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Parafoveal Processing of Chinese Four-character Idioms and Phrases in Reading: Evidence for Multi-Constituent Unit Hypothesis
Get PDFThe perceptual span in Chinese reading extends one character to the left and three to the right of the point of fixation. Thus, four-character idioms and phrases often extend rightward beyond these limits during reading. We investigated whether such idioms, frequent phrases and equibiased strings are processed parafoveally as Multi-Constituent Units (MCUs). Using the boundary paradigm in Experiments 1 and 2, we separately manipulated preview (identities or pseudocharacters) of the first two and the last two characters of idioms and frequently used phrases. In Experiment 3, we examined processing of strings judged to be a single lexical unit, equi-biased ambiguous strings and matched unambiguous multi-word strings. Experiments 1 and 2 produced greater preview benefit for the final two characters when the first two characters were presented after identity rather than pseudocharacter previews. In Experiment 3, preview effects were largest for single units, reduced for equi-biased strings and smallest for multi-word strings. Together the results demonstrate that four-character idioms and frequently used phrases are processed as MCUs
Comparisons between group- and individual-based interventions to support recovery from stroke and ischaemic heart disease in the community: a scoping review
Get PDFPurpose
To map and summarise available literature on the effectiveness or other benefits of group- and individual-based interventions provided for adults living with stroke or ischaemic heart disease (IHD) in the community.
Material and Methods
The review was conducted based on JBI methodology and reported using Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic reviews and Meta-Analyses extension for Scoping Reviews. Articles were retrieved from: Medline, PsychInfo, Embase, Scopus, and CINAHL from 2002–2022. Extracted data from eligible studies included type of health outcomes (e.g., impairments), retention and adherence, social connectedness, and the costs associated with group- and individual-based interventions.
Results
After screening, five articles (representing 4 unique studies) comparing a group- and individual-based intervention were included (total sample size n = 87). Three types of interventions were assessed: exercise (3/5), communication (1/5), and occupational therapy (1/5). Effectiveness of group- and individual-based interventions at improving health outcomes (i.e. physical ability, communication, motivation, and quality of life) is unclear. Currently there is insufficient evidence to guide clinical practice.
Conclusions
There is limited evidence comparing interventions delivered in a group and individual modality for adults living with stroke or IHD. Adequately powered studies are needed to determine if mode of delivery is equivalent or more cost effective.
IMPLICATIONS FOR REHABILITATION
Rehabilitation interventions can be offered individually or in group settings with clinicians choosing the most appropriate modality.
Both group- and individual-based interventions have advantages and disadvantages, with clinical, practical, and economic factors as important considerations when deciding between the two modalities.
Based on this scoping review, the authors conclude that there is currently insufficient evidence to guide clinical practice in deciding which mode of delivery (group or individual) is optimal.
There is insufficient research evidence to guide clinicians in their choice between offering rehabilitation interventions for stroke or IHD in groups or individually
Care giving and receiving for people with complex emotional needs within a crisis resolution/home treatment setting: A qualitative evidence synthesis
Get PDFBackground: A growing body of qualitative evidence focusing upon the experiences of care within Crisis Resolution/Home Treatment (CRHT) is emerging, however, a firm evidence-base regarding both the giving and receiving of care for those with complex emotional needs (CEN) in this context is yet to be established.
Objective: A qualitative evidence synthesis was used to develop a comprehensive understanding of how crisis care for people with CEN is experienced by both those giving and receiving care, within the context of CRHT.
Method: Findings from 19 research papers considering both clinician and service users’ experiential accounts of CRHT were synthesised using meta-ethnography.
Findings: Both the giving and receiving of care within a CRHT context was experienced across four related meta-themes: ‘contextual’, ‘functional’, ‘relational’ and ‘decisional’.
Discussion: Service user accounts focused upon relational aspects, highlighting a significance to their experience of care. Meanwhile, clinicians focused more upon contextual issues linked to the management of organisational anxieties and resources. For those with CEN, a clinician’s focus upon risk alone highlighted power differentials in the caring relationship.
Conclusions: There is a need for nurses to connect with the experience of the person in crisis, ensuring a better balance between contextual issues and relational working
Containing spaces for learning through experience: A psychosocial approach to co-operation
Get PDFThis paper investigates one of the fundamental differences between a co-operative undertaking and a capitalist business: democratic participatory governance as opposed to hierarchical leadership. The latter often comes across as a ‘norm’ to be taken for granted. As such, co-operation is translated into the language of ‘team work’ and ‘staff consultation’, the domains of a successful capitalist company. Participation in co-operative governance, however, is more profound than this and requires an enhanced understanding of the somatic and affective qualities behind democratic decision-making. The paper suggests that a new language might be used to describe this difference, perhaps collective governance should be regarded as a virtue that can be recognised as working beyond values, even co-operative values. A further question arises: if indeed co-operative participatory governance is about relationships among equals, how can this be taught and/or learnt beyond the hard lessons of life experience? What can educational establishments do to teach people how to participate and govern by participating? The paper suggests that possible avenues of exploration in search of an answer to these questions might lie in a psychosocial approach that is able to encourage group learning from experience
What is Tattoo Ink Allergy?
No full textA tattoo ink allergy happens when an individual is allergic to the tattoo pigment, mostly commonly occurring when red pigments are used. However, this does not mean that a tattoo ink allergy only occurs due to red pigments. The allergy has been reported due to other pigments, including yellow, green, violet and purple. Approximately 10% of those who receive a tattoo report an adverse reaction, which can include itching, swelling or rash formation.
Typically, allergic reactions to tattoo pigments are uncommon, with 90% of individuals experiencing no adverse reaction. This lack of reactions is due to the ink pigment quickly becoming encapsulated in fibrous tissue, where it becomes less reactive and therefore the chances of an allergic reaction are much lower.
In the following sections, we will explore how such reactions take place
Health economics and cost-effective decision making: addressing contemporary challenges and exploring solutions in Pakistan
Get PDFHealth economics plays a vital role in underpinning the healthcare costs and their significant impact on healthcare decisions, particularly in resource-scarce settings such as Pakistan. this article emphasizes the multifaceted cost considerations in healthcare, including both direct treatment costs and often-overlooked indirect expenses like travel, parking, special diets, and lost wages due to illness. The article emphasizes the role of economic evaluations in addressing Pakistan's healthcare challenges, examining cost-effective options and providing a roadmap for a healthier future. An evidences synthesis approach was applied to explore possible solutions to health challenges. In addition to this, expert opinions were taken into account to investigate how economic concept are relevant in decision making for healthcare. The published qualitative data were combined, organized according to research objective and reported in tabular form. Economic concepts and evaluations are found useful in relation to healthcare infrastructure of Pakistan. There are possible economic solutions available to cope with the hurdles of health system. This article advocates the policymakers to prioritize involving health economists in policy formulation and promoting low-cost or cost-effective health interventions, ensuring fair allocation of health budget
Face to Face or Online: Towards a New Relational Governance of Building Design Projects
No full textDigital transformation, combined with new post-COVID work norms, has generated a paradigm shift in collaborative design and management culture. Collaboration in architecture, design and construction can now take place in digital or hybrid spaces, requiring a re-understanding of how the human factor is managed and applied. With reference to the communication trends and technologies detailed in this book, this chapter re-examines socio-psychological approaches to collaboration, identifying differences and benefits associated with design and management in the virtual and the real worlds. Key concepts such as trust, cohesiveness and knowledge sharing are explored, identifying impacts and outcomes for collective creative thinking and problem-solving within the design process. Presenting real-world research findings, a new framework for the relational governance of collaboration is proposed, with recommendations to assist practitioners in selecting the appropriate platforms and other methods of interaction depending on purpose and design outcomes
Mitigating Missed Order Due Dates in an Engineer-to-Order Environment: Evidence from Saudi Arabia
Get PDFThis research addressed the pressing issue of missed order due dates in the highly dynamic engineer-to-order (ETO) environments of AL DAR Company, a Saudi Arabian ETO manufacturer. Despite the common adoption of ETO approaches in several industries, a significant research gap existed regarding consensus on integrated planning and control systems designed for ETO manufacturing firms. Therefore, this research aimed to address this gap by evaluating the planning and control practices at AL DAR and investigating the impact of implementing a proposed integrated planning and control system on reducing missed order dates in the ETO environment of AL DAR and within the community of practice.
The research methodology combined a pragmatic philosophy and three Action Research Cycles, adopting a blend of data collection methods. These methods included five individual interviews and nine focus groups, with 45 participants instances selected for their extensive experience and diverse roles at AL DAR. Additionally, these qualitative methods were complemented by survey responses from 20 respondents, and statistical analyses were extracted from 147 project documents to enhance the robustness of the findings.
This first research Cycle identified four main characteristics of ETO environments: high customisation, the dynamic nature of its design phase, the complex nature of its procurement phase, and the need for high coordination. Additionally, this Cycle identified challenges in each process of the ETO project execution, from receiving the order to delivering the project to the customer, underscoring the inefficiencies in AL DAR’s processes and its lack of a robust planning and control system.
The second Cycle built on these findings to propose a new integrated planning and control system. This system incorporated elements borrowed from Lean Construction (LC) and traditional project management theories. The main theories or elements adopted were the Pull Planning Theory, the Work Breakdown Structure (WBS) principle, the Critical Path Method (CPM), Rolling Wave Planning, and the “5 Whys” technique for root cause analysis. This study challenged conventional approaches and provided a novel perspective on ETO operational efficiency by integrating LC principles with traditional project management theories. The proposed system aimed to address the identified deficiencies and was evaluated against ten Critical Success Factors for effective implementation that emerged from the focus groups and the theoretical insights.
The third and final Cycle implemented and tested the proposed system in a real-world setting. The results showed an enhancement in the estimated delivery time, thus mitigating the missed order due dates by 30%, as suggested by qualitative and statistical analyses pre- and post-implementation of the new system. Although the findings demonstrated the efficacy of the integrated system in addressing the challenges of the ETO environment, the system was further refined based on the implementation outcomes to optimise its performance and applicability.
This research contributes to operations management by providing a practical framework of an integrated and comprehensive planning and control system that mitigates missed order due dates in ETO environments. Additionally, it bridges the gap between academic theories and practical applications, offering valuable insights and a scalable solution for organisations facing similar challenges. However, its single-case design limits generalisability, suggesting avenues for further research with longer durations using diverse ETO environments and stakeholders
A Critical Success Factor Framework for Corporate Event Project Management in the UK.
Get PDFThe event industry is UK’s 16th largest employer with over 700,000 employees, worth £70 billion from event attendees and organisers of UK meetings, conferences, festivals, and any other event-related functions. From this understanding, corporate event sector shows the most significant growth within the event industry within the UK. This research aims “to investigate critical success factors from a project management perspective that can be used to improve the delivery of event projects within corporate event management organisations in the United Kingdom”. However, very few research has been conducted in this research area especially from a project management perspective. Also, corporate event organisers face the challenge of how critical success factors are identified, measured and when to consider an event a success.
This research is based on a pragmatist dimension as it gave this research the opportunity for data to be gathered from several angles whilst revealing the nature of this research. A multi-method qualitative approach was adopted for this research. This research consists of four objectives with specific method tailored to data type. However, in order to commence structuring objectives for this research or gather data it was imperative to set out the research philosophy.
A systematic-type literature review was adopted to Review critical success factors from a project management perspective that can be applied to events within event management organisations in the UK. Then, a qualitative semi-structured interview and qualitative questionnaire was carried out to Determine factors influencing the implementation and management of successful event projects within corporate event management organisations in the UK.
A Purposive sampling technique was deployed to select participants for the primary stage of this research. Thematic analysis was then employed to identify common themes from interview transcript and questionnaire data.
Several critical success factors were identified for the smooth running of corporate event projects in the UK. However, were all categorised under six main success factor areas namely: Strategic Factors, Leadership Impact Factors, Management Factors, Clarity of Project Definition Factors, Planning Factors, and Practice Factors. These findings were underpinned with project management perspective and applied for the sole purpose of connecting with the research gaps, research questions, interview questions and questionnaire. Hence, the outcome of this thesis was hinged on critical success factors identified from project management, event management and corporate event management.
The framework covers key phases in entirety of corporate event. It linked all critical success factors with prior, during and post-event even with examples like communication, health and safety policy, strategy, incorporation of project management to event projects and event essentials. Hence, the developed framework contributed to knowledge on two main levels: on-going event-related research within academia and organisations running event and project-related work. It was also recommended that corporate event organisers need to clearly state out their event strategy for prior, during and post-event for successful delivery of event projects within corporate event management organisation
Preferences for induction of labour methods in India: a qualitative study of views and experiences of women, clinicians, and researchers
Get PDFBackground
Induction of labour (IOL) is an increasingly common intervention, but experiences and preferences of induction methods are under-researched particularly in low-and middle-income countries. Understanding these perspectives is important to improve the childbirth experience.
Objective
To explore the experiences and preferences of IOL methods for women, clinicians, and researchers in the ‘Misoprostol or Oxytocin for Labour Induction’ (MOLI) study.
Study design
This qualitative study was based in two government hospitals in the city of Nagpur, India – one tertiary referral hospital and one women's hospital. Fifty-three semi-structured interviews with women before and after induction (between days 1 and 5 postnatal), with women recruited to the “Misoprostol or Oxytocin for Labour Induction (MOLI)” randomised controlled trial (NCT03749902). Eight focus group discussions with doctors, nurses and trial research assistants before and during trial delivery were conducted. Thematic analysis was conducted using the Framework approach.
Results
Four themes emerged: (1) IOL methods, (2) impact of the study, (3) IOL and childbirth as one small part of the wider experiences in life and (4) key moments in the childbirth experience. For women, the safety of their baby was more important than any IOL method. Clinicians had apprehensions over misoprostol use which could affect protocol implementation; they reported that changing perception is difficult as usual practice feels “comfortable”. Women wanted to share their experiences and reported key moments during childbirth including vaginal examinations, “trying for normal”, bearing the pain, waiting, and relationships with staff.
Conclusions
Women did not have a strong preference for the IOL method and viewed childbirth positively when maternal and neonatal outcomes were good. Labour pain, vaginal examinations, a normal birth, and interactions with staff impacted women's experiences