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Biogeochemical budgets of nutrients and metabolism in the Curonian Lagoon (South East Baltic Sea): spatial and temporal variations /
No full textEstuaries are biogeochemical reactors able to modulate the transfer of energy and matter from the watershed to the coastal zones and to retain or remove large amounts of terrestrially generated nutrients. However, they may switch from nutrient sink to source depending upon interannual variability of the nutrient supply and internal processes driving whole system metabolism (e.g., net autotrophic or heterotrophic). We tested this hypothesis in the Curonian Lagoon, a hypertrophic estuary located in the south east Baltic Sea, following the budget approach developed in the Land-Ocean Interactions in the Coastal Zone (LOICZ) project. Annual budgets for nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), and silica (Si) were calculated for the 2013–2015 period. The lagoon was divided in a flushed, nutrient loaded area, and in a confined, less loaded area. The lagoon was always a sink for dissolved inorganic Si and P whereas it was a N sink in the confined area, dominated by denitrification, and a N source in the flushed area, due to dinitrogen (N2) fixation. The net ecosystem metabolism (NEM) indicated that the Curonian Lagoon was mainly autotrophic because of high primary production rates. In this turbid system, low N:P ratio, high summer temperatures, and calm weather conditions support high production of N2-fixing cyanobacteria, suppressing the estuarine N-sink role
Medication calculation skills of graduating nursing students within European context /
No full textAIM: The aim of this study is to evaluate the medication calculation skills of graduating nursing students in six European countries and analyse the associated factors.
BACKGROUND: Medication calculation skills are fundamental to medication safety, which is a substantial part of patient safety. Previous studies have raised concerns about the medication calculation skills of nurses and nursing students.
DESIGN: As part of a broader research project, this study applies a multinational cross-sectional survey design with three populations: graduating nursing students, nurse managers and patients.
METHODS: The students performed two calculations (tablet and fluid) testing medication calculation skills requiring different levels of conceptual understanding and arithmetic. The managers and patients answered one question about the students' medication kills. In total, 1,796 students, 538 managers and 1,327 patients participated the study. The data were analysed statistically. The STROBE guideline for cross-sectional studies was applied.
RESULTS: Almost all (99%) of the students performed the tablet calculation correctly, and the majority (71%) answered the fluid calculation correctly. Older age, a previous degree in health care and satisfaction with their current degree programme was positively associated with correct fluid calculations. The patients evaluated the students' medication skills higher than the nurse managers did and the evaluations were not systematically aligned with the calculation skills tested.
CONCLUSIONS: Nursing students have the skills to perform simple medication calculations, but a significant number of students have difficulties with calculations involving multiple operations and a higher level of conceptual understanding. Due to the variation in students' medication calculation skills and the unalignment between the managers' and patients' evaluations and the calculation tests, further research is needed.
RELEVANCE TO CLINICAL PRACTICE: Graduating nursing students enter clinical field as qualified professionals, but there is still room for improvement in their medication calculation skills. This calls for attention in the fields of clinical nursing, education and research
Improved hyperspectral inversion of aquatic reflectance under non-uniform vertical mixing /
No full textEstimating the concentration of water constituents by optical remote sensing assumes absorption and scattering processes to be uniform over the observation depth. Using hyperspectral reflectance, we present a method to direct the retrieval of the backscattering coefficient (bb(λ)) from reflectance (> 600 nm) towards wavebands where absorption by water dominates the reflectance curve. Two experiments demonstrate the impact of hyperspectral inversion in the selected band set. First, optical simulations show that the resulting distribution of bb(λ) is sensitive to particle mixing conditions, although a robust indicator of non-uniformity was not found for all scenarios of stratification. Second, in the absence of spectral backscattering profiles from in situ data sets, it is shown how substituting the median of bb(λ) into a near infra-red / red band ratio algorithm improved chlorophyll-a estimates (root mean square error 75.45 mg m−3 became 44.13 mg m−3). This approach also allows propagation of the uncertainty in bb estimates to water constituent concentrations
Current trends and issues in research on biodiversity conservation and tourism sustainability /
No full textThe rationale of this article is the need to elicit the trending themes relevant to the latest research on biodiversity conservation and tourism sustainability. Hence, the purpose of this study: stocktaking of cutting-edge research articles in this field and eliciting the critical trends and issues shaping the knowledge, future research, and technical development perspectives on biodiversity conservation and tourism sustainability. The focus is on the trends, which are pivotal for achieving the UN Sustainable Development Goals until 2030. A hierarchical cluster analysis was undertaken with a KH Coder 3.0 tool to elicit topical co-occurrence networks for thematic words in academic papers from 2015 to 2020 on the topic, quarried from Google Scholar. The article’s main findings are the seven identified major trending research themes on biodiversity conservation and tourism sustainability: (1) Community-based tourism development; (2) National Park management for tourism; (3) Sustainable tourist motivation; (4) Biodiversity conservation and ecotourism; (5) Landscape and land use changes; (6) Visitor satisfaction monitoring; and (7) Ecotourism modelling. The article’s main conclusion is that the criteria and conditions for responsible low-key tourism in protected areas, both for biodiversity and local communities, are pivotal factors to consider for future research on biodiversity conservation and tourism sustainability
Managing factors that reduce employees’ self-esteem in conditions of uncertainty.
No full textThe article analyses a common issue in the business world at the present time: the decline in employees’ selfesteem in various business organisations. Most executives emphasise the implicit cause of uncertainty in both external and internal organisational environments. However, it is not clear what initiates a decline in an employee’s confidence in a particular organization, or how to manage it. The aim of the paper is to provide management with recommendations, after identifying factors that reduce employee confidence in conditions of uncertainty. First of all, the concept of an individual’s confidence is explained. It is emphasised that an individual’s ability to adapt to changed circumstances depends on his or her ability to represent himself or herself. This is revealed through personal experiences that depend on individual intensity, anticipation, self-reflection and self-reaction. These components of self-representation show how a person is able to make plans for the future and be active in implementing them; how employees motivate and monitor themselves, evaluate their progress, and learn from their mistakes. It all starts with personal confidence, or self-esteem. A confident employee represents himself or herself in the first place, and only then joins the team and effectively represents the company. It is emphasised that the organisation is the ‘home’ of an employee’s development. If all the conditions for the employee’s skills, competencies and potential are not only revealed but also developed, then the employee will ideally satisfy the need for self-realisation, by representing himself or herself in the organisation as such. The study included three business organisations that operate in different markets. The management of all three organisations confirmed that the protracted Covid-19 pandemic, global economic changes, and various social challenges in communication, have had a major impact on their employees’ confidence. Anonymous questionnaires confirmed that employees feel anxiety, fear, burn-out, frustration, and other expressions of emotion, which indicate a decline in confidence. The main factors behind the decline in self-esteem are identified: uncertainty about the future, a lack of understanding of the organisation’s vision, an inability to adapt to the changed environment, difficulties in motivating and monitoring oneself, misunderstanding duties and responsibilities, and confusion between actions and thoughts. The vast majority of employees stressed the need for support from the organisation. By interviewing each company’s management, the main sources of influence that fuel employees’ distrust in a particular organisation were revealed. In organisations whose performance had declined or fluctuated significantly due to uncertainty, employees lacked a clear vision of their operations, a stress-reducing communicational culture, examples of leadership and motivation, and additional motivational measures in addition to their salary. In organisations that faced an economic upswing initiated by the uncertainty, employees lacked additional motivational measures, and more effective control and evaluation methods. Managers of all three companies were given recommendations on measures to manage the factors that reduce employee confidence in an environment of uncertainty, depending on the circumstances of the particular organisation
Improving the cooperation of business organizations with the municipality.
No full textAs the needs of the market are constantly changing, business organizations have to adapt to the situation and find ways to operate successfully. One of the ways is to cooperate with the municipal institutions where the business is being developed. The paper analyzes the following questions: How do business organizations cooperate with municipal institutions? Do they have contacts with local authorities? What are the benefits of cooperation for business organizations and municipal institutions? The aim of the work – determine the motives and benefits of cooperation between business organizations and municipal institutions, providing recommendations for improving cooperation after analyzing the motivations and benefits of cooperation theoretical aspects. The paper consists of an introduction, theoretical, methodological and empirical parts, conclusions and suggestions. Based on the Lithuanian and foreign scientific literature, the concepts of cooperation, business organizations and the municipality are clarified, the stages and models of cooperation development are analyzed, and the potential benefits and opportunities of cooperation are analyzed. The research methodology is developed in the methodological part. Three data collection methods were used for the research - a semi-structured interview with representatives of business organizations and Joniškis district municipality institutions and employees responsible for the cooperation process, and a questionnaire survey for entrepreneurs. The questions are based on Lithuanian and foreign authors. After doing and analyzing the results of qualitative and quantitative research, it can be stated that the organizations understand the process of cooperation between business organizations and municipal institutions in a similar way - the interconnection of several objects and joint activities for profit. The expectations of both entities before starting to cooperate are different, but there is cooperation in various areas. The process of co-operation between business organizations and municipal institutions needs to be improved by eliminating redundant requirements and reducing bureaucratic burdens by sharing relevant information, changing public attitudes towards co-operation between municipalities and business organizations, taking a constant interest in activities and actively participating in initiatives
A shift in the professional roles of a social worker providing support for families at social risk: the context of systemic changes.
No full textSince 2018, social work with families at social risk in Lithuania had a fundamental change, Previously known as social risk families became cases and a new specialist – a case manager – was assigned to each family. Although the case manager coordinates the assistance to the family, the role of the social worker has remained significant in this process. The object of the study is social workers professional roles changes when providing assistance to a family at social risk. The aim of the study is to investigate the social workers professional roles changes when providing assistance to a family at social risk the context of systemic changes. Objectives: 1. To provide a theoretical interpretation of social workers professional roles changes when providing assistance to a family at social risk in the context of systemic changes; 2. To analyse and justify the methodological aspects of social workers professional roles changes when providing assistance to a family at social risk. 3. To experience the change of social workers professional roles changes when providing assistance to a family at social risk in the context of systemic change from the social workers' point of view. Key findings: before to the application of Case Management, social workers tended to take on the roles of client identifier, coordinator, data manager, assessor, administrator, liaison worker. After the application of Case Management, the roles of behaviour modifier and facilitator became particularly relevant. Before to the application of Case Management, all areas of social work were perceived as effective by the research participants. After the application of the Case Management, the areas of social work were seen as even more effective, mostly the assessment of individual family needs, effective and efficient planning of family support, effective cooperation with other institutions and professionals, and effective social work with the family. Before the application of Case Management, social workers mainly cooperated with the local community, school social pedagogues, specialists from the local municipality administration and specialists from medical institutions. After the application of Case Management, social workers' cooperation with many types of professionals has significantly decreased, social workers cooperate mainly with the care centre coordinator and the mobile team
Physical fitness of athletic and non-athletic sixth graders.
No full textThe physical fitness has a positive effect on children‘s physical, psychical, social and emotional welfare (Heyward, 2009; Kasović ir kt., 2021). Despite the scientific evidence justifying physical fitness influence upon versatile welfare, the children physical fitness is insufficient (Cerero, 2011; Gruodytė-Račienė ir kt. (2017), also the tendency of its decrease is stated (Brunet, Chaput, Tremblay, 2007; Fu, Guo, Zang,2011; Семенов, 2014; Ketelhut, 2022). The research problem is being detailed with the questions: • What is the health related physical fitness of sixth grades pupils? • How did the health-related physical fitness vary during the three years (2018-2021)? The research object – physical fitness of 6th grade pupils, engaged and non- engaged in sports. The research aim- to investigate health related physical fitness of sixth grades pupils engaged and non- engaged in sports. The research goals: 1. To reveal theoretical aspects of sixth grades pupils’ health related physical fitness training. 2. To explore and to evaluate the health related physical fitness of sixth grades pupils. 3. To compare the research results of years 2018 and 2021 of sixth grades pupils engaged and non- engaged in sports. The research was fulfilled in Klaipeda city Gedminu progymnasium, in 2018 and 2021. Altogether 143 sixth grades pupils participated in the research. 75 sixth grades pupils (53.0% girls) participated in first research level in 2018. 50.2% of children in research quite once a week attended in organized after-school physical education activity, i.e. non-formal physical education. The duration of activities – 1‒2 hour. In 2018, the most part of researched (89.4%) were at the age of 13 and were assigned into basic medical physical fitness group (82.5%). 72 pupils (47.7% girls) of sixth grades participated at the second research in 2021. Like in the first reseach, the most part of children were at the age of 13 (93.3%) and were assigned into basic medical physical fitness group (87.4%). The tests of sixth grades pupils’ physical fitness were fulfilled by the author. He was assisted by a physical education teacher N. T. The children were introduced to research aim before the research performance. They were properly explained the methodology of physical development measurements and tests performance. The gained data were analyzed and compared to data of research in 2018 and Lithuanian pupils’ physical fitness (Eurofit, 2017). The research methods of literature source analysis, document analysis, tests, physical development measurements, comparative analysis, and statistical data analysis were applied in the research
Biogeochemical interactions among benthic macrofauna, microbial communities and macrophytes in eutrophic coastal lagoons.
No full textSurface sediments are interesting spots to analyze the paradigm of biodiversity and ecosystem functioning due to the multiple physic and chemical gradients that shape the interactions among microbial communities, macrofauna and primary producers. Sediments receive large inputs of organic matter and are sites of intense biogeochemical processes, mediated by microbial communities and facilitated by macrofauna, ultimately resulting in nutrients uptake by benthic primary producers or their recycling to the water column. The relationship between diversity and ecosystem functioning was analyzed at different spatial scales in the benthic compartment of two shallow eutrophic lagoons, the Curonian Lagoon (Lithuania) and the Sacca di Goro (Italy). Special attention was given to the benthic nitrogen (N) cycle, due to the critical role of this element in aquatic ecosystem functioning and to the complex regulation of its various oxic and anoxic reactions, carried out by diverse microbes and strongly influenced by macrofauna and primary producers. Investigations were carried out at different spatial scales included whole lagoon (macro-scale) as well as single macrofauna individuals and holobionts’ microbiomes (micro-scale). At the two lagoons the benthic functioning was evaluated by quantifying rates of whole system respiration and production via gas exchange, nutrient cycling and exchange at the sediment-water interface. Multivariate statistical analyses were used to reveal the interactions between the dominant macrofauna species and net solute fluxes and speculate about underlying processes. Such approach allowed to reconstruct how different macrofauna functional groups shape benthic N cycling in different macro areas of the Sacca di Goro, and determine net loss, net recycling or different level of coupling between processes (e.g., ammonification and nitrification, or nitrification and denitrification). In the Curonian Lagoon the whole scale approach was used to verify whether macrofauna act as a natural buffer against redox-dependent phosphorus recycling during short-term events of oxygen shortage. Manipulative experimental approaches addressed specific processes at the microscale, in sediments colonized by different macrofauna functional groups, and along gradients of density. Such approaches included intact or reconstructed sediment incubation, metabolic measurements of single macrofauna individuals, and the use of 15N-labeled inorganic N forms to measure specific microbial transformations (denitrification, anammox, nitrate ammonification, N-fixation) in sediments or in macrofauna microbiota. Moreover, molecular tools were used to analyze microbial diversity (16S rRNA metabarcoding) and activity (marker genes and transcripts) in holobionts. Three organisms that are abundant in the Curonian lagoon were considered: the burrowing larvae of Chironomus plumosus, the filter feeder bivalve Dreissena polymorpha and the phytophagous gammarid Pontogammarus robustoides. Results suggest that in the Sacca di Goro lagoon macrofauna play an important role, in regulating N transformations. However, its importance also depends on the prevailing environmental factors (i.e., salinity, hydrodynamics and background nutrient concentrations). Whereas in the Curonian Lagoon bioturbation did not significantly affect the nutrient metabolism and the stability of reductive-oxidative reactions during anoxia events. Molecular studies revealed that Chironomid larvae burrows are hot-spots of microbial communities involved in N cycling and that these organisms, via bioirrigation, significantly enhance both the recycling of ammonium and N removal via denitrification. Mussels primarily enhance the recycling of N to the water column, both via direct excretion and by stimulating dissimilatory nitrate reduction to ammonium. The latter is likely an effect of mussel’s biodeposits. For these two organisms the quantification of functional genes showed a significantly higher potential for microbial denitrification, nitrate ammonification and N2-fixation in macrofauna as compared to the surrounding environment. As chironomid and dreissenid densities in eutrophic lagoons are large, animals-associated microbes may account for a substantial (and so far, overlooked) N import and recycling. P. robustoides was finally demonstrated to have an important role in the survival of Chara contraria in the eutrophic Curonian Lagoon. The gammarid facilitates C. contraria via active grazing on the macroalgaeassociated epiphytes combined with ammonium excretion, thus supporting the growth of the characeans
Bendrakūros kompleksiškumo svarba socialiai atsakingame versle.
No full textNowadays, managing co-creation has become an important topic among practitioners and researchers, but there has been little research on addressing and managing the challenges faced by the complexity of co-creation. The paper argues that co-creation should also be understood as a complex, dynamic phenomenon. The purpose of the paper is to summarise and classify extant research into co-creation. The paper reviews complexity as a new way of understanding co-creation processes for corporate social responsibility in business. A review of the literature has established that corporate social responsibility, along with the complexity of co-creation, can produce successful results for businesses