Set Of Predetermined Criteria Research Articles

High-Throughput screening of metal nitrides for electrochemical nitrogen reduction

Metal nitrides have garnered considerable attention in the context of nitrogen reduction reactions (NRR) due to their rich lattice nitrogen and abundant nitrogen vacancies to activate N2. However, the identification of suitable metal nitrides with superior stability, activity, and selectivity (vs. hydrogen evolution reaction, HER) for electrochemical NRR under rigorous isotope labeling experiments remains a perplexing challenge in experiments. In this study, we implemented a systematic screening protocol to assess the electrochemical stability and efficiency of various metal nitrides for NRR by high-throughput density functional theory calculations, aiming to search out promising metal nitride catalysts. Through a set of predetermined criteria, a subset of 6 candidates emerges as the most promising metal nitrides for NRR from a pool of 668 metal nitrides sourced from the Materials Project Database, all of which catalyze NRR following the Mars-van Krevelen pathway. Importantly, based on the analysis of these candidates, the unique structural property (i.e., four(or three)-coordinate lattice nitrogen) and energy descriptor (i.e., the formation energy of the lattice nitrogen vacancy is around 2.1 eV) of potential metal nitrides for electrochemical NRR were extracted, which could be used as the direction to rationally design metal nitride catalyst. This research not only serves as a valuable guide for experimental investigations into potential metal nitrides for NRR, but also provides an efficient method for high-throughput screening of potential catalysts for other electrochemical reactions.

A Qualitative Research on Being an Author, Reviewer and Editor in the Scholarly Publication Process

This study aims to reveal the essence a group of health sciences academics’ experience in producing scholarly publications.
 In this study conducted with the qualitative phenomenological approach, a set of predetermined criteria were used to select the participants for inclusion in the study group. Thus, the criterion-based sampling method, one of the purposive sampling methods, was used in this study. A semi-structured interview form prepared by the researchers was used as a data collection tool. In addition, in-depth interviews were conducted with the participants. Upon observing data saturation, the data collection process was ended. 12 academics were included in this study. After the interview records were transcribed by the researchers, they were all transferred to the MAXQDA 2022 program, through which coding and thematic analyses were performed.
 Regarding the scholarly publication process, the themes titled as "authoring", "peer reviewing", "editing",n"publication ethics", "dissatisfaction," and "suggestions" emerged in the analysis of the data. 
 The results obtained in this research render academics’ experiences in the publication processes visible. Thus, it enables publication integrity assessment by focusing on the three important agents of the scholarly publication process: the author, reviewer, and the editor. 
 Reviewing the related literature revealed very few studies on publication processes of health sciences academics’. Discussing and revealing the experiences of academics related to the publication process is necessary to increase the transparency and quality of this process. Thus, this study can serve as a guide for future studies.

P210: The impact of interventions on undergraduate healthcare student empathy towards older adults and people with dementia; a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Background:Empathy is a core characteristic expected from all healthcare professionals. Higher empathy is associated with reduced burnout, greater job satisfaction, and better patient outcomes. However, there are inequalities in care provided to older adults and people with dementia. Several reports have highlighted that, too often, care lacking in empathy is provided to older populations. The healthcare workforce needs to have the skills and attitudes to provide high-quality care that incorporates empathy. Therefore, appropriate education needs to be provided at undergraduate level to enhance empathy. To understand how empathy can be enhanced towards older adults and people with dementia, a systematic review and meta-analysis were completed.Objective:The objectives of this systematic review and meta-analysis were: To identify what educational interventions were used to enhance empathy in healthcare students towards older adults and people with dementia,To identify what instruments were used to measure empathy change,To determine the efficacy of interventions on empathy.Methods:A systematic literature search was completed in March 2021 using five electronic databases, grey literature, and snowball approaches. Studies were assessed by two independent reviewers using a pre-determined set of criteria. A narrative synthesis was completed, data was grouped and tabulated, and a random-effects meta-analysis was completed on eligible studies.Results:Of 1,937 studies, 25 studies of moderate quality evaluated interventions that targeted empathy towards aging (n=20) and dementia (n=5). Three types of interventions were used: simulation, intergenerational contact, and mixed approaches, and most (84%) reported positive empathy change post-intervention. Empathy was measured most frequently using generic, self-administered instruments. Meta-analysis of studies (n=9) showed a small, but significant effect on empathy change; however, heterogeneity was high.Conclusion:The evidence suggests that interventions can enhance empathy in undergraduate healthcare students towards older adults. However, few studies reviewed empathy towards dementia and the impact of interventions, therefore further research is needed.

Piloting patient-reported outcome measures for evaluation of the Irish Chronic Disease Programme

Abstract Background The Irish National Integrated Care Programme for Chronic Disease (ICPCD) aims to deliver end-to-end, patient-centred care across three clinical programmes; Heart, Respiratory and Diabetes. Patient-reported outcome measures (PROMs) are a means of objectively measuring changes in patients’ subjectively-perceived health status over time in response to services. As such, PROMs facilitate service monitoring and evaluation and are an important tool for the ICPCD to ensure optimal, patient-centred, value-based healthcare delivery. Methods To select the most appropriate PROMs instrument for use across ICPCD, comprehensive literature review was undertaken followed by key stakeholder consultation in winter 2022. Following consideration against a set of pre-determined criteria the EQ-5D-5L, a well-validated, reliable PROMs instrument, was selected as the most appropriate PROMs instrument for use. Study design involved pilot implementation of EQ-5D-5L in one ICPCD ambulatory care hub service followed by mixed methods evaluation of staff experience of the pilot. Results The pilot was conducted from April to June 2023 among a socio-demographically diverse sample of patients attending their first and last episode of care with the ICPCD diabetic patient education service in Galway. Following service attendance there was a significant aggregate improvement in self-reported overall health rating but no significant change in self-reported mobility, self-care, usual activities, pain/discomfort or anxiety/depression. Predominant staff concerns included staff and patient burden and the need for adequate staff resourcing and information technology support. Conclusions In conjunction with key national stakeholders findings from the pilot will be used to support the development of a PROMs implementation plan at scale for adoption across all ICPCD services. Ultimately national implementation will support the ongoing delivery of high quality patient-centred care within ICPCD services. Key messages • PROMs facilitate service evaluation and are an important tool for the Irish National Integrated Care Programme for Chronic Disease (ICPCD) to ensure optimal patient-centred healthcare delivery. • This pilot will support PROMs implementation at scale across ICPCD services and ultimately reinforce the ongoing delivery of high-quality, value-based, integrated healthcare.

Formal evaluation of construction safety performance metrics and a case for a balanced approach

Introduction: Measuring safety performance is crucial to making informed decisions that improve construction safety management. Traditional approaches to construction safety performance measurement primarily focus on injury and fatality rates, but researchers have recently proposed and tested alternative metrics such as safety leading indicators and safety climate assessments. Although researchers tend to extol the benefits of alternative metrics, they are studied in isolation and the potential weaknesses are rarely discussed, leaving a critical gap in knowledge. Method: To address this limitation, this study aimed to evaluate existing safety performance against a set of pre-determined criteria and explore how multiple metrics may be used together to optimize strengths and offset weaknesses. For a well-rounded evaluation, the study included three evidence-based assessment criteria (i.e., the extent to which the metric is predictive, objective, and valid) and three subjective criteria (i.e., the extent to which each metric is clear, functional, and important). The evidence-based criteria were evaluated using a structured review of existing empirical evidence in literature, while the subjective criteria were evaluated using expert opinion solicited through the Delphi method. Results: The results revealed that no construction safety performance measurement metric is strong in all evaluation criteria, but many weaknesses may be addressed through research and development. It was also demonstrated that combining multiple complementary metrics may result in a more complete evaluation of the safety systems because multiple metrics offset respective strengths and weaknesses. Practical Applications: The study provides a holistic understanding of construction safety measurement that may guide safety professionals in their selection of metrics and assist researchers who seek more reliable dependent variables for intervention testing and safety performance trending.

Multicriteria assessment of landscape architecture projects: the sustainability perspective

Cities are implementing numerous projects for improving their urban landscapes. The quality of planned landscape interventions is critical for the users and that depends on proper assessment of the projects. After theoretical and empirical research, the paper proposes the framework for quality assessment of landscape architecture projects in relation to sustainability principles. By using the set of pre-determined criteria and relevant indicators the paper offers triple-level multicriteria decision-making tool for assessing the projects aiming at refurbishing, regenerating or conserving the existing parks and gardens, urban open spaces, cultural landscapes and urban infrastructure landscapes by the professional experts. The results of assessing the urban open space refurbishment projects have demonstrated that the proposed solution is fit for setting the participatory quality assessment platform with involvement of stakeholders for comparing the proposals, identifying theiradvances and shortages, also figuring out the dominating design trends. The results suggest that each phase of project development has a significant impact on the quality of the process and the overall assessment result.Authors and clients should pay special attention to landscape perception values.

The effects of visual sustainability labels on consumer perception and behavior: A systematic review of the empirical literature

Demand-side mitigation solutions such as changing peoples' consumption behaviors can substantially help limit climate change (IPCC, 2022). Labelling schemes are a promising tool to promote more sustainable consumption behavior by reliably informing the consumers about the performance of a product regarding a range of environmental, ethical, or social aspects. However, labelling has been conceptualized in different ways, approached from various disciplinary backgrounds, examined through diverse research designs, and tested across manifold product categories and contexts. The present research synthesizes the dispersed empirical evidence on the effects of visual sustainability labels on consumer perception and behavior by systematically reviewing the literature. In a two-step screening process, a set of predetermined criteria was used to ultimately identify 26 eligible studies. We narratively and quantitatively synthesized the empirical findings. Our aggregated findings suggest that labels do have positive effects on psychological and behavioral outcome variables. In addition, we identify a number of important moderating variables that can be categorized as individual factors of the consumers, as context factors in the purchase situation, and as factors inherent in the label itself. However, the reviewed body of literature reveals deficiencies in studying interactions of labels and external factors and in studying actual behavior change in field settings. Based on these insights gained from the systematic review, we propose avenues for advancements in the field of research and highlight implications for promoting sustainable consumer behavior.

Croton macrostachyus (Hochst. ex Delile) and Triticum aestivum yield interface in a parkland agroforestry system

An understanding of the nature of tree and crop interactions should provide an important step for improving and designing new agroforestry systems. This study was intended to investigate the effect of Croton macrostachyus (Hochst. ex Delile), which is a common deciduous tree grown scattered on the fields of midland northwestern Ethiopia on wheat (Triticum aestivum) yield and yield components. The experiment was laid out in factorial arrangements with a randomized complete block design. Four blocks having four trees each were selected with the set of predetermined criteria. Data were collected from the four positions centering at the tree trunk. At each tree, plots of 1m x 1m centered at each radial distance (at 1.5m, 3m, 6m and 15m) from the tree trunk were laid and measurements on crop yield and yield attributing components were taken. Consequently, grain yield (p<0.005) and yield attributing characteristics such as effective tiller number (p<0.005), filled grain per spike, thousand seed weight (p<0.01), and harvest index p < 0.01 were significantly affected by the radial distances from the tree trunk. Effective tiller number , thousand seed weight , seed number per spike , and grain yield at 1.5m were found to be significantly lower compared to what is found at 6.0 and 15.0m distance from the tree trunk. However, yield components such as plant height, seed number per spike, and total biomass yield were not significantly affected due to the distance of wheat planting from the Croton macrostachyus (Hochst. ex Delile). Triticum aestivum does perform well near the edge and outside the canopy up to a six-meter distance. It was also observed that the grain yield had a significant and positive association with effective tiller number (R2=0.8**), plant height (R2=0.51*), seed number per spike (R2=0.54**), and total biomass yield (R2=0.52*). These implied that a deliberate integration and intensive management of Croton macrostachyus (Hochst. ex Delile) tree and wheat (Triticum aestivum) in the agricultural system is vital for obtaining the desired optimum benefit from the practice. Therefore, the integration of croton macrostachyus with wheat in parkland agroforestry should be promoted with effective tree crown management to reduce crop shading, particularly near the tree where the shading effect is high.

A Review on Telepharmacy Services during Covid-19 Pandemic in ASEAN Countries

This scoping review's goal is to provide an overview of how telepharmacy was used during the COVID-19 epidemic. Four topics will be addressed in this review: (1) What various telepharmacy activities were implemented during the COVID-19 pandemic? (2) What difficulties did the implementation of telehealth programs encounter? What were pharmacies' (3) tactics for overcoming difficulties, and what were some of their creative approaches to putting telepharmacy into practice? Using the PubMed Central database and Google searches, a literature search was done to find articles about the deployment of telepharmacy that were published after March 2020. A set of predetermined criteria were used to determine whether or not to include or exclude each article. Virtual consultations, medication delivery to patients' homes, and patient education were the telepharmacy programs that were most frequently seen. Major obstacles to the deployment of telepharmacy included limited access to technology, lack of digital access, and low levels of digital literacy. This study aims to make people aware of the existence of telepharmacy, how it works, and how it is relevant during the COVID-19 pandemic in the ASEAN countries, where telepharmacy makes healthcare services more easily attainable to people in remote communities which should beneficial to people with comorbidities, especially in elderly people.

The Changing Role of Women from the mid-19th Century to the Present Day: an Analysis of German History Textbooks from a Gender Perspective

The article presents the findings of a study that conducted a content analysis of German history textbooks for upper secondary schools, investigating gender aspects of the educational content. The analysis focused primarily on the presentation of the historical evolution of women’s roles from the mid-19th century to the present day. The study draws on previous research of history teaching materials comparing the content of history textbooks in Austria, Britain, France, Germany and Switzerland. The methodology is anchored in recent literature, and includes a qualitative analysis based on a set of predetermined criteria. The findings of the analysis indicate that German textbooks devote substantial coverage to the history of women’s emancipation; the textbooks contain separate chapters focusing on the gender dimension, including the struggle for women’s suffrage, women’s war efforts during the two world wars, the status of women in the Weimar Republic, Nazi Germany and post-1945, and questions of everyday life. The didactic elements of the texts are also well-elaborated (methodological passages, the use of didactic media, interpretation of historical sources, project-based teaching).&#x0D; &#x0D;

Toxicological priority index framework for prioritizing pesticide products into human exposure and health risk assessments

Pesticide exposure assessment in humans involves selecting a set of representative products, performing a detailed examination of all the label permitted uses, and developing relevant exposure scenarios. Due to the potentially large number of pesticide application methods and use sites involved, this process is time-consuming and often requires professional, but subjective, judgment to triage the information. In this proof-of-concept study, an objective method was developed to systematically rank pesticide products for human exposure assessment based on a set of pre-determined criteria. Information employed in this study was obtained from an open access database for 66 cyfluthrin or β-cyfluthrin containing products. Exposure characterization of these pesticide products is based on five normalized product profile indices designed to capture the exposure potential of products, within known exposure settings, through activities exhibited by different population subgroups. Based on the five normalized indices, Toxicity Priority Index (ToxPi) software was used to visually rank the exposure potential of the cyfluthrin/β-cyfluthrin containing products. The ToxPi-based toxicity predictions were assessed using Pesticide Illness Surveillance Program database. The utility of the methodology was discussed in terms of ranking exposure potential of new pesticide products, assisting with future exposure mitigations and applications to pesticides with a common mode-of-action.

Potential Scenarios and Hazards in the Work of the Future: A Systematic Review of the Peer-Reviewed and Gray Literatures.

It would be useful for researchers, practitioners, and decision-makers to anticipate the hazards that workers will face in the future. The focus of this study is a systematic review of published information to identify and characterize scenarios and hazards in the future of work. Eleven bibliographic databases were systematically searched for papers and reports published from 1999 to 2019 that described future of work scenarios or identified future work-related hazards. To compile a comprehensive collection of views of the future, supplemental and ad hoc searches were also performed. After screening all search records against a set of predetermined criteria, the review yielded 36 references (17 peer-reviewed, 4 gray, and 15 supplemental) containing scenarios. In these, the future of work was described along multiple conceptual axes (e.g. labor market changes, societal values, and manual versus cognitive work). Technology was identified as the primary driver of the future of work in most scenarios, and there were divergent views in the literature as to whether technology will create more or fewer jobs than it displaces. Workforce demographics, globalization, climate change, economic conditions, and urbanization were also mentioned as influential factors. Other important themes included human enhancement, social isolation, loneliness, worker monitoring, advanced manufacturing, hazardous exposures, sustainability, biotechnology, and synthetic biology. Pandemics have not been widely considered in the future of work literature, but the recent COVID-19 pandemic illustrates that was short-sighted. Pandemics may accelerate future of work trends and merit critical consideration in scenario development. Many scenarios described ‘new’ or ‘exacerbated’ psychosocial hazards of work, whereas comparatively fewer discussed physical, chemical, or biological hazards. Various preventive recommendations were identified. In particular, reducing stress associated with precarious work and its requirements of continual skill preparation and training was acknowledged as critical for protecting and promoting the health and well-being of the future workforce. In conclusion, the future of work will be comprised of diverse complex scenarios and a mosaic of old and new hazards. These findings may serve as the basis for considering how to shape the future of work.

YouTube as a Source of Information and Education on Hysterectomy.

BackgroundGlobally, YouTube is one of the most popular websites, and the content is not restricted to entertainment. The purpose of this study was to assess the quality of information in YouTube videos pertaining to hysterectomy.MethodsWe explored YouTube using the search terms “hysterectomy” and “remove uterus.” The videos that appeared were sorted using the filter “sort by view count.” Of the initial 100 videos, the top 50 videos for each search term were included for review, as determined by the “relevance” filter based on YouTube's algorithm. After excluding 34 videos for various reasons, 66 were included in the final analysis. Each video rated as “useful” was further analyzed for reliability and completeness of information; a set of pre-determined criteria were modified from a previous study and used to grade the quality of videos.ResultsThe top 66 videos on hysterectomy had a total of 4,679,118 views. Based on authorship, the videos were categorized as follows: videos uploaded by patients, 37%; academic videos, 35%; videos uploaded by physicians, 13%; commercial videos, 4%; and videos uploaded by non-physicians, 2%. The type of content was also categorized: 50% of the videos recorded personal experiences, 23% recorded surgical techniques, 21% involved explanations of the surgery, and 4% were commercial videos. The majority of the videos made by patients were negatively biased toward hysterectomy surgery (71.72%), while the majority of those made by academics or physicians were surgical educational videos for doctors, not patients.ConclusionYouTube is currently not an appropriate source for patients to gain information on hysterectomy. Physicians should be aware of the limitations and provide up-to-date and peer-reviewed content on the website.

Success Factors for Effective Contractor-led Stakeholder Relationship Management: Perspectives from the Botswana Construction Industry

Stakeholder relationship management (SRM) remains critical to the attainment of successful project outcomes. This is particularly the case in the construction industry: an industry often described as considerably fragmented and project-based with a multiplicity of stakeholders with vested interests. Burgeoning incidences of project failure has been attributed to poor SRM. A lot of studies investigating stakeholder management exist, yet a paucity of studies looking into SRM has been noticed. Most of these studies have sought to investigate the phenomenon from a client perspective without taking cognizance of the contractor’s role in SRM. Also, the tendency of these studies to overlook stakeholder dynamics as it concerns power, uncertainty, etc. during various stages of the project lifecycle is observed. These are the gaps which this study will seek to fill relying on the customer relationship model (CRM) theoretical lens. A multi-case study research design is proposed. Different contractor organizations were selected based on a set of predetermined criteria. A plethora of within-case interviews and document reviews will be utilized in eliciting data concerning the approach adopted by construction contractors for managing extant relationships with critical stakeholders. The data was analysed thematically. It is expected that success factors will result from the elicited narratives. The following success factors for effective management of stakeholder relationship management emerged from the interviews and documents: Communication, understanding of stakeholders, the different types of stakeholders and type of project, management, and interpersonal skills, collaboration, engagement, and conflict management. This artefact will be compared to different CRM models to identify probable success factors for engendering effective stakeholder relationship management. Furthermore, the study’s findings will seek to contribute towards the development of a contractor-centric stakeholder relationship management framework for the Botswana construction industry.

Occurrence, pathogenicity, and control of acanthocephalosis caused by Neoechinorhynchus buttnerae: A review

Infections negatively influence the production of tambaqui, and in north Brazil, the wide distribution of this parasitic disease has generated concern among fish farmers. The objective of this study was to review published literature on this pathogen. Six main online research databases were searched using the keywords "Neoechinorhynchus buttnerae", "acantocefalose", and "acanthocephalan fish". Based on a set of predetermined criteria, 39 publications were selected for this review. The mechanism of pathogenic action of N. buttnerae is related to the degree of penetration of the proboscis. Infection results in histopathological and morphological changes in the host. The recurrence of the parasite in the northern region was greater twelve years after their first occurrence. The lack of specific legislation on veterinary products for aquatic animals, combined with the neglect of good management practices, and the absence of a contingency plan for the control of acanthocephalan infections have contributed to the current health situation of Colossoma macropomum northern Brazil. Additional information about the occurrence of the disease, pathogenicity, and control of acanthocephalan infections are imperative for developing a disease contingency plan in the region and research to address these should be encouraged by the sector.

Hydrophobic eutectic mixtures as volatile fatty acid extractants

Organic waste streams can be converted into volatile fatty acids (VFAs) via fermentation. VFAs can be used as intermediates in the synthesis of added-value chemicals. In this work, hydrophobic eutectic mixtures were designed for the liquid-liquid extraction of VFAs from dilute aqueous solutions. The eutectic behaviour was screened for over 100 combinations of 16 hydrophobic components that were selected based on a set of predetermined criteria. Mixtures of dihexylthiourea and trioctylphosphine oxide (TOPO) showed the best extraction performance and were stable over a wide pH range. The extraction efficiency increased with increasing hydrophobicity of the VFAs, and only undissociated acids were extracted. Upon increasing the TOPO content of the eutectic mixture, the extraction performance could be improved, confirming the tuneable nature of eutectic solvents. However, the extraction performance was less than that for solutions of TOPO in hydrophobic solvents, even though mole fractions of TOPO were higher in the eutectic mixtures. It was hypothesized that the intermolecular VFA–TOPO interactions required for extraction are suppressed by the inter-component interactions in the eutectic mixture. The inter-component interactions are responsible for the negative deviation from ideality of the melting temperature depressions that extend the liquid window of the mixtures towards the extraction temperature. Hence, the design of novel hydrophobic extractants based on eutectic mixtures was demonstrated. Their performance might be improved by selecting counterparts that interfere less with the interactions required for VFA extraction.

Living with Burden of Migraine: The Analysis of "My Migraine Voice" Survey Results in Turkey.

Migraine is a common, chronic neurologic disease which causes serious social and economical disability at both the individual and the community level. The aim of this study was to interpret the data for Turkey from "My Migraine Voice," an online survey of individuals suffering from frequent migraine attacks (≥4 days/month with migraine headaches) who had not benefited from existing prophylactic therapies, conducted in 31 countries to investigate the burden of migraine for the individual and the society. Based on a set of predetermined criteria (90% of the patients must have used prophylactic therapy, and 80% of them must have needed to change therapy), patients who had ≥ 4 days in a month with migraine headache in the past 3 months were asked to take an online survey of 88 questions. The study included questions aimed at determining the burden of disease during not only the headache phase, but also the prodrome and postdrome phases, as well as a questionnaire for determining the Reduction of Overall Activity and Productivity at Work ((WPAI: GH). A total of 237 patients from Turkey were included in the study. 62% of the patients stated that they were severely or very severely disabled in their daily activities during the headache phase of migraine, and 31% and 34% of the patients reported that they were disabled during the prodrome and postdrome phases, respectively. 28% of the patients stated they had been receiving prophylactic therapy for more than 2 years, and only 84% of these patients reported complete or partial satisfaction with their current therapies. This value was as low as ~70% in patients in whom 2 or more previous drug treatments or therapies had failed. Actively-working patients reported that they had lost 21% of their time at work due to migraine, and the overall loss of workforce was 67%. This study showed that migraine can cause disability in an individual's private and professional lives during every stage of migraine, including the prodrome and postdrome phases. This finding will be important for designing future treatments aimed at enhancing the quality of life and productivity of patients who cannot adequately benefit from existing therapies.

Interventions to address burden among family caregivers of persons aging with TBI: A scoping review

ABSTRACTPurpose: To capture the scope of literature exploring interventions for caregivers of aging persons with TBI.Methods: A scoping review of peer reviewed literature was conducted in two phases. Phase I: Searching seven databases, two independent raters screened articles using a set of predetermined criteria. Included articles were reviewed, and categorized according to common themes. Phase II: Five stakeholders were engaged in a consultation. A content analysis was performed by extracting statements from each interview using an inductive strategy, and organizing each into themes.Findings: A total of 11 articles were included in the final analysis. Inter-rater reliability was assessed at both the title and abstract search [98.8% agreement; k = 0.3425 (95% CI, .246 to .439), p < .05]; and the full-text review [83% agreement; k = 0.542 (95% CI, 0.340 to 0.745), p < .05] phases. Seven articles identified potential interventions, and four identified and evaluated an intervention. Interventions targeted subjective burden (n = 4) and objective burden (n = 4), with caregiver knowledge and skill development (n = 3) classified as a sub-category of objective burden. Stakeholders overwhelmingly emphasized the need for interventions to reduce objective burden.Implications: Included articles were primarily composed of levels six and seven evidence, suggesting that this literature is in an early stage of development. Future research should emphasize the development and evaluation of interventions to reduce objective burden.

A systematic review of clinician-rated instruments to assess adults' levels of functioning in specialised public sector mental health services.

Functioning is one of the key domains emphasised in the routine assessment of outcomes that has been occurring in specialised public sector mental health services across Australia since 2002, via the National Outcomes and Casemix Collection. For adult consumers (aged 18-64), the 16-item Life Skills Profile (LSP-16) has been the instrument of choice to measure functioning. However, review of the National Outcomes and Casemix Collection protocol has highlighted some limitations to the current approach to measuring functioning. A systematic review was conducted to identify, against a set of pre-determined criteria, the most suitable existing clinician-rated instruments for the routine measurement of functioning for adult consumers. We used two existing reviews of functioning measures as our starting point and conducted a search of MEDLINE and PsycINFO to identify articles relating to additional clinician-rated instruments. We evaluated identified instruments using a hierarchical, criterion-based approach. The criteria were as follows: (1) is brief (<50 items) and simple to score, (2) is not made redundant by more recent instruments, (3) relevant version has been scientifically scrutinised, (4) considers functioning in a contemporary way and (5) demonstrates sound psychometric properties. We identified 20 relevant instruments, 5 of which met our criteria: the LSP-16, the Health of the Nation Outcome Scales, the Illness Management and Recovery Scale-Clinician Version, the Multnomah Community Ability Scale and the Personal and Social Performance Scale. Further work is required to determine which, if any, of these instruments satisfy further criteria relating to their appropriateness for assessing functioning within relevant service contexts, acceptability to clinicians and consumers, and feasibility in routine practice. This should involve seeking stakeholders' opinions (e.g. about the specific domains of functioning covered by each instrument and the language used in individual items) and testing completion rates in busy service settings.

Why Performance Appraisal Does Not Lead to Performance Improvement: Excellent Performance as a Function of Uniqueness Instead of Uniformity

Dissatisfaction with performance appraisal is at an all-time high (Adler et al., 2016). In this commentary we argue that one of the reasons why performance appraisal is unable to get the most out of employees is the way in which employees are evaluated against a uniform set of criteria, leading to a focus on deficits and little attention for unique individual qualities and strengths. By comparing the performance of an employee with a set of predetermined criteria, and by expecting the employee to perform well across all these criteria, the performance appraisal tends to focus on those areas where employees perform below the norm, irrespective of how excellently they may perform in other areas. For many employees, this leads to the frustrating experience that there is more attention for their weaknesses than for the areas in which they excel. By focusing on employee strengths and on how to make optimal use of those strengths, and by allowing for diversity in the way that employees execute their jobs, the performance review can be replaced by a dialogue about development that may truly stimulate the motivation for performance improvement.