Management Activities Research Articles

Multiple impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic and antimicrobial stewardship on antimicrobial resistance in nosocomial infections: an interrupted time series analysis.

The emergency response to the COVID-19 pandemic may disrupt hospital management activities of antimicrobial resistance (AMR). This study aimed to determine the changing AMR trend over the period in China when stringent COVID-19 response measures were implemented. This retrospective study was conducted in a designated hospital for COVID-19 patients in Guangzhou, China from April 2018 to September 2021. The prevalence of 13 antimicrobial-resistant bacteria was compared before and after the COVID-19 responses through Chi-square tests. Interrupted time series (ITS) models on the weekly prevalence of AMR were established to determine the changing trend. Controlled ITS models were performed to compare the differences between subgroups. A total of 10,134 isolates over 1,265 days were collected. And antimicrobial-resistant strains presented in 38.6% of the testing isolates. The weekly AMR prevalence decreased by 0.29 percentage point (95% CI [0.05-0.80]) after antimicrobial stewardship (AMS) policy, despite an increase in the prevalence of penicillin-resistant Streptococcus pneumoniae (from 0/43 to 15/43, p < 0.001), carbapenem-resistant Escherichia coli (from 20/1254 to 41/1184, p = 0.005), and carbapenem-resistant Klebsiella pneumoniae (from 93/889 to 114/828, p = 0.042). And the changing trend did not vary by gender (male vs. female), age (<65 vs. ≥65 years), service setting (outpatient vs. inpatient), care unit (ICU vs. non-ICU), the primary site of infection (Lung vs. others), and Gram type of bacteria (positive vs. negative). The response to COVID-19 did not lead to an increase in overall AMR; however, it appears that management strategy on the prudent use of antimicrobials likely contributed to a sizable long-term drop. The frequency of several multidrug-resistant bacteria continues to increase after the COVID-19 epidemic. It is crucial to continue to monitor AMR when COVID-19 cases have surged in China after the relaxation of restriction measures.

“Nejayote” valorization as a culture medium for Pseudomonas fluorescens and production of antifungal extracts

Background / Objetive. Nejayote is an alkaline agroindustrial waste that is generated from the nixtamalization process of corn. The purpose of this work was to demonstrate that nejayote can be used as a culture medium for the growth of Pseudomonas fluorescens NR113647 and to produce metabolites with antifungal activity for the sustainable management of Aspergillus niger, Botrytis cinerea and Fusarium solani. Materials and Methods. Culture media were formulated with nejayote and nejayote with glycerol, with pH 6 and 12. The bacterial biomass was separated by centrifugation and filtration and the antifungal capacity of the extracts against A. niger, B. cinerea and F. solani was determined. The determination of the metabolites present in the extracts was carried out. P. fluorescens NR113647 was able to grow on all media. Results. The extracts from nejayote at pH 12 showed inhibition of the growth of all the fungi evaluated; at least five metabolites produced by P. fluorescens NR113647 and involved in the biocontrol of phytopathogens were identified. Conclusion. Nejayote can be used as a culture medium for P. fluorescens NR113647, to produce biomass and secondary metabolites with antifungal capacity; in addition, nejayote could be used for the cultivation of other microorganisms.

Evaluation of iQiyi Financial Pressure Based on Entropy Weight -TOPSIS Method

Financial pressure refers to the behavioral pressure formed by internal and external factors acting on the financial activities of enterprises, which is the pressure that enterprises must bear in the actual production and management activities. This paper takes iQiyi Company as a case, selects financial statement data from 2019 to 2023, selects indicators from five dimensions of solvency, operating capacity, profitability, development capacity and cash flow capacity, and makes a comprehensive evaluation of its financial pressure by combining entropy weight-TOPSIS evaluation system. The results showed that iQiyi's financial situation continued to deteriorate from 2019 to 2021, began to improve in 2022, and 2023 was the best financial situation and faced the least financial pressure. In the end, it provides suggestions on how to prevent and control financial pressure of iQiyi, and provides reference for other Internet video enterprises in China to evaluate and prevent financial pressure.

Accountability, Probity, Transparency and Good Leadership in Public Sector Promote Societal Development

Projecting accountability, probity and good leadership in the management of public sector activities are part of every public official’s duty to adopt processes, practices and behavior that enhance and promote public sector values and interests that will enhance societal development. Thus, the objective of this study is to examine accountability and probity: necessity for good leadership and societal development. In order to achieve this objective, primary data were gathered through field trips from the use of well-structured questionnaires. The study employed a descriptive survey method as the research design. Data were presented in a simple descriptive format using frequency tables and were analyzed using mean and Pearson Chi-square contingency test with statistical tool (SPSS version 22). The findings revealed that the weakness in law enforcement and punitive measures in curbing corruption and reducing the incidence of mishandling of public resources are a common occurrence noticed in Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDA). It also recognized that despite good management of probity, mistakes, delays and disputes can arise and affect fund and resource management in public organizations. However, the study recommends that the government should be more active in imposing greater accountability and probity in the management of public funds. There is need for more proactive measures not only to sustain it but to re-invigorate it to ensure that things are properly done and public funds and resources are not just being embezzled in a rather reckless manner.

Eco-Friendly Urban Design: Investigating Innovative Approaches and Sustainable Construction Practices Across Afghanistan’s Diverse Climate Zones

Climate change serves as a pervasive catalyst globally, significantly influencing urban growth and construction dynamics. The interplay of population growth, heightened consumption, increased waste production, and rising CO2 emissions presents a substantial threat to biodiversity and plant life. Creating vibrant, environmentally conscious cities requires integrating architectural, design, and landscape components into the urban development process. This study employs a descriptive approach to examine the intricate dynamics among urbanism, urbanization, and climate-responsive design across Afghanistan's diverse climatic zones. The findings reveal a significant shift from traditional to contemporary global standards, marking a significant evolution within the construction sector. However, there remains a notable lack of climate awareness, resulting in a gap between evolving construction features and climate-responsive methodologies. The Afghanistan National Environmental Protection Agency’s strategies are often too generalized, failing to address specific climatic requirements effectively. Unplanned urban growth has led to limited access to proper housing, increased poverty, and greater vulnerability to climate impacts. Key issues include uncontrolled carbon emissions from heating, transportation, waste management, and industrial activities, severely affecting precipitation patterns and living quality. The research emphasizes the necessity for tailored climate-responsive design and sustainable construction practices, advocating for integrating green technologies and enhancing regulatory frameworks to promote energy efficiency and reduce the environmental footprint of urban developments in Afghanistan.

Exploring the interconnections of anxiety, depression, sleep problems and health-promoting lifestyles among Chinese university students: a comprehensive network approach.

Anxiety, depression, and sleep problems are prevalent comorbid mental disorders among university students. The World Health Organization (WHO) emphasized a mental health promotion objective, recommending the consideration of protective health-promoting factors in strategies aimed at preventing mental disorders. Integrating theoretically significant constructs (such as protective factors) enhances our comprehension of the intricate mechanisms that underpin mental disorders. This study employed network analysis to first identify core and bridge symptoms within comorbid mental disorders and then explore how health-promoting lifestyles (HPLs) were associated with these disorders. The ultimate goal is to offer health promotion recommendations to enhance students' quality of life. A total of 3,896 qualified university students participated in this study. Anxiety, depression, sleep problems, and HPLs were assessed using the GAD-7, PHQ-9, PSQI, and HPLP-II scales. A Gaussian Graphical Model was used to construct the networks. The Network Comparison Test was applied to determine whether the associations between HPLs and comorbid symptoms vary by gender, educational level, family sibling, and mental health status. Low energy (PHQ4) had the highest strength centrality, followed by Daytime dysfunction (PSQI7) and Trouble relaxing (GAD4). Five bridge symptoms were identified: Daytime dysfunction (PSQI7), Self-harm even suicide (PHQ9), Sad mood (PHQ2), Low energy (PHQ4), and Feeling afraid (GAD7). Regarding protective HPLs, Physical activity, Spiritual growth, and Stress management generally emerged as the top three central mental health-promoting behaviors. Targeting core and bridge symptoms with timely and appropriate interventions can alleviate anxiety, depression, and sleep problems in this population. Moreover, promoting physical activity, fostering spiritual growth, and managing stress are likely to significantly enhance the overall mental health of university students.

Environmental drivers of food webs in charr and trout‐dominated cold‐water lakes

AbstractCold‐water lakes situated in high latitudes and altitudes have pivotal socio‐ecological importance both globally and locally. However, they are increasingly threatened by multiple anthropogenic stressors, such as climate change, hydropower and invasive species. The development of efficient management strategies is therefore urgently needed and requires a comprehensive understanding of the factors influencing the biodiversity and ecological processes of these ecosystems. We provide a holistic knowledge base for informed future research and management by addressing the interplay between local and global environmental drivers of food webs in Arctic charr (Salvelinus alpinus, Salmonidae) and brown trout (Salmo trutta, Salmonidae) dominated cold‐water lakes in Fennoscandia. The trophic niche and population dynamics of these generalist top consumers provide extensive insights into the effects of natural and anthropogenic drivers on food webs in intensively studied Fennoscandian cold‐water lakes, covering marked biogeographical gradients in abiotic and biotic conditions. Drawing on a synthesis of existing literature, our focus is on three pivotal drivers: (1) lake location and connectivity, (2) lake area and morphometry and (3) fish community composition. These drivers significantly influence the complexity and the origin and flow of energy in lake food webs, and ultimately the size structure of the charr and trout populations. Furthermore, we highlight ongoing environmental changes in Fennoscandian cold‐water lakes caused by hydropower and invasive species. Finally, we identify crucial knowledge gaps and propose management actions for improving the future state of Fennoscandian cold‐water lake ecosystems and their charr and trout populations.

Transitional and Post-Mining Land Uses: A Global Review of Regulatory Frameworks, Decision-Making Criteria, and Methods

Post-mining land management is an integral part of surface mining and quarrying operations. In this context, the questions raised concern what course of action is mandated by laws and regulations; what type of land reclamation should be implemented, taking into account the site-specific conditions prevailing in each mining area; what are the appropriate land uses; and by what criteria and methodology can these be determined? The literature review conducted as part of the present study revealed that in addition to the traditional 4R actions of land management, namely remediation, restoration, reclamation, and rehabilitation, two more actions, repurposing and co-purposing, have now been added, with the purpose to address the social and economic impacts of mine closures. Furthermore, numerous land uses were documented and categorized into 11 classes, 38 sub-classes, and 119 alternatives. Nine criteria for selecting land uses were identified, expressed through 72 attributes that served as input information for 22 multicriteria methods, which, in most cases, were applied in combination of two or more.

Contextual Approach for Fundamental Law of Active Management

Active Portfolio Management is a simple yet powerful tool for portfolio selection which has became a popular strategy among individual investors. Theoretical background of active management has been established by Fundamental Law of Active Management. The main postulate of this law suggests that in order to achieve additional return alpha, investors should apply a model with higher forecasting power (IC) and should apply it to a maximum number of assets (breadth). Individual investors are attracted by this straightforward and uncomplicated logic and that is the reason why active management is so popular strategy among them. However, the original and later developed variants of the law lead to the same conclusion – for better results the forecasting model must be applied to as many as possible assets. However, this contradicts with the concentration paradox which investors meet in their investment decisions – applying the same forecasting model to maximum amount of assets results in involving unknown assets with diverse characteristics in analysis. With contextual approach we change this perspective. By applying a contextual approach to active management investors can concentrate the forecasting models to a specific group of assets with similar characteristics. We justify the existence of concentration paradox and by using different fundamental contexts to differentiate stocks in different groups, we test fundamental cross-sectional regression models as forecasting models for active investment. With data from Taiwan Stock market we prove that both ex-ante IC and realized return achieved with contextual models outperform the general portfolios which follow the standard postulate of fundamental law.

Nasal sprays and behavioural interventions compared with usual care for acute respiratory illness in primary care: a randomised, controlled, open-label, parallel-group trial

A small amount of evidence suggests that nasal sprays, or physical activity and stress management, could shorten the duration of respiratory infections. This study aimed to assess the effect of nasal sprays or a behavioural intervention promoting physical activity and stress management on respiratory illnesses, compared with usual care. This randomised, controlled, open-label, parallel-group trial was done at 332 general practitioner practices in the UK. Eligible adults (aged ≥18 years) had at least one comorbidity or risk factor increasing their risk of adverse outcomes due to respiratory illness (eg, immune compromise due to serious illness or medication; heart disease; asthma or lung disease; diabetes; mild hepatic impairment; stroke or severe neurological problem; obesity [BMI ≥30 kg/m2]; or age ≥65 years) or at least three self-reported respiratory tract infections in a normal year (ie, any year before the COVID-19 pandemic). Participants were randomly assigned (1:1:1:1) using a computerised system to: usual care (brief advice about managing illness); gel-based spray (two sprays per nostril at the first sign of an infection or after potential exposure to infection, up to 6 times per day); saline spray (two sprays per nostril at the first sign of an infection or after potential exposure to infection, up to 6 times per day); or a brief behavioural intervention in which participants were given access to a website promoting physical activity and stress management. The study was partially masked: neither investigators nor medical staff were aware of treatment allocation, and investigators who did the statistical analysis were unaware of treatment allocation. The sprays were relabelled to maintain participant masking. Outcomes were assessed using data from participants' completed monthly surveys and a survey at 6 months. The primary outcome was total number of days of illness due to self-reported respiratory tract illnesses (coughs, colds, sore throat, sinus or ear infections, influenza, or COVID-19) in the previous 6 months, assessed in the modified intention-to-treat population, which included all randomly assigned participants who had primary outcome data available. Key secondary outcomes were possible harms, including headache or facial pain, and antibiotic use, assessed in all randomly assigned participants. This trial was registered with ISRCTN, 17936080, and is closed to recruitment. Between Dec 12, 2020, and April 7, 2023, of 19 475 individuals screened for eligibility, 13 799 participants were randomly assigned to usual care (n=3451), gel-based nasal spray (n=3448), saline nasal spray (n=3450), or the digital intervention promoting physical activity and stress management (n=3450). 11 612 participants had complete data for the primary outcome and were included in the primary outcome analysis (usual care group, n=2983; gel-based spray group, n=2935; saline spray group, n=2967; behavioural website group, n=2727). Compared with participants in the usual care group, who had a mean of 8·2 (SD 16·1) days of illness, the number of days of illness was significantly lower in the gel-based spray group (mean 6·5 days [SD 12·8]; adjusted incidence rate ratio [IRR] 0·82 [99% CI 0·76-0·90]; p<0·0001) and the saline spray group (6·4 days [12·4]; 0·81 [0·74-0·88]; p<0·0001), but not in the group allocated to the behavioural website (7·4 days [14·7]; 0·97 [0·89-1·06]; p=0·46). The most common adverse event was headache or sinus pain in the gel-based group: 123 (4·8%) of 2556 participants in the usual care group; 199 (7·8%) of 2498 participants in the gel-based group (risk ratio 1·61 [95% CI 1·30-1·99]; p<0·0001); 101 (4·5%) of 2377 participants in the saline group (0·81 [0·63-1·05]; p=0·11); and 101 (4·5%) of 2091 participants in the behavioural intervention group (0·95 [0·74-1·22]; p=0·69). Compared with usual care, antibiotic use was lower for all interventions: IRR 0·65 (95% CI 0·50-0·84; p=0·001) for the gel-based spray group; 0·69 (0·45-0·88; p=0·003) for the saline spray group; and 0·74 (0·57-0·94; p=0·02) for the behavioural website group. Advice to use either nasal spray reduced illness duration and both sprays and the behavioural website reduced antibiotic use. Future research should aim to address the impact of the widespread implementation of these simple interventions. National Institute for Health and Care Research.

Containing alien plants in coastal dunes: Evidence from a soil manipulation experiment

Biological invasion is recognised as one of the major threats to biodiversity, particularly in disturbance-prone ecosystems such as costal dunes. Many studies have associated alien plant invasion of dune ecosystem to human disturbances, but less is known about the role of soil properties in invasion after disturbance. Soil properties are crucial filters during plant succession and soil-related changes in the initial stage of species colonization might shape the final success of the invaders.We performed a manipulative experiment aimed at elucidating the effects of soil properties on plant colonization processes in highly invaded dune systems, as a proxy for plausible management actions to curb the success of exotic plant species over native ones, which was measured through species richness and abundance.In a barrier island of the Marano and Grado lagoon, Northern Adriatic Sea, we mechanically removed all the native and alien vegetation present in the back dune (also known as secondary dune), triggering a new ecological succession and further altered, for the following three months, soil properties by adding salt, nitrogen, and organic matter in a full factorial design with randomized blocks.The soil treatments reduced the overall species richness and abundance of alien plants. Further, soil treatment interactions strongly shaped community evenness and species richness. Soil salinity had a positive effect on native cover while decreasing the overall number of alien species, especially in soil with added organic matter.Our findings suggest that soil salinity, and its interplay with organic matter, might significantly reduce the initial success of alien species propagule pressure (i.e. alien plant germination), with likely implications for the trajectories of future plant communities. This study highlights that alien plant containment should be focused on early stages of succession, giving new perspective on future environmental management actions for dune restoration and conservation.

Mental Health Stigma in the Workplace and its Association with Possible Actions of Managers to Prevent Sickness Absence of Employees with Mental Health Problems in the Swedish Private Sector: a Video Vignette Study.

Mental health problems (MHPs) are subjected to workplace stigma and can deteriorate into common mental disorders (CMDs) and sickness absence (SA). Research has shown that personal stigmatizing attitudes limit managers' efforts towards employees with MHPs, but knowledge is lacking regarding stigma in social contexts (contextual stigma) and different types of possible preventive actions. This study investigates personal stigmatizing attitudes and three contextual stigma layers (employee, collegial, organizational) and different types of possible actions to prevent SA of employees with MHPs. Survey data of 2769 Swedish managers working in the private sector were analysed. Personal stigmatizing attitudes were measured with the managerial stigma towards employee depression scale and supplemented with four additional items capturing contextual stigma. Managers watched video vignettes and assessed which preventive actions (n = 20) were possible to use in their organization. A sum score was calculated reflecting the 'number of actions'. Principal component analysis revealed three action types: adapt tasks and setting, involve experts, and social support. A score reflecting the 'possibilities to implement actions' was calculated for each type. Multiple linear regression analyses were conducted with the four stigma layers as independent variables for each of the three action variables. Personal stigmatizing attitudes and contextual stigma were significantly associated with both 'number of actions' and 'possibilities for implementing actions' relating to all action types. Patterns of associations with contextual stigma were significant but varied between the different action types. This study substantiated the role of personal stigmatizing attitudes and contextual stigma in relation to possible actions of managers to prevent SA of employees with MHPs. The results emphasize the role of contextual stigma. Implications for practice and research are discussed.

Hydraulic analysis for assessing environmental flow selection and ecological model formulation

AbstractEcosystem management depends on transforming qualitative observations (e.g., slow‐moving shallow conditions provide nursery refugia for silvery minnow larvae) into management actions to increase habitat quantity or improve habitat quality. To be effective, decision metrics that are developed for management objectives should be validated with field observations. Model assumptions, precision and parameter importance can be refined by comparing the fidelity of selected parameters computed as habitat quality metrics and the correlation of these metrics to real‐world observations. Validated environmental metrics are more credible for management and can be compatible with ecosystem monitoring and project design processes. In this study, streamflow monitoring data and hydraulic modelling are used to quantify fish habitat extent for 15 years of spring runoff. The spring runoff event coincides with larval maturation to a free‐swimming juvenile phase for the silvery minnow, a critical period in Rio Grande habitat management. Different methods to estimate habitat availability (i.e., hydrology statistics, inundation extents based on hydraulic modelling and areal habitat availability based on different formulations of a habitat suitability index curve) were used to test the efficacy of different metrics relative to species population monitoring. This analysis finds that flow–ecology relationships based on hydraulic modelling or hydrology statistics are both effective and highly correlated to larval production. The investigation shows how seasonal hydrologic characterization and hydraulic discretization have varying levels of correlation with seasonal fish production. This study demonstrates how hydraulic modelling data and hydrologic characterization of riverine environments can be used to validate or develop conceptual ecological models.

Contrasting patterns of spatial genetic structure in endangered southern damselfly (Coenagrion mercuriale) populations facing habitat fragmentation and urbanisation

AbstractAimHuman‐induced environmental changes result in habitat loss and fragmentation, impacting wildlife population genetic structure and evolution. Urbanised and geographically peripheral areas often represent unfavourable environments, reducing connectivity among populations and causing higher population genetic differentiation and lower intra‐population genetic diversity. We examined how geographic peripherality and anthropogenic pressures affect genetic diversity and genetic differentiation in the protected southern damselfly (Coenagrion mercuriale, Odonata), which has low dispersal capabilities and specific habitat requirements and whose populations are declining.LocationWe studied two areas: one in semi‐natural habitats at the periphery of the species geographic range (northern France) and the other more central to the species' range, in an urbanised area surrounding the city of Strasbourg (Alsace, eastern France).MethodsWe genotyped 2743 individuals from 128 populations using 11 microsatellite loci. We analysed the spatial distribution of neutral genetic diversity (allelic richness, heterozygosity, levels of inbreeding and genetic relatedness), the extent of genetic differentiation and population affiliations (sPCAs) within the two areas. We also examined fine‐scale patterns of gene flow in the urbanised area of Alsace by investigating patterns of isolation by distance and estimating effective migration surfaces (EEMS) method.ResultsNorthern peripheral populations showed lower levels of genetic diversity and higher levels of genetic differentiation than central Alsacian populations. Although located in anthropised habitats, geographically central Alsacian populations showed high levels of gene flow, with dispersal events mainly occurring overland and not restricted to watercourses. However, the highly urbanised city of Strasbourg negatively impacted nearby populations by reducing levels of genetic diversity and increasing population genetic differentiation.Main ConclusionsThese results showed the need for management action by restoring breeding sites and creating migratory corridors for peripheral southern damselfly populations. However, our results also highlighted the resilience of southern damselfly in central range populations facing strong urbanisation pressures.

Critical success factors, institutional actions and instructors’ acceptance of e-learning in higher education: a systematic review

PurposeThis study conducts a systematic literature review to examine the interrelationships between e-learning critical success factors, instructors' perceptions of these factors, and the corresponding institutional actions taken by higher education institutions to achieve success in e-learning implementation, by fostering instructors’ acceptance of e-learning as a viable mode of delivery in higher education.Design/methodology/approachThe research design employed in this study involves a systematic literature review of 43 peer-reviewed articles from EBSCO host and Scopus databases. The selected methodology employed thematic analysis of the gathered data by utilizing a multistep qualitative coding method of analysis. FindingsThe systematic literature review delivers three key findings. First, there is a notable divergence between instructors' perceptions of critical success factors for e-learning in higher education and the perspectives of other stakeholders, such as students, e-learning experts, and institutional management. Second, it emphasizes the importance for higher education institutions to understand and address instructors' perceptions to facilitate effective e-learning implementation. Third, the literature suggests potential causal relationships between institutional actions addressing the success factors deemed important by instructors and instructors' sustained acceptance of e-learning as a viable delivery mode.Research implicationsThe present study enriches knowledge of instructor perceptions of critical success factors for effectiveness in higher education by extending research in institutional management actions to enable their achievement. This study has implications for research strands on how instructors’ motivation and propensity for e-learning acceptance can be influenced by institutional management and how to reduce the level of resistance to adopting e-learning courses by addressing e-learning’s critical success factors as perceived by instructors.Originality/valueBased on the theoretical insights derived from the systematic literature review, a conceptual framework is constructed, integrating the three concepts under investigation: success factors, institutional actions, and instructors' acceptance of e-learning in higher education. This framework provides a basis for future research seeking to validate the potential causal relationships among these concepts. Moreover, the study contributes to existing literature by addressing and consolidating research strands related to critical success factors and instructors' perceptions of e-learning effectiveness in higher education.

Critical success factors, institutional actions and instructors’ acceptance of e-learning in higher education: a systematic review

PurposeThis study conducts a systematic literature review to examine the interrelationships between e-learning critical success factors, instructors' perceptions of these factors, and the corresponding institutional actions taken by higher education institutions to achieve success in e-learning implementation, by fostering instructors’ acceptance of e-learning as a viable mode of delivery in higher education.Design/methodology/approachThe research design employed in this study involves a systematic literature review of 43 peer-reviewed articles from EBSCO host and Scopus databases. The selected methodology employed thematic analysis of the gathered data by utilizing a multistep qualitative coding method of analysis. FindingsThe systematic literature review delivers three key findings. First, there is a notable divergence between instructors' perceptions of critical success factors for e-learning in higher education and the perspectives of other stakeholders, such as students, e-learning experts, and institutional management. Second, it emphasizes the importance for higher education institutions to understand and address instructors' perceptions to facilitate effective e-learning implementation. Third, the literature suggests potential causal relationships between institutional actions addressing the success factors deemed important by instructors and instructors' sustained acceptance of e-learning as a viable delivery mode.Research implicationsThe present study enriches knowledge of instructor perceptions of critical success factors for effectiveness in higher education by extending research in institutional management actions to enable their achievement. This study has implications for research strands on how instructors’ motivation and propensity for e-learning acceptance can be influenced by institutional management and how to reduce the level of resistance to adopting e-learning courses by addressing e-learning’s critical success factors as perceived by instructors.Originality/valueBased on the theoretical insights derived from the systematic literature review, a conceptual framework is constructed, integrating the three concepts under investigation: success factors, institutional actions, and instructors' acceptance of e-learning in higher education. This framework provides a basis for future research seeking to validate the potential causal relationships among these concepts. Moreover, the study contributes to existing literature by addressing and consolidating research strands related to critical success factors and instructors' perceptions of e-learning effectiveness in higher education.

Development of management indicators of nursing for minimizing physical restraints focused on older adult patients hospitalized in acute care settings: A Delphi consensus study.

Nursing management activities are important in influencing staff nurses' action to prevent or withdraw physical restraints. However, limited studies have been conducted empirically to determine the nursing management activities required for minimizing physical restraints. Therefore, there is a need for basic standards of nursing management activities to minimize physical restraints in acute care settings. This study aimed to develop nursing management indicators to minimize physical restraint (MaIN-PR) in hospitalized older adult patients in an acute care setting. It was conducted between June and October 2021 in Japan using a Delphi consensus approach. Fifty nurses working at top or middle management levels or as certified nurse specialists in gerontological nursing enrolled as participants. The potential indicators obtained from the literature review and interviews were organized inductively to develop two types of draft indicators: (1) 35 items for top management and (2) 33 items for middle management. We asked the nursing managers and certified nurse specialists in gerontological nursing to assess the validity of each indicator in three rounds. Of the 50 initial panelists, 12 from top management and 13 from middle management continued till the third round. MaIN-PR contained 35 indicators for top management and 28 indicators for middle management and were classified into the following six metrics: planning, motivating, training, commanding, organizing, and controlling. To the best of our knowledge, the current MaIN-PR are the first set of nursing management indicators for minimizing physical restraint, including perspectives on geriatric nursing in acute care settings. These indicators could guide both top and middle nursing management, thus supporting staff nurses' judgment in minimizing physical restraints to enhance the quality of older adult patient care.

The effects of drought on biodiversity in UK river ecosystems: Drying rivers in a wet country

AbstractClimate change is interacting with water resource pressures to alter the frequency, severity and spatial extent of drought, which can thus no longer be considered a purely natural hazard. Although particularly severe ecological impacts of drought have occurred in drylands, its effects on temperate ecosystems, including rivers, are also considerable. Extensive research spanning a diverse range of UK rivers offers an opportunity to place the effects of past drought in the context of intensifying climate change and to examine the likely effects of future drought in a typically cool, wet country. Here, drought manifests instream as deficits in surface water, modified flow velocities, and—increasingly—partial or complete drying of previously perennial and naturally non‐perennial reaches. As a result, drought causes declines in the taxonomic and functional biodiversity of freshwater communities including microorganisms, algae, plants, invertebrates and fish, altering ecological processes and associated benefits to people. Although freshwater communities have typically recovered quickly after previous UK droughts, an increase in drought extremity may compromise recovery following future events. The risk of droughts that push ecosystems beyond thresholds to persistent, species‐poor, functionally simplified states is increasing. Research and monitoring are needed to enable timely identification of rivers approaching such thresholds and thus to inform interventions that pull these ecosystems back from the brink. Management actions that support natural flow regimes and promote natural processes that diversify instream habitats, including drought refuges, are also crucial to support biodiversity within functional river ecosystems as they adapt to a changing world.This article is categorized under: Water and Life &gt; Nature of Freshwater Ecosystems Water and Life &gt; Stresses and Pressures on Ecosystems Water and Life &gt; Conservation, Management, and Awareness

Reassessing the alternative ecosystem states proposition in the African savanna-forest domain.

Ecologists are being challenged to predict how ecosystems will respond to climate changes. According to the Multi-Colored World (MCW) hypothesis, climate impacts may not manifest because consumers such as fire and herbivory can override the influence of climate on ecosystem state. One MCW interpretation is that climate determinism fails because alternative ecosystem states (AES) are possible at some locations in climate space. We evaluated theoretical and empirical evidence for the proposition that forest and savanna are AES in Africa. We found that maps which infer where AES zones are located were contradictory. Moreover, data from longitudinal and experimental studies provide inconclusive evidence for AES. That is, although the forest-savanna AES proposition is theoretically sound, the existing evidence is not yet convincing. We conclude by making the case that the AES proposition has such fundamental consequences for designing management actions to mitigate and adapt to climate change in the savanna-forest domain that it needs a more robust evidence base before it is used to prescribe management actions.

Reassessing the alternative ecosystem states proposition in the African savanna-forest domain.

Ecologists are being challenged to predict how ecosystems will respond to climate changes. According to the Multi-Colored World (MCW) hypothesis, climate impacts may not manifest because consumers such as fire and herbivory can override the influence of climate on ecosystem state. One MCW interpretation is that climate determinism fails because alternative ecosystem states (AES) are possible at some locations in climate space. We evaluated theoretical and empirical evidence for the proposition that forest and savanna are AES in Africa. We found that maps which infer where AES zones are located were contradictory. Moreover, data from longitudinal and experimental studies provide inconclusive evidence for AES. That is, although the forest-savanna AES proposition is theoretically sound, the existing evidence is not yet convincing. We conclude by making the case that the AES proposition has such fundamental consequences for designing management actions to mitigate and adapt to climate change in the savanna-forest domain that it needs a more robust evidence base before it is used to prescribe management actions.