Controversial Strategies Research Articles

Social work: From the settlements and a casework to the theories of ecosocial work

The article presents some threads of the debate over the search for a theory of human-environment relationships for social work practice from the dawn of this work at the end of the 19th century to today, that is, from the holistic through individualistic, and psychosocial concepts to the paradigm of ecosocial work from the perspective of threats of a global catastrophe. As the examples of approaches to that paradigm green social work developed by L. Dominelli, slow social work by V. Bozalek and social work as sensitive public pedagogy by M. Mendel are presented. The issue of finding effective relationship of social ecopractice to the controversial strategies of sustainable development versus degrowth on a global scale is also highlighted. The article also includes suggestions for expanding knowledge about the theories and practice of ecosocial work, referring to specific texts available in open access on the Internet. The conclusion of the article includes an indication of some barriers to overcome for an introduction the ecosocial work theories into practice.

Undone science in climate interventions: Contrasting and contesting anticipatory assessments by expert networks

In global climate governance, anticipatory assessments map future options and pathways, in light of prospective risks and uncertainties, to inform present-day planning. Using data from 125 interviews, we ask: How are foundational experts contesting the conduct of anticipatory assessment of carbon removal and solar geoengineering – as two emerging but controversial strategies for engaging with climate change and achieving Net Zero targets? We find that efforts at carbon removal and solar geoengineering assessment leverage and challenge systems modeling that has become dominant in mapping and communicating future climate impacts and mitigation strategies via IPCC reports. Both suites of climate intervention have become stress-tests for the capacity of modeling to assess socio-technical strategies with complex, systemic dimensions. Meanwhile, exploring societal dimensions demands new modes of disciplinary expertise, qualitative and deliberative practices, and stakeholder inclusion that modelling processes struggle to incorporate. Finally, we discuss how the patterns of expert contestation identified in our results speak to multiple fault-lines within ongoing debates on reforming global environmental assessments, and highlights key open questions to be addressed.

The Right to Repair Goods in the Era of Digitalization and Globalization

Today, large companies are increasingly using controversial strategies related to the violation of the buyer’s rights to repair the goods both during and after the expiration of the warranty period. This is primarily manifested in the restriction of access to the necessary information on the product repairing, hindering the work of independent service organizations, intentional complication of parts during their design, unreasonably high degree of integration of units, lack of a sufficient number of spare parts on the market, etc. As a rule, such actions distort the principles of integrity and transparency, which, in turn, entails risks to consumer and environmental safety. This issue is of particular relevance in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic, when sellers of medical equipment restrict the possibility of its restoration by independent specialists, and also prevent the distribution of the necessary software. Based on the results of the work, it is concluded that it is advisable to establish boundaries for the conduct of market participants to stimulate the production of durable and maintainable goods in order to transit to a circular economy.

Authenticating brand activism: Negotiating the boundaries of free speech to make a change

AbstractActivist brands commonly engage in controversies to redefine which opinions and ideas are acceptable to express publicly. We conceptualize this practice as free speech boundary work. How can activist brands negotiate the boundaries of free speech to authenticate their activist positioning? By conducting a comparative case study of 18 activist brands, we identify three controversial strategies—creating monstrous hybrids, challenging the establishment, and demonstrating exemplarity—each of them challenging the boundaries of free speech through a distinct mechanism. The results show that whether these strategies authenticate brands’ activism depends on their ability to communicate brands’ moral competency, defined in terms of moral sensitivity, moral vision, and moral integration. This study contributes to the literature on brand activism by proposing an integrative framework that articulates the mechanisms underlying the reformative power of controversial brand activism. Second, we contribute to the literature on brand activism authentication by introducing a competency‐oriented view that reveals the heterogeneous and multidimensional nature of activism authenticity and expands our conception of the spectrum of moral territories with which activist brands can engage.

Thygeson\u2019s superficial punctate keratitis (TSPK): a paediatric case report and review of the literature

BackgroundThygeson’s superficial punctate keratitis (TSPK) is reportedly a rare disease with an insidious onset, numerous remissions and exacerbations, and a long duration. The corneal lesions are elevated, whitish–grey in colour, and granular in the intraepithelium. A few reported cases of TSPK exist, and paediatric experience is limited. Due to the unknown aetiology and controversial treatment strategies for TSPK, we performed a literature review to summarize the criteria for the diagnosis, treatment and prognosis of TSPK to provide a basis for the treatment of TSPK in paediatric patients.Case presentationThe clinical course of a boy with TSPK who repeatedly presented with episodes of tearing, photophobia and foreign body sensation in both eyes is described. Irritation was uncontrollable with antiviral and antibiotic medications, and it was managed by corticosteroids. No recurrence was reported at the 1-year follow-up after corticosteroid replacement and tapering.ConclusionsThe clinical features, treatment and prognosis between adult and paediatric TSPK patients have many similarities. The diagnosis of TSPK in children is more difficult, leading to missed diagnosis. TSPK needs to be carefully differentiated from other types of keratitis, especially intraepithelial secondary and other infectious ocular surface diseases.

The corporatization of care in academic dermatology

Concern over the corporatization of medicine has existed since the late 1800s and continues to grow today in the face of large-scale mergers, vertical integration of health care services, and private equity (PE) investment in dermatology practices. Although academic departments have traditionally been viewed as exempt from Corporate Practice of Medicine (CPOM) laws, they face the same health care landscape and cultural pressures as private and PE-backed practices, as well as some unique financial challenges. To adapt to these difficult realities, academic dermatology has embraced new models of care, some of which mirror the controversial strategies used by PE-backed practices to maximize profit. We explore the corporatization of academic dermatology and its manifestations in changing practice patterns, patient care, education, and research.

Handling conflicts over the regulation of project's time-cost risks via a simulation-based decision-making support system module

Project management must consider tradeoffs of risks regarding performance, time, and cost. These tradeoffs may often cause conflicts between the project stakeholders. When decision outcomes are ambiguous and time is pressing, decision-makers may use controversial conflict resolution strategies that are often detrimental, changing conflicts that have constructive potential into those that are unhealthy. We propose a simulation-based DMSS module that can be used to quickly analyse the risks of alternative project plans. Its implementation can reduce the usage of controversial conflict resolution strategies and focus, instead, on one of the cooperation strategies that can enhance performance and well-being at work. Whereas meeting technical specifications is a non-negotiable demand, we can make do with a two-dimensional tradeoffs model - consider tradeoffs between time and cost risks. Thirteen of 17 implementations of the DMSS module hinted that this tool may be beneficial in preventing conflict escalations (a numerical example is given).

Engineering Nanomaterials To Overcome The Mucosal Barrier By Modulating Surface Properties

Although nanotechnology has been investigated during recent years to increase the bioavailability and therapeutic effects of mucosal administrated drugs, numerous barriers (e.g., pH environment, enzymes and mucus) still limit the delivery efficiency. And the epithelium would also affect the systemic mucosal drug delivery. Amongst all the barriers, the protective mucus has drawn more and more attention, which strongly hinders the accessibility of nanovehicles to epithelium. Therefore, trials to conquer the mucus barrier have been designed using two controversial strategies: mucoadhesion and mucus-penetration. This review summarizes the influence of mucus layer on nanomaterials and introduces the modification strategies by modulating surface properties (i.e., hydrophilicity/hydrophobicity and surface charge) to overcome mucus barriers. Furthermore, it also reviews advanced modification methods to meet the different surface requirements of nanovehicles to overcome mucus and epithelium barriers in systemic mucosal delivery.

A good hustle: the moral economy of market competition in adult webcam modeling

ABSTRACTIn this article, we examine how models working on Chaturbate, one of the world’s most popular adult webcam platforms, negotiate and make sense of the dynamic ways in which this platform configures their competitive environment. By combining different perspectives from the field of economic sociology, we demonstrate how competition on Chaturbate is shaped by various market devices whose strategic negotiation informs – and is informed by – the moral economy articulated on web forums where models gather to discuss their work experiences and market strategies. We first introduce Chaturbate and the ways in which it organizes market competition, surveying the environment models have to negotiate. We then zoom in on two controversial strategies for beating the competition, each of which upset the moral economy of Chaturbate’s model community. Subsequently, we turn to what models term ‘the hustle,’ which encompasses a number of competitive strategies and criteria judged to be fair and thus legitimate. The final part of our analysis considers the limitations of the hustle, as well as the meritocratic and entrepreneurial discourse that surround it, in light of what we identify as Chaturbate’s ‘manufactured uncertainty.’

Who knows the rationale of the refilling time measured by plethysmography?

This mini-review analyzes the pathophysiology significance of the refilling time (RT) assessed in limbs after exercise by the means of plethysmographic techniques. Based on such a rationale the Author offers an interpretation of RT following suppression of reflux points respectively achieved by CHIVA or by ablative techniques, showing the pathophysiologic differences between two different and controversial strategies of managing chronic venous insufficiency.

Engineering nanomaterials to overcome the mucosal barrier by modulating surface properties.

Although nanotechnology has been investigated during recent years to increase the bioavailability and therapeutic effects of mucosal administrated drugs, numerous barriers (e.g., pH environment, enzymes and mucus) still limit the delivery efficiency. And the epithelium would also affect the systemic mucosal drug delivery. Amongst all the barriers, the protective mucus has drawn more and more attention, which strongly hinders the accessibility of nanovehicles to epithelium. Therefore, trials to conquer the mucus barrier have been designed using two controversial strategies: mucoadhesion and mucus-penetration. This review summarizes the influence of mucus layer on nanomaterials and introduces the modification strategies by modulating surface properties (i.e., hydrophilicity/hydrophobicity and surface charge) to overcome mucus barriers. Furthermore, it also reviews advanced modification methods to meet the different surface requirements of nanovehicles to overcome mucus and epithelium barriers in systemic mucosal delivery.

Customers’ Perception Towards Ethical Advertisements: The Mediating Role of Religiosity from the Malaysian Perspective

The fact that potentially unethical advertisements are reaching the marketplace suggests that current methods of evaluating advertisements may be insufficient for some of today’s controversial or innovative advertising strategies. Interestingly, customers are constantly prone to advertisements both directly and indirectly. However, the question arises whether these advertisements are perceived to be ethical in the customers’ mind. Many research experts believe such uncertainty could be an indication of a downfall for the advertising industry. It is worthwhile to be aware of the ethical issues facing advertisers in order to reduce the negative perceptions toward advertisements. Data was collected from 200 Malaysian customers and Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) was used to test the research hypothesis. This research focuses on some major Abstract: perceptions for customers in addressing the perception towards ethical advertising. By examining whether the perceived factors such as, religiosity and emotional appeal positively affect ethical perception, and deceptive messages negatively. The study would provide marketers with a clear understanding on the ethical grounds. Therefore, if the accountable people such as advertisers and businesses work cooperatively and think about the consequences, these problems will be diminished in the future. Several propositions for future research have also been identified.

PRICING STRATEGIES AND LITIGATION RISKS: AN ECONOMIC ANALYSIS OF THE DOWNSTREAM PETROLEUM INDUSTRY

In this article, I discuss the economics behind a series of recent controversial pricing patterns and strategies that have spawned antitrust and related activity in the downstream petroleum industry. Brought under both federal and state laws, I discuss how legislators and courts have tried to deal with specific practices and argue that, in some cases, the laws (or the interpretation of those laws) can sometimes be counterproductive and actually harm competition. The practical consequence to downstream fuel sellers is that behavior which is perfectly pro-competitive and unilateral in nature still carries an unavoidable systematic risk of litigation. The first risk I discuss arises from parallel pricing. Well known in general and not illegal in itself, parallel behaviors still spawn substantial antitrust activity in the petroleum industry. I focus on two particular and unusual parallel pricing patterns specific to downstream petroleum that have caused recent international controversy. A second litigation risk sellers face arises from pricing too high in states with so-called “price-gouging” laws and a third risk arises from pricing too low in states with “Sales-Below-Cost” laws. Finally, a fourth litigation risk arises from the use of bundled discounts between fuel and non-fuel sales. Usually challenged under Sales-Below-Cost laws not well suited to address them, bundled discounting at the retail level has become an increasingly common pricing technique in the ongoing modernization of the downstream petroleum industry.

Coach McKeever: Unorthodox Leadership Lessons from the Pool

The case explores the remarkable rise of Coach Teri McKeever to the top of a sport traditionally dominated by male coaches. Her success is driven by an unorthodox leadership and motivational style that emphasizes a growth mindset of self-improvement. She is an influential innovator, mentor, and trailblazer who challenged long entrenched methods of training and overcame criticisms and setbacks to change the face of swim training today. This case examines McKeever's leadership philosophy and controversial motivational strategies that she uses to develop and sustain high-level performers. McKeever's leadership and motivational strategies can be applied to organizations today and managers can use similar tools to develop high-performing employees in their organizations.

Controversies in antiepidermal growth factor receptor therapy in metastatic colorectal cancer

The randomized first-line trials, including the CRYSTAL trial, the OPUS trial, and the PRIME trial, have demonstrated the significant efficacy of cetuximab or panitumumab in patients with v-Ki-ras2 Kirsten rat sarcoma viral oncogene homolog (KRAS) wild-type tumors. The addition of an antiepidermal growth factor receptor (anti-EGFR)-directed monoclonal antibody to chemotherapy for these patients significantly improved progression-free survival, response rates, and R0 resection rates to a greater extent than overall survival compared with patients who received chemotherapy alone. However, 2 recent randomized phase 3 trials, the MRC COIN trial and the Nordic VII trial, reported an unexpected lack of benefit from the addition of cetuximab to chemotherapy in the first-line setting. In addition, recent retrospective analyses performed on a pooled data set from major clinical trials added more complexity, reporting an unexpected association of KRAS G13D mutation with a better clinical outcome compared with patients who had other KRAS mutations in the first-line and salvage settings, whereas the other independent analysis failed to demonstrate a benefit from panitumumab in patients with the same KRAS G13D mutation. The anti-EGFR monoclonal antibody-associated skin toxicity and the controversial strategies of management also are discussed. In this review, the authors analyze the previous randomized clinical trials and more critically re-evaluate recent trials and subgroup analyses to derive 3 factors that need to be taken into consideration regarding the addition of EGFR-directed monoclonal antibodies to chemotherapy: the preclinical data on mechanisms of action between chemotherapy and anti-EGFR antibodies along with mechanisms of resistance to anti-EGFR antibodies, the role of cross-over events in overall survival data, and the significant dose reductions of chemotherapeutic agents when combined with anti-EGFR agents.

Moving science from the laboratory to the field

Novel technologies for public health applications are fostering analyses and inquiry of the roles of communities in research and what they can expect to receive in exchange for their participation. Community engagement activities addressing the results of these analyses are challenging for new scientific approaches, especially those based on controversial strategies and those in which some risks are poorly understood or determined. For many applications, no explicit body of community engagement knowledge exists from which researchers can derive guidance about approaches most likely to be effective in different contexts. Frameworks have been developed recently that provide starting points for broader discussions of community engagement in global health research, particularly as it relates to the development, evaluation, and application of new technologies. Experiences in a number of countries will be presented highlighting unique and common features, and lessons‐learned.

The Post-Interstate Era

This essay highlights key themes of the five essays that comprise this special issue of the Journal of Planning History on the post-Interstate Era. It outlines in broad strokes the role of highway engineers and politicians in planning and financing the Interstate Highway System. The Interstates had a positive impact on economic growth and automobility, yet citizens groups in many cities challenged route decisions that destroyed neighborhoods and damaged sensitive environments. By the early 1970s, when the Interstate System was mostly completed, Congress opened up the Highway Trust Fund for mass transit alternatives. However, our authors emphasize the persistence of conflict over transportation planning and policy. Construction of late-developing Interstate segments in cities such as St. Paul, Minnesota and Huntsville, Alabama revived the freeway revolt, but unsuccessfully. Highway planners and policy experts developed controversial new strategies for moving traffic, as in Boston’s “Big Dig,” or for creative transportation financing, as with the Chicago Skyway and the Pennsylvania Turnpike. By the end of the twentieth century, planners and politicians in some cities sought to reverse poor route decisions of an earlier era by tearing down elevated freeway segments most judged ugly, onerous, and unnecessary. In the twenty-first century, the engineers, planners, and politicians who control the Interstate Highway System face new challenges as the aging highway infrastructure requires rebuilding and retrofitting in an era of economic decline and political cost cutting.

Towards a framework for community engagement in global health research

New technologies for global public health are spurring critical evaluations of the role of communities in research and what they receive in exchange for their participation. Community engagement activities resulting from these evaluations are most challenging for novel scientific ventures, particularly those involving controversial strategies and those in which some risks are poorly understood or determined. Remarkably, there is no explicit body of community engagement knowledge to which researchers can turn for guidance about approaches that are most likely to be effective in different contexts, and why. We describe here a framework that provides a starting point for broader discussions of community engagement in global health research, particularly as it relates to the development, evaluation and application of new technologies.

Climate change impacts, conservation and protected values: Understanding promotion, ambivalence and resistance to policy change at the world conservation congress

The impacts of climate change imply substantive changes to current conservation policy frameworks. Debating and formulating the details of these changes was central to the agenda of the Fourth World Conservation Congress (WCC) of the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN). In this paper, we document the promotion of, and resistance to, various proposals related to revising conservation policy given climate impacts as they unfolded at this key policy-setting event. Our analysis finds that, during one-on-one interviews, many experts acknowledged the need for new policy means (including increased interventions) and revised policy objectives given anticipations of habitat and species loss. However, this same pattern and the implied willingness to consider more controversial strategies were less evident at public speaking events at the WCC. Rather, active avoidance of contentious topics was observed in public settings. This resulted in the reinforcement (not revision) of conventional policy means and objectives at this meeting. We suggest that this observation can at least partly be explained by the fact that the difficult trade-offs (species for species or land base for land base) implied by nascent proposals severely violate prevailing value-based conservation commitments and so understandable resistance to change is observed.

Adult Brachial Plexus Reconstruction with the Level of Injury: Review and Personal Experience

Adult brachial plexus reconstruction remains a dilemma to the reconstructive microsurgeon, especially when attempting to reconstruct cases of total root avulsion. A significant improvement in results has been achieved by a better understanding of various methods of reconstruction and prolonged postoperative rehabilitation. This study was based on review of the literature and personal experience with 819 patients operated on between 1986 and 2003. To better understand these improved results, the author classified patients into four levels of injury: level 1, preganglionic root; level 2, postganglionic spinal nerve; level 3, preclavicular and retroclavicular; and level 4, infraclavicular brachial plexus injury. Neurolysis, nerve repair, nerve graft, vascularized ulnar nerve graft, nerve transfer, and functioning free-muscle transplantation were used for early reconstructions. Tendon transfer, functional or functioning muscle transfer, arthrodesis, or orthotics were used for late palliative reconstructions. Results accomplished by means of different reconstructive strategies with different levels of injury are summarily listed. Personal opinions regarding the controversial strategies are discussed. Brachial plexus surgery, consisting of primary nerve and late palliative reconstruction, is now a worthy surgical pursuit that makes a useless limb useful.