Proactive Actions Research Articles

Self-Care in Nursing Professionals during the COVID-19 Pandemic: An Integrative Review

Introduction: The COVID-19 pandemic posed unprecedented challenges to the nursing staff, who were at the forefront of patient care and their families. Exposed to the virus due to strenuous work schedules and other factors, their health was at risk. However, they took proactive self-care actions to counteract these factors, promote self-health, and prevent the onset of diseases caused by stressors from the pandemic. These actions, identified in the literature published between 2020-2023, have significantly impacted their individual and collective health. Objective: To identify the self-care strategies implemented by nursing professionals during the COVID-19 pandemic and to analyze them in the light of Giddens’ theoretical proposal. Materials and methods: An integrative literature review under a descriptive scope was conducted between June and September 2023 in the following databases: Pubmed, Scielo, Science Direct, Lilacs, and Google Scholar; also, PRISMA recommendations were taken into account for the organization of the search. Results: 40 articles, published between 2020 and 2023 and representing for different methodological designs, were included in the review. The self-care implemented by nurses during the pandemic was assessed in the light of Giddens’ theoretical proposal under two types of actions: intentional, which account for physical, mental, and emotional health care activities, and deliberate, which focus on care at a social level. Conclusions: The identified self-care actions were oriented toward the promotion of individual and collective health of workers, the reduction of employee turnover, the recognition of stress, and the strengthening of resilience, which can also be implemented nowadays.

Intencionalidad de abandono escolar temprano. Un estudio sobre la vinculación de la identidad

The early school dropout rate in Spain stands at 13.6 %, a percentage higher than the European average. This is a phenomenon influenced by multifactorial aspects, including factors related to the educational system as well as individual characteristics. The objective of this research is to determine the influence of factors related to individual identity on early school dropout, such as gender, age, country of origin, mother tongue, and place of residence. The study is conducted through the administration of a specifically developed questionnaire to a sample of 1157 students from La Rioja in the final years of compulsory secondary education. Data analysis is performed through descriptive analysis, examining percentage differences between groups and represented with line graphs. The results show differences based on age, gender, and place of residence. Additionally, differences are observed between national and foreign students, especially those with a non-Spanish mother tongue. The main findings indicate that certain identity traits substantially influence whether students continue their educational process. Therefore, educational institutions should be aware of these potentially risky identity aspects in order to develop proactive actions for at-risk students, thereby avoiding future early school dropout.

Impact of Water and Soil Salinity on Coastal Agriculture in Bangladesh: Insights and Mitigation Strategies

Salinity intrusion is one of the major problems in coastal regions in Bangladesh which affects crop production and livelihood. This study examines the impact of salinity intrusion from the Pasur River on soil quality and agricultural productivity in the coastal region of Bangladesh. For this study, both water and soil collections and field surveys were carried out in seven unions that are directly impacted by the river in Dacope and Mongla Upazilas. Physicochemical analyses of water and soil samples revealed significant variations in salinity levels, with higher concentrations observed in southern regions’ spatial distribution. A strong positive relationship between water and soil salinity indicates a direct influence of river salinity on soil quality from the Pearson correlation analysis. Survey data from 240 respondents, predominantly farmers, corroborated these results, with widespread recognition of salinity’s detrimental effects on crop yields, especially rice. So, smaller farms focus on vegetables, medium on rice, and larger ones on high-value crops like watermelon. Mitigation strategies such as freshwater irrigation, drainage systems, and salt-tolerant crop cultivation were identified as potential remedies. Additionally, experts suggested implementing sluice gates to control saltwater intrusion from tributary rivers like Chila Khal. These results emphasize the immediate requirement for proactive actions to reduce the negative effects of salt-induced soil degradation and ensure sustainable agricultural practices in the vulnerable region.

Redefining the Skills Required on the Labour Market in the Context of the Development of Artificial Intelligence Systems. Case Study on Finnish Universities

The rise of AI technology across different sectors has drastically influenced jobs and employment overall. This paper's goal is to identify and redefine the fundamental skills that are needed in the job market in relation to the massive application of artificial intelligence. The methodology used includes a case study and document analysis. The case study is centred on the Finnish universities that have implemented a project to connect academic training and professional requirements in the era of artificial intelligence. The results of this paper suggest a radical shift from the usual and well-known labour-oriented competencies to a far more complex cognitive and interdisciplinary array of skills like complex problem-solving, emotional intelligence, and flexibility. Most importantly, the case study that this paper brings forward underscores that the educational process and innovation must be sustained in the job market because technology can never be stagnant and is continuously redrawing the boundaries of the job's responsibilities. In a nutshell, the competencies required in the labour market will have to be recast with the integration and development of artificial intelligence systems. Such developments need proactive actions from stakeholders, especially educational institutions, through which a proper channel is established for the smooth coexistence of the workforce in the future headed by artificial intelligence.

Smart Cities towards Artificial Intelligence

The creation of smart cities has come a long way in recent years, especially in domains that use AI, such IoT-based components, security systems, smart living options, and environmental monitoring. These advancements seek to build surroundings that meet human requirements by utilizing cutting edge technologies such as automated parking, smart healthcare, and seismic monitoring systems. Even with these encouraging advancements, the current generation of smart cities is still unable to attain genuine autonomy, particularly when it comes to component-level autonomous situation management and decision-making. The transformational perspective proposed in this work views the constituent components of smart environments as self-governing agents with the ability to make decisions. The purpose of these autonomous agents is to improve security and smart living by being able to self-manage and react automatically to different situations. Such autonomous agents can be integrated to accomplish the goal of artificially intelligent smart cities. In smart cities, autonomous agents may behave pro-actively without human involvement by continually monitoring and analyzing data, anticipating possible problems, and taking proactive actions. In the context of smart healthcare, these agents may, for example, track a patient's vitals in real time, anticipate possible health emergencies, notify medical personnel, or even start emergency procedures. Autonomous agents may dynamically assign parking spots in the context of smart car parking based on real-time data, maximizing space use and minimizing traffic congestion. Agents that can autonomously manage emergency actions, such as directing people to safety and managing infrastructure to minimize damage, might be beneficial for earthquake detecting systems. As autonomous entities endowed with decision-making skills are included, we are moving closer to truly intelligent cities. Because of these agents' capacity for independent operation and quick response to changing circumstances, smart cities are able to offer a better quality of security and service while accommodating the changing demands of its residents. As a result, smart cities that have these intelligent agents installed will be more responsive, efficient, and resilient—ultimately capturing the spirit of artificial intelligence in urban planning.

FINANCIAL INCLUSION: DOES IT PLAY AN IMPORTANT ROLE IN A COUNTRY? REVIEW OF THE LITERATURE

Financial Inclusion (FI) is a key pillar of financial development and inclusive growth in a country. It plays an immense role and is showing an evolving nature around the world. Most research now investigates this concept mainly due to its supportive nature for a country’s development perspectives. Many countries make investments and pay considerable attention to initiating FI agendas and national FI strategies to improve the level of FI in their countries. Economic empowerment through formal financial sector activities, poverty reduction, lowering income inequality, enhancing savings and investments, and improving productivity are some of the contributory factors of FI. Reviewing nearly 50 past literature, this article attempts to develop new literature regarding the importance of FI for a country. Furthermore, the study examines FI definitions and barriers to FI. The findings of the literature reveal that FI directly supports the achievement of a country's growth objectives. The main contributory factors of FI are employment creation, reducing income inequality and poverty, smoothing the financial sector while maintaining financial system stability, and working with technological developments towards financial activities. However, there are several important bottlenecks such as lack of income, difficult access points due to long distance, barriers to digital finance and payments, and lack of financial knowledge. Affordable financial sector products and services for everyone tend to improve the level of FI. The outcome of the research provides valuable insight for policymakers and responsible authorities to take proactive actions to reach the FI targets by eliminating barriers to FI. In this regard, higher participation of the population towards the formal financial sector in a country is an important element, and actions should be arranged for the gradual transformation of people to achieve this target. The findings of this study further provide avenues for future studies and policy-level decisions, highlighting the fact that FI is an important concept for creating a financially inclusive country.

A forecast-driven stochastic optimization method for proactive activation of manual reserves

Reducing operating balancing costs is paramount for an affordable transition towards renewable-dominated power systems. In European balancing markets, operating balancing costs are driven by the activation of automatic and manual frequency restoration reserves, respectively aFRR and mFRR. An inadequate combination of both products for resolving grid imbalances may result in economic inefficiencies where, e.g., saturated aFRR can lead to balancing price spikes. To avoid such situation, we propose a proactive activation policy of manual reserves, aiming at an optimal trade-off between aFRR and mFRR products via a stochastic optimization method. The tool is fed with 1-min time trajectories of system imbalances covering the next quarter hour. The one minute temporal granularity allows modeling the ramping phenomena of mFRR products, while keeping track of the faster activation of aFRR products. The proposed balancing energy activation methodology is tested on Belgian market data, which currently adopts a reactive balancing strategy. Ex-post comparisons of the proposed balancing strategy with a reactive one show that our methodology allows a decrease of the balancing activation costs. This is expected as early activation of mFRR, when appropriately provided, allows avoiding the activation of extremely high aFRR bids.

Systematic Literature Review: Pengaruh Likuiditas dan Implementasi Good Corporate Governance terhadap Financial Distress

In fluctuating economic conditions, companies are faced with the challenge of maintaining financial stability and avoiding financial distress. The importance of Good Corporate Governance and liquidity management is becoming increasingly crucial in managing financial risk. This research aims to thoroughly understand the influence of liquidity and the implementation of good corporate governance on financial distress. This research uses the Literature Review (SLR) method, there are several journals published from 2019 to 2024 which will later be analyzed regularly. The Systematic Literature Review method can be applied to evaluate, interpret, analyze and identify any existing research that must match the theme of an interesting phenomenon. The research is classified with appropriate ideas and can be grouped with comparable topics to state further problems related to the Influence of Liquidity and the Implementation of Good Corporate Governance on Financial Distress. A total of 55 articles were analyzed in this research. It is hoped that the research results from this study will increase deeper knowledge about the correlation between Liquidity, Good Corporate Governance and Financial Distress, as well as provide useful understanding for academics, regulators and practitioners in managing company financial risks. And given the best understanding of the components that influence Financial Distress, companies can take more proactive action in maintaining their financial stability and improving their overall operational performance.

Exploring the Impacts of Internet and Social Media Exposure on Children: A Survey-Based Analysis

For the reason of the widespread of technologies in daily life, the rising rate of internet and social media usage among children has emerged as an important area of research. The purpose of this study is to enhance our knowledge of the impact of unsupervised internet and social media use on children's development and well-being. Data was collected via an online questionnaire divided into two sections. Section A dealt with demography, while Section B discussed the impact of the internet and social media on children. This study surveyed 36 parents to investigate their children's access to various internet information, its consequences on mental and physical health such as eye strain and sleep difficulties, and implications for academic achievement. According to the findings, unsupervised internet interaction can result in behavioural abnormalities in roughly 70% of cases, academic difficulties in around 30.6%, and health issues in about 58.3%. However, parents are using a variety of strategies to mitigate these risks. The survey reveals that 70% of respondents set limits on their children's gadget usage, while 22.2% utilize parental control software. These findings highlight the importance of taking proactive actions to overcome the issues posed by unsupervised digital interaction and create a safer and more beneficial online environment for children.

ACADEMIC INTEGRITY GAMES IN EDUCATION

The paper investigates the promotion of academic integrity (AcadI) by implementing the method of gamification in the educational process. The aim of the research is to highlight the complex of games on AcadI as one of the prospective forms of work with youth at general secondary education institutions (GSEIs) and higher education institutions (HEIs). Methods. To achieve the goal, the following methods were used: theoretical (analysis, synthesis of scientific and pedagogical sources) and empirical (observation of the educational process). Results and discussion. Based on their own experience, the authors of the article highlight the system of AcadI games, which is considered as several educational game practices that help teachers educate students on aspects of AcadI, develop their knowledge about academic integrity, prevent scientific dishonesty, give them good citation practice, improve their ability to correctly cite sources and format their scientific work, etc. The system of AcadI games was used in the content of the Educational course "Methodology and Organisation of Professional Research and Academic Integrity" for students of the second (master's) level of higher education in the specialties 014 Secondary Education (Ukrainian Language and Literature), 014 Secondary Education (Language and Foreign Literature (English)) and 014 Secondary Education (Language and Foreign Literature (German)) at University of Hryhorii Skovoroda University in Pereiaslav (HSUP). It was based on 3 dominant learning approaches (storytelling, interactivity, and situational learning) and divided into 3 groups, namely: 1) situational games, 2) storytelling games, 3) interactive AcadI games through online learning tools ("You Quote It, You Note It", "Goblin Threat"), apps ("Dilemma Game"), and platforms ("Integrity Games Platform"). These AcadI games are used as a group, pair and/or individual tasks at practical lessons, individual tasks for self-study work, and as a preparatory element to an individual research work. Conclusions. It was attempted to highlight the system of Academic Integrity games, that is considered by authors as crucial and can be easily used for students, studying English as a foreign language, of all levels and specialties at HEIs, GSEIs, colleges and institutes, etc. The implementation of such games incorporates proactive action in building a culture of honesty/integrity and fostering ethical behaviour of youth in educational institutions. The prospects of the research are seen in the pedagogical experiment of checking the effectiveness of the highlighted complex of AcadI games in teacher training at HSUP.

440 Sex Workers Cannot Be Wrong: Engaging and Negotiating Online Platform Power

Online platforms shape and facilitate our social, economic, and political activities. Sex workers have long pioneered their use for advertising, providing services, screening clients, collecting payments, and peer-interaction, among other activities. To learn more about the platforms sex workers use and how they engage and resist platforms’ power, we consider the following questions: How and to what extent do sex workers engage with online platforms? How do these platforms’ policies and practices shape the conditions of their work? And, how do sex workers negotiate these platforms’ power? Drawing on data from a national survey of 440 sex workers, developed in partnership with sex workers across the United States, we found that sex workers use a range of online platforms for their work. However, platform policies and practices often remove and/or limit sex workers’ access, thereby restricting their ability to earn income and also compromising their safety, and these effects stratify along the lines of race, gender, and ability. Sex workers respond to and resist platforms’ policies through various pre-emptive and pro-active actions. Our study expands the existing research on sex work and online platforms, particularly to illuminate the consequences of corporate-led platform policy development and implementation for marginalized workers.

Distinct Action Signals by Subregions in the Nucleus Accumbens during STOP-Change Performance.

The nucleus accumbens (NAc) is thought to contribute to motivated behavior by signaling the value of reward-predicting cues and the delivery of anticipated reward. The NAc is subdivided into core and shell, with each region containing different populations of neurons that increase or decrease firing to rewarding events. While there are numerous theories of functions pertaining to these subregions and cell types, most are in the context of reward processing, with fewer considering that the NAc might serve functions related to action selection more generally. We recorded from single neurons in the NAc as rats of both sexes performed a STOP-change task that is commonly used to study motor control and impulsivity. In this task, rats respond quickly to a spatial cue on 80% of trials (GO) and must stop and redirect planned movement on 20% of trials (STOP). We found that the activity of reward-excited neurons signaled accurate response direction on GO, but not STOP, trials and that these neurons exhibited higher precue firing after correct trials. In contrast, reward-inhibited neurons significantly represented response direction on STOP trials at the time of the instrumental response. Finally, the proportion of reward-excited to reward-inhibited neurons and the strength of precue firing decreased as the electrode traversed the NAc. We conclude that reward-excited cells (more common in core) promote proactive action selection, while reward-inhibited cells (more common in shell) contribute to accurate responding on STOP trials that require reactive suppression and redirection of behavior.

Etica în universitate. Strategii și atitudini proactive

The process of achieving an ethical university involves a series of actions, which can be categorized as follows: reactive actions – where the university reacts when there are violations of ethical codes within it, and proactive actions – where the university makes an effort to promote organizational virtues. The question I want to discuss in this article is, “What does it mean for a university to be proactive in promoting organizational virtues?” I will start with two studies to answer this question: a sociological study measuring the proactivity of managers in Romanian university institutions, conducted by Silvia Puiu and Radu Florin Ogarca, and the classification made by Gedeon J. Rossouw and Leon J. van Vuuren of the modes of ethical management. I will analyse the concept of proactivity starting from the comparison between the reactive mode and the integrity mode proposed by Rossouw and van Vuuren. I will develop this concept and define proactivity as the implementation of an ethical strategy. Additionally, I will outline the main elements of this strategy. The article will be structured as follows: (i) presentation of the results of the sociological investigation conducted by Puiu and Ogarca; (ii) presentation of a conceptual framework that can model the term “proactivity”; (iii) discussion of ethical codes as a limit case testing the reactive/proactive distinction; (iv) finally, outlining an answer to the question “How do we build an ethical university?”: virtues and systematic approach through defining a strategy.

Enhancing Financial Security in the Digital Age: Mitigating Risks of Virtual Currencies Through Regulation and Institutional Mechanisms

Abstract The swift rise of virtual currencies (VCs) as financial instruments has raised concerns about their ability to increase risks in the global financial system, especially given the current geopolitical instability. This article examines the connection between virtual currencies and financial security, highlighting the importance of strong economic and financial institutions and mechanisms to ensure the reliability of digital assets. We investigate through an extensive literature analysis the various risks linked to VCs, including market volatility, regulatory inconsistencies, and security vulnerabilities, which are exacerbated by geopolitical conflicts. We then examine how institutions have responded to these concerns, focusing on the proactive actions taken by international organizations and national authorities to reduce possible disruptions. The focus of our paper is the Markets in Cryptoassets (MiCA) law, an innovative legislative framework created by the European Union to standardize VC regulation among member states. We analyse the goals and main provisions of MiCA to evaluate its ability to establish an international benchmark for overseeing virtual currencies, ultimately improving investor safety and market integrity. The paper concludes by discussing the changing role of VCs in the geopolitical sphere and supports flexible and cooperative regulatory strategies to balance the advancement of digital assets with financial security needs.

Drought in play: A grounded socio-hydrological tool to increase social participation in drought plans

Drought management requires a proactive approach and active involvement of stakeholders to enhance effectiveness and equity. However, there are challenges such as power imbalances and knowledge disparities. This paper proposes an innovative methodological tool to facilitate the understanding of key concepts, such as drought states and reservoir zoning, alerts for changes in drought state, risk predisposition, breaking down hierarchical structures of teaching and learning, contributing to more horizontal and participatory processes. We present “Drought in Play” from its creation and design to its application in two water systems in the state of Ceará, located in the Northeast region of Brazil. The game encourages active participation in the creation of a proactive drought plan for water systems and stimulates critical thought and proactive actions regarding drought and water resources management. The game was designed for a multidisciplinary team and tested with researchers that know the drought plans methodology and the challenges to build an effective drought plan. “Drought in Play’’ includes game elements (cards, boardgame) and simulations. We explore the participants’ perceptions when using this tool to facilitate stakeholder participation in building a proactive plan to deal with drought and to enable water users to collectively manage a reservoir that is a common resource to all of them. The results suggest that ”Drought in Play“ can be used as a tool for socio-hydrological modeling, because it combines hydrological elements with social aspects such as decision-making, cooperation, and conflicts among participants. The game has potential to facilitate sustainable water resources management, enhance social learning, and provide a knowledge framework to address complex environmental challenges. It can be easily adapted to other regions with similar situations without requiring further modifications.

Useful or not? The discussion of traditional Chinese medicine to treat COVID-19 on a Chinese social networking site

The use of traditional medicine is a global phenomenon, and the WHO advocated its appropriate integration into modern healthcare systems. However, there is a hot debate about the legitimacy of...

Knowledge-Enhanced Spatiotemporal Analysis for Anomaly Detection in Process Manufacturing

Effective fault detection and diagnosis (FDD) is crucial for proactively identifying irregular states that could jeopardize operator well-being and process integrity. In the era of Industry 4.0, data-driven FDD techniques have received particular attention, driven by the proliferation of stored manufacturing sensor data. While these methods have proven adept at categorizing established process fault scenarios, there remains an imperative to identify and explain anomalies stemming from uncharted faults or the interplay of consecutive anomalies. To address this we present a knowledge-enhanced FDD approach that integrates well-defined chemical engineering knowledge with cutting-edge deep learning techniques. We apply our methodology, named Knowledge-Enhanced Spatiotemporal Analysis (KESA), to identify abnormal process conditions that may be a precursor to failure. Furthermore, we utilize the knowledge of the fundamental relationships governing the process to explain why this fault case has occurred. This type of in-depth fault analysis is only possible through leveraging domain expertise and marks a step forward in FDD technology in comparison to current literature. Using the benchmark Tennessee Eastman process dataset, we establish superiority in the accuracy and efficiency of our KESA model against state-of-the-art FDD algorithms. This work highlights the importance of a knowledge-enhanced approach to deep learning in complex environments, emphasizing the critical role of timely and interpretable fault detection. By providing explanations for model results, our KESA framework not only aids in effective decision-making but also has the potential to significantly reduce the time between fault detection and the implementation of proactive mitigation actions. This capability is paramount for improving overall safety, minimizing downtime, and ultimately contributing to substantial cost savings in industrial processes.

Integrated Diagnosis, Treatment and Prognosis in Healthcare using Artificial Intelligence

Artificial Intelligence (AI) has revolutionized healthcare by integrating treatment, diagnosis, and prognosis into a cohesive and patient-centric approach. This study examines how utilising AI technology in healthcare might improve patient management and have a transformational impact. Huge volumes of patient data, including as genetic data, medical records, and treatment outcomes are analysed by AI algorithms, allowing for the creation of individualised treatment regimens based on precise prognostic assessments and diagnoses. Utilising AI-driven decision-making promotes proactive and preventative actions, improving healthcare outcomes. To ensure ethical AI adoption, however, concerns about data privacy, algorithmic bias, and ethical issues must be addressed. In order to demonstrate how AI-driven therapy approaches are successful, case examples are reviewed in this article, demonstrating how they might potentially enhance patient care. As AI develops, its seamless integration with healthcare systems has enormous promise for revolutionising medical practise. It will usher in a new era of accurate, effective, and data-driven patient management, which will ultimately be advantageous to both patients and healthcare professionals.its capacity to enhance patient care.

Repurposing Waste from Aggressive Acacia Invaders to Promote Its Management in Large Invaded Areas in Southwestern Europe.

Several Acacia species are aggressive invaders outside their native range, often occupying extensive areas. Traditional management approaches have proven to be ineffective and economically unfeasible, especially when dealing with large infestations. Here, we explain a different approach to complement traditional management by using the waste from Acacia management activities. This approach can provide stakeholders with tools to potentially reduce management costs and encourage proactive management actions. It also prioritizes potential applications of Acacia waste biomass for agriculture and forestry as a way of sequestering the carbon released during control actions. We advocate the use of compost/vermicompost, green manure and charcoal produced from Acacia waste, as several studies have shown their effectiveness in improving soil fertility and supporting crop growth. The use of waste and derivatives as bioherbicides or biostimulants is pending validation under field conditions. Although invasive Acacia spp. are banned from commercialization and cultivation, the use of their waste remains permissible. In this respect, we recommend the collection of Acacia waste during the vegetative stage and its subsequent use after being dried or when dead, to prevent further propagation. Moreover, it is crucial to establish a legal framework to mitigate potential risks associated with the handling and disposal of Acacia waste.

Connections between soil microbes, land use and European climate: Insights for management practices

Soil microbial biomass and activity strongly depend on land use, vegetation cover, climate, and soil physicochemical properties. In most cases, this dependence was assessed by one-to-one correlations while by employing network analysis, information about network robustness and the balance between stochasticity and determinism controlling connectivity, was revealed. In this study, we further elaborated on the hypothesis of Smith et al. (2021) that cropland soils depended more on climate variables and therefore are more vulnerable to climate change. We used the same dataset with that of Smith et al. (2021) that contains seasonal microbial, climate and soil variables collected from 881 soil points representing the main land uses in Europe: forests, grassland, cropland. We examined complete (both direct and indirect relationships) and incomplete networks (only direct relationships) and recorded higher robustness in the former. Partial Least Square results showed that on average more than 45% of microbial attributes' variability was predicted by climate and habitat drivers denoting medium to strong effect of habitat filtering. Network architecture slightly affected by season or land use type; it followed the core/periphery structure with positive and negative interactions and no hub nodes. Microbial attributes (biomass, activity and their ratio) mostly belong to core block together with Soil Organic Carbon (SOC), while climate and soil variables to periphery block with the exception of cropland networks, denoting the higher dependence between microbial and climate variables in these latter. All complete networks appeared robust except for cropland and forest in summer, a finding that disagrees with our initial hypothesis about cropland. Networks' connectivity was controlled stronger by stochasticity in forest than in croplands. The lack of human interventions in forest soils increase habitat homogeneity enhancing the influence of stochastic agents such as microbial unlimited dispersal and/or stochastic extinction. The increased stochasticity implies the necessity for proactive management actions.