Diverse Challenges Research Articles

Social work practicum students experiences, challenges, and aspirations during the COVID-19 pandemic

Field education is considered the signature pedagogy of social work education, yet there are numerous challenges including a shortage of field instructors and available placements and barriers to advancing equity, diversity and inclusion (EDI), which were heightened by the COVID-19 pandemic. This articles shares the results of research designed to investigate practicum students’ experiences, challenges, and aspirations during the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic. This study aimed to answer the question: how did students’ experiences, challenges, needs, and aspirations vary due to their identity factors (e.g., gender and ethnicity), post-secondary institution (e.g., universities), and placement types (e.g., clinical/research)? To this end, a cross-sectional web-based survey was conducted to document the perspectives of BSW/MSW practicum students in Canada, with both open and close-ended questions. This article presents the survey results to two open-ended questions in three broad themes, namely mental health and wellness, students’ perception on field learning, and professional readiness. Female students across different ethnic groups reported challenges in balancing their gendered roles and responsibilities in caregiving and as a practicum student, which consequently impacted their mental health and wellness. Two major factors shaped practicum student learning, such as post-secondary institution (e.g., universities) and types of placements. Due to the pandemic, practicum students were unable to gain direct practice experience in person in their placement, which affected their perception of professional readiness. This article concludes that through an evidence-informed institutional and programmatic response and support, diverse challenges, needs, and aspirations of practicum students could be addressed to promote EDI in field education in the context of pandemics, emergencies, and disasters.

New Electrochemical Channel Flow Cell Design for Electrochemical Studies at Elevated Temperatures and Pressures

Temperature exerts a considerable influence on the efficiency of chemical and electrochemical processes, and it is expected that studies under wide temperature and pressure (T and p) conditions can significantly impact fields of technological interest such as energy storage and conversion, water treatment, waste conversion, metal recovery, and electrosynthesis, among others.1 The electrochemical studies conducted by Bard’s group in near-critical and supercritical aqueous solutions,2 as well as the contributions made by MacDonald’s and Lvov’s3,4 groups on corrosion and pH determination in hydrothermal systems, offer valuable insights into the effects of temperature and pressure on electrochemical reactions under extreme conditions and construction materials and electrode designs. Other studies in the field, though they did not reach such harsh conditions, made valuable contributions by proposing innovative hydrodynamic electrode systems, from channel cells for studies up to 110 oC,5 a rotating disc electrode for temperatures up to 150 oC,6 and even an imping jet electrode able to reach 210 oC.7 Unfortunately, these studies were rarely expanded to more than one or two systems.In this work, various hydrodynamic electrode configurations have been examined to conclude that the channel flow cell design presents several advantages over other systems for high T and P applications. These cells can provide consistent and reproducible mass transport conditions across a broad range of flow rates and allow channel dimension adjustments to tackle diverse technological challenges. Furthermore, this configuration aligns well with spectroscopic techniques like Raman/SERS (surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy). COMSOL Multiphysics was used when designing the cell prototype, and validation of the model was carried out using data from previous studies.8 The high T,p cell uses disposable thin-film electrodes (TFEs) patterned onto sapphire wafers through nanofabrication methods; a significant amount of time has been invested in testing the performance of the TFEs up to at least 150°C. These results will also be presented along with experiments conducted with the new channel cell under ambient conditions. References (1) Giovanelli, D.; Lawrence, N. S.; Compton, R. G., Electroanalysis (New York, N.Y.) 2004, 16 (10), 789-810.(2) Liu, C.-y.; Snyder, S. R.; Bard, A. J. J. Phys. Chem.B 1997, 101 (7), 1180-1185.(3) Macdonald, D. D. Corrosion 2013, 34 (3), 75-84.(4) Balashov, V. N.; Fedkin, M. V.; Lvov, S. N., J. Electrochem. Soc. 2009, 156 (7), C209.(5) Wang, H.; Jusys, Z.; Behm, R. J.; Abruña, H. D., J. Electroanal. Chem. 2021, 896, 115251.(6) Fleige, M. J.; Wiberg, G. K.; Arenz, M., Rev Sci Instrum 2015, 86 (6), 064101.(7) Trevani, L. N.; Calvo, E.; Corti, H. R., Electrochem. Commun 2000, 2 (5), 312-316.(8) Moorcroft, M. J.; Lawrence, N. S.; Coles, B. A.; Compton, R. G.; Trevani, L. J. Electroanal. Chem. 2001, 506 (1), 28-33.

Evaluation of the Fathers’ and Men’s Group project formed by Turkish immigrants in Germany

ABSTRACT Social workers engaged in combating violence and possessing expertise in group facilitation should demonstrate a thorough comprehension of various group methodologies and be acquainted with exemplar instances of good practice. This article delineates the Fathers’ and Men’s Group Project, a support group run by Turkish immigrants in Germany since its inception 17 years ago, subsequently evolving into an anti-violence support group recognized nationwide. The paper investigates the manner in which fathers encountering diverse challenges and requirements receive support, which is demonstrated through a practical example. The support group facilitates the provision of assistance to men by individuals sharing comparable experiences, thereby enhancing their social support networks, refining their problem-solving capabilities, and promoting awareness regarding violence. The objective of this paper is to equip social work instructors, students, and graduates with an understanding of the dynamics, functioning, and characteristics of support groups.

Setting priorities in outpatient cardiovascular care to guarantee equitable access: the case of Tuscany region

Universal healthcare systems orient their actions towards promoting, restoring, and improving public health with a particular focus on the need to guarantee equitable access to care. Unwarranted variation in healthcare delivery poses significant challenges to health systems globally, impacting quality of care, financial sustainability, and equity of access. It is therefore important to assist healthcare management in measuring unwarranted variation in order to prioritise intervention strategies to ensure continuity of care and equity. Through an investigation of geographical variation in visit rates and waiting times, the study identifies vulnerable health districts which need priority interventions for patients with cardiovascular disease in the Tuscany region (Italy). Furthermore, a benchmarking-based method for identifying a quantitative estimate of the supply gap to be reduced is proposed. Results illustrate variation in visit rates and waiting times across local health districts in 2021, with some districts experiencing substantially lower rates and longer waiting times compared to the regional median. To address this gap, two targeted interventions aimed at increasing visit volumes and reduced waiting times through advanced training activities, technology integration, and multidisciplinary collaborations are presented. This study contributes to the topic of unwarranted variation by highlighting the necessity of tailored interventions to address diverse healthcare challenges across heterogeneous geographical areas. As healthcare systems globally navigate evolving complexities, the findings and tools presented here offer valuable guidance for policymakers and managers, aiming towards more equitable, efficient, and responsive healthcare services.

From Salon to Home: The Professional Journey and Challenges of Beauticians

The practice of beauticians providing home services has grown significantly, driven by consumer demand for convenience and personalized care. This study explores the professional experiences of beauticians delivering home services, emphasizing factors such as career duration, continuous training, effective time management, and the diverse challenges encountered. Using descriptive phenomenology, the research delves into the lived experiences of beauticians, revealing that extensive career length, ongoing professional development, and efficient time management are critical to service quality and client satisfaction. However, challenges such as inconsistent product availability, transportation issues, and maintaining sanitation standards in varied home environments complicate service delivery. The study also highlights the importance of innovative marketing strategies, including the use of social media and client referrals, to expand the client base and ensure business growth. Findings suggest that beauticians must navigate logistical complexities and develop robust problem-solving skills to succeed. The study underscores the need for continuous skill enhancement and strategic marketing to maintain competitiveness in the evolving beauty industry. By understanding these professional experiences, the research provides insights that can inform practice, policy, and future research, ultimately benefiting both service providers and clients in the beauty industry.

Considering the Impact of Standardized Testing on Workforce Diversity

Today, we revisit our initial stance of eliminating standardized test scores from the college admissions process to improve equity and student diversity. With refreshed data about test-optional admissions, we address the import of institutional responsiveness to redress persistent equity gaps that impact our state’s workforce diversity and hiring challenges. Leveraging data to inform advocacy is representative of the skillset cultivated in the CANDEL program for evidence-based decision-making. Moreover, the pre-pandemic position over standardized testing exemplifies how CANDEL encouraged us to explore novel approaches to address persistent and troublesome equity issues. With leadership roles in the community college and the University of California systems and a particular emphasis on workforce development, we reflect on the CANDEL ethos of scholar-practitioner leadership in our practice areas to promote equitable educational and career outcomes.

An ‘all-world ageing’ perspective and its wider ethics of care: An empirical illustration

Recent commentaries have proposed ‘all-world ageing’ as a new perspective for social scientific ageing research. It is based on the theoretical observation that the ageing process involves all forms of entities co-ageing relationally with each other, and with their surrounds. Its disciplinary implications hence being that what we categorize as ageing in social scientific ageing research should not be limited to human bodies, and that ageing non-humans should be brought under its purview. To empirically illustrate these theoretical and disciplinary assertions, and explore their implications, the current paper reports a study of how people co-age with non-humans they interact with in their daily lives. Sixteen people aged 66–90 were interviewed, ten of them also being observed at those times. The findings show some intricate and diverse relations that involve their co-ageing with varied biological entities and nature surrounds (such as plants, domestic animals and green spaces) and varied non-biological entities and non-nature surrounds (such as materials, technologies, accommodations, organizations and infrastructures). Meanwhile, important crosscutting themes – including lifespan, function and aesthetics – emerge as objectives of care, valued and exercised in broad terms. This empirical reconnaissance shows the potential for an all-world ageing perspective to engage diverse societal challenges and inform diverse areas of practice as part of a wider ethics of care. From it, a number of important considerations and undertakings arise for future scholarship.

Data-driven prediction of spinal cord injury recovery: An exploration of current status and future perspectives

Spinal Cord Injury (SCI) presents a significant challenge in rehabilitation medicine, with recovery outcomes varying widely among individuals. Machine learning (ML) is a promising approach to enhance the prediction of recovery trajectories, but its integration into clinical practice requires a thorough understanding of its efficacy and applicability. We systematically reviewed the current literature on data-driven models of SCI recovery prediction. The included studies were evaluated based on a range of criteria assessing the approach, implementation, input data preferences, and the clinical outcomes aimed to forecast. We observe a tendency to utilize routinely acquired data, such as International Standards for Neurological Classification of SCI (ISNCSCI), imaging, and demographics, for the prediction of functional outcomes derived from the Spinal Cord Independence Measure (SCIM) III and Functional Independence Measure (FIM) scores with a focus on motor ability. Although there has been an increasing interest in data-driven studies over time, traditional machine learning architectures, such as linear regression and tree-based approaches, remained the overwhelmingly popular choices for implementation. This implies ample opportunities for exploring architectures addressing the challenges of predicting SCI recovery, including techniques for learning from limited longitudinal data, improving generalizability, and enhancing reproducibility. We conclude with a perspective, highlighting possible future directions for data-driven SCI recovery prediction and drawing parallels to other application fields in terms of diverse data types (imaging, tabular, sequential, multimodal), data challenges (limited, missing, longitudinal data), and algorithmic needs (causal inference, robustness).

A mutual reconstruction network model for few-shot classification of histological images: addressing interclass similarity and intraclass diversity.

The automated classification of histological images is crucial for the diagnosis of cancer. The limited availability of well-annotated datasets, especially for rare cancers, poses a significant challenge for deep learning methods due to the small number of relevant images. This has led to the development of few-shot learning approaches, which bear considerable clinical importance, as they are designed to overcome the challenges of data scarcity in deep learning for histological image classification. Traditional methods often ignore the challenges of intraclass diversity and interclass similarities in histological images. To address this, we propose a novel mutual reconstruction network model, aimed at meeting these challenges and improving the few-shot classification performance of histological images. The key to our approach is the extraction of subtle and discriminative features. We introduce a feature enhancement module (FEM) and a mutual reconstruction module to increase differences between classes while reducing variance within classes. First, we extract features of support and query images using a feature extractor. These features are then processed by the FEM, which uses a self-attention mechanism for self-reconstruction of features, enhancing the learning of detailed features. These enhanced features are then input into the mutual reconstruction module. This module uses enhanced support features to reconstruct enhanced query features and vice versa. The classification of query samples is based on weighted calculations of the distances between query features and reconstructed query features and between support features and reconstructed support features. We extensively evaluated our model using a specially created few-shot histological image dataset. The results showed that in a 5-way 10-shot setup, our model achieved an impressive accuracy of 92.09%. This is a 23.59% improvement in accuracy compared to the model-agnostic meta-learning (MAML) method, which does not focus on fine-grained attributes. In the more challenging, 5-way 1-shot setting, our model also performed well, demonstrating a 18.52% improvement over the ProtoNet, which does not address this challenge. Additional ablation studies indicated the effectiveness and complementary nature of each module and confirmed our method's ability to parse small differences between classes and large variations within classes in histological images. These findings strongly support the superiority of our proposed method in the few-shot classification of histological images. The mutual reconstruction network provides outstanding performance in the few-shot classification of histological images, successfully overcoming the challenges of similarities between classes and diversity within classes. This marks a significant advancement in the automated classification of histological images.

Planning for socially sustainable rural housing in Sweden

The aim of this article is to analyse and discuss policies and planning for rural housing, with a special focus on social sustainability. In this endeavour, we review research with such a focus and put this in dialogue with an analysis of the contemporary situation regarding rural housing challenges and policies in Sweden. Countrysides in Europe, including Sweden, are diverse and face different housing-related challenges. The literature illuminates spatial as well as socio-economic inequalities. Both a low demand for housing related to a shrinking labour market and out-migration and a high pressure on the housing market triggering restrictive or conditional measures to avoid speculative developments and rural gentrification affect social sustainability.Our case study on policy and planning measures that deal with rural housing in Sweden shows that there is a need to further investigate and understand the role of housing in rural areas for various groups and people with fewer resources, including further elaboration on the connection between mobilities and housing needs. A narrow focus upon housing provision that does not take into account access to services and communications as well as contemporary mobility flows of different groups challenges equality and well-being in rural areas. In Sweden, housing is primarily a municipal, local responsibility. However, exogenous forces or trends mean that housing issues play out at both the regional and national levels and put the municipalities in a difficult situation.

“No room for error”: a qualitative interview study of experiences with health insurance coverage loss and COVID-19 pandemic relief policies among people with asthma

Objectives The COVID-19 pandemic led to unemployment and associated health insurance loss, prompting an unprecedented adoption of emergency policies, including economic relief efforts and health insurance coverage expansion. We sought to understand pandemic-related challenges for people with asthma and how emergency policies served families facing both chronic disease management and health insurance loss. Study design Qualitative interview study. Methods In 2021, we conducted semi-structured telephone interviews with 21 adults who had asthma and lost employment and employer-sponsored health insurance coverage during the COVID-19 pandemic. We used thematic analysis to assess how health and economic policies affected participants’ ability to access care and manage their asthma. Results Participants reported reduced access to care, as well as worry about heightened susceptibility to COVID-19 due to their asthma. While insurance loss exacerbated these challenges, participants indicated that economic relief efforts, including direct stimulus payments, helped them afford needed asthma care. Participants were more critical of enhancements to existing coverage policies such as the Affordable Care Act (ACA) Marketplace and Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act (COBRA) due to difficulty understanding, accessing, and affording such coverage. Conclusions Our findings underscore that people affected by asthma and health insurance loss benefit from policies that provide flexible and easy-to-use assistance, such as direct payments, for meeting the diverse challenges posed by living with a chronic disease. Although policies that expand health insurance coverage are critical, more attention is needed to help people with chronic conditions access these programs in a timely way.

Frontier, not boundary: The use of amenities around communities

In the field of urban governance, the concept of community is often regarded as the fundamental unit for the delivery of public services. People strive to tackle diverse challenges, such as social segregation and rigid bureaucracy, through the lens of community development. Hence, a precise articulation of this concept is crucial. However, “community” can refer to either a physical area or a group of people, resulting in multiple definitions. The boundary of a community may be defined in various ways. Consequently, a paradox arises: people may enthusiastically explore the suitability of a community for providing public services, but without exactly clarifying where the discussed community itself is. This ambiguity can cause confusion in practical applications of the concept of community, resulting in a decrease in the effectiveness of community governance, the neglect of social attributes, and the undermining of public nature. This conceptual article advocates for a new approach to defining communities, one that integrates sociological components while also having a concrete spatial anchor. It proposes substituting the idea of a clear-cut “boundary” with a buffer “frontier” (or “boundary,” depending on the author’s intended meaning) as a means of demarcating the community. By comparing the conceptual characteristics of “frontier” and “boundary,” we believe that this substitution can eliminate the yes-or-no binary determination inherent in the traditional community concept. In addition, by adopting the concept of “amenity,” we aim to provide a more tangible anchor for identifying the boundaries of a community, clarifying ambiguities, and offering guidance for subsequent research operationalization.

The Diversity and Evolution of Chiral Brønsted Acid Structures.

The chemical space of chiral Brønsted acid catalysts is defined by quantity and complexity, reflecting the diverse synthetic challenges confronted and the innovative molecular designs introduced. Here, we detail how this successful outcome is a powerful demonstration of the benefits of utilizing both local structure searches and a comprehensive understanding of catalyst performance for effective and efficient exploration of Brønsted acid properties. In this concept article we provide an evolutionary overview of this field by summarizing the approaches to catalyst optimization, the resulting structures, and functions.

Comparative Analysis of State-of-the-Art Q A Models: BERT, RoBERTa, DistilBERT, and ALBERT on SQuAD v2 Dataset

In the rapidly evolving landscape of natural language processing (NLP) and artificial intelligence, recent years have witnessed significant advancements, particularly in text-based question-answering (QA) systems. The Stanford Question Answering Dataset (SQuAD v2) has emerged as a prominent benchmark, offering diverse language understanding challenges. This study conducts a thorough examination of cutting-edge QA models—BERT, DistilBERT, RoBERTa, and ALBERT—each featuring distinct architectures, focusing on their training and performance on SQuAD v2. The analysis aims to uncover the unique strengths of each model, providing insights into their capabilities and exploring the impact of different training techniques on their performance. The primary objective is to enhance our understanding of text-based QA systems' evolution and their effectiveness in real-world scenarios. The results of this comparative study are poised to influence the utilization and development of these models in both industry and research. The investigation meticulously evaluates BERT, ALBERT, RoBERTa, and DistilBERT QA models using the SQuAD v2 dataset, emphasizing instances of accurate responses and identifying areas where completeness may be lacking. This nuanced exploration contributes to the ongoing discourse on the advancement of text-based question-answering systems, shedding light on the strengths and limitations of each QA model. Based on the results obtained, ALBERT achieved an exact match of 86.85% and an F1 score of 89.91% on the SQuAD v2 dataset, demonstrating superior performance in both answerable ('HasAns') and unanswerable ('NoAns') questions. BERT and RoBERTa also showed strong performance, while DistilBERT lagged slightly behind. This study provides a significant contribution to the advancement of text-based question-answering systems, offering insights that can shape the utilization of these models in both industry and research domains.

Review: Penerapan Model Pembelajaran PjBL untuk Meningkatkan Keterampilan Proses Sains dan Hasil Belajar Peserta Didik pada Mata Pelajaran Biologi

21st-century learning is focused on the development of students' moral and intellectual character as well as various skills to face diverse challenges. One student-centered learning model is Project-Based Learning (PjBL). In project-based learning, students engage in tasks that encourage them to solve real and relevant problems within the context of the real world, rather than merely absorbing information. This research aims to analyze the application of the PjBL model in enhancing science process skills and student learning outcomes in high school biology subjects. This type of research is a literature review. The study was conducted by reviewing 20 articles from national and international scientific journals using databases such as PubMed, IEEE Xplore, Scopus, Web of Science, and Google Scholar. The keywords used in the literature search were: project-based learning, PjBL, science process skills, and learning outcomes. The results indicate that the implementation of the Project-Based Learning (PjBL) model in high school biology subjects can improve science process skills and student learning outcomes.

Food security challenges: A comparative review of USA and African Policies

This review provides a comprehensive overview of the food security challenges faced by the United States (USA) and African nations, examining the distinct policy approaches implemented to address these critical issues. The analysis focuses on key factors influencing food security, such as agricultural practices, economic structures, and political considerations. The United States and African nations grapple with diverse challenges in ensuring food security for their populations. This study undertakes a comparative review of the policies adopted by these regions to tackle the multifaceted issues related to food production, distribution, and accessibility. In the USA, the emphasis lies on advanced agricultural technologies and industrial farming practices. The country's policies are geared towards maximizing efficiency, ensuring a stable food supply, and promoting exports. However, challenges arise from the environmental impact of intensive farming, unequal distribution of resources, and the vulnerability of large-scale monocultures. Contrastingly, African countries face unique hurdles stemming from a combination of socio-economic factors, including limited access to modern farming technologies, land tenure issues, and inadequate infrastructure. Additionally, political instability and climate change exacerbate the challenges, impacting food production and distribution systems. The comparative analysis sheds light on the importance of tailoring food security policies to the specific needs and contexts of each region. It explores the potential for knowledge exchange and collaboration between the USA and African nations to address global food crises collaboratively. Emphasizing sustainable agricultural practices, equitable resource distribution, and adaptive governance strategies emerge as key recommendations to fortify both regions against future food security challenges. This study contributes valuable insights to policymakers, researchers, and practitioners aiming to develop effective strategies for enhancing global food security in a rapidly changing world.

Music Form and Performance Techniques of Bayu Folk Songs

Bayu folk songs, rooted in the cultural heritage of the Chongqing, Guizhou, and Hunan regions in China, embody the essence of local identity and tradition. This study aimed to investigate the musical form and performance techniques of Bayu folk songs, offering insights into preserving and transmitting cultural heritage within educational contexts. Through interviews and observations conducted with 14 key informants from diverse backgrounds, including inheritors, local villagers, cultural center leaders, and relevant experts, the research examines the cultural preservation, musical diversity, and transmission challenges of Bayu folk songs within educational settings. The study’s results are based on a thematic analysis of qualitative data collected through structured interviews and observation forms. These findings show how vital Bayu folk songs are for building community identity, keeping culture alive, and passing it down from generation to generation. The research underscores the importance of developing standardized guidelines, increasing access to educational resources, and fostering collaboration between academic institutions and cultural stakeholders to promote the preservation and transmission of Bayu cultural heritage within educational settings.

What is Mechanical Engineering?

Abstract In a World of Diverse Challenges, Mechanical Engineers are Developing the Solutions. Their Contributions Have Never Been as Valuable As They are Today. “Almost everyone comes into contact with the products of mechanical engineering on a daily basis, but very few people—including some engineers themselves—can provide a succinct explanation of what mechanical engineering is. ”

SME digital transformation and the COVID-19 pandemic: a case study of a hard-hit metropolitan area

Abstract Cities and regions are facing diverse challenges, and the transformation to a digital economy is a core issue. The coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has had widespread impacts on business, and it has heightened the need for digitalization. We analyse if and to what degree the COVID-19 pandemic has accelerated the digital transformation of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in the metropolitan region of Madrid. Our research strategy is based on a quantitative analysis of survey data at the company level. Our results show that a large share of SMEs invested in digital technologies as a response to the pandemic, but there are also important differences between basic and more advanced digital technologies and between manufacturing and service sector firms. SMEs’ previous knowledge and technological resources and capabilities, as well as their collaboration networks with providers are found to trigger adoption of digital technology. Implications for postpandemic policies are highlighted.

Acceptability and willingness to pay for a hypothetical HIV vaccine in Brazil and the implications: a cross-sectional study

ABSTRACT Introduction The Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) is one of the greatest public health challenges still facing communities worldwide, and until this moment, no vaccine is available for its prevention. In Brazil, the Rio de Janeiro State has stood out regarding the prevalence of this disease. As a result, an important state to consider the Willingness to Pay (WTP) for a hypothetical HIV vaccine to help with future pricing. Methods A cross-sectional study was conducted to assess the acceptability and WTP of individuals from Rio de Janeiro State for a hypothetical HIV vaccine with a 70% efficacy. Results 600 individuals were interviewed and the acceptability for this hypothetical vaccine was 77.2%. In addition, 452 participants were eligible for the WTP analysis and would accept a WTP US$79.37 (400 BRL) for this vaccine, a higher value than that found in another study (200 BRL) conducted in the Northern region of Brazil under the same methodological conditions. Conclusion Economic studies such as WTP can contribute to discussions regarding the prices and specifications for future vaccines, particularly for a HIV vaccine in countries such as Brazil with over 5,000 municipalities spread across regions with diverse characteristics and challenges in terms of socioeconomic, epidemiological and cultural differences.