Personal Considerations Research Articles

Working towards utopia: hope and disappointment in a room of one’s own

In this paper, three women writers offer a personal and critical consideration of the utopian ideal of a place to write – Woolf’s pervasive ‘room of one’s own’ (1977) – as both a physical location and a psychological and cultural ‘space’. In doing so, we draw on José Esteban Muñoz’s writing on (queer) utopia, particularly his observations about hope and disappointment as critical methodologies through which “a backward glance … enacts a future vision” (p. 4). We glance backwards to utopian ideals of a place in which to write and consider how and why such ideal places – solitary, uninterrupted, even beautiful – slip through the writer’s fingers. Again drawing from Muñoz, we consider the tension between hoping for a utopian writing place and disappointment at failing to construct, access, or regularly inhabit them. According to Muñoz, although hope is always eventually disappointed, “disappointment … is not a reason to forsake (hope) as a critical thought process” (p. 10). Crucially, then, while we consider the reasons for writerly disappointment with/in writing utopias, we return to hope as a powerful methodology for imagining utopian writing places – enacting future visions – and as a productive and enabling aspect of the writing process.

266 The shifting landscape of occupational health - personal protective equipment considerations

266 The shifting landscape of occupational health - personal protective equipment considerations

Construcțiile incidente cu funcție expresivă: analiză cantitativă pe momentele și schițele lui I.L. Caragiale

The present work is composed of two parts: a theoretical part, in which some critical and personal considerations on the incident constructions are exposed, and the second part represents a qualitative-quantitative approach to the moments and sketches of I.L. Caragiale. In the theoretical part, the aim is to present incident constructions, especially in relation to GALR, where a complex and up-to-date classification of them is made from a semantic-functional point of view, into: allocutive incident constructions, direct speech reporting constructions, metadiscursive incident constructions, incident constructions with the role of pragmatic connectors, incident constructions with expressive function, with conative function, and verbal automatisms. However, according to the three basic features of incidents, namely the representation of an additional syntactic structure, the lack of syntactic links to the underlying utterance, and the provision of information of the type comment, explanation or direct speech reporting, it can be seen that not all the categories listed above fall into the narrow class of incidents, which is why we hypothesised that those categories that do not exhibit all three defining features of incidents belong to paranthetic constructions, a superclass of incidents. After this theoretical presentation, I carried out a quantitative and qualitative analysis of the incident constructions with expressive function in Caragiale’s moments and sketches. The analysis was carried out manually and with the software Voyant Tool. From the category of incident expressive constructions, we first considered interjections and imprecations, as these are the most representatives for Caragiale’s work. As far as interjections are concerned, we made an inventory of them according to the number of occurrences, which showed that the most frequent interjections in Caragiale’s work are the interjections: a!, as!, ei! and uf!, followed by ah!, ei aș! o! aoleu! and ehei! Taking contexts and representative examples from Caragiale’s moments and sketches, we have analysed their semantic valences, highlighting the fact that interjections known positively in Caragiale’s work receive many more semantic nuances than those known negatively. Using concrete examples, the main semantic nuances identified were admiration, determination, disappointment, disapproval, dissimulation, exaltation, hesitation, anger, irritation, irony, melancholy, satisfaction, puzzlement, dissatisfaction, disbelief, fear, hope, surprise, suspicion, confusion, disappointment, indifference, irony, joy, boldness or even suffering. The semantic analysis of the interjections identified in Caragiale’s work was followed by a quantitative and qualitative analysis of the imprecations, which produced an impressive list of imprecations that suggest the linguistic inventiveness of the Romanian prose writer and support the orality of his style. Interestingly, most of the imprecations are found in the texts "Întârziere" and "Un pedagog de școală nouă", in the speech of a female character and a teacher, characters often associated with elevated language. Taken as a whole, all these incident expressive constructions, whether interjections or imprecations, are intended not only to emphasise the characters’ feelings, but are also evidence of their attitude and relationship to the world, to other characters and to society in general. Through the variety of semantic nuances they update and the multitude of forms identified in Caragiale’s texts, they acquire a central role in the articulation of the message and meanings.

Exploring Barriers and Facilitators to COVID-19 Vaccination in People Planning Pregnancy, Trying to Conceive, Pregnant, and Postpartum: A Mixed-Methods Study

Pregnant people are at higher risk of morbidity from COVID-19 infection, yet vaccine hesitancy remains prevalent. Our mixed-methods study utilised surveys and interviews to understand decision-making regarding COVID-19 vaccination surrounding pregnancy. The most trusted source of information was health care providers. Five themes relating to vaccination barriers and facilitators were identified: (1) COVID-19 vaccine-related policies; (2) pregnancy-specific considerations; (3) barriers, facilitators, and influencers to vaccination; (4) vaccination decisions based on personal health considerations; (5) attitudes toward COVID-19 and other vaccines. Our study underscores the importance of receiving high-quality information from a trusted source to increase vaccination.

Undergraduate students' choices around community service and internship: A single faculty study.

The Internship and Community Service Programme (ICSP) places newly graduated health professionals for a compulsory training period. Universities adopt multiple strategies to encourage students to select rural placements for ICSP. This study describes ICSP choices among final-year MBChB and Health and Rehabilitation Science students at a South African university and the factors influencing their decisions. A cross-sectional qualitative descriptive study was conducted using a self-developed online questionnaire. Eighty-five final-year students were recruited. Most respondents (n = 38, 45.8%) chose the Western Cape (WC) as their first choice placement. There was a significant difference between MBChB and other health science students' choice of level of healthcare (χ = 10.39, p = 0.006), with MBChB less likely to choose primary healthcare (PHC) level placements. District and tertiary care options were perceived as better sites for learning and practice, while PHC and rural sites, considered underresourced and understaffed, were avoided. Although MBChB students indicated a lower preference for rural placements, this was not significant.Factors influencing ICSP application decisions included professional support, work environment, and social and personal considerations. Students' placement choices were based on their perceptions of clinical exposure, learning opportunities, mentorship and supervision. Placements closer to home were preferred. UG clinical exposure and rural background seem to have some impact on choice but need further investigation. Universities should continue to explore ways to improve students' readiness for practice in underresourced settings. Improved exposure to rural and PHC sites during training could encourage better uptake during ICSP placement.

Indonesian Women and Terrorism: An Analysis of Historical and Contemporary Trends

From 2016 to 2021, women attempted to or perpetrated suicide attacks in Indonesia. These attacks were committed by them as individuals or in family units, who were affiliated to the Islamic State. These incidents marked the first occurrence of suicide attacks carried out by women in Indonesia. Current scholarship and policy analysis of female terrorism attributed to the Islamic State or proxy groups is still catching up with the implications of trends emerging from women’s actions as suicide attackers in Indonesia and worldwide. Primarily, scholarly and policy analyses of female terrorism focus on the individual woman engaged in violence, whereas women who support terrorist groups—as ideologues, wives, and online activists—are given a secondary analytical focus. This creates conceptual limitations in understanding women’s pathways to violence, which can encompass violent and supportive roles within the social world in which they operate. Using Indonesia as a case study, this article advances a framework to account for the mobilisation of different identities to commit violence across personal and political linkages. In examining historical and current developments in Indonesia, this article illustrates that women as supporters or actors of violence, while largely conforming to traditional gender ideology and roles, are driven by both personal and political considerations. <br /><p> </p>

Attitudes Toward the Uptake of Combination HIV Prevention Methods Among Young Black and Latino Heterosexual Couples Living in New York City: A Qualitative Study.

Couple-based HIV interventions that increase uptake of two or more effective biomedical HIV prevention methods may be a promising HIV prevention strategy for young Black and Latino heterosexual couples. We conducted in-depth, semi-structured individual interviews with 23 Black and Latino adolescent and young adult heterosexual couples that explored their attitudes toward using combination HIV prevention methods (CHPMs). A qualitative hybrid thematic analysis approach was used to identify key themes. Themes included: (a) attitudes that encouraged uptake-CHPMs increased assurance of safety against HIV/sexually transmitted infections and (b) attitudes that impeded uptake-CHPMs are too much to do and are not appropriate for serious relationships. Although Black and Latino adolescents and young adults may recognize the combined protective benefits of using multiple HIV prevention methods, personal and relational considerations play an instrumental role in uptake of CHPMs.

Enabling privacy-preserving medication analysis in distributed EHR systems

The digitalization of the medical field has resulted in a vast amount of medical data stored in Electronic Health Record (EHR) systems. Among the various valuable applications of EHRs, medication efficacy analysis stands out as a powerful tool for drug development and enhancing patient treatment. This analysis relies on multi-dimensional medical data, encompassing various factors. Currently, medical research is increasingly inclined towards inter-institutional sharing of medical data to enhance the accuracy and reliability of analysis results. However, due to the sensitivity of personal medical data, privacy and security considerations must be taken into account when conducting medical analyses across institutions. In this paper, we present a novel privacy-preserving scheme for distributed medication efficacy analysis. Our work allows for the analysis of multi-dimensional medical data by leveraging the private set intersection protocol and the Paillier cryptosystem. To validate the feasibility of our scheme, we implement it using some real medical datasets. Experimental results demonstrate that our approach offers enhanced security and lower computational and communication overhead compared to the original approach, which solely processes single-dimensional data at a time.

Contemporary Strategies of Sonic Agency

As an institutional resident at the International Studio and Curatorial Program (ISCP) in New York City, Mateo Galindo of Atomic Culture curated an exhibition of nine artists whose work is at the forefront of a new current in the art world, particularly with their engagements of sound. Wave Phenomena: Contemporary Strategies of Sonic Agency was on view from September 2023 to January 2024; it examined the use of sound as a catalyst for personal, political, spiritual, and environmental considerations. Michele Thursz invited Galindo to select a few artists from the exhibition and engage them in a conversation about sonic agency. He chose three artists: the founder of Black Monument Ensemble, artist and educator Damon Locks; Lakota artist and PhD Suzanne Kite; and Pawnee/Crow and Tulsa Artist Fellow Warren Realrider. These intimate conversations touch on the artists’ life experiences and how these moments affect their art.

Tokenized but remaining: how do international academics make sense of their decision to remain in Japanese universities?

AbstractDespite challenging and uncertain circumstances and the perception of being tokenized symbols in Japanese universities, the majority of international academics are more inclined to remain in their affiliations. The study intends to elucidate how international academics make sense of their decision to remain in Japanese universities. The data are from a qualitative dataset examining the integration experiences of international academics in Japan. Following the philosophical foundations of purposive sampling in interpretative phenomenological analysis (IPA), which was applied as a methodological framework, the study recruited a total of 30 participants. The study reveals varied sensemaking strategies among the interviewees, characterized as survivors, pragmatists, and ambitionists. Survivors refer to those who were compelled to remain in their current affiliations often due to constraints related to their academic roles or age restrictions. Pragmatists prioritize the practical benefits of their positions or affiliations, deriving from professional aspects, sociocultural dimensions, and personal considerations. Ambitionist academics generally view experiences in their current affiliations as a stepping stone toward future professional opportunities elsewhere. The study suggests that insufficient dedication to recruiting and retaining international academics may pose potential long-term risks for Japanese higher education institutions (HEIs) in the global academic sphere, affecting their internationally competitive standing and resilience in an evolving academic landscape. The study provides theoretical and practical implications to researchers, university administrators, and policymakers.

How can Women Working in Mining Achieve a Flourishing Life

Mining is a high-risk field of work, especially for women. A work environment that is prone to accidents is the basis for the application of strict work rules. This risk causes concern and has an impact on the individual’s process of achieving a flourishing life. Although, individual personality considerations also play a role in achieving flourishing. This study aims to determine the relationship between the big five personalities and development. This research is nonexperimental quantitative research with a correlational approach. The research respondents were 32 female employees who worked in the mining company. The age of the respondents was in the range of 20–54 years. The majority of respondents had a bachelor’s degree. As many as 68.75% of employees work in the office and 31.25% work in the field. The scale used is the Ten-Item Personality Inventory (TIPI) and the Flourishing Scale (FS). The analysis was performed with multiple linear regression. The results showed that big five personalities simultaneously does not affect flourishing (R = 0.515; P > 0.05). However, partially agreeableness and conscientiousness influence flourishing (R = 0.493; P < 0.05). That is, women who work in mining with agreeableness and conscientiousness tend to flourish more easily than extraversion, emotional stability, and openness to experience. However, the personalities of the big five were not an important consideration in achieveing a flourish life for women who work in mining company.
 Keywords: big five personalities, flourishing, mining female employees

Ophthalmic implications of biological threat agents according to the chemical, biological, radiological, nuclear, and explosives framework.

As technology continues to evolve, the possibility for a wide range of dangers to people, organizations, and countries escalate globally. The United States federal government classifies types of threats with the capability of inflicting mass casualties and societal disruption as Chemical, Biological, Radiological, Nuclear, and Energetics/Explosives (CBRNE). Such incidents encompass accidental and intentional events ranging from weapons of mass destruction and bioterrorism to fires or spills involving hazardous or radiologic material. All of these have the capacity to inflict death or severe physical, neurological, and/or sensorial disabilities if injuries are not diagnosed and treated in a timely manner. Ophthalmic injury can provide important insight into understanding and treating patients impacted by CBRNE agents; however, improper ophthalmic management can result in suboptimal patient outcomes. This review specifically addresses the biological agents the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) deems to have the greatest capacity for bioterrorism. CBRNE biological agents, encompassing pathogens and organic toxins, are further subdivided into categories A, B, and C according to their national security threat level. In our compendium of these biological agents, we address their respective CDC category, systemic and ophthalmic manifestations, route of transmission and personal protective equipment considerations as well as pertinent vaccination and treatment guidelines.

Patient partner perspectives on compensation: Insights from the Canadian Patient Partner Survey.

There is a growing role for patients, family members and caregivers as consultants, collaboratorsand partners in health system settings in Canada. However, compensation for this role is not systematized. When offered, it varies in both type (e.g., one-time honorarium, salary) and amount. Further, broad-based views of patient partners on compensation are still unknown. We aimed to describe the types and frequency of compensation patient partners have been offered and their attitudes towards compensation. This study uses data from the Canadian Patient Partner Study (CPPS) survey. The survey gathered the experiences and perspectives of those who self-identified as patient partners working across the Canadian health system. Three questions were about compensation, asking what types of compensation participants had been offered, if they had ever refused compensation, and whether they felt adequately compensated. The latter two questions included open-text comments in addition to menu-based and scaled response options. Basic frequencies were performed for all questions and open-text comments were analyzed through inductive qualitative content analysis. A total of 603 individuals participated in the CPPS survey. Most respondents were never or rarely offered salary (81%), honorarium (64%), gift cards (80%)or material gifts (93%) while half were offered conference registration and expenses at least sometimes. A total of 129 (26%) of 499 respondents reported refusing compensation. Of 511 respondents, half felt adequately compensated always or often, and half only sometimes, rarelyor never. Open-text comments revealed positive, ambivalentand negative attitudes towards compensation. Attitudes were framed by perceptions about their role, sentiments of giving back to the health system, feelings of acknowledgement, practical considerations, values of fairness and equityand accountability relationships. Our findings confirm that compensation is not standardized in Canada. Half of survey respondents routinely feel inadequately compensated. Patient partners have diverse views of what constitutes adequate compensation inclusive of personal considerations such as a preference for volunteering, and broader concerns such as promoting equity in patient partnership. Organizations should attempt to ensure that compensation practices are clear, transparentand attentive to patient partners'unique contexts. Two patient partners are members of the CPPS research team and have been fully engaged in all study phases from project conception to knowledge translation. They are co-authors of this manuscript. The survey was co-designed and pilot tested with patient partners and survey participants were patient partners.

A Cross-Cultural Examination of Blatant and Subtle Dehumanization of Autistic People.

This cross-cultural study examined various domains of dehumanization, including both blatant (viewing autistic people as animal-like, child-like, or machine-like) and subtle (denying agency and experience capabilities) dehumanization, of autistic individuals by Koreans and Americans. A total of 404 Koreans and 229 Americans participated in an online survey, assessing blatant and subtle dehumanization, knowledge about autism, stigma toward and contact with autistic people, cultural factors, and demographic information. Robust linear mixed-effects regressions were conducted to examine the impact of the target group (autistic vs. non-autistic) and the country (South Korea vs. the US) on dehumanization. Additionally, correlations and multiple regressions were employed to identify individual variables associated with dehumanization. Both Koreans and Americans exhibited more dehumanizing attitudes towards autistic individuals than non-autistic individuals across all domains. Koreans showed greater dehumanization of autistic individuals than Americans in all domains except for the machine-like domain. Stigma toward autistic people was associated with all dehumanization domains among Koreans and with some of the domains among Americans. Individual variables associated with dehumanization varied across countries and domains. Positive contact quality frequently predicted lower dehumanization in both cultures. Non-autistic individuals consistently rated autistic people as less human than non-autistic people. Future research examining how autistic characteristics or societal perceptions that influence the consideration of an autistic person's humanness vary across cultures is needed. Implementing interventions aimed at enhancing non-autistic people's understanding of autistic individuals' agency and experience capabilities and promoting high-quality contact opportunities with autistic individuals may help reduce dehumanizing attitudes.

Experiences of cancer survivors returning to work decision-making: a meta-synthesis of qualitative studies.

Return to work for cancer survivors (CSs) may be challenging, and there is a research gap in integrating the relevant experiences of the return-to-work decision-making process for CSs. Our aim was to synthesize existing qualitative research that integrates the dynamic experiences of CSs in the return-to-work decision-making process and highlights the factors influencing the return-to-work decisions of CSs. We retrieved qualitative studies on a relevant theme published in the PubMed, EBSCO, Scopus, Web of Science, Cochrane Library, and CINAHL databases since construction to December 2023. Literature screening, quality evaluation, and data analysis followed the PRISMA, Joanna Briggs Institute Critical Appraisal Tool (2016), and thematic analysis methods to ensure study reliability. The study was registered on PROSPERO (registration number: CRD42023429623). Ten articles were included, and six key outcomes were identified based on Social Cognitive Career Theory (SCCT) integration: points of concern for individuals, sense of self-efficacy, outcome expectations, work perception and belonging, medical advice and guidance, and effects of the external reactions. The decision-making process for CSs to return to work is affected by various personal and external factors. Effectively addressing personal appearance, financial, and emotional issues can enhance self-efficacy of CSs. Improving external perceptions of cancer patients and enhancing social support in the workplace and medical settings can help CSs make informed decisions regarding their return to work. The decision of CSs to return to work is a result of integrating personal, job, and medical care considerations. These findings contribute to the development of future interventions for CSs' return-to-work decisions that target an array of potential factors.

Pre-exposure prophylaxis of non-HIV viral infections and the role of long-acting antivirals.

Viruses cause a large burden of human infectious diseases. During the past 50 years, antivirals have been developed to treat many pathogenic viruses, including herpesviruses, retroviruses, hepatitis viruses, and influenza. Besides being used as treatment, antivirals have shown efficacy for preventing certain viral infections. Following the success in the HIV field, a renewed interest has emerged on the use of antivirals as prophylaxis for other viruses. The development of formulations with extended half-life has pushed further this consideration in persons at risk for a wide range of viral infections. In this way, long-acting antivirals might behave as "chemovaccines" when classical vaccines do not exist, cannot be recommended, immune responses are suboptimal, escape mutants emerge, and/or immunity wanes. Five main caveats would temper its use, namely, selection of drug resistance, drug interactions, short- and long-term side effects, potential teratogenicity in women of child-bearing age, and high cost. Herein, we discuss the prospects for long-acting antivirals as prophylaxis of human viral infections other than HIV.

Individual Consideration Practices of Principals on Teachers Integrating Information Communication Technology in Public Secondary Schools in Kenya

Leadership behavior is one of the issues that has received a lot of attention internationally, particularly the personal considerations of a transformative leader. A teacher’s confidence grows under the supervision of a good leader who can handle particular requirements, including a lack of ICT competency and the availability of additional technologies. This study sought to determine the extent to which Principals’ individual considerations practices influence teachers’ adoption of technology in classroom instruction. The present inquiry adopted a mixed method approach built on an explanatory sequential design. Data was collected from 62 principals and 186 teachers using interviews and questionnaires. from public secondary schools in Kakamega county Expert judgment was used to validate the instrument, obtaining a Cronbach coefficient Alpha index of 0.75, while the test-retest method was used to determine the reliability of the research instruments. Quantitative data were analyzed using frequencies, percentages, and Pearson correlations. In contrast, qualitative data were examined by grouping common themes and characterizing participants’ ideas and viewpoints. The findings revealed a significant relationship between principals’ individual consideration and the integration of ICT in teaching and learning (r (108) = 0.584, p<0.001) meaning encouraging the practice of individual consideration would increase use of ICT in Instructions. This paper recommends that principals must prioritize the unique demands of teachers. This will inspire and instill trust in teachers on the utilization of technology.

Why do Chinese High School Graduates Choose Sino-Foreign Cooperative Universities? A Grounded Theory Approach

Sino-foreign cooperative universities (SFCU) represent the advanced manifestation of transnational education in China and has profoundly shaped the country’s higher education landscape. Despite the tremendous development of SFCUs, there is limited research on the motivations and driving factors of students choosing to study at SFCUs. To bridge this research gap, this study employs the grounded theory approach to examine why Chinese high school graduates choose SFCUs as study destinations. This study reveals that Chinese students’ choice of SFCUs results from personal considerations, institution-level characteristics, and social contexts. A theoretical framework is further proposed to better understand Chinese students’ motivations behind their choice to SFCUs. We also draw theoretical contributions on students’ mobility and marketing strategies that attract Chinese students to study at SFCUs with the findings.

Starting Anew: Lived Experience of Remarriage in Filipino Older Persons

Remarriage among older adults is another transition and life decision that entails personal, familial, social, societal and psychological considerations. Second marriage is an odyssey in which less can traverse; an opportunity in which a few can understand its very essence. The purpose of this study is aimed to explore on the lived experiences of Filipino older persons who remarry. This study utilized a descriptive phenological approach. Emerged from the study are 3 major themes that highlighted the journey of older adults who remarried, namely: (1) Misery, Loneliness and Acceptance; (2) Apprehension and Acknowledgment; and, (3) Reconnecting and Moving Forward. Remarriage among older adults in the Philippine context is very unlikely, and different perspectives on this phenomenon arises that are leaning on the unfavorable side of marriage. In the course of the study, it was revealed that more than the unfavorable speculations about older adults who remarry, is a beautiful story in each of the participants that brings another phase of the phenomenon of remarriage among older adults. With the context of remarriage among older adults in the Philippines is of a conservative perspective, it was realized that the phenomenon of remarriage among older adults is the country is occurring and is never to be looked with much negativities. It should be acknowledged and supported as things brings a sense of life satisfaction and fulfillment among these older adults.

Exploring the Potential Link between Aluminum-Containing Deodorants/Antiperspirants and Breast Cancer: A Comprehensive Review.

The potential association between aluminum-containing deodorants/antiperspirants and breast cancer has been investigated and debated. This paper comprehensively analyzes existing literature to examine the evidence and provide insights into this relationship. This comprehensive review discusses aspects related to the absorption and distribution of aluminum compounds, its effects on the induction of oxidative stress, the estrogenic activity of aluminum, and potential disruption of hormonal pathways, and the potential role in breast cancer induction. Currently, available research, consisting of epidemiological studies as well as clinical trials, together with meta-analyses and previously published reviews conducted on identifying the relationship between aluminum-containing deodorants/antiperspirants and the risk of breast cancer were also analyzed and discussed. Societal factors, personal hygiene considerations, and lifestyle changes contribute to the increased usage of antiperspirants, but they do not establish a direct causal connection with breast cancer. Further research employing larger-scale studies and rigorous methodologies must validate the existing findings and explore the underlying mechanisms involved. Continued multidisciplinary research efforts and collaboration between researchers, regulatory bodies, and public health authorities are vital to developing a more definitive understanding of this complex topic.