and their governing bodies.
Using the Job Demands-Resources Model to Underpin the Pandemic Nurses’ Turnover Intention Model to Examine Nurse Turnover Intentions in The Bahamas During the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Theory Paper
Authors: Rolle Sands Shamel Yvonne , Covell Christine , Caine Vera
Published: December 2022

Nurse turnover can affect the accessibility of healthcare services, quality of patient care, and nurse well-being. Various individual and contextual factors have been found to predict nurse turnover. A growing body of evidence now suggests the emergence of another potential predictor─fear related to the novel coronavirus, SARS-CoV-2 also known as COVID-19. To limit consequences, stakeholders must collaboratively develop empirically supported interventions to reduce nurse turnover. The purpose of this paper is to explain the novel use of the Job Demands-Resources (JD-R) model as a theoretical underpinning of the empirically supported Pandemic Nurses’ Turnover Intention (PNTI) model which is used to examine factors influencing nurses’ turnover intentions in The Bahamas during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Potable Water and Terrestrial Resources on Grand Bahama Post-Hurricane Dorian: Opportunities for Climate Resilience
Authors: Welsh Kristen , Bowen-O'Connor Clare , Stephens Mark , Dokou Zoi , Imig Anne , Mackey Tara , Moxey Andrew , Nikolopoulos Efthymios , Rein Arno , Turner Amber , Williams Amano , Al Baghdadi Layla , Bowleg John , Leite Chaves Henrique , Davis Ancilleno , Guberman Gil , Hanek Danielle , Klausner Sophia , Medlev Dmitry , Mazzoni Nivea , Miller Ingeria , Williams Latonya , Wilchcombe Remington
Published: December 2022

The catastrophic impact of Hurricane Dorian in September 2019 was unprecedented for the island of Grand Bahama. Flooding in the western portion of the island damaged pine ecosystems, inundated the soil and groundwater with salt water, and disrupted potable water service throughout the island. More than two years post-Hurricane Dorian, the freshwater lenses that the island relies on for potable water are still inundated with salt water. This collaborative paper summarizes all efforts of researchers and practitioners to evaluate the freshwater lenses, as well as their associated ecosystems, that serve as the main source of drinking water for the island of Grand Bahama. Hydrogeologic and vegetation assessments were conducted on the two primary wellfields that provide 95% of the drinking water to the island, over the span of two and a half years from the immediate aftermath of Hurricane Dorian through present day. While salinity and total dissolved solid concentrations in groundwater have declined, present levels indicate that the full recovery of the freshwater lenses may take decades. Forest assessments indicate that in Wellfield 6, which was the primary source of potable water pre-Hurricane Dorian, the pine forests suffered significant damage with complete pine mortality and little regeneration of pine trees occurring, which could impact the underlying freshwater lens. Lessons learned from this event underscore the vulnerability of water resources in The Bahamas and the critical need for adaptation strategies to improve resilience to future extreme events and climate change.
Editorial
Authors: Oenbring Raymond Austin
Published: December 2022

Editorial for Volume 28, 2022
President's Message
Authors: Rolland Erik
Published: December 2022

It is a pleasure for me, as the second President of University of The Bahamas, to write a few words to welcome and to extend well-wishes to Bahamian, Caribbean, and international scholars.